21 US destinations where it's legal to drink outside
Las Vegas, Nevada: Seeing as what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, it's only natural that it would encourage debauchery by allowing people to imbibe anywhere. The only exceptions to public drinking are within 1,000 feet of a church, synagogue, school, hospital, or homeless shelter.
New Orleans, Louisiana: Home of Mardi Gras and daiquiri shops. Obviously, open containers are not an issue here.
Sonoma, California: With over 400 wineries, it's really in the wine country's best interest to allow public drinking. Wouldn't want to cheapen fancy wine with brown bags, would we?
Hood River, Oregon: World famous for its wind and kite surfing, this is truly an outdoor paradise, as the town has no open container laws.
Fredericksburg, Texas: It's only fitting for this German enclave, named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, to preserve its German heritage by allowing open containers of beer or wine (not liquor) in most of its public areas. In fact, many places in town sell wine and beer to-go.
Butte, Montana: This former mining town in the Rocky Mountains allows for open containers anywhere — the only exception being between the hours of 2am and 8am. What you do during the other 18 hours is up to you.
Fort Worth, Texas: Grab a frosty Shiner Bock and drink it anywhere you please in Fort Worth, where there's no general ban on public consumption of alcohol.
Indianapolis, Indiana: Hoosier hospitality means that you can drink on Indy's sidewalks, though not in city owned parks. Make sure to ask for a to-go cup if you don't finish your drink at the bar, they just might have a carry out license.
Mississippi: While we don't recommend it, Mississippi is the only state that allows for drinking and driving. However, the driver must stay below the 0.08% blood alcohol content limit for DUI.
Source: Legal Match and opencontainerlaws.com
Erie, Pennsylvania: In order to revitalize their downtown area, Erie has ditched open container laws in favor of tourism dollars. And since its downtown spans 70 blocks, drinking is allowed almost everywhere.
Austin, Texas: Keeping Austin weird indeed, the city takes the opposite stance, forbidding open containers in its downtown and a few other select areas, but allowing them in the town's less central neighborhoods.
Treasure Island, Florida: This little patch of paradise on the Gulf of Mexico pretty much allows for public drinking anywhere — exceptions being the main beach on weekends and public holidays.
Savannah, Georgia: Southern hospitality is most tangible in Savannah's Historic District, which allows for public drinking, as long as said drink is in a plastic container and less than 16oz.
Memphis, Tennessee: Beale Street, aka the home of the blues, is a shining beacon liberated from both the rest of the city's open container ban and Tennessee's statewide one.
Roswell, Georgia: This Atlanta 'burb now has a brand new "carry district," which basically means that you can order a drink at a bar and bring it outside with you (as long as it's in paper or plastic cups and less than 16oz). Mainly contained in Roswell's Canton Street district, it's ideal for the town's famous block party, Alive After Five.
Kansas City, Missouri: The town's 9 block Power & Light District, a shopping and entertainment district, is exempt from Kansas City's general law prohibiting open containers.
Louisville, Kentucky: Another revitalization effort leading to the loosening of liquor laws can be found on Louisville's 4th street, which, gets closed off at night, and turns turns into 4th Street Live!, sort of an open air bar (you'll get carded) that allows for outdoor imbibing.
Huntsville, Alabama: Huntsville has not one but two arts and entertainment districts that specialize in to-go cups of alcohol — and this only around a decade after legalizing Sunday wine and beer sales.
Montgomery, Alabama: Entertainment districts meant for public drinking seem to be a trend in Alabama, but Montgomery led the charge, creating one around the hip The Alley development (which now stretches down to the riverfront) even before the open container law was overturned. That said, it recently shortened the booze fueled hours to between 9am and midnight.
Birmingham, Alabama: Birmingham literally just passed a law that allows people to bring their drinks around with them as they stroll between the Uptown District, the Sheraton, and the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex. They plan on clearly demarcating the areas that allow for drinking and those that do not.
Mobile, Alabama: Grabbing one for the road is also a new development in Mobile, which, while generally lax about open containers before, specifically created entertainment districts allowing the sale of to-go booze.
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