Food Shopping and Storing Beverages 32 Cool Drinks for a Hot Day Bonus: You can make them at home, and most feature antioxidant-rich additions like herbs, spices, or fruit. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 4, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio Nothing says "summer" like a cool drink on a scorching day. Whether you're looking for the perfect iced tea, a kicked-up lemonade, or a fabulous tropical cocktail, a sip or two from this collection of summer drinks will help cool you off when the weather gets hot. The drinks in the first half of this list provide alcohol-free refreshments for all ages. The second half is a collection of boozy libations for the over-21 crowd. Cheers to a long, hot summer! 01 of 32 Kombucha-Pomegranate Tonic Greg DuPree Kombucha is a probiotic-rich food that helps you maintain a healthy gut, and pomegranate is full of antioxidants that ward off chronic disease. So you might say this drink is a little bit good for you! With its punchy ginger (also healthy!), this non-alcoholic cocktail is a lively and somewhat nutritious pick-me-up. get the recipe 02 of 32 Mango Smoothie Maura McEvoy We gave this mango smoothie some tang by blending in yogurt. Use a sweet, ripe mango for best results—and try our hassle-free method of cutting a mango. get the recipe 03 of 32 Raspberry Fizz Charles Maraia Top a ginger ale–cranberry juice combo with scoops of raspberry sorbet. For this recipe, we'll also show you how to make your own lime syrup. get the recipe 04 of 32 Watermelon-Mint Agua Fresca Greg DuPree We sweetened this refreshing watermelon drink with mint-infused syrup. Not a watermelon fan? You can also make it with cantaloupe or honeydew. get the recipe 05 of 32 Peach Iced Tea Kevin Miyazaki/Meredith For this recipe, you’ll rehydrate dried peaches in honey-infused water and English breakfast tea. It's a low-sugar version of a summer classic that you can feel good about drinking. get the recipe 06 of 32 Cold-Brew Iced Tea Grace Elkus Brewing tea bags in cold water is definitely the way to go on a hot summer day. This naturally sweet tea looks great in a mason jar. Screw on a lid and take it with you wherever you go. get the recipe 07 of 32 Tropical Creamsicle Smoothie Greg DuPree This fiber-rich smoothie is sweetened with mangoes, carrots, and honey. The "cream" of the creamsicle comes from coconut milk. There's also a slight tang that comes from adding apple cider, which is good for the gut. get the recipe 08 of 32 Strawberry Thyme Lemonade Danny Kim Give the traditional summer cooler a tweak with your favorite fresh fruit and herbs. This refreshing drink will give you spa vibes. Or, add vodka for a cocktail by the pool! get the recipe 09 of 32 Coffee, Oat, and Maple Smoothie Greg DuPree Iced coffee can be a healthy drink—as long as you don't go overboard with sugary syrups and whipped cream. Another option? Make this coffee smoothie that's sweetened with banana and maple syrup. get the recipe 10 of 32 Gingery Berry and Oat Smoothie Grant Cornett With the healing antioxidants in blueberries and the gut-healthy fiber in rolled oats, this smoothie is as good for you as it is delicious. It also has a bit of a kick from adding fresh ginger to the blend. get the recipe 11 of 32 Kale Smoothie With Pineapple and Banana Christopher Baker People commonly buy coconut milk for a recipe (like, say coconut curry sauce) but throw out what they don't use. Instead, why not use it to add texture to your next kale smoothie? If you don't have kale on hand, swap it out for spinach. get the recipe 12 of 32 Hibiscus Lemon Iced Tea Greg DuPree This bright, colorful, sweet-tart tea is made with just three ingredients: hibiscus tea, lemons, and sugar. The fuchsia color, which comes from dried hibiscus flowers, is a pick-me-up in itself! get the recipe 13 of 32 Tropical Lemonade Antonis Achilleos This recipe is a bit work-intensive (it requires fresh juice from about 12 lemons), but the end result is worth it. Pineapple juice and apricot nectar are a few of the other ingredients that give this lemonade a tropical upgrade. get the recipe 14 of 32 Sparkling Pineapple Ginger Ale Yunhee Kim Pineapple juice sweetens the tang of ginger ale for a cool drink with tropical vibes. Then you can up the ante by adding fresh pineapple triangles to float in this delicious drink. get the recipe 15 of 32 Creamy Date Shake Greg DuPree If you love milkshakes but are trying to cut back on sugar, this shake is for you. It's sweetened with ground cinnamon and Medjools dates, which taste a bit like caramel. This recipe also calls for healthy hemp seeds, which bring protein and omega-3 fatty acids. get the recipe 16 of 32 Espresso Slushy Charles Maraia Instant espresso gives a low-cal cool drink some kick. For a more decadent experience, drizzle heavy cream on top. get the recipe 17 of 32 Tom Collins Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter This classic cocktail has been popular for decades, and our version calls for just two ingredients: gin and lemon soda. Mix the gin and soda in a 1:2 ratio and make sure to serve this drink in a highball glass. get the recipe 18 of 32 Raspberry Rum Cocktail Belmond La Samanna To make this unique and flavorful cocktail, start with dark rum, then add pureed raspberries, fresh apple juice, lime, and a splash of ginger ale. This recipe is courtesy of Marco Nobile, Head Bartender at La Samanna, a Belmond Hotel in St. Martin. get the recipe 19 of 32 Boozy Watermelon Frozen Slushie Half Baked Harvest It takes less than five minutes to whip up this refreshingly cool drink on a hot day. Your choice of rum or vodka will provide the "boozy" element. There's no better beverage to celebrate summer. get the recipe 20 of 32 Kombucha-Blood Orange Mule STEPHEN DEVRIES The blood oranges give this fizzy, spicy-sour drink a beautiful hue. If you don't have them, use freshly-squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice. The kombucha will do the rest. get the recipe 21 of 32 Sex on the Beach bhofack2/Getty Images This popular vacation cocktail has been around for decades and calls for vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Refreshing and sweet, it will instantly transport you to a tropical island. get the recipe 22 of 32 Classic Margarita Chef John Break out the tequila! It's margarita time. This easy recipe has only one big decision to make: Should you rub the rims of the glasses with a lime slice and dip them in salt? Whether or not you serve this drink in salt-prepared glasses, make sure you add ice and garnish with slices of lime. get the recipe 23 of 32 Mai Tai Antonis Achilleos This classic tropical cocktail combines pineapple, lime, and maraschino cherry juice with rum and Curacao for a fun and festive drink. (Don't forget the pineapple and maraschino garnish!) get the recipe 24 of 32 White Sangria Charles Maraia Club soda adds fizz to white wine, white grape juice, and a veritable fruit medley for a light, summery take on the standard sangria. This drink sweetens with time, so let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. get the recipe 25 of 32 Grapefruit Kombucha Margarita Stephen DeVries Take the classic elements of a margarita (tequila and lime juice) and add a splash of grapefruit juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. The fizzy kombucha comes last. get the recipe 26 of 32 Mojito The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi This classic cocktail derives from Cuba and requires just five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, mint, and soda water. Always use citrus juices that are freshly squeezed. It's the difference between a so-so mojito and a great one. get the recipe 27 of 32 Boozy Dole Whip Debbie Galbraith/Getty Images Transport yourself to a tropical beach (or your favorite Disney park) with this fun pineapple-and-coconut frozen concoction. Whether you sip it with a straw or scoop it with a spoon, make sure to add extra pineapple and coconut flakes on top. get the recipe 28 of 32 Partida Passion Fruit Cocktail Rob Howard Tequila fuels this citrusy-sweet and tart drink, featuring grapefruit, lime, and passion fruit. For added refreshment, slip some sliced apples and berries into this tequila cocktail, from Partida Tequila. get the recipe 29 of 32 Frosé bhofack2 Freeze your favorite rosé into ice cubes so you can blend together this easy cocktail recipe for your next happy hour. Add strawberries, grenadine, and a shot of vodka to the mix, and this adult slushie is ready to go. get the recipe 30 of 32 Gin, Grapefruit, and Thyme Cocktail Levi Brown Freshen up this cocktail of gin, grapefruit juice and seltzer with an extra punch of herbs from your garden. Garnish with a fresh grapefruit slice and serve to your delighted guests. get the recipe 31 of 32 Cherry Gin Rickey Victor Protasio Cherry and lime make the perfect sweet-tart combination for this summery cocktail. Strain the cherries yourself to extract their full flavor and use freshly-squeezed lime juice for the best drink possible. Get the Recipe 32 of 32 Moscow Mule Slushy Getty Images What's better than a Moscow Mule? The slushy version. Turn this popular vodka-and-ginger-beer cocktail into a slushy to help you really keep your cool. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit