As we know, summer is approaching very quickly, and all of the cool girls love to have nice cold refreshing drinks. As having some kind of cold drink everyday is becoming a major lifestyle choice and trend, there are many girls out there trying to figure out their go-to drinks, but want to change things up a bit and want to try something new. I am guilty to say that I am definitely a part of this trend and have been trying to find my favorite drinks for many years now. From a girl who’s been scared to drink anything with caffeine and many flavors, to now trying everything, I definitely will say that I have found my perfect go-to drinks that I will be having throughout this summer for sure.
Now I haven’t tried all of the coffee spots that everyone is talking about, especially since some of the popular places like Dutch Bros aren’t in New York, I of course made sure to go to two of the most well known places that everyone goes to: Dunkin and Starbucks. Dunkin and Starbucks have been on lots of the girls’ minds since both of these franchises have been putting their work in it to deliver new drinks and advertisements to make people want to go get something from them. I have always loved both growing up, so here I am today talking about my favorite drinks from both of these places that I hope everyone will try.
Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher
Starting off strong is the Strawberry Acai Refresher from Starbucks. This was the first drink that I got that wasn’t a vanilla bean drink because I was very picky when I was younger and didn’t want to try new drinks. I remember I tried it because my mom was the one who got the drink. What I loved about the drink is that it’s not you tasting only strawberries or lemonade. It gives you taste both equally, but kinda has a little more berry flavor in it which is something I love. You can basically say it’s an acai bowl, but in a drink form instead of eating it. It may sound cringy, but this helped me grow my love for drinks with berry flavors and to actually eat more fruits, especially with me trying more acai bowls nowadays. This drink is perfect to stay refreshed and hydrated for a hot summer day if you want something simple and not so pricey, since getting a drink can be very expensive. Just make sure to get the drink with lemonade instead of water, because the lemonade gives it the flavor to make it taste good while the water is giving straight up water with a splash of a little flavor, which isn’t a fan choice by many people.
Iced Vanilla Bean Coffee
Of course, we can’t have a piece about refreshing drinks to try without having a coffee drink involved. Now this is a simple drink that you can make at home or buy since this is a simple iced coffee. However, I like to get an iced coffee from Dunkin the most because I ask them to put vanilla bean syrup in it with creme, instead of the french vanilla syrup. I have always been a vanilla girl and have always been obsessed with anything that had vanilla bean in it. I actually didn’t think about adding vanilla bean in my coffee until my friend recommended it to me, because she knows I always put french vanilla in my coffee orders. Once I tried that drink, that became my go-to order when it comes to iced coffee. It’s like a vanilla wonderland when you taste the drink and it gives the coffee a richer taste compared to regular vanilla, which is why I honestly prefer vanilla bean. If you want a coffee that isn’t so sweet, but still has an amazing flavor, this is a must for sure. It’s the perfect combination of delicious and a simple drink for the summer if you want something cold that can give you energy.
Vanilla Bean Starbucks Frappuccino
Speaking of vanilla bean, how can I not mention the vanilla bean Frappuccino from Starbucks? This was the first drink I ever tried from both Starbucks and Dunkin when I first started getting drinks from different shops. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the vanilla bean Coolatta from Dunkin and will also get it from there, but Starbucks vanilla bean Frappuccino wins the crown for the best vanilla bean drink in my opinion. I just love the fact that the vanilla bean Frappuccino isn’t just a milkshake with a different name. It’s a delicious drink that doesn’t feel like a sugar rush, but instead has more of a unique taste. Don’t get me wrong, the Dunkin vanilla bean Coolatta is a great drink, but it can be sugary at times and gives more of a milkshake vibe rather than making it its own drink especially since in a way, you really only taste regular vanilla rather than vanilla bean. With Starbucks, it’s more creamy and smooth with the taste which is what I love about the drink so much. The vanilla bean from Starbucks is a perfect option if you don’t want caffeine and just want something sweet but not so sugary and something to cool you down when you are having your summer adventures with your friends.
