30 Tropical Cocktails That Make You Feel Like You're At The Beach

Refreshing and vibrantly colored tropical cocktails are an easy way to bring some island sunshine to your party, whether it's the middle of summer or a cold, dark day in winter. Our collection of 30 tropical cocktails has plenty of drink recipes that are easy to whip up for the whole crowd or just yourself.

Find classics here like Piña Coladas, Mai Tais, and Mojitos, plus a few naughtily-named cocktails, such as Sex On The Beach and Porn Star Martini. Capture the glow of a beautiful, Caribbean sunset in a Tequila Sunrise or a Bahama Mama, or shake up a few alcohol-free mocktails. Some drinks have a cool, frozen texture while others have a sleek, sophisticated look perfect for romantic evenings.

It's easy to make these drinks once your home bar is stocked with tiki drink staples like rum, tequila, vodka, and liqueurs flavored with passionfruit, banana, and orange. Other common components for these island cocktails include agave syrup, coconut cream, fruit juices, and fresh fruit. You don't have to spend a fortune on barware — the drinks are just as delicious in regular drinking glasses — but fun choices are curvy hurricanes and fluted cocktail glasses. 

Thumb through our tropical cocktail collection to find drinks for this weekend or your next themed party. Don't forget the little paper umbrellas!

Just saying the name will put that cheesy '70s song in your head all day. Don't let that stop you from actually making a batch of piña coladas, though: They're one of the most delicious tropical drinks ever. The creamy cocktail is a blend of coconut cream (which is different from coconut milk) and pineapple juice, with a generous splash of Caribbean rum. The ingredients are blended with crushed ice to make a refreshing frozen texture. Serve piña coladas in curvy hurricane glasses with little wedges of pineapple. 

Recipe: Piña Colada

Nothing screams 'tropical drink' like one that's the same beautiful shade of blue as the pristine water by a Caribbean beach. Those who love the flavors of piña coladas will also love a Blue Hawaiian, because the drink is built with the same pineapple juice, coconut cream, and rum. What sets it apart is blue Curaçao, an orange liqueur — that's blue! The recipe to create this frozen drink is easy to double or quadruple so everyone at the party gets one. 

Recipe: Frozen Blue Hawaiian

Although the bartender at your hometown pub might hate making mojitos, you'll definitely find these drinks at swim-up bars, on cruise ships, and many tropical destinations. That's because this Cuban drink combines a few simple ingredients into a really refreshing drink. It has crispness from seltzer, herbal fragrance and flavor from fresh mint, and citrusy tartness from lime. Light rum is the spirit of choice, because it keeps the drink clear and gives it tropical sweetness. Serve your mojito in a tall glass over ice.

Recipe: Mojito

Even if you're stuck on your couch in the middle of a snowstorm, you can still experience a tropical vista — by creating it in a glass. A Tequila Sunrise is a type of cocktail where the different components stay suspended to create a beautiful, layered effect. Orange juice is blended with tequila to make the orange part of the sunrise. When red grenadine is added, it sinks to the bottom to create the darker part of the sunrise. 

Recipe: Tequila Sunrise

Sometimes you just can't beat a classic, and everyone knows that margaritas are one of the best cocktails to sip on to beat the heat and start the party. This recipe is one of the most basic and delicious margaritas made with fresh lime juice, silver tequila, and orange-flavored Cointreau. A salt-coated rim accentuates the citrus flavors in the drink — you can also skip the salted rim and just add a pinch of salt to the drink itself. 

Recipe: Classic Margaritas

Frozen daiquiris were a favorite drink of writer Ernest Hemingway, and once you take a sip you'll understand why. A classic daiquiri is made with lime, sugar, and rum, but our recipe puts a fruity twist on this classic by adding in fresh strawberries, though you can sub in other fruit if you prefer. It makes two strong servings, or you can blend in more ice to make enough daiquiris for three or four people.

Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri

Not only is this cocktail lovely to look at, it's full of bright fruit flavor. Use a juicer (or just your muscles) to squeeze fresh juice from orange halves — this drink is definitely worth it. OJ is blended with vodka, triple sec orange liqueur, and a splash of lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-Up. You can also use sugar-free soda, or for a drink with even less sweetness, use lemon-lime seltzer. Wedges of lime or orange make pretty garnishes. 

Recipe: Orange Crush

Get those tropical beach vibes in this delectable, alcohol-free drink. Coconut milk, coconut cream, and pineapple juice and blended with crushed ice and then served over ice cubes for a partially-frozen mocktail. A little brown sugar gives it rum-like notes. Make this as a non-alcoholic option for guests or as a fun vacation drink for kids. You could even serve it in hollowed-out pineapples, just like they do at beachside bars. 

