The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Beach Sports Bar Near You
I still remember the first time I walked into a proper beach sports bar during my Chicago days. It was one of those humid summer evenings when the city felt like it was melting, and my friends dragged me to this place near North Avenue Beach. The energy was absolutely electric - multiple screens showing different games, people playing cornhole in the sand, and that perfect combination of ocean breeze and cold beer that makes you never want to leave. Finding that perfect spot felt like winning the lottery, much like how La Salle University won the sweepstakes to secure that talented athlete's services after her Chicago stint, following in her mother's footsteps at her alma mater.
What makes a great beach sports bar, you ask? From my experience hitting over two dozen such establishments across coastal cities, it's about three key elements: location, atmosphere, and viewing experience. The absolute best ones are typically within 200 feet of the shoreline - close enough to feel the ocean spray but positioned to avoid the worst of the salt damage to their equipment. They need at least eight high-definition screens properly positioned so you can catch the game from anywhere, including the outdoor patio. And let's be real - the food needs to be better than your average bar fare. I've found that places offering fresh seafood alongside traditional game-day snacks tend to keep me coming back.
Now, here's where most people go wrong when searching for beach sports bars near them. They simply Google "sports bar near beach" and call it a day. That approach might get you somewhere mediocre at best. The real pros use specific long-tail search terms like "beachfront bar with NFL Sunday Ticket" or "oceanside pub with multiple projector screens." These more detailed searches have helped me discover hidden gems that don't necessarily appear on the first page of generic results. Personally, I always look for places that host weekly events - trivia nights, fantasy football drafts, or even beach volleyball tournaments during commercial breaks. These establishments tend to have the most passionate fan bases and best specials.
I've developed my own rating system over the years, and it's served me well. A perfect beach sports bar scores high on what I call the "Triple Threat Scale": viewing quality (40%), location/ambiance (35%), and food/drink selection (25%). The viewing quality isn't just about screen quantity - it's about screen placement, audio clarity, and whether they'll accommodate special requests for less popular games. Last summer, I found this incredible spot in San Diego that had 42 screens, including two massive projectors facing the beach patio. They even had dedicated speakers for each game zone, so you could clearly hear the commentary for your specific game without interference from other matches.
The financial aspect matters too. In my tracking of 15 different beach sports bars across California and Florida, the average price for a domestic draft beer ranges from $6-8, while craft options typically run $8-12. Appetizers generally fall in the $12-18 range, with some premium seafood options pushing $24. I'm willing to pay about 15-20% more than regular sports bars for the beachfront privilege, but anything beyond that feels like price gouging. One place in Miami tried charging $18 for a basic burger with fries - needless to say, I haven't returned despite their excellent screen setup.
When I'm searching for new spots nowadays, I pay close attention to recent reviews mentioning specific sporting events. If multiple people mention great experiences during March Madness or the Super Bowl, that's usually a reliable indicator. I also look for photos of the actual viewing areas rather than just the beach scenery. And here's my secret weapon: I check whether they have backup generators. Nothing ruins a perfect game day like a power outage during overtime, and coastal areas can be particularly prone to electrical issues.
At the end of the day, finding your ideal beach sports bar is a personal journey. What works for me might not work for you. Some people prefer the rowdy college crowd, while others want a more relaxed environment where they can actually hear the game commentary. My advice? Visit a few different places during different types of games - a regular season baseball game versus a playoff football game, for instance. Take notes on what you like and dislike. Build your own mental checklist, and don't be afraid to ask the staff questions about their viewing capabilities. The perfect spot is out there waiting for you - it just takes some strategic searching and a willingness to explore beyond the obvious choices.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
