5 Best Cocktails to Order Poolside at a Resort

Updated September 2026. This article was originally published in May 2025 and has been refreshed with updated recommendations and practical ordering tips.

A good poolside cocktail needs to do a few things well. It should taste refreshing when the weather is hot, hold up reasonably well over ice, and be familiar enough that a busy resort bar can usually make it without a lengthy explanation.

That still leaves plenty of room for choice. Maybe you want something bubbly and bittersweet, something tart and tequila-forward, or the full frozen-drink experience. These five poolside cocktails cover the range.

1. Aperol Spritz: Light, Bubbly, and Bittersweet

If you want a drink you can linger over, an Aperol Spritz is an easy place to start.

Boozeopedia's version combines Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water over ice. The result is bubbly, citrusy, and gently bitter rather than aggressively sweet. It also has a lower alcohol level than many spirit-heavy cocktails, which can make it a sensible choice for a long afternoon rather than a quick round.

Order it if: you like sparkling wine, bitter orange flavors, or drinks that aren't especially sweet.

Poolside tip: Drink it while the bubbles are lively. A Spritz that has been sitting in melting ice for half an hour loses much of what makes it appealing.

2. Paloma: Crisp Grapefruit and Tequila

For tequila drinkers who want something lighter on its feet than a frozen Margarita, the Paloma is hard to beat.

The Boozeopedia recipe uses tequila blanco, grapefruit juice, lime, sparkling water, and optional sweetness. It's tart, lightly bitter, fizzy, and refreshing without hiding the tequila.

Some bars make Palomas with grapefruit soda instead of fresh juice and sparkling water. That's a perfectly normal shortcut, although the result will usually be sweeter.

Order it if: you like Margaritas but want something taller, fizzier, and a little less rich.

Poolside tip: A lightly salted rim works well. A heavily salted one can become a bit much as the drink warms.

3. Mojito: Mint, Lime, and Plenty of Ice

A well-made Mojito earns its reputation as a warm-weather drink.

Boozeopedia's recipe combines light rum, lime juice, sugar, mint, and club soda in a tall glass. Fresh mint gives the drink its cooling aroma while lime keeps the sweetness in check.

The important phrase here is well-made. Mint should be handled gently rather than pulverized into green confetti, and the drink should arrive cold with lively carbonation.

Order it if: you want something citrusy and herbal rather than tropical and creamy.

Poolside tip: If the bar is absolutely slammed, this may not be the fastest drink on the menu. A Paloma or Spritz is usually simpler to build.

4. Piña Colada: The Full Tropical Option

Sometimes you don't want subtle. You want pineapple, coconut, rum, and a blender.

The Piña Colada combines light rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice with ice for a rich, smooth frozen drink. It's sweeter and more substantial than the other cocktails on this list, which is exactly the point.

If you're choosing between several frozen resort drinks, a Piña Colada is a useful benchmark. Pineapple brings enough acidity to keep the coconut from becoming one-note, while rum gives the drink enough structure to remain a cocktail rather than a smoothie.

Order it if: creamy, fruity, tropical drinks are part of the reason you booked the pool chair in the first place.

Poolside tip: Frozen drinks melt quickly. This is one to enjoy rather than nurse for an hour.

5. Frozen Margarita: Tart, Salty, and Icy

For something frozen but less creamy, go with a Frozen Margarita.

Boozeopedia's version blends tequila blanco, triple sec, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and ice. Compared with a Piña Colada, the flavor is sharper and more citrus-forward, with an optional salt rim adding contrast.

It's also an easy format to customize. Many resort bars offer strawberry, mango, or other fruit versions, although added fruit usually means added sweetness as well.

Order it if: you want a frozen drink but prefer tart citrus and tequila to pineapple and coconut.

Poolside tip: If you usually find frozen Margaritas too sweet, ask whether the bar can make one with less syrup.

How to Choose the Right Poolside Cocktail

Not sure which one to order? Use the flavor you're craving as a shortcut:

• Bubbly and bittersweet: Aperol Spritz
• Crisp and grapefruit-forward: Paloma
• Minty and refreshing: Mojito
• Creamy and tropical: Piña Colada
• Frozen and tart: Frozen Margarita

You don't need to order the most elaborate drink on the menu to get a good poolside cocktail. In fact, simple drinks often have an advantage when a resort bar is busy.

And because sunshine, heat, and alcohol can sneak up on you, keep some water in the rotation too. Your next cocktail will taste better when you're not trying to use it as hydration.

What We'd Order

For a long afternoon, the Aperol Spritz or Paloma gets our vote. Both are refreshing without feeling heavy and are easy to enjoy alongside lunch or snacks.

When the blender is part of the experience, though, get the Piña Colada or Frozen Margarita. You're at the pool. This is one of the rare situations where ordering the frozen drink is completely reasonable.