Like any other metropolitan city in the country, Baguio also has interesting things to do after hours, when the day is done and work is rewarded with a night out. Being an educational center of the North, most of the night crowd is composed of college students hanging out after a tiring day in school, but local professionals enjoying an after-work session with friends are also in the crowd.
Here is a list of things to do in Baguio when night strikes in the summer capital that both locals and tourists can enjoy.
1. Catch live performances and music.
Good music is in store for you at Baguio’s live music venues.
Baguio is teeming with talented local musicians and bands, most of which may not be known elsewhere but are just as talented—possibly even better—than popular artists. Locals tend to love country music so there are several bars in the city where live country bands make a name for themselves. If you also prefer this genre, head on down to Baguio Country Sounds on Bokawkan Road where nightly bands perform country favorites.
If you want more modern live music, Bohemian Café right off Session Road has daily acoustic performances. Old Baguio Boys, located at Nevada Square is actually a pub and a favorite live music venue for Baguio musicians. Concoctions at Upper General Luna not only has regular performers every night, but also holds special benefit concerts that bring local bands on stage for a cause. And these are just a few of Baguio’s places with live music!
Check out our list of restaurants with live bands in Baguio City or browse the Dining & Leisure category of the Yoorekka Directory.
2. Go ukay-ukay or thrift shopping at the night market.
The famed Baguio Night Market on Harrison Road is suited for the sleepless.
Image: Cyd Barretto
You’ve never really been to Baguio until you’ve experienced ukay-ukay shopping in the Baguio Night Market on Harrison Road. The market starts at 9:00 PM, when half of Harrison Road near the Melvin Jones Auditorium and Burnham Park is closed to traffic. Hundreds of stalls occupy two blocks, from food stands to stalls that sell secondhand clothes, shoes, and accessories. You can spend hours here just going through the wares they offer until 1:00 AM, which is when the market closes.
Some tips for a good shopping experience: wear protection for the cold weather, bring an LED flashlight so you can better see what you are buying, and as always, be careful of pickpockets.
3. Enjoy Burnham Park at night.
What can be more romantic than boating at Burnham Lake at night?
Image: Purple San Diego
If you just want to relax after a long day, why don’t you take a stroll at Burnham Park when the rest of the city lights go down? There are boating outlets that offer boat trips even at night. The experience of going around the lake and watching the night lights reflect on the water truly takes away all the tension off your head.
If you are not into boating, you can head down to the Rose Garden within the park. There, you can watch the Dancing Fountain which delights visitors with its choreographed light show every night. Be careful not to stand too near though unless you’re willing to get splashes of water. Kids and kids-at-heart will surely love seeing the fountains of water dance.
4. Eat your heart out.
The Calle Uno Food Hub is one of the few food hubs in the city.
Image: Calle Uno Food Hub Facebook Page
Baguio is fast becoming a foodie haven of sorts, with old and new restaurants vying for attention from both locals and visitors alike. You don’t need to be a culinary connoisseur though to enjoy what the city has to offer.
If it’s your first time, here's a tip where to eat in Baguio: stick to the homegrown favorites such as Café by the Ruins Dua on Upper Session Road; Vizco’s at Porta Vaga Mall, Session Road; and Solibao, which is also at Porta Vaga Mall. Café Yagam on J. Felipe Street, near Wright Park, offers sumptuous Cordilleran cuisine at reasonable prices. Fusion cuisine, which can be a combination of Filipino, Asian, and international influences can also be enjoyed at newer restaurants along Session Road. Recess Café and Zola Café, for example, are favorites among students, so the menu is hip and young like its patrons.
There are also several food hubs you can check out: the Baguio Country Club Food Camp at the Baguio Country Club (the same spot where they set up the Christmas Village), the Calle Uno Food Hub along First Road, and Cholo’s Gastro Pub along Kisad Road.
5. Enjoy local brews.
Something’s definitely brewing at Baguio Craft Brewery.
Image: Baguio Craft Brewery Facebook Page
When in the City of Pines, forget any of your choice coffee chains in the metro and have a sip of Baguio’s very own brewed coffees. Along Session Road, drop by Sweet Stop at La Azotea where you can have a cup of freshly brewed coffee for only PhP40. Garcia’s Coffee Shop at Porta Vaga Mall also serves a hot cup of Benguet coffee for only PhP50. Whenever you try out any of Baguio’s locally brewed coffees, you also get to help the community’s economy too!
If you love beer, then you might want to take a sip of a different kind of brew. Baguio Craft Brewery along Marcos Highway has made a name for itself when it comes to brewing craft beers. Taste their locally brewed beers, especially their signature craft beer Lagud, which is made of strawberries. They also recommend food and beer pairings.
6. Go bar hopping.
Chill and relax with your favorite cocktails.
Nevada Square along Loakan Road hosts several local bars frequented mostly by locals. But it can be your favorite too. And the best way to find out which bar is best for you is to go bar hopping. Take your pick from Old Baguio Boys, Vesper, Light Gravity, Imrosian Resto Bar, among many others. Take your time, chill out with your favorite drink or cocktail—that’s the best thing to do at Nevada Square.
7. Have a relaxing spa treatment or massage.
Nothing beats a massage after a long, tiring day out.
Image: North Haven Spa Facebook page
After a night out—whether you went drinking, dancing, watched live music, or went around shopping—the best way to cap a tiring day off is to treat yourself to a spa treatment or a massage. North Haven Spa has two locations where you can book that much needed break. Take your pick at Casa Vallejo along Upper Session or at Ferguson Road. Try their indigenous massages for the head, back, and whole body or their combination treatments like Facial Aromatic Massage or Hilot with Ventosa. Come out refreshed, and ready to take on Baguio’s sights and scenes as ever!
