Long Beach, California, has been recognized as the top city in the United States for outdoor socializing, according to a new ranking by Maxwell Social, a private membership club and event venue. The study, which analyzed 45 of the most populous U.S. cities, placed Los Angeles at the bottom of the list for its limited outdoor social opportunities.
Maxwell Social evaluated cities based on the per capita availability of beer gardens, breweries, and patios, in addition to search interest for outdoor social venues. Long Beach secured the No. 1 spot due to its abundant breweries, patios, and beer gardens. Oakland followed in second place, with Atlanta ranking third, noted for its rooftop bars and resident interest in outdoor social life.
Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Houston were identified as the cities with the fewest options for outdoor socializing. The methodology used U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and data from Google Maps and Yelp to measure patios, rooftop bars, beer gardens, and breweries per 100,000 residents. Google search volume for terms like “patios near me” and “outdoor bars” was also a factor.
The study also included a survey of 1,000 Americans regarding their outdoor socializing habits. The findings indicated a widespread desire for more outdoor gathering spaces, with 18% of respondents reporting difficulty finding suitable places to socialize outdoors. Additionally, 19% stated they had been asked to quiet down or leave an outdoor social setting in the past year, and 15% felt their city lacked sufficient outdoor spaces.
New York City was perceived by 16% of Americans as the leading city for outdoor gatherings, followed by Los Angeles, Miami, and San Diego, each named by 11% of respondents. Younger demographics, particularly Gen Z, expressed a strong preference for better outdoor social infrastructure, with 41% indicating they would socialize more often if their cities offered improved options.
The survey also revealed a trend of Americans traveling to other cities for easier outdoor social experiences. Approximately 28% of respondents have traveled specifically for this reason, with New Orleans and Las Vegas being the most popular destinations.
Virginia Beach, Mesa, and Colorado Springs performed well in terms of patio availability. Mesa and Detroit led in rooftop bar density, with Mesa having 21.6 and Detroit 17.2 rooftop bars per 100,000 residents.