Recipe: Coconut Cream Mocktail

Have some fun at your next party with this risqué-named cocktail that's actually really delicious. The celebrity ingredient in a Porn Star Martini is tropical passionfruit-flavored Passoã liqueur, along with scoops of ripe passionfruit, too. The drinks also have sweetness from vanilla vodka, plus a hint of lime and bubbles from Prosecco. If you can't find fresh passionfruit in the produce section, check the freezer case for frozen cubes or puree to use instead.

Recipe: Porn Star Martini

Margaritas aren't the only fruity tequila drinks: It's time to give palomas a try. Use silver or blanco tequila in this cocktail, along with grapefruit juice. For the best flavor, use fresh-squeezed juice or look for a high-quality brand of bottled grapefruit juice. The drink is finished with club soda, or try grapefruit-flavored soda or seltzer. While a salt rim isn't crucial for the drink, our blend of chili powder, salt, and lime juice is a tasty addition. 

Recipe: Paloma

The key ingredients to a mai tai cocktail are dark rum, lime juice, sugar, and orgeat, which is an almond and citrus-flavored simple syrup. Our mai tai recipe builds in even more flavor with Grand Marnier, coconut rum, and two kinds of fruit juice. It's a beautiful cocktail, especially when you add a paper umbrella and fruit garnishes. Our recipe makes one drink, and it can easily be scaled up to share with friends. 

Recipe: Mai Tai

Stocking a home bar with not just triple sec but a variety of flavored liqueurs means that you can easily whip up fun cocktails to try out on your friends. This Rum Runner drink uses banana and blackberry liqueurs to build boozy fruit flavor alongside pineapple and lime juices. Don't forget the rum! Use a light variety for a more fruit-forward drink, or try dark or spiced rum for a stronger flavor. 

Recipe: Rum Runner

The name sangria comes from the Spanish word for blood, which is a fitting description of a drink traditionally made with sliced fruit steeped in rich, red wine. This recipe is a tropical take on the punch, one that's lighter in color and in flavor: Just want you need on a hot day. Choose a white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc and mix it with kiwi, pineapple, and other tropical fruits. Chill for 30 minutes, then serve. The recipe makes enough for six drinks.

Recipe: Tropical Sangria

This is simply a frozen take on a classic margarita, with the same flavors of tequila, lime, and triple sec. The drink is sweetened with agave syrup, which tastes so good with the tequila. Put everything into a blender with a big scoop of ice, and then process until slushy. Coat the rim of the glass with lime juice and salt, or try Tajín seasoning instead of salt for a spicy kick.  

Recipe: Frozen Margarita

The tall tropical drinks with fruit skewers and umbrellas are perfect for the beach or pool — but for date nights or other occasions when you want an island-vibe drink that's a little more sophisticated and sexy, this is the cocktail to shake up. Between The Sheets is a blend of cognac and rum, with citrusy zing from lemon and an orange liqueur like triple sec. Strain it into a pretty coupe or cocktail glass with an orange peel twist for the ideal experience. 

Recipe: Between The Sheets

The best thing about tropical drinks is that they're so refreshing and thirst-quenching for the hot days of summer or beach vacations. Folks who don't drink alcohol and kids need refreshment too, and they'll love this mocktail version of a classic mojito. No rum necessary: The drink is flavorful enough from fresh mint and lime juice, and sweet enough thanks to a spoonful of sugar. Use club soda or seltzer to add some bubbles.

Recipe: Alcohol-Free Mojito

Fans of "The Big Lebowski" would agree: The Dude would definitely abide this boozy drink that's creamy and coffee-flavored like a white Russian but also has the beachy flavors of coconut and rum. It looks a bit like a milkshake, however there's no ice cream in this cocktail: Just milk, coconut cream, and three kinds of liqueur. The recipe makes two Bushwackers served over ice, with a garnish of chocolate shavings. Curls of toasted coconut or crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans are good garnish options, too.

Recipe: Bushwacker

Make this tiki cocktail for your next backyard party or even during the winter months as a sippable ray of sunshine. Dark rum and coconut rum give our Bahama Mama lots of sweetness and molasses flavor, which balance with the citrusy flavors of pineapple and orange juices. A little grenadine in the drink gives it a warm, orangey-pink glow, just like an island sunset. Make a single cocktail or scale the recipe up and make a pitcher to share with a crowd.

Recipe: Bahama Mama

Anyone who loves pineapple will really love this drink. Rum and pineapple go together even better than peanut butter and jelly; the brown sugar sweetness of the spirit is just beautiful with the succulent fruit. If you can't make your own pineapple juice, find a good-quality bottled brand for the best-tasting drink. Other ingredients include orange juice, coconut cream, and ice, plus fresh pineapple for garnish. A sip of this and you'll feel no pain whatsoever. 

