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Here Are a Few Drinks to Turn Your Lockdown Into a Vacation

Just because your trip was canceled doesn’t mean your alcohol consumption should suffer.

Shortly after California stated it would be locking down, I found myself at the liquor store, shoulder-to-shoulder with nearly everyone else in Los Angeles. We all had the same idea: If we’re going to be stuck inside for indefinitely, we might as well be inside with a bottle of our favorite spirit. The line at the store made it abundantly clear that we would all have alcohol, but it would be a matter of figuring out just what to do with it.

This lockdown is not a vacation, but every night at five, I say we treat it like one. Do more than a splash of rum topped off with whatever flat soda you’ve got lying around, and take this moment to transport yourself to the vacation you wish you could currently be on. Make the beverage that makes your night on the couch feel like a day lounging oceanside in Maui.

So, if you’re wanting a getaway, look no further than your liquor shelf and our collection of drink recipes that make every night feel like one on vacation.

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Mai Tai

Though the Mai Tai may have been invented in the Bay Area, this Tiki drink is more commonly associated with a tropical vacation—one you sip while sitting on the white-sand beaches of Hawaii. Looking to turn your liquor shelf into a Tiki bar? Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 ounce dark rum
  • 1/2 ounce light rum
  • 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/2 tsp grenadine

If you’ve got a shaker, here is a chance to use it: fill with ice, add your ingredients, and start shaking. This recipe from Food Network pairs best with Jimmy Buffet.

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Peach Bellini

Venice’s signature drink might be the Aperol Spritz, but locals know that the Peach Bellini is where it’s at. When the Belmond Hotel Cipriani opened in 1948, founder Giuseppe Cipriani introduced the city to his newest concoction, a mixture of fresh peach juice and sparkling wine. For the hotel’s signature drink, a refreshing cocktail that pairs well with both brunch and dinner, here is what you’ll need:

  • 2 ounces fresh white peach juice
  • 3 ounces Prosecco (or any sparkling wine)

Making sure that both are chilled, pull out your fanciest flute glass otherwise saved for special occasions, and pour in your sparkling wine to be topped off with peach juice. Salute!

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Michelada

This drink is perfect for those missing the beaches of Mexico or their spring-season Dodger’s game. In simple terms, a Michelada combines two fan favorites: cold beer and a Bloody Mary. It’s the perfect summer drink, but as we approach warmer months still inside, it might just become the perfect quarantine drink. So open the windows, welcome in the hot air, and gather these ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • ice cubes
  • 2/3 cup Clamato juice
  • 1/4 cup lime juice (about the juice of 3 medium limes)
  • 4 drops Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 drops soy sauce
  • 4 drops hot sauce
  • 2/3 can Mexican lager beer

This drink is the perfect combination of savory, spicy, and yet, it’s incredibly refreshing. Following this recipe, and you’ll be able to have a Mexican vacation of your own.

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Lobster Bloody Mary

And if beer isn’t your thing, go with a more traditional, East Coast-style Bloody Mary. If you and your family head East when the sun comes out, this recipe from Nantucket’s Brant Point Grill will hold you over until you’re able to head back to your summer-home. For a pitcher of their signature Lobster Bloody Mary, you’ll need:

  • One 2-pound lobster
  • 1 quart Bloody Mary mix
  • 4 Heirloom tomatoes
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 sprigs of parsley (optional)
  • 4 ounces horseradish-infused vodka:
    • Two ounces horseradish
    • 1 liter of Vodka

This recipe is not quite as simple as some of the others and takes a bit more prep, but the pay-off will be well worth it. In order to create that horseradish-infused vodka, you’ll need to combine your horseradish and vodka in a closed glass container and let it sit for two weeks (try some of the other cocktails in the meantime). Once the vodka has infused, each glass will be filled to the top with ice and receive one ounce of vodka topped off with Bloody Mary mix. The rest of our ingredients go toward the décor, with lobster, tomatoes, and lemon slices placed on skewers. With your mixture, side-skewer for dunking, and parsley for garnish, you can now sip on the perfect summer drink. Save for a hot weekend or pair with a fresh Lobster Roll.

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Pina Colada

This drink screams “VACATION!” It’s not one we often get, but when the mood strikes or the beach calls, this pineapple-rum mixture is a must. So, grab a glass or save your pineapple; here is what you’ll need for Puerto Rico’s famous drink:

  • ½ fresh pineapple
  • 6 ounces sweetened cream of coconut
  • 2 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
  • 8 ounces white rum
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 2 ounces dark rum (for topping)

This Bon Appetite recipe is relatively simple, just combine the ingredients and blend. This drink can accompany dinner, be treated as a dessert (topped with a Maraschino cherry), or enjoyed even pre-5 o’clock. It’s an anytime, any-occasion drink that turns even the drabbest day sunny.

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Sangria

This Spanish favorite is the perfect way to start a warm weekend. Cold and fruity, it’s a refreshing cocktail easy to sip on a warm day. Open the windows or head to your yard or balcony for this drink of Spain. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • ½ medium apple
  • ½ medium orange
  • 3 tablespoon organic brown sugar
  • ¾ cup orange juice
  • 1/3 cup brandy
  • One bottle of dry red wine

Follow this easy recipe to enjoy a pitcher of Spain’s favorite summer drink this lockdown!

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Bushwhacker

While this dessert-type drink originated on St. Thomas, it has quickly become a favorite of the Alabama beach scene. The Bushwhacker is the South’s take on a Rattlesnack, perfect for a hot summer’s day or to round out your favorite cookout. Alabama’s Lulu’s has given us their famous Bushwhacker recipe, and we think you should give it a try. When your sweet tooth calls, this is what you’ll need:

  • 2 ounces coffee liqueur
  • 2 ounces coconut liqueur
  • 1 ounce chocolate liqueur
  • 1½ ounce dark rum
  • 2 ounce half-and-half
  • 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • 1 to 2 cups crushed ice
  • Chocolate syrup
  • Splash of dark rum (optional)

Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, the rest is incredibly simple. Add them to the blender and run it until smooth. To add finesse (Gordon Ramsey would be proud), take a chilled glass and swirl with your favorite chocolate syrup and top with a cherry.

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Margarita

This is a classic, super easy, requires few ingredients, and can be done frozen or chilled, salted or not. Whether a margarita reminds you of your girls trip to Cancun or the restaurant you and coworkers went to get drinks after work, it’s a drink we all have memories of. So, let’s use this drink to escape; all you’ll need is:

  • 3 ounces tequila
  • 2 ounces lime juice
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • 5 teaspoon orange liqueur

This recipe can be made on the rocks or frozen, and salt is always a welcomed addition! Turn your taco nights up a notch with this simple cocktail that checks all the boxes: refreshing, easy-to-make, and incredibly boozy.