Let’s just go ahead and clear one thing up—I don’t drink. By choice. Honestly, I like to save all the room I have for food. While I love seeing a well-paired wine or curated cocktail on the menu, I’d rather use that real estate for dessert—or an extra appetizer.
That said, I love a good mocktail moment. Especially when I’m with friends, traveling, or soaking up the sun at an all-inclusive resort (looking at you, Sandals).
If you’ve ever stared at a drink menu wondering which virgin drinks to order that still feel festive and fun, this list is your cheat sheet. Over the years, I’ve learned how to confidently order off-menu, get creative with bartenders, and keep a running list of mocktails I can ask for just about anywhere.
Whether I’m sipping on something tropical beachside or sitting at a fancy dinner with a very curated drink menu, I always like to have a few non-alcoholic go-tos in my back pocket.
The top 10 mocktails on this list are my personal favorites—classic, crowd-pleasing, and super easy to order. The rest are a little more adventurous and might require a bartender with a shaker and a little imagination, but I’ve had amazing luck getting these at high-end restaurants and resort lounges.
Here’s my ultimate list of 20 fun and flavorful virgin drinks to order when you want something fancy and festive—without the booze.
Fresh mint, lime, mango puree, and soda water. I’ll order this either over ice or blended when I’m in the mood for something smoothie-like. It’s tropical, bright, and not overly sweet.
Same idea, different fruit. This one’s slightly more tart than mango and super refreshing. Bonus if they muddle fresh pineapple with mint and lime.
Half strawberry daiquiri, half piña colada—blended and layered. You can ask for this virgin almost anywhere tropical, and it’s the ultimate vacation drink.
Strawberry, mango, passionfruit, watermelon—whatever they’ve got. Ask for a salted rim (or Tajín if they have it) and enjoy that zingy lime slush without the tequila burn.
Same fruity options as a margarita, but often a little smoother. Order it blended and icy for a frozen treat you can sip poolside or with dinner.
Take your piña colada and level it up with mango. This combo is like drinking sunshine. 10/10 would recommend at any Sandals swim-up bar.
This one’s as pretty as it is delicious. Orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine layered to look like, well… a tropical sunrise.
Coconut cream, pineapple juice, orange juice—and if you add grenadine and mango at the bottom, it gives you a layered effect and a pop of extra flavor.
Fresh watermelon juice, lime, and basil over crushed ice. It's bright, a little herbal, and totally thirst-quenching.
Lime, mint, soda water, and coconut cream? Yes please. It’s basically a vacation in a glass.
These next drinks are a little more unique—you might not find them on every menu, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many bartenders are willing to whip these up, especially at luxury resorts, upscale restaurants, or even on cruises.
Honestly, cruise bartenders are usually really good at mocktails, and half the time they’ll start throwing together random tropical combinations that somehow end up being better than the actual cocktail menu… in my humble mocktail opinion.
If a cruise is in your future, my Cruise Packing List: 31 Must-Have Items You Shouldn't Forget includes several things I never leave home without for pool days, beach stops, and sea days.
Aromatic, bubbly, and beautiful. Ask for lemonade with a splash of lavender syrup topped with soda water. Add edible flowers for ✨vibes✨.
This one is chef’s kiss if you want something with a spicy kick. Ask for muddled cucumber, jalapeño slices, lime juice, and a Tajín rim. You’ll feel like a mixology queen just holding it.
Mango puree, lime juice, add jalapeño slices for a spicy kick, and ginger beer. It’s like a tropical twist on a Moscow Mule, minus the hangover.
Is it a little 2002 of me? Maybe. But I love a crisp, tart, green apple mocktail in a martini glass. Feels fancy. I’m here for it.
Lychee juice, lime juice, and a splash of soda. I’ve had this at fancy Asian restaurants and it always hits. Exotic and lightly sweet.
Muddled berries, lemon juice, and soda water. This one’s tart, fizzy, and not overly sugary. Great for dinner.
Green tea, peach purée, mint. Feels like something you’d find at a spa menu and tastes like clean girl energy.
Guava nectar, lime, mint, and soda water. Guava always gives such a unique twist—this one feels super summery.
Blended coconut milk, lime juice, and ice. Creamy, tangy, and frosty.
Blackberries, mint, lemon, and soda. A gorgeous dark purple color and super refreshing.
Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just skipping alcohol for a bit, these virgin drinks to order prove that you can sip something just as fun and flavorful as the real deal.
I’m always on the hunt for creative non-alcoholic drinks that feel like an experience—especially when I’m traveling with brands like Sandals or Virgin Voyages, where there are plenty of fun options beyond traditional cocktails.
Bookmark this list, screenshot it, or keep it in your Notes app so you always have an idea ready to go. And if you ever find a new one I need to try—DM me immediately. I’ll have my glass (and camera) ready.
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Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
