Best Refreshing Poolside Summer Drink Recipes

The hot days of summer bring freedom, excitement and sunny days. Enhance relaxing moments with refreshing summer drinks that make you feel hydrated, happy and ready to go back to enjoying the best of the summer season.

Iced teas make fantastic summer drink options. You can brew them to the flavor you like and add fun fixings like fruit, herbs and honey until you have a just-right poolside beverage. Lemonades and lightly carbonated beverages are also amazing for beating the summer heat. Below are 4 of our best refreshing poolside summer drink recipes. Enjoy!

Refreshing Summer Drinks

Southern Style Iced Tea Recipe

This delicious and refreshing southern iced tea recipe is a perfect one to keep in your back pocket. Ice cold and bursting with sweet flavor, you and your guests will love this classic front porch recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 4-6 regular-size black tea bags
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 4 cups boiling water

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
2. Remove water from heat and add tea bags. Let steep for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze the tea bags and remove them.
3. Add sugar to a gallon pitcher. Pour over hot tea then stir until completely mixed.
4. Fill the remainder of the pitcher up with cold filtered water. Stir well and serve over ice!

*For best results, chill tea in the refrigerator prior to serving over ice.

Ice-cold iced tea with lemon slices is the ultimate in summer refreshment.

Mint Green Tea Recipe

Mint naturally cools and aids in digestion. Green tea has amazing health benefits like antioxidants and fat-burning properties. Combine these herbal powerhouses for a refreshing summer drink that is healthy and delicious. Add a bit of honey according to your personal preference and diet.

INGREDIENTS

• 4-6 regular-size green tea bags (we love Jasmine green tea)!
• 4 cups boiling water
• 2 sprigs mint
• Honey (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
2. Remove water from heat and add tea bags and mint. Let steep for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze the tea bags and mint and remove them.
3. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pour the mint tea mixture into a pitcher. Fill the remainder of the pitcher up with cold filtered water. Stir well and serve over ice!

*For sweeter tea, add honey to taste.

Lavender Lemonade

Want a summery drink that tastes like a walk in an enchanted garden? Embrace the floral notes and sweet and sour deliciousness of this Lavender Lemonade recipe. The light purple color and refreshing taste make it a perfect choice for summer afternoons by the pool.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup culinary lavender
• 2 ½ cups cold water
• 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring 2 ½ cups of water to a boil. Stir in sugar and culinary lavender. Let steep for 1 hour.
2. Strain mixture over a pitcher. Stir in remaining 2 ½ cups of water and lemon juice.
3. Serve over ice!

*Please use culinary lavender for this recipe. Regular lavender has a strong, bitter taste that may make your lemonade taste unpleasant, like soap.

Culinary lavender gives this lemonade its exceptional purple color.

Rosemary Grapefruit Soda

Looking for a grown-up mocktail to add to your drink menu? This non-alcoholic version of a Moscow mule adds grapefruit, lime and rosemary for a modern twist on a classic cocktail. This elegant fizzy drink is perfect for adult pool parties or backyard spa days!

INGREDIENTS

• 24 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice
• 24 ounces ginger ale
• 1 lime
• rosemary

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine grapefruit juice, ginger ale and lime in a pitcher.
2. Serve mixture over ice (bonus points for copper mugs!) and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

You can use store-bought or fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice for this recipe!

For more refreshing summer drink ideas, follow SwimmingPool.com’s Pinterest board.