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11 Popular Beach Drinks Every Student Should Know About

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UIUC chapter.

I spent the past five months studying on exchange in Mexico City, which is the perfect starting spot for any beach trip. From Puerto Escondido to Cancun, Tulum, and Havana, you’re sure to find tons of great beach drinks to enjoy while soaking up the sun.

My roommate from Austria loved to refer to me as the uncultured American any time I asked what anything was, but mostly in regards to mixed drinks. She’d begrudgingly explain what each drink was, to my satisfaction. Below are the best beach drinks I learned along the way and ones you should probably know too, especially if you’re hitting the beach anytime soon. 

1. Margarita

When you’re on the beach in Mexico, servers will always try to sell you on a huge margarita with dinner because it’s “casi gratis,” which means “almost free.” And it’s pretty hard to say no to a $2 margarita with a view. Margaritas consist of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. The best part is, you get the most bang for your buck when you order a classic margarita, which has only about 82 calories per ounce of liquor. Order a classic margarita or a flavored one—either way, you really can’t go wrong. 

2. Piña Colada

beach drinks
Max Leo

Piña Colada is another very typical beach drink and consists of one part white rum, one part coconut cream or coconut milk, and three parts pineapple juice. It’s a pretty sweet drink, so if you’re looking for something a little less sweet there are plenty of other cocktails to enjoy with less sugar in them. 

3. Michelada

This one is a personal favorite. It’s a top notch beer cocktail often found in Mexico or other parts of Latin America. Micheladas typically contain beer, lime juice, clam juice, tomato juice, and salt. You can either ask for it with or without clamato (clam+tomato), but a beer with just salt and lime juice might not be satisfying enough.

Micheladas have a very distinct taste that may not be appealing to all, but if you’re not into all the sugar of most other beach drinks this one may just suit you well. It’s the kind of drink you’ll either love or absolutely hate. 

4. Mai Tai

A Mai Tai contains rum, orange Curaçao, and lime juice and is sweetened with orgeat syrup. When it was created, people who drank it shouted “Mai Tai, Roa Ae!” which translates to “out of this world,” so you could say it’s a pretty decent drink. It’s usually found in tiki-themed bars. 

5. Tequila Sunrise

beach drinks
Abigail Wilkins

A Tequila Sunrise consists of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup. Tequila can be a bit risky, but if you’re in Mexico you may as well give it a try in a citrusy cocktail like a Tequila Sunrise.

6. Long Island Iced Tea

beach drinks
Erin Haydon

Long Island iced teas pack a punch with plenty of booze— vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola. A good friend of mine prefers the drink without soda. To each his own, I guess. Either way, it’s a pretty alcohol heavy drink so beware. 

7. Daiquiri

beach drinks
Max Leo

Daiquiri is said to have originated in Cuba. There’s no shortage of rum in Cuba, so if that’s you’re drink of choice, give a Daiquiri a try. It’s a combination of rum, citrus juice, and sugar or other sweetener. You can get your daiquiri frozen, too (which you totally should on the beach).

8. Cuba Libre

beach drinks
Kaylee McIntosh

A Cuba Libre is another classic Cuban cocktail. It’s essentially a rum and Coke. It also traditionally has lime juice on ice in it. It’s usually pretty hard to taste the alcohol in it, so keep that in mind. 

9. Sangria

beach drinks
Emily Genzer

Sangria is another go-to beach drink of mine. It’s a classic fruity Spanish drink and consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often with other ingredients such as orange juice or brandy. 

10. Mojito

Mojitos are another drink of choice in Cuba. They’re pretty sweet and by extension easy to down, so be careful not to overdo it because you’ll hardly be able to taste the alcohol in these. They contain white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.  

11. Beer

beach drinks
Angela Kerndl

Of course, beer made the list too. Cracking open a cold one on the beach is nothing short of amazing. They’re pretty high in calories, so it’s usually easier to set them down when you start feeling bloated. Win, win! However, you should be careful of clear bottles, as they may skunk your beer. You’re better off picking a beer with brown bottles or in a can for the beach. 

#SpoonTip: Not sure which beer to get? Here are 21 beers you should know about. 

If you’re stuck at home for spring break this year, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. You can still make some beachy drinks on your own, minus the beach. 

Angela is a broadcast journalism student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She recently spent six months eating her way through Mexico. She looks forward to spending another six months studying abroad, this time in Hong Kong. She is currently training for her first ever marathon and hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon. She loves spending time cooking while listening to NPR. You can follow her on instagram @angelakerndl and @hangry.angela!...also, her spirit animal is Haruki Murakami.