What are some alternatives to bars that stay open late for folks that don't drink alcohol?

Dance clubs, comedy shows, open mic, tabletop gaming clubs.

Crack houses are usually open 24/7 and while you can drink alcohol there, you're not expected to do so

There isn’t much drinking at swingers clubs. At least not in the public areas.

LAN parties (showing my age).

It depends where you live, but my go-to was 24 hr cafes and other food places, but there are also other activities like late night fishing, long drives (or rides), night photography, etc

Whataburger, Winco Foods, insomnia cookies, Denny's, and other diners come to mind. Since covid, hardly anything is open late anymore.

You might be able to find some other places local to you that we won't know aboht, if you satay up late and use the "open now" option on Google maps.

Have you considered going to a bar and drinking whatever you want?

It really depends where you are - some places have a lively late night culture, others not so much.

All night diners, 24 hour fast food places are really the only alternatives here (though you could count movie theatres with late showings, I guess).

But (unless you have personal reasons for not being around alcohol and drinkers), you can totally go to a bar with a vibe you like and just hang out drinking soda. Bonus points if that bar has something cool available aside from just booze (barcades, live music venues, etc.).

If you're not looking to specifically be around people, you could also just check out some green space outdoors, but keep your wits about you and use your judgement - some places are lovely to chill at 3:00 am, some would be if it wasn't for the sketchy folks shooting up.

We have a sandwich shop that runs 24 hrs from Tuesday morning until Saturday night. I've picked up late night supper there and seen people playing cards, etc and just generally hanging out for long stretches.

When I was younger my buddies and I went to a 24 hr diner and played magic into the wee hrs, occasionally leaving only when the earliest breakfast crowd started to roll in.

Bowling Alleys (some), late night museum tours, late night roller skating.

They all have exposure to alcohol still. But can be enjoyed sober.

Diners, if in the US is waffle house still a thing..?

When I was younger, there were some places with a club atmosphere that didn't serve. For whatever reason, no booze. They became hang out spots for teens and the like. There was also a strong coffee shop culture, and one or two that stayed open just as late as bars. But in a post-covid world, many of those places shut down and new places like that close early.

Several of my friends in my mid 20s didn't drink, so we usually would hang out at hookah bars. They are great, especially if they are allowed to serve food where you live. Most at least serve tea and other non-alcoholic beverages. I can give you a few pointers for first-timers if you are interested.

Pool halls. I think some bowling venues. Less common, we have a cafe full of hundreds (maybe thousands) of board and card games. They’re only open until 11pm, but that’s still a place to socialize and meet up with people at night.

So order something else. You don’t need a separate place.

I used to belong to D&D groups that were open at a local comic store till like 4am.

We'd rent the space from the store at a good price, have pre-made characters for those that wanted to jump in.

If you don't have something like that local, I can imagine it wouldn't be too hard to start

Diners.

I live in an area with a lot of muslim people, as they don't drink they often go to Shisha bars or Dessert bars. There's also a few tea house type places, fancy dark late night places that do posh teas.

You can check out https://soberbarsnearme.com

Probably coffee shops

Dessert places. Ice cream, waffles, all that kind of thing. There are a few around here that are always busy 10-12pm.

Denny's.

If it's to hang out with friends then those private karaoke rooms are a lot of fun

You might be able to find a gym that stays open late.

In Canada we call that Tim Hortons

Clubs. Activites. Local Theater. Rehearsals go to something like 10 pm quite often. They are social, fun, and you have a common goal. Drinking is not allowed.

Restaurants are also open quite late, but a dinner is more expensive, and they often turn to bars. That said there is a huge variety in bar, not all are either the start the party here before clubs open or drink all night to forget and tons are family friendly places where you can, also get a soft drink and enjoy their terrasse/garden

Bars are loud.

I like coffee shops that stay open until 11 or 12 during the week. They typically close at 2 or so on the weekend.

There used to be this all night donut shop in Austin. Might still be, but I moved out like a decade ago.

Denny's

If you're looking for late-night alternatives to bars and don't drink alcohol, consider visiting a C2 hookah lounge. These spots provide a relaxing and social atmosphere without the need for alcohol. You can enjoy a variety of hookah flavors, engage in great conversations, and unwind in a laid-back environment. Many C2 hookah lounges stay open late, offering a perfect place to chill after hours. It’s a great way to enjoy the evening with friends or even meet new people who share the same interests. So, next time you're out late and want something different, give a C2 hookah lounge a try!

daycare /s

Just... don't go to a bar and consume the bar stuff elsewhere.

There. I just provided the single worst solution to this problem. The "downvote" button is waiting to be mashed.

Dance clubs. Most have alcohol available but it isn’t a required part of the experience. The people I know who go out dancing the most don’t drink.

But it depends what you’re looking for. If being near alcohol in any way would be a problem, that changes things.