Where to Travel Based on Your Go-To Cocktail

With this year’s early snowfall and never-ending thunderstorms, our bags are practically packed for holiday travel. (And, hey, it doesn’t hurt that our bag is so cute!) And now that our November trip is planned (Toronto, here we come!), we can’t help but already be dreaming of our post-Christmas escape.

When most people pick their upcoming destinations, they usually base it on attributes such as weather, accommodations, activities and maybe even social life. But if that last one is especially important to you, you might want to consider letting your favorite cocktail help you choose where to explore. Whether you’re a tequila gal or a craft beer queen, here’s where to venture based on your favorite beverage.

1. If you drink craft beer, head to Clearwater Beach, FL. In Clearwater Beach, you’ll find a lot more people sipping pilsners than pina coladas by the sea. With a craft-beer scene that’s growing crazy fast, this nationally ranked beach is the perfect place for you and your suds-lovin’ buds. The St. Pete/Clearwater Craft Beer Trail includes a number of local breweries that offer house-made coastal brews, such as a mango habanero IPA and chocolate coconut ale. If you’re looking for some top-secret sips, we suggest staying at Opal Sands; the resort partners with local company Sea Dog Brewing to offer an exclusive line of beers, the Deep Blue IPA and the Deep Blue Tangerine Wheat. (Photo via Opal Sands)

2. If you drink margaritas, head to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This hotspot has long been a favorite of tourists and for good reason. Puerto Vallarta has it all — white sandy beaches and gorgeous mountainscapes, a delectable food scene, and top-notch tequila. If you’re looking for a next-level tequila experience, Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is the place to be. Its Secretos de la Familia program gives guests the opportunity to learn the fine art that is sipping tequila. With an on-staff tequilera (yes, tequila sommeliers are a thing), you’ll surely get an unforgettable educational experience. On top of this, the resort grows blue agave on its property and is one of the only resorts in the world with a proprietary brand of tequila. (Photo via Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa)

3. If you drink rum and cokes, head to Saint James, Barbados. We have the tiny Caribbean island to thank for the classic combo that is rum and coke. As the birthplace of the ubiquitous dark liquor, Barbados has no shortage of rum-related activities. The most iconic destination? The Mount Gay Rum Factory, where travelers can get a taste of the limited edition 1703 Master Select blend along with a distillery tour. If you’re planning on beachin’ it the whole time, camp out at the Colony Club. Its new Rum Vault features 150 rums from around the world and pairing seminars led by the resident sommelier. (Photo via Colony Club)

4. If you drink sours, head to Cusco, Peru. Love sours? Then you’ll be sweet on Peru. Peru’s national spirit, pisco, is an essential part of the South American country’s culture, and it’s most classically mixed up as a pisco sour. The Qespi Bar, located at the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, a historic boutique hotel, is enough of a reason to book a room at the resort. Each night, the bar offers a pisco sour mixology class where attendees learn how to make the iconic drink while