Looking for a place to sit outside and enjoy the weather? Want to order a few beers, or just hang out and people watch?

Restaurants with outdoor seating can provide just the ticket, and East Lansing is stirring with them.

Those who are 21 or older can order alcoholic drinks, and those who aren't can still enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks. To many students, it's the perfect way to enjoy the weather while spending time with friends.

The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, 521 E. Grand River Ave., opened in 1973 and is East Lansing's oldest restaurant and bar combination.

Owner Joe Bell said sitting outside to eat and share some drinks creates a social situation that lends itself to fun.

"It's a good place to see and to be seen," Bell said. "A lot of people watch what's going on around campus, and if you stay here for an hour, you're bound to see friends."

He said the size and intimacy of a restaurant are important, as well as the location, adding the Peanut Barrel has a unique combination of both.

"This part of Grand River is a magnet for people, and we happen to be right in the middle of it all," he said.

One of the things most enjoyable aspects of being able to sit outside and eat is getting to take in the surroundings, r said Julia Moore, an apparel and textile design and advertising senior.

"I like to people watch, and this is a great spot for that," Moore said, adding she eats at the spot all the time because the location is great and the food is cheap and good.

"If I'm going somewhere to sit outside, I usually like to come here first," she said.

Even students living on the outskirts of East Lansing don't have to go far to find a place where they can sit outside, bask in the sun and enjoy some drinks.

As the only bar and restaurant combination in the area, and the only bar within walking distance from the Northern Tier apartments, Maggy's Sports Grill is another tempting spot. Located at 16800 S. Chandler Road, the bar houses pool tables, big-screen TVs and live entertainment, including DJs on Saturday nights.

Perhaps one of the most interesting bar and restaurant combinations is El Azteco Restaurant. Part restaurant, part bar and part helicopter landing pad, the restaurant has gone from the bottom to the top, literally.

The eatery was housed in a basement on M.A.C Avenue when it opened in 1976. Now it features a roof-top seating area and can be found at 225 Ann St. Rooftop seating is available through October, weather permitting.

"It's not like any other place in the area," manager Heather Holguin said. "The other places have patios and decks, we have a spot for people on the roof."

And while she said the roof-top seating hampers the ability to people watch, it provides the necessary seclusion others might seek.

"You don't have to deal with all the noise from the cars and the people walking by," she said.