12 Bars in Unexpected Places

It's not hard to find a bar, but if you're looking for something special, you have to do some digging. Here are some bars in unusual places that are worth the trip.

1. DISNEYLAND'S CLUB 33 // ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

Behind a nondescript door marked with the number “33” sits a swanky, members-only social club right in the heart of the New Orleans Square area of Disneyland. The only location in the park that serves alcohol, Club 33 was established by Walt Disney himself as a haven for important park guests, celebrities, and investors (the bar still contains antiques and decorations hand-selected by Disney and his wife). To join, be prepared to plunk down $10,000 a year, plus a $25,000 initiation fee per person. But good luck getting in: The wait time for this members-only establishment has been known to reach upwards of 14 years! (If you really need some wine at the park, fear not. Recent reports have indicated that Disneyland will have a new private dining venue called 21 Royal Street. It’s going to give Club 33 members priority, but if the location is unbooked on any given day, it will be open to members of the general public.)

2. EL AVION // MANUEL ANTONIO, COSTA RICA 

Dominik Gubi, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

On a picturesque cliff in Costa Rica sits El Avion, a bar built in the fuselage of a 1954 Fairchild C-123 transport plane. It's rumored to have been purchased by the U.S. government to move men and supplies during the Iran-Contra scandal; the plane was abandoned by the CIA after its sister aircraft was shot down by Sandinista guerillas. In 2000, the C-123 was disassembled and moved to its current location. Now the aircraft bar is a great place to grab a beer, catch a sunset, and soak up some history. 

3. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN // LONDON 

Ewan Munro, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

Although residents of London’s Kentish Town neighborhood fought against the repurposing of an old subterranean public toilet, owner Will Borrell won out, and Ladies and Gentlemen was born. Craft cocktails and locally sourced bar snacks comprise the highly cultivated menu at this London speakeasy. The entrance is marked by an above-ground sign, but patrons must descend into the subterranean lounge. Visible cisterns and pre-World War II marble on the walls call attention to the space’s former function. 

4. ETERNITY RESTAURANT AND BAR // TRUSKAVETS, UKRAINE 

Have you ever been drinking at a bar and thought, “This is fun, but I wish the decor was a little more funeral-y?” Eternity Bar in the western part of Ukraine has you covered. Made out of real pine and owned by a funeral home, this coffin-shaped bar is the perfect place to have a cold beer and contemplate your own mortality. It features funeral wreaths and smaller coffins inside, and even holds the Guinness World Record for largest coffin. With dishes with names like “Let’s Meet in Paradise,” what’s not to like? 

5. MONKEY BAR // BERLIN, GERMANY 

spinhall, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

In a hotel overlooking the Berlin Zoological Gardens, Monkey Bar provides a prime vantage over the garden’s primate habitat, where drinkers can see orangutans, bonobos, gorillas, and chimpanzees. In addition, patrons have a stunning 360-degree view of the city, including the expansive Tiergarten, Berlin’s central park. An express elevator shoots right up to the top floor of the very trendy 25 Hours Hotel Berlin. With live music and world-class DJ events, Monkey Bar caters to all tastes and fashions. 

6. SUNLAND PUB // MODJADJISKLOOF, SOUTH AFRICA

At this one-of-a-kind watering hole, patrons can sip aged wines in an even more aged setting—the trunk of a 1700-year-old baobab tree. Standing over 60 feet tall with a diameter of almost 35 feet, the tree is regarded by the South African Dendrological Society as the largest example of this baobab species in the world. The Big Baobab attracts visitors from across the globe and serves as a symbol of South African heritage. Within the tree itself, a breathtaking array of caves and caverns have been carved out by a thousand years of natural aging processes, resulting in one of the most unique settings on Earth to enjoy a glass of top-shelf South African wine. 

7. FLOYD'S PELICAN BAR // SAINT ELIZABETH PARRISH, JAMAICA 

Jon Haylett, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Floyd’s is a tiny little outpost replete with locals playing dominoes and fresh-caught lobster on the menu. Located in Parottee Bay on the South Coast of Jamaica nearly a mile out to sea, adventurous travelers must take a 20-minute boat ride to reach this driftwood bar propped up on stilts. Many of the local fishermen will take you out to Floyd’s for a small fee, and once you arrive, it’s more than likely that Floyd himself will be there to greet you. The bar has an interesting origin story: Floyd dreamt of owning a bar on stilts, and gradually began transporting driftwood and other building materials using his fishing boat. (The first bar was completed in 2001; after Hurricane Ivan destroyed it in 2004, the bar was rebuilt with the help of donations from the community.) The establishment gets its name from a group of pelicans that would frequent the sand bar upon which Floyd built the bar of his dreams. 

8. FARADAY BAR // ANTARCTICA  

Lewnwdc77, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Located at the end of the world, in Vernadsky Research Base, a Ukrainian research station in Antarctica, Faraday is the perfect—and only—spot to enjoy a libation for hundreds of miles in any direction. The watering hole was constructed 30 years ago by carpenter Keith “Cat” Larratt and named after what the research base was called before the British sold it to Ukraine. Now, an eclectic mix of British and Ukrainian paraphernalia adorns the walls, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere in one of the most desolate places on the planet. The customer base includes a rotating cast of scientists and passengers from Antarctic cruises; the food and supply shipment comes once a year. 

9. WATER AND WIND BAR // BINH DUONG PROVINCE, VIETNAM

The space is used as a local meeting place, concert venue, and events center. Reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome, a hole in the center of the arched bamboo ceiling lets hot air escape, creating a window to the sky. The remarkable structure uses cool lake water as well as wind to create a natural air-ventilation system. To reach this bamboo bar situated in the middle of a lake, drinkers must cross a path of stepping stones—a much easier task before you’ve had a few Tiger beers!

10. CAVE BAR // PETRA, JORDAN

Chris Yunker, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0

Instead of craggy stalagmites jutting out from every angle, this cave in the ancient city of Petra has spectacular columns carved out of the rock. Originally used as a tomb by the Nabatean people over 2000 years ago, the site of the Cave Bar features rough sandstone walls, massive, monolithic rocks, and stunning archways. Open until the early hours of the morning, the massive caverns that comprise the bar are lit in dreamy fashion by a series of lanterns, which illuminate the pouring of expensive champagne and hookah smoke. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever experienced, including the 26 percent tax!

11. PANDA AND SONS // EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Lauri Heikkinen, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Located underneath a nondescript barbershop, this Edinburgh speakeasy allows you to live out your James Bond and Batman fantasies—to enter, you need to pull the correct book out of an overstuffed bookcase. Featuring many touches straight out of the Prohibition era, including a plush carpeted staircase, lamps made from vintage hair accessories your grandmother might have used, and glass cabinets full of exotic-looking liquor, Panda and Sons captures the mood and spirit of the 1920s perfectly.

12. FOXGLOVE // HONG KONG, CHINA 

The term “speakeasy” doesn’t fully capture the magic and mystery of Foxglove, a new drinking establishment set behind the facade of an English umbrella shop in Hong Kong. Touch the correct silver-handled umbrella and you’ll find yourself transported to what feels like a different world. Foxglove is replete with secret passageways, hidden compartments, and even a pressure-sensitive painting that grants patrons access to an extra-secret library-themed barroom. Head to 6 Duddell Street, walk up the stairs to the second floor, and let the adventure begin.