Happy Hour: Great deals on meals and drinks on family vacations
By Eileen Ogintz
Tribune Content Agency
Taking the Kids
Have you taken your family to happy hour lately? Everyone is welcome – families, couples, groups of friends of all ages. It’s a good way to save on restaurant outings in today’s inflated economy.
Mocktails are as popular as $10 martinis and draft beer specials. Discounted fresh oysters are a draw, as well as sliders and tacos starting at $6.99. Same for Thai calamari and crispy Brussels sprouts.
“Mocktails are a huge thing in the industry,” noted Jessie Unruh, director of marketing at the Breckenridge Distillery, the highest altitude distillery in the world. Breckenridge Distillery now not only offers mocktails at the distillery but offers a range of non-alcoholic spirits for purchase and recipes online.
“There is a whole generational shift in drinking … more health focused,” Unruh added.
Welcome to Happy Hour Summer 2026 – in this case at the popular Blue Island Oyster Bar in Denver’s bustling Cherry Creek neighborhood. It’s less about getting buzzed than sharing the experience with kids and friends.
“Happy hour has become one of our busiest dayparts,” said Sean Huggard, founder and president of Shucking Good Hospitality, which operates five area restaurants, including Blue Island Oyster Bar and Ash and Agave coastal Mexican food. Happy Hour offerings at Ash & Agave include a bowl of fries for $6 and two street tacos for $9.
“It speaks to what people actually want right now,” Huggard said, “ They want to go out, they want great food and a well-made drink, and they want to feel like they’re getting real value for it.”
That includes families and nondrinkers as increasingly, you will find bespoke mocktails and soft drinks on the menu like the assortment of Mexican sodas at Ash and Agave (perhaps, hibiscus lychee).
“At Blue Island, it’s fun to watch kids try their first oyster while mom and dad enjoy a $10 martini. Over at Ash and Agave, families can share tacos, share plates and margaritas during happy hour without turning dinner into an all-night event,” Huggard added.
“We’re seeing a big uptick in happy hours in Denver, and nationally, as restaurants increasingly rely on happy hours and other discounts to get customers in the door,” said Denise Mickelsen, spokesman for the Colorado Restaurant Association. “Consumers are dining out less, and when they do go out, they’re looking for value; operators are doing their best to provide it. Still, increased traffic during happy hours can’t offset the rising costs restaurants are facing across the board, from food and utilities to rent and property taxes.”
“We’ve seen happy hour evolve from a simple after-work occasion into a broader social dining experience,” said Richard Sandoval, whose company operates more than 60 restaurants across the country, in Mexico, Europe and the Middle East, including the popular Tamayo in Denver where happy hour includes ceviche, queso, $4 tacos and a variety of margaritas starting at $7. “Happy hour serves as an introduction for first-time guests and a recurring ritual for regulars. In a time when people are more selective about where and how they spend their discretionary dollars.”
Families appreciate the smaller portions that give kids the chance to try new dishes at a lower price point. Those taking GLP-1 medications also appreciate the smaller portions, not having to pay for a large portion they won’t eat.
Sandoval explained, “Whether that’s related to wellness trends, GLP-1 medications, moderation in alcohol consumption or simply changing lifestyles, people increasingly prefer tasting and sharing rather than ordering large portions.”
“We often see happy hour as a bridge between work, family time and socializing.”
Young adults, meanwhile, put a high value on experiences but on a budget. “Happy hour allows them to explore restaurants, try craft cocktails and sample chef-driven menus in a more affordable way.”
Happy hours these days, which often start mid-afternoon, can serve as a late lunch or early dinner. They can be themed for watching World Cup games, for example.
Some hotels offer happy hours just for their guests, like wine tasting at the historic Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, for example, featuring a rotating selection of Sonoma wineries hosted by a different vintner each day.
They can focus on local spirits, like the Tequila tastings at NUMU Boutique Hotel at San Miguel de Allende, which has launched partnerships with local tequila brands, such as Casa Dragones.
Parents can relax knowing their kids, once they are old enough to be on their own in a hotel room, are safe.
That’s even the case at some distilleries. Breckenridge Distillery, the world’s highest distillery at 9,600 feet above sea level in Breckenridge, Colorado, features a large patio and pavilion with giant yard games kids love, including lifesize Connect 4, cornhole and patio Jenga, as well as patio parties with live music and barbecue.
BarrelHouse Brewing in Tin City, Paso Robles, California, is as popular with locals and visitors with a huge lawn area where kids can play and listen to live music.
San Luis Obispo, California, has gone even further, offering happy hour options that are not only kid-friendly but designed for nondrinkers. “People are drinking less and that wellness continues to be of increasing importance to consumers … many establishments in SLO CAL offer experiences for families and non-drinkers as well,” said Mayla Lohnes, a spokesman for Visit SLO CAL.
The Alchemists’ Garden in Paso Robles, California, for example, has a Wednesday happy hour, including an “Alternative Buzz” menu featuring non-alcoholic spirits, hemp-derived spirits and Nigerian root beverages.
“With kids of my own, I understand why families have embraced happy hour,” said Sean Huggard, founder and president of Shucking Good Hospitality in Denver. “No one’s waiting until 8 p.m. to take young kids out to dinner, but 4:30 or 5 o’clock is a different story. The restaurants are a little more relaxed, service is quick and parents can enjoy a great meal without stretching the budget. It gives families a chance to enjoy a real night out together, and everyone is still home in time for bedtime.”
Sounds perfect.
(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The fourth edition of The Kid’s Guide to New York City and the third edition of The Kid’s Guide to Washington D.C. are the latest in a series of 14 books for kid travelers published by Eileen.)
©2026 Eileen Ogintz. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.