Ah, February. Cruel, cruel February. Unless you love gray skies, snow, and freezing temps it’s arguably the most depressing month of the year. Here we are, almost into March and spring is so close, yet it still seems so far away. Those of us who are smart and blessed with enough money and vacation days can head for the hills (or more likely the beach) and escape to tropical locations where the sun and lush, green vegetation are more than just wistful memories.

Sadly, not all of us can be so lucky. If you’re stuck here in the dreary Midwest feeling land-locked and vitamin D deprived, fear not – there is hope. And that hope comes in the form of alcohol. Fruity alcohol with maraschino cherries and colorful mini umbrellas. See, the mere thought of these drinks makes you feel better already – just think how great you’ll feel when you actually make and drink them! The sunny drink recipes below will take you on a delicious tour of the tropics and turn your seasonal depression into a distant memory. (Cabana boy not included.) Bon voyage!

The Bahamas- Bahama Mama

Ingredients:

1 fl oz light rum
1 fl oz coconut flavored rum (Malibu works great)
1 fl oz grenadine
2 fl oz orange juice
2 fl oz pineapple juice
2 cups crushed ice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in an electric blender. Blend until the drink’s consistency is slushy.

Costa Rica- Pura Vida

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 oz lemon juice
4 oz dark rum
3 oz Sprite
1 oz melon liqueur

Directions:

Mix brown sugar, lemon juice, rum and melon liqueur and shake with ice. Pour into a tumbler and add Sprite. Stir well.

Florida Keys- Rum Runner

Ingredients:

1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
1 oz blackberry liqueur
1 oz banana liqueur
1 oz light rum
1 oz dark rum
splash of grenadine
1 oz Bacardi 151 to float on top
2 cups ice

Directions:

Blend all ingredients besides Bacardi 151 until smooth. Pour into a glass (hurricane glasses are typically used for this drink) and add Bacardi 151 on top.

Mexico- Margarita

Ingredients:

Salt for the rim of the glass (optional)
1 ½ oz tequila
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
½ oz Cointreau

Directions:

If using salt, place in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with a dampened paper towel, then dip in salt. Fill the glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau; stir a few times until chilled.

Hawaii- Mai Tai

Ingredients:

1 oz light rum
½ oz crème de almond
½ oz triple sec
sweet and sour mix
pineapple juice
½ oz dark rum

Directions:

Pour light rum, creme de almond and triple sec, in order, into a glass. Almost fill with equal parts of sweet and sour mix and pineapple juice. Add dark rum serve unstirred.

Image Credit: blog.sihaja.net

Carlie is the Food and Drink Editor for Girls Guide, and also blogs at carliecrash.com. By day she is an educational textbook editor, and she moonlights as a foodie and barfly.  You can email her at carlie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @carbirwin.