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 staying at dreamy resorts like Sandals, where the bartenders are usually game for anything.
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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The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos don’t capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they don’t know they’re in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But that’s also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. 🌷
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. 🌷
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
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