Recipe: Painkiller

You might think mimosas are just for breakfast or brunch, but they'll be just as welcome at your tiki party or summertime bash. What's not to love about freshly-squeezed orange juice fancied up with a splash of bubbly champagne? The drinks are easy to make, too. Don't skimp on the quality of the two ingredients, because you want the flavors to shine. A manual citrus juicer like a Zulay makes quick work of squeezing fresh oranges for this and so many other drinks. 

Recipe: Mimosa

One way to make a margarita with spice from hot peppers is to spend your money on a whole bottle of jalapeño-flavored tequila. Another way is to add jalapeños to bottled tequila and wait several days to infuse the spirits. However, our recipe has the easiest method of all, using sliced jalapeños, regular tequila, and a cocktail shaker. It's a perfect way to make just one or two margaritas with classic lime and orange flavors, and that little kick of heat that makes the drink even more refreshing.

Recipe: Spicy Margarita

This drink is proof that rum-soaked, island-worthy drinks don't have to be complicated to make or require a long list of ingredients. Like the number of letters in its name, an XYZ is made with just three components: rum, an orange liqueur like Cointreau, and lemon juice. It has a balance of sweet and citrus flavors, and has a clean, sophisticated look. Our recipe calls for light rum, but you can also experiment with dark, aged, or spiced rums. 

Recipe: XYZ Cocktail

It's a smart choice to whip up a pitcher of mocktails, whether you're celebrating dry January, hosting people who don't drink, or entertaining kids and teens who want a fun, beachy drink. Our Virgin Piña Colada recipe is absolutely delicious and refreshing, a mocktail that everyone will love. Ice and frozen cubes of pineapple create the slushy texture, while coconut cream and pineapple juice build the tropical flavor. Don't forget to pick up some of those little paper umbrellas: This drink definitely deserves one. 

Recipe: Virgin Piña Colada

This version is considered the Cadillac of margaritas because the spirits take center stage. Instead of light blanco tequila, this cocktail calls for a reposado tequila, which is aged in barrels for a year. The tequila lends floral and vanilla notes to the drink. And instead of triple sec, Grand Marnier gives the margarita not just orange flavor but a fruity, spicy taste from cognac in the blend. A little fresh lime juice and agave syrup bring this margarita together while still letting the flavor of the spirits shine through.

Recipe: Cadillac Margarita

Keep the party going for even longer with a pitcher of Jungle Juice. This recipe makes enough for 12 people, and the super sweet and fruity drink includes fruit punch, orange juice, cranberry juice, and strawberries. Oh, and vodka, lots of vodka. The whole batch takes only five minutes to put together, so you can join the fun instead of mixing up everyone else's drinks. 

Recipe: Jungle Juice

With a blend of lime and grapefruit juices, this drink is so revitalizing on hot days. And because it's alcohol-free, you can sip them all afternoon, stay sharp, and have no fear of a hangover. The recipe makes one drink, combining the juices with ice and honey in a blender to create a frozen mocktail — and it can easily be scaled up to make drinks for everyone. Don't forget to salt the rim or add a pinch to the blender, to enhance the citrusy flavors. 

Recipe: Margarita Mocktails

How do cocktails end up with such naughty names? Well, in the case of Sex On The Beach, the drink was created by a Fort Lauderdale bartender who named it after two favorite pastimes of Florida's spring break crowds. No matter how you feel about the name, you'll love how this sunset-hued drink tastes; it's a blend of peach schnapps, vodka, orange juice, and cranberry juice.  

Recipe: Sex On The Beach

"You put the lime in the coconut" ... and you get one delicious cocktail. This one's for coconut fans: A drink with a blend of coconut rum, coconut cream, and even coconut on the rim. There's a splash of vodka in there, too plus lime juice for a citrus tang. Make a batch of coconut martinis for summertime get-togethers or themed parties. With a glowing, white hue and white, coated rim, this cocktail is beautiful enough to make for the holidays, too. 

Recipe: Coconut Martini

Our recipe technically makes a single cocktail, but it's also a punch that can easily be scaled up to make a whole pitcher full. It's so fruity and sweet, with tropical pineapple and orange juices and light rum. The recipe calls for a dash of orange bitters, which thankfully are widely available in liquor stores today, and a great addition to your home bar. Orange bitters give the cocktail additional orange flavor and a hint of spice. 

Recipe: Rum Punch

This cocktail was shared exclusively with Mashed and created by Chef Richard Sandoval for Día de Los Muertos — however, it's so delicious that it's worth making year-round. The chef's take on a margarita includes silver tequila, agave, and passionfruit purée, shaken and served over ice. The drink is garnished with marigolds, a traditional flower of Day of the Dead celebrations and memorials. 

Recipe: Chef Richard Sandoval's Flor De Muertos Margarita