Food and Recipes Drinks 33 Refreshing Drinks You'll Want to Sip All Summer Long By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Associate Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories.She grew up in Mobile, Alabama, which she insists is home to the country's first Mardi Gras (not New Orleans) and now lives in Birmingham with her husband and rescue pup Rocky, whose name is unrelated to The University of Tennessee (Roll Tide). Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 29, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos We know it's scorching outside, so stay hydrated while you lounge by the pool or entertain guests this summer. These summer drinks and cocktails made with fresh fruits like strawberry, watermelon, berries, cherries, and plums and homemade simple syrup will make you look like a trained mixologist. Our most refreshing summer drinks are perfect to make in batches and bring down to the beach (with plastic cups, not glass, and bring a trash bag) or stand as the signature cocktail at an outdoor summer party. These chilled drinks with short ingredient lists and easy instructions will keep summer nights cool after hot days in the sun. Tip: You can make these fresh drinks with or without alcohol, so the kids' table can have a fancy and fun drink, too. 01 of 33 Texas Ranch Water Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman Recipe: Texas Ranch Water The summer's hottest drink will keep you nice and cool. 02 of 33 Salty Dog Cocktail Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Salty Dog Cocktail Fruity but not sweet, this grapefruit drink is a must. 03 of 33 Hurricane Cocktail Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Hurricane Cocktail This strong cocktail was made for sipping. Our test kitchen professionals say don't have more than two. 04 of 33 Frozen Blueberry Lemonade Alison Miksch Recipe: Frozen Blueberry Lemonade Part smoothie, part scoopable sweet, this frozen lemonade is a serious treat. We call for frozen blueberries because they create an extra-thick texture when blended, but you can use fresh if that's what you have from the farmers' market. 05 of 33 Frozen Margarita Antonis Achilleos Recipe: Frozen Margarita This frozen classic is sure to cool you down on even the hottest summer day. 06 of 33 Sweet Tea Mule Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sweet Tea Mule This adult version of your favorite lemonade and sweet tea combination is a perfect summertime drink. 07 of 33 Watermelon Sangria Katie Jacobs Recipe: Watermelon Sangria Fresh watermelon juice, rosé, rosé Champagne, and St. Germain elderflower liquor all meet to make this sweet sangria. 08 of 33 Summer Cobbler Cocktail Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns Recipe: Summer Cobbler Cocktail Tart lime juice and orange liqueur are balanced out by sweet, fresh blackberries. 09 of 33 Lemon Basil Spritzer Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Lemon Basil Spritzer Garnish with basil leaves and lemon peel twists for flair. 10 of 33 Peach Margarita Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely Recipe: Peach Margarita A frozen margarita flavored with summer peaches makes for a nice sunset drink. 11 of 33 Pineapple-Coconut Fizz Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Fizz Whip fresh pineapple and then add rum and coconut-flavored seltzer to complete this fizz. 12 of 33 Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Frozen Raspberry Lemonade Tangy and bright, raspberries are the perfect fruit to blend with the sweet-tart flavors of lemonade. 13 of 33 Garden Pleasures Cocktail Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn Recipe: Garden Pleasures Cocktail Mixologist Tiffanie Barriere developed the ultimate porch sipper for warm spring and summer days. 14 of 33 Spicy Watermelon Refresher Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Spicy Watermelon Refresher Serrano peppers add a punch of spice, while tequila reposado adds a smoky flavor to this drink. 15 of 33 French 75 Southern Living Recipe: French 75 Gin, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup are all it takes to make this summer favorite. 16 of 33 Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz Peter Frank Edwards Recipe: Aperol and Blood Orange-Mint Spritz This tart drink has bold color thanks to the blood oranges. 17 of 33 Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Cucumber-Honeydew Cooler This light and bright combination is a great way to get those fruits and veggies in on hot summer days. 18 of 33 Lavender-Plum Shrub Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Lavender-Plum Shrub A shrub is a drink that's usually made with vinegar, sugar and fruit — not that plant on the front lawn that your husband cuts down too short every time. These drinks need to sit for a few days so that the flavors combine, making the vinegar sweet. We used apple cider vinegar, fresh lavender, vanilla and red plums, even though any stone fruit would work. 19 of 33 Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Watermelon-Ginger Mojitos Ginger beer adds a subtle spice to this refreshing drink. 20 of 33 Kentucky Oaks Lily Drink Southern Living Recipe: Kentucky Oaks Lily Drink Cranberry juice, lime juice, and Triple Sec make this drink colorful, flavorful, and fun. 21 of 33 Key Lime Daiquiris Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Key Lime Daiquiris Daiquiri lovers will adore this tropical twist of rum, citrus juice, and sweetener. 22 of 33 Strawberry and Peach Sangria Alison Miksch Recipe: Strawberry and Peach Sangria Mixing sparkling water with dry white wine and a bit of peach brandy turns this summer sangria into the drink of the summer. 23 of 33 Southern Sunrise Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Recipe: Southern Sunrise Adding grenadine to this orange juice and tequila mixture gives it the pop of bright red color. 24 of 33 Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Recipe: Blackberry Bramble Pisco Sours This refreshing recipe is just another reason why we love summer blackberries. If you can't find pisco near you, use tequila or un-aged brandy. 25 of 33 Mojitarita Katie Jacobs Recipe: Mojitarita Can't decide between a margarita or a mojito? Well, you don't have to with this twist. 26 of 33 Rum Swizzles Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Thom Driver; Food Stylist: Tina Stamos Recipe: Rum Swizzles Often noted as Bermuda's national drink, this rum recipe has tropical vibes written all over it. 27 of 33 Basil Bourbon Orange Smash Becky Luigart Stayner Recipe: Basil Bourbon Orange Smash In-season oranges are perfect for this smash that's rounded out with basil-flavored syrup. 28 of 33 Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele Recipe: Bee's Knees Honey Cocktail Only three ingredients and a cocktail shaker are required for this Prohibition-era drink that's fit for a hip speakeasy. 29 of 33 Lucy Buffett's Bama Breeze Cocktail Courtesy of Lucy Buffett Recipe: Lucy Buffett's Bama Breeze Cocktail This drink features Lucy Buffett's favorite ingredients, and is named after her brother Jimmy's song. 30 of 33 Coconut Bourbon Spritz Southern Living Recipe: Coconut Bourbon Spritz Coconut simple syrup pairs perfectly with the smoky bourbon in this cocktail. 31 of 33 Raspberry Beer Cocktail Charles Walton IV Recipe: Raspberry Beer Cocktail This beer cocktail is perfect if you want something that's refreshing but not too sweet (and it has vodka, too). 32 of 33 Lime Fizz Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Lime Fizz Make one batch of this fizzy drink for the kids and one for the adults at your next summer picnic or party. 33 of 33 Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktails Chris M. Rogers; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Recipe: Honeysuckle-Watermelon Cocktails This batch cocktail makes for a refreshing gathering drink. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit