Top of the Strand, Strand Hotel, New York

Views of the Empire State Building don’t get any better than this. Designed by Sex and the City set designer Lydia Marks, the Strand Hotel’s 21st-floor perch has all the punch and intoxication of Midtown Manhattan with none of the gritty hassle. The bar’s retractable roof gives it a year-round versatility popular with the after-work crowd and tourists waiting for the ESB’s light display to ignite the evening. Cocktails like the St. Germain–infused Fitzgerald paired with nibbles like bleu cheese–stuffed dates create a combo that is ideal for skyline gazing and grazing. Cocktails from $15; topofthestrand.com.