Strawberry Dragon Fruit Refresher
Dunkin has definitely been winning my heart these days when it comes to drinks that aren’t iced coffees or lattes. One drink that I loved so much that I feel like people don’t talk about enough is the strawberry dragon fruit refresher. I love how it’s an even amount of strawberries and dragon fruit when you taste the drink, and that it is tangy and vibrant and gives a candy-like flavor. I never would have thought that I would like dragon fruit which is why I was hesitant to try the drink in the first place. If I would have to choose between this and the strawberry acai from Starbucks, I am going to have to go for this one, because it’s just a perfect mixture of both fruits which is something I think Starbucks fails with when it comes to their dragon fruit drinks. Be sure to put lemonade in the drink because water will just ruin it and green tea just doesn’t sound right to me to put in a refreshing drink unless you want to have caffeine. Lemonade is always the go-to when you’re deciding what to put in certain drinks. So if you can’t decide if you want to have energy, or just something nice to stay refreshed during the summer, go for this drink.
Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte
If I’m being honest here, if I want to get an iced coffee or latte, I would prefer to get it from Dunkin. However, Starbucks has surprised me with their iced cinnamon dolce latte. All I know is that one day I knew I wanted something different instead of getting my usuals orders, so I started looking on their menu to see what was appealing to me. All I saw was the word cinnamon and cinnamon is my weakness when it comes to adding more flavors in my drinks. So, I decided to give it a try. When I tried it, I knew that this was going to be the latte I was gonna keep getting for a while. It wasn’t so much cinnamon or sugary with the taste. It was a good mix of cinnamon, milk, and espresso so that it wasn’t so sweet and milky . I especially loved how it gave a little spice which I wouldn’t mind having in more coffees and lattes. What I love about this drink is if you add more flavors, it’s never gonna be too sweet and you’ll be able to taste everything that you put in the drink because adding vanilla makes it taste so much better. The taste of the drink gives a nice sweet treat that you would eat, so if you want to get the vibes of something not too sweet but tasty, this is the drink to go for especially if you want a mixture of caffeine, cold, and tasty for the summer.
Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso
Dunkin honestly really surprised me with this drink especially since I never really was interested in trying espresso and I mainly use the same flavors when it comes to my coffees, lattes, and espressos. However, after trying the brown sugar shaken espresso, I became a huge fan and I am definitely planning to try more and in different flavors. I love how the drink can be very creamy and not so sweet since it has oatmilk instead of whole milk. I also love the taste of the brown sugar with it not being too strong like I thought it would be. I honestly thought I wouldn’t like the drink because I wasn’t a big fan of almond milk, but after trying a drink with oatmilk instead, I feel like it’s a great way to have coffee, lattes, and espressos if you don’t want the taste to be so strong. This summer I will be trying to change up my iced drinks with different milks and flavors to truly see what kind of coffees, lattes, and espressos I am into since there are so many ways to make these drinks your own. If you want a nice cold drink in the summer that gives creamy vibes with great flavors, but not so strong, go try the brown sugar shaken espresso.
I have so many drinks that I get from both places when it comes to Dunkin, like the blue raspberry coolatta, the iced Dunkalatte, a regular iced french vanilla latte; or Starbucks with their iced blonde vanilla latte and strawberry creme Frappuccino, but these drinks that were mentioned are my top drinks to get from Dunkin and Starbucks. However, since summer is approaching very quickly, I know that it’s the time to try new drinks especially when new drinks and other items are added to the menu. Who knows, maybe I might change my mind about what my top drinks are to have during the summer. But I promise you, if you try these drinks that I mention, I think you might have a new favorite to add to your list. And you don’t even have to get the drinks the way I get them. If you make it your own by adding more flavors or taking certain flavors out of the drink, you can enjoy them just like everyone else. So, what are you waiting for? If you want to have a cool refreshing summer, consider trying these drinks to make your cool refreshing summer ten times better!