We were sitting on a luxurious deep-cushioned couch, a colorful cocktail in hand, admiring the eye-popping view that went on forever. As the real estate slogan goes, location is everything, especially when you’re lazing on a sunny afternoon at a waterfront bar on Cape Cod.

Along with my girlfriend, Barbara, I had embarked on a search for some of the Cape’s best waterfront bars, and our research took us first to Provincetown’s always bustling and eclectic Commercial Street, where many of the bars are just steps across a sandy shore from the harbor.

With walls of floor-to-ceiling windows, there are exquisite views in three directions at the Harbor Lounge. Built on a pier that stretches over the water, the bar offers an informal, relaxing vibe, with leather seating and multiple sofas that invite you to linger with a sunset drink before heading to dinner.

A short stroll down Commercial Street landed us at the Aqua Bar, located at the end of the Aquarium Marketplace. We passed seven food vendors on our way to the bar, where we could choose from burritos and barbecue to gelato and enjoy lunch or dinner on the open-air deck, which sits high above the harbor, mere feet from the water’s edge. The only way to get closer to the water would be to go in it. Take a seat at one of the long picnic tables or settle in at the waterside railing and watch the boats cruise through Provincetown Harbor.

The Pearl Restaurant & Bar is located across a parking lot from Wellfleet Harbor. The rooftop deck has panoramic views of the harbor, Mayo Beach, Great Island, and the town pier, while live music is usually on tap in the lively L-shaped bar on the main floor, where each of the 30 seats has a water view. The bar wraps around into a covered patio that abuts marshland, and when they open the windows on warm summer nights you can smell the salt air wafting in.

Perched atop the dunes of Cape Cod Bay, the 32-seat Beach Bar at the Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club in Brewster features undisturbed views and stunning sunsets. The open-air bar has been something of a secret . . . until now. It’s at the outer edge of the resort, accessed by a boardwalk that leads to the beach. But those in the know will find a bar that is pretty much true to its name. From bar to beach is only a few feet, and there is nothing to block your view of the ocean. Along with craft cocktails, wine, and beer, the bar serves burgers, hot dogs, panini sandwiches, and, of course, lobster rolls.

For a more upscale setting, Ocean Edge also has the Ocean Terrace, which is located on the balcony of the resort’s mansion. The massive wraparound bar has eight televisions, and there are also sectional sofas, all with Cape Cod Bay as the glittery backdrop.

The gazebo-style seaside “LiBAYtion” deck at The Outer Bar & Grille at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich overlooks Pleasant Bay and, in the distance, the Eastward Ho! Golf Club in Chatham. The semicircular open-air bar is intimate, with only 12 seats and a handful of high-top tables, but there isn’t a seat without a view. Caribbean-influenced cocktails, including the Lavender Lemonade, the Strawberry Basil Breeze, and the Coconut Mojito, aptly fit the atmosphere.

It’s difficult to match the panoramic ocean views from the rooftop bar and restaurant at the stylish Pelham House Resort in Dennis Port. From a perch on the outside deck, which has a retractable roof and windows that open accordion style on warm summer nights, you can see all the way to Nantucket on a clear day. The white marble bar, with comfortable wicker seating, also provides dazzling views.

Just down the street is the Ocean House Restaurant, also in Dennis Port. The vibrant bar is a great spot to enjoy dinner and a cocktail. Three tables line the wall just off the bar, each perfectly spaced at the center of a 5-foot high window that offers views to the roaring sea. Whether seated at the bar or a table, you can almost feel the spray from the waves crashing against the rocks.

Baxter’s Boathouse in Hyannis has been a Cape institution for more than 60 years. Located on Hyannis Harbor, the outside deck provides an up-close view of the busy harbor, as ferries transport passengers to and from the islands and boaters pull right up to the restaurant, where their drinks and food are brought to them without having to disembark. Take a seat at the outside rail with a craft cocktail and a plate of fried clams, but be careful that you don’t drop your car keys or wallet into the water. It’s been known to happen.

You’ll feel like you’re on the water when in the boat-shaped bar at the Mattakeese Wharf in Barnstable Village. Buoys, fishing rods, and even a harpoon hang from the wood-beamed ceiling, and the rustic setting overlooking Barnstable Harbor has been a haven for local anglers for more than 50 years. It’s the ideal spot for a drink before or after going on a whale watch or a harbor cruise. Or you could just hang at the bar, order anything from shrimp cocktail to a 2-pound lobster, and enjoy a front-row seat to a breathtaking sunset.

The Pilot House Restaurant and Lounge at the Sandwich Marina is only 10 minutes over the Sagamore Bridge and abuts Cape Cod Canal. The outdoor gazebo-style bar has limited seating, but Adirondack chairs dot the lawn, with gas-powered firepits to keep you warm on cool nights. There’s live music most nights, and you’ll find it easy to settle in, perhaps with a strawberry daiquiri, and watch the tugboats, fishing boats, and sailboats cruise through the canal.

The final destination in our sojourn was Soprano’s Casino by the Sea in Falmouth Heights, one of the newest additions to the Cape waterfront scene. Opened in 2017, it sits at the finish line to the Falmouth Road Race and has uninterrupted ocean views from the second-floor bar and outside deck. The swanky setting features chandeliers, a granite bar, floor-to-ceiling windows with water views in three directions, and Sinatra regularly crooning in the background.

Work at Boston Globe Media