Cool off this summer with easy breezy cocktails throughout Orlando (HAVEN at Lake Nona Wave Hotel pictured).


Updated July 31, 2024

Sip back and relax with cool summertime cocktails from some of Orlando’s hottest restaurants, bars and poolside getaways. These refreshing libations embody everything you love about summer, featuring bright, fresh flavors infused with fruit, herbs and maybe even a little spice. From downtown Orlando to our tourism districts and beyond, here are some of the best places to enjoy a cool summer cocktail in Orlando.

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Cool Summer Cocktails in Downtown Orlando & Beyond

Tori Tori Orlando

In Orlando’s Mills 50 district, MICHELIN Recommended Tori Tori puts a modern twist on the classic Japanese izakaya, offering bar bites, yakitori and creative cocktails. Try one of their specialty highballs, like the Floral blend of Japanese vodka, lavender, rose and soda, or explore the signature cocktail menu, with classic flavors like yuzu, lychee, ginger and lime — perfect for summer sipping.

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AVA MediterrAegean

Escape to the Mediterranean with aromatic cocktails and bar bites at MICHELIN Recommended AVA MediterrAegean, one the newest dining hotspots in Winter Park. Their classic cucumber gin & tonic is a popular choice, as is the spice and citrus enhanced Margarita Verde. For a slightly more rugged summer getaway, order the Temptation of Orpheus (peach, bourbon, lemon, vermouth, almond) or the Smoke & Mirrors, an old fashioned crafted tableside with two coveted whiskeys, demerara and black walnut bitters.

Discover: Things to Do in Winter Park

The Courtesy Bar interior cocktail
The Courtesy Bar

The Courtesy Bar

Recently relocated to Winter Park, The Courtesy Bar is a longstanding local favorite, boasting an ever-evolving craft cocktail list paired with savory small plates from the culinary dream team behind Swine & Sons. In addition to standard cocktails like Tourist Season on the rocks, you can try eclectic limited-time concoctions like Root of All Evil, a carrot mezcal-based drink with rabarbaro, beet, lemon and ginger bitters. Come back for more during the Halloween and holiday seasons, when The Courtesy transforms into an ultra-themed lounge complete with seasonal concoctions and collectible glasses.

Otto’s High Dive

Sample the flavors of Cuba with a fun local twist at Otto’s High Dive, a new MICHELIN Bib Gourmand restaurant and rum bar in The Milk District. Try the classic Cuba Libre with house-made cola, or get lost in dreamy summer cocktails like the Guava Pastelito (rum, guava, marscapone, vanilla and marzipan), Floridian Slip (tequila, coconut, orange blossom and lime) or Chancleta (mezcal, pineberry, hibiscus, watermelon and salted coconut).

1-Up Orlando

Snag drinks with a heavy dose of nostalgia at 1-Up Orlando, an arcade bar and retro-themed lounge in the heart of downtown Orlando. Pay homage to your favorite pop culture icons with drinks like the Malibu Barbie (rum, peach, citrus and glitter), Flux Incapacitator (scotch, agave, passion fruit and citrus) or Flaming Moe, and don’t forget to grab a bite! Choose from delectable smash burgers and fries or craft brews and pizza inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for a truly tasty throwback.

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High T

Fall down the rabbit hole at High T, an Alice in Wonderland-themed lounge with whimsical cocktails like the Tweedle-Tea, a unique bouquet of Ketel One Citroen, ginger liquor, green tea, honey and citrus served in a teapot. You can also travel through the Looking Glass (shimmering vodka, elderflower, white cranberry and citrus), play an amaretto and gin-laced tasting game of croquet, and learn from the flowers via Me So Thorny, a floral vodka cocktail that’s perfect for a little photo session.

The Neighbors

Experience Orlando like the locals do at The Neighbors, a laid-back cocktail bar in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District. Located on the second floor of East End Market, this lively lounge pays homage to Orlando’s distinct neighborhoods and cultural hotspots, with drinks inspired by the Ivanhoe Village District, Baldwin Park, College Park, Mills 50 and more.

Discover: Things to Do in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District

Mathers Social Gathering

Sip on lavender-honey bathtub gin, whiskey and more prohibition-inspired libations at Mathers Social Gathering, a speakeasy-style lounge in downtown Orlando. The building is over 130 years old, having survived the great fire of 1884, and you can drink to that with The Phoenix, a blend of tequila, jalapeño, mango and lime. Plus, enjoy live adult entertainment in the evenings and half-off house cocktails during their daily social hour. Mathers is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

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Haven

Savor a Mediterranean twist on traditional Florida flavors at HAVEN, a dreamlike tropical eatery inside the Lake Nona Wave Hotel. Get a taste of paradise through nature-inspired cocktails like the Red Sea (peach, orange blossom, tea, Metaxa, limoncello, honey and red wine) or Robin’s Nest (Rumhaven, lillet blanc, pineapple, coconut water, blue spirulina and coconut foam).

