With longer days and higher temperatures, there's really no better way to celebrate summer than by spending time outside sipping delicious, refreshing summer drinks. Whether you are planning a neighborhood cookout or a family picnic in the park, you can complete lunch or dinner with one of these non-alcoholic summer drink recipes. Of course, the best mocktails also pair swimmingly with a backyard movie night, an outdoor summer activity, or a lazy summer day spent curled up on the patio with a beach read.
You don't have to play bartender if the kids will be around and you want to keep the refreshing drinks non-alcoholic. While there are certainly plenty of boozy cocktail recipes you can try this summer, sometimes the crisp taste of lemonade or iced tea just hits the spot in a way very few alcoholic drinks can. Plus, you'll save some money not purchasing alcohol, and can use this extra cash on anything from a craft store trip for summertime DIYs, to plenty of s'mores ingredients, or maybe even a camping trip before the kids go back to school. Be it watermelon limeade, frozen slushies, or homemade frappuccinos, these summer mocktails won't leave you worried about having a refill (or two) — so you can feel like a little kid again.
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Watermelon Limeade
Use the whole watermelon as a fun drink dispenser for your 4th of July party! Just leave out the vodka to make this recipe non-alcoholic (or keep it in if you prefer an adult beverage).
Orange, lime, and lemon: The perfect trifecta of summer flavors. This tart, refreshing citrus drink has serious potential to become your new backyard BBQ go-to.
You can prep this refreshment in large or small batches. Either way, you'll want it ready to go because there's nothing like the taste of fresh fruit and sweet lemonade on a summer afternoon.
Skip the white rum and blue Curaçao and you have yourself a traditional snow cone that will excite the kids and make you feel like a teenager again. Of course, you can always stick to the original recipe for boozy snow cones after the kids go to bed.
If weekly campfires are part of your summertime routine, then you and the family have to try this iconic marshmallow cocktail — made booze-free if you hold the vodka.
If your go-to order at Starbucks is a grande Frappuccino, then you need to try this copycat recipe that not only tastes great, but will also save you money.
If you have an upcoming cookout on your calendar, prepare this refreshing drink that uses limes rather than lemons for a less traditional citrusy experience.
Danielle CampoamorDanielle Campoamor is an award-winning freelance writer covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mental health, politics, and feminist issues.
Elissa SanciElissa Sanci is an Associate Staff Writer at the product review site Wirecutter.com and a former editorial assistant at Woman’s Day.
Elizabeth BerryEditorial AssistantElizabeth Berry (she/her) is the digital editorial assistant for Woman’s Day, where she covers seasonal recipes, holiday gift ideas, and other lifestyle topics for the website.
