Refreshing Summer Drink Recipes & Summer Entertaining Ideas

There is nothing like a cool, delicious, and refreshing summer drink on a hot, sunny afternoon and today I’m sharing my favourite summer drink recipes as well as my friend’s best summer entertaining ideas for enjoying this season outdoors!

We had an absolute heat wave here at the end of June, and things went from late spring to hot summer fast and furious. I couldn’t believe how quickly the temperature changed, and kept reminding myself to just enjoy and not complain about it since it was likely to be our hottest weather all summer season.

When the heat hits, the perfect kind of beverage to refresh yourself with (aside from ice water, of course) is something with a bit of acidity to it. That’s what makes lemonade so delicious and refreshing on a warm summer’s day. The thing that makes a drink most refreshing is the acidity in it; so anything citrus’ or with a fruity tang or twist is the perfect thing to cool off with.

Summer Drinks

I’ve enjoyed sharing some delicious summer drink recipes over the years, and I know you will find one or two in this collection to add to your repertoire of refreshing summer drinks recipes to enjoy this summer!

Today I’ve also joined a group of my blogging friends who are sharing their summer entertaining ideas. I know you’ll find something to inspire you! From recipes to table decor and backyard entertaining ideas, you can visit their inspiring ideas via the links that I’ve provided at the bottom of today’s post.

Fruity everything is my favourite way to ring in summer, but since we’ve been eating and drinking low-carb style for the past year and a half I’ve learned to make my own sugar free simple syrup to flavour things with. This refreshing gin raspberry soda can be made with regular simple syrup, or follow my recipe to learn how to make a virtually carb free version!

Gin Raspberry Soda with Homemade Sugar Free Simple Syrup

Probably my very favourite refreshing summer drink is lemonade. I’m still working on a low-carb lemonade recipe, but I can promise you that any kind of lemonade (homemade or store bought) can be made deliciously unique by adding some summer herbs to the mix. I made this copycat recipe to attempt to master the incredible Italian herbed lemonade sold at a local eatery, and I think you will love this deliciously refreshing summer treat.

Simply Delicious Italian Herb Lemonade

Slushy anything is one of the best ways to refresh on a hot day or evening, and why not get some real fruit in there are the same time? I have shared a couple of summer fruit slushy recipes, both of which have been incredibly popular with readers! This Strawberry Peach White Wine Slushy went viral a couple of summers back. Lemons, strawberries and peaches are some of the most refreshing fruits around, as they contain a high water content, so using real strawberries and peaches in this recipe greatly adds to the refreshment factor.

Strawberry Peach White Wine Slushies

And as a follow up, I tried this tart and delicious Blackberry Mango version. It’s just as good, and can be made with white wine or as with Ginger Ale for a non-alcoholic alternative.

Blackberry Mango White Wine Slushies

Raspberry, lemonade, vodka…in a slushy? Yes please! So fresh and tart with a hint of natural sweetness to balance it all out. Probably one of the best slushy cocktails, ever!

Raspberry Lemonade Vodka Slushies

Another recipe inspired by a local eatery is this combination of peaches, white wine, and sangria – I call it a Bellini slushy. The melding of flavours is incredible, and it’s a deliciously refreshing summer drink recipe.

Peach White Wine Bellini Slushies

While traditional Sangria can be delicious, it can also be quite heavy at times, so I tried a couple of lighter versions using Rose and White Wines. The first uses white wine blended with frozen peaches, and the touch of mint and lime gives it that refreshing acidity and flavour.

White Peach Sangria Smash (White Wine Sangria)

A Rose version incorporates raspberries and lemon, which is one of my favourite flavour combinations of all time. The tart flavour is balanced beautifully by the slight sweetness of the Rose, and it’s about time that Rose had a starring role in Sangria, don’t you think? I kept the rest of the fruit simple and light, so as to not overtake the more delicate flavours of a Rose.

Raspberry Lemon Quench Rose Sangria

If you love a little bit of fizz in your refreshing summer drink recipes, then you will love this tart and fresh sparkling wine mimosa. I called it a Mimosa because the sparkling wine gives it that lightly carbonated taste, although it’s not a traditional orange juice based drink. Using a raspberry base again, this Mimosa is especially refreshing because it’s light and tart with just the right amount of sweet. Not just for brunch, these Mimosas are the perfect way to cool down and quench your thirst on a warm summer evening.

Tart & Refreshing Raspberry Sparkling Wine Mimosas

As I mentioned, some of my friends are sharing their summer entertaining ideas with you today, as well! I know you will find something you love – just click on the links below the images to be taken directly to their posts.