Puerto del Carmen has a nightlife scene that runs the full length of the Avenida de las Playas — the eastern stretch known locally as The Strip (between the old harbour and roughly opposite the Hotel San Antonio) is the busiest, with a row of sports bars, karaoke pubs and small clubs that stay open until 3 or 4am in summer. It is loud, drinks are cheap, and the crowd is mostly British, Irish and German package holidaymakers.
For something more pleasant, try the harbourside cafes at Varadero in the late afternoon for an early sundowner, or the terrace bars at the Centro Comercial Atlántico opposite Playa Grande. The Canarian rum-based drinks — ron miel (honey rum), mojito canario with local rum — are worth ordering over the usual San Miguel beer. Many of the resort's restaurants also work as bars in the late evening.