Discover: Things to Do in Lake Nona

Permanent Vacation

One of the newest tiki bars in the Orlando area, Permanent Vacation in Maitland invites you to relax over a selection of fun tropical concoctions with laid-back vacay vibes. Trigger special effects throughout the bar with certain drink orders, like the mezcal-based Volcan de Colima or the smoke-infused Powder Keg. Be sure to make a reservation, as this cozy spot fills up quickly.

Mangoni

Immerse yourself in an Italian cocktail garden at Mangoni, a traditional Italian eatery in historic Winter Garden. Inspired by Italy’s rich flavors and heritage, the cocktail menu features colorful showstoppers like the Limoncello Mojito, amaretto-infused Italian Mule, and toasted marshmallow Espresso Martini. You can also branch out with The Berry Rio, a vodka, raspberry, basil and agave creation inspired by the beaches of Copacabana in Brazil.

Discover: Things to Do in Winter Garden

Cool Summer Cocktails in Orlando’s Tourism Districts

illume

Head up to illume on the top floor of the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa near Walt Disney World® Resort for contemporary Japanese cuisine and creative cocktails with fireworks views. We love the Firebird, a delicate drink crafted with Suntory Haku vodka, Tozai sake, cantaloupe, green tea syrup and local ginger jam. If you’re looking for something a little bolder, try the Japanese Manhattan, enhanced with plum wine and yuzu.

Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen

For vintage Florida vibes, head to Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Sip on refreshing creations like the Rum Burner, an intoxicating blend of tropical flavors topped with a ginger smoke bubble. Pop it with some fresh citrus to unleash a bright, smoky flavor bomb and engage all your senses.

The Hampton Social

If summer days sipping rosé are your vibe, then soak up the sunshine at The Hampton Social, part of Pointe Orlando in our International Drive Entertainment District. This breezy eatery features coastal-inspired cuisine, drafts, wine and cocktails, from classic peach frosé and oyster shooters to a sparkling blend of strawberry gin, rosé, passion fruit liqueur, lemon and glitter balls named I Glitterally Can’t. Get any signature cocktail served in a giant seashell, perfect for sharing and celebrating The Hampton Social’s signature rosé all day style.

ICEBAR Orlando

Chill out at ICEBAR Orlando, adjacent to Pointe Orlando, where the bar is kept a constant 22 degrees and the seats, shot glasses and even the walls are made out of ice. Sip on signature cocktails like the Polar Mojito, Flaming Hurricane or Eskimo Rum Punch, then head to the attached Fire Lounge to warm up in style. Rental coats and gloves are provided with admission.

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The Boathouse

Known for their delicious fresh seafood and divine waterfront views, The Boathouse at Disney Springs® is the perfect spot for cocktails on the dock. Start with the Duck Duck Razz, a classic blend of raspberry vodka, peach schnapps, blue curacao, simple syrup and lemon. Afterwards, take a page of ducky’s book and head out on the water on a guided amphicar tour around the Disney Springs area.

Discover: Top Must-Dos at DISNEY SPRINGS

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar

Escape to Old Havana with hand-crafted mojitos, margaritas, caipirinhas and other vibrant cocktails at Pointe Orlando’s Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar. Fire things up with the cherry wood smoked Patrón Añejo old fashioned, or try the Snow Bird, a chilled drink with tropical flavors of coconut, blood orange and pineapple. Along with live entertainment and dancing on the weekends, this immersive Pointe Orlando eatery offers a fantastic weekday happy hour, with some of their most popular drinks and small plates priced between $5 – $7.50.

Discover: Top Things to Do at Pointe Orlando

Margaritaville Resort Orlando

Frozen or on the rocks? That’s the hardest choice you’ll have to make when ordering a frosty treat from Margaritaville Resort Orlando. Enjoy classic rum runners, margaritas and hurricanes by the pool, or head up to Euphoria Bar & Grill for signature drinks and flights with paradise views. You’ll find even more frozen fun a few steps away at Promenade at Sunset Walk, featuring cocktails from Fat Tuesday, El Jefe Tequilas, Estefan Kitchen Orlando and more.

JoJo’s ShakeBAR

JoJo’s ShakeBAR Orlando serves nostalgic vibes all year long at Pointe Orlando, with playful cocktails, elevated comfort food and a vibrant atmosphere that reminds us of simpler days. Relive treasured summer days at the fair with their Cotton Candy Martini, crafted with vanilla vodka, cream and coconut and topped with a generous helping of cotton candy. You can also score boozy shakes, margarita flights and popsicles inspired by classic summer cocktail flavors like pineapple and watermelon.

Caribe Royale Orlando

For true summer vibes, you really can’t top cocktails served in a coconut. With two kinds of coconut rum, piña colada mix, brown simple syrup and cinnamon, the Coco Loco at AAA Four Diamond resort Caribe Royale Orlando is a summer treat that can’t be beat. Soak up the sun poolside, then head indoors for Cuban-inspired tapas and cocktails at the new Rum Bar.

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