5 Rooftop Bars Chicago

Why it made the list: The one to do first, a glass-walled rooftop on the 13th floor of the Chicago Athletic Association, looking straight out over Millennium Park, the Bean and Lake Michigan. It's open year-round (the enclosed section keeps it going through winter), and the view is the best in the city.

Why it made the list: Atop the LondonHouse where the river meets Michigan Avenue, LH Rooftop gives you the most dramatic river-and-bridge view in the city, wrapped around a landmark 1920s building with a domed cupola. It's the postcard Chicago-River angle, with a drink in your hand.

Why it made the list: On the roof of the Peninsula in the Gold Coast, Z Bar is the sophisticated, dressed-up option, impeccable cocktails, an elegant crowd, and a terrace looking down the Magnificent Mile. Less scene, more polish; the choice for a grown-up drink with a skyline.

Why it made the list: The rooftop at the Virgin Hotels in the Loop, Cerise is the fun, high-energy one, a lively crowd, a DJ, and a wraparound terrace with skyline views in every direction. Where you go when you want the rooftop to feel like a party.

Why it made the list: Away from the downtown crowds, atop the Hotel Lincoln in Lincoln Park, the J. Parker looks out over the park, the lake and the skyline to the south, a retractable roof keeps it going in cool weather, and the crowd skews more local. The neighborhood alternative to the Loop rooftops.