How to Find a Cool Bar

If you're in an unfamiliar town on business or if just stopping in for a visit, you could find yourself looking for a place to fulfill your alcoholic beverage needs. Though you can usually get restaurant suggestions from guides or a even a concierge service, a cool bar or nightclub can be farther off the radar. Here are some tips for finding the right watering hole.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Pick up the a copy of city's entertainment guide, if the city has one. Many locally-owned restaurants and coffee shops will keep a stack near the entrance. These magazines are usually free and have a list of bars and nightclubs, along with a description of each.
2. Search local newspapers online for an archive of bar and nightclub reviews. Though not as direct as an entertainment weekly, most local newspapers do keep list of past articles available for your perusal. This way, you get to see pictures, too.
3. Talk to the locals. When dining at an area restaurant, ask your server about the bar scene. There's no guarantee that your particular server is an expert; but as a rule of thumb, wait staff tend to know where the hot spots are.
4. Post a question on Craig's List. If all else fails, this message board is the place to get the skinny on what's going on in a city. Though not strictly appropriate, the "Rants and Raves" board gets a lot of visitors. It is probably the place to put out a query that gets a response.
5. Take a walking tour of the downtown area. If you're desperate to get out and do some exploring, there's nothing wrong with trial and error. Wear some comfortable shoes and just peek your head into bars you pass.