18 Tropical Drink Recipes That Taste Like a Vacation

Tropical drinks taste like sunshine, relaxation, and easy days. There's more to these easygoing cocktails than just their alluring colors, too. They're easy to shake up and can be tailored based on your favorite warm-weather flavors. Consider learning some new tropical drink recipes when you're looking for a little indoor sunshine or amplify those already sunny days.

Tequila Sunrise

One of the most iconic tropical drinks, you can get some vitamin c with an extra kick.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 4 ounces orange juice
• 1 ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Orange wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, and orange juice.
2. Strain into hurricane or highball glass over fresh ice.
3. Slowly pour in grenadine, allowing it to sink to the bottom.
4. Garnish with orange wheel.

Sailors Sunset

This bright red cocktail is a reminder that sunsets can be just as stunning-- and tasty.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces coconut rum
• 4 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 ounce cranberry juice
• ¾ ounce maraschino liqueur
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk and cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, juices, maraschino liqueur, and grenadine.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into hurricane or highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with pineapple chunk and cherry.

Mai Tai

A quintessential tropical drink, the mai tai can feel offputting because of the orgeat syrup, but it's a tasty treat that's easy to shake up.

Ingredients

• 1¾ ounces white rum
• 1 ounce orange curaçao
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce orgeat
• ½ ounce dark rum
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk, cherry, and orange slice for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, white rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Float dark rum by slowly pouring on top.
5. Garnish with pineapple chunk, cherry, and orange slice.

Rum Jogger

A less potent version of the rum runner, this cocktail still packs a flavorful punch.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce white rum
• ½ ounce navy or dark rum
• ¾ ounce banana liqueur
• ½ ounce blackberry syrup
• 1 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk and lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, banana liqueur, blackberry syrup, juices, and grenadine.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into highball or rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with pineapple chunk and lime wedge.

Hurricane

It would be an error to not think of a hurricane when you think of tropical drinks. Perhaps the most famous, this tasty drink is a favorite for a reason, but sip with caution.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dark rum
• 2 ounces light rum
• 1½ ounces passion fruit juice
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Orange slice and cherries for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, juices, simple syrup, and grenadine.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into hurricane glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with orange slice and cherries.

Lava Rocks

This spin on the lava flow has a delicious coconut and berry tropical flavor.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces coconut rum
• 1¼ ounces strawberry syrup
• ¾ ounce white rum
• 1 ounces pineapple rum
• 1 ounce cream of coconut
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, strawberry syrup, cream of coconut, and lime juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with lime wheel.

Sex on the Beach Martini

This scandalously named cocktail gets an elegant upgrade as a martini.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce peach schnapps
• ½ ounce raspberry liqueur
• ½ ounce vodka
• ½ ounce orange liqueur
• ¼ ounce cranberry juice
• Ice
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, peach schnapps, raspberry liqueur, vodka, orange liqueur, and cranberry juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lime wedge.

Coconut Margarita

Margaritas are incredible, but with a coconut flavor they take on a whole new life. If you want to go full coconut, use coconut rum instead of tequila

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 3 ounces cream of coconut
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce orange liqueur
• Ice
• Shredded coconut and extra cream of coconut for garnish

Instructions

1. To prepare the rim, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in cream of coconut.
2. With the shredded coconut on a saucer, dip the coated rim of the glass in the coconut to coat.
3. In a cocktail shaker, add tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice, orange liqueur, and ice.
4. Shake to chill.
5. Strain into prepared glass over fresh ice

Piña Colada

This cocktail needs no introduction, but for the curious, this rum cocktail packs a punch of pineapple and coconut for a smooth and refreshing beverage.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces white rum
• 1 ounce coconut rum
• 1¾ ounce cream of coconut
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk and orange wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add rums, cream of coconut, lime juice, and pineapple juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into hurricane glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with pineapple chunk and orange wedge.

Bahama Mama

The recipe makes the familiar pairing of citrus, coconut, and rum pop in a new and unique way.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces orange juice
• 1 ounce dark rum
• 1 ounce coconut rum
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Orange slices for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, juices, rums, and grenadine.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with orange slices.

Rum Punch

The beauty of the classic rum punch is that even if you don't quite follow the recipe or use you opt to use similar but different fruit juices, the end result is still delicious.

Ingredients

• 1¼ ounce white rum
• 1¼ ounce dark rum
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 ounce orange juice
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce grenadine
• Ice
• Orange peel and cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, juices, and grenadine.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into hurricane or highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with orange peel and cherry.

Jungle Bird Cocktail

Not quite as popular as its tropical counterparts, the jungle bird isn't a cocktail to skip.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces blackstrap rum
• ¾ ounce Campari
• 1½ ounces pineapple juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce demerara or simple syrup
• Ice
• Pineapple leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, Campari, pineapple juice, lime juice, and syrup.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with pineapple leaves.

Blue Wave

A spin on the blue Hawaii, this version adds some fizz to the classic.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce white rum
• 1 ounce pineapple liqueur
• ¾ ounce coconut rum
• ¾ ounce blue curaçao
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon-lime soda to top off
• Ice
• Lemon wedge and cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rims, pineapple liqueur, blue curaçao, and juices.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Top off with lemon-lime soda.
5. Garnish with lemon wedge and cherry.

Goodbye Misery

A riff on the pain killer, this recipe adds a little extra coconut among other unexpected flavors.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Pusser's or navy rum
• 4 ounces pineapple juice
• 2 ounces cream of coconut
• 1¼ ounce maraschino liqueur
• ½ ounce orange juice
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, maraschino liqueur, and orange juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with pineapple chunk.

Pearl Diver

A forgotten relative of the tropical drink family, its ingredients aren't found in many cocktails, for instance, the traditional garnish is an edible orchid, but they're well worth having on hand.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces aged rum
• ½ ounce demerara rum or dark rum
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce orange juice
• ¼ ounce honey
• ¼ ounce allspice liqueur
• ¼ ounce vanilla syrup
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Ice
• Cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rums, juices, honey, allspice liqueur, vanilla syrup, and bitters.
2. Shake well to mix and chill.
3. Strain into pilsner or highball glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with cherry.

Mojito

Mojitos are incredibly popular for good reason-- they're easy to sip and they're incredibly easy to add other flavors such as strawberry or mango.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces white rum
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 6-8 mint leaves
• Crushed ice
• Mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with a splash of simple syrup.
2. Add crushed ice, rum, lime juice, and remaining simple syrup.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Pour, do not strain, into highball glass.
5. Garnish with mint sprig.

Banana Daiquiri

You can't go wrong with a classic daiquiri, but a light banana flavor gives this a new taste.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce aged rum
• 1 ounce banana liqueur
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce limoncello
• Ice
• Lemon wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, banana liqueur, lemon juice, and limoncello.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into chilled glass.
5. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Shore Breeze

This loaded tropical cocktail includes a few overlooked tropical flavors, adding passionfruit and mango to the mix.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce mango rum
• 1 ounce pineapple vodka
• ¾ ounce passion fruit juice
• ¾ ounce raspberry liqueur
• ½ ounce grenadine
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice
• Pineapple chunk for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, mango rum, pineapple vodka, passion fruit juice, raspberry liqueur, grenadine, and lime juice.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into chilled glass.
4. Garnish with pineapple chunk.

No Reservation Needed

Sometimes you crave a last-minute vacation or want to drink something other than your usual Old-Fashioneds or martinis. Tropical cocktails are exciting, their recipes are forgiving, and they have tons of room to experiment and play with flavors. The next time you're feeling inventive, consider toying with a few tropical drink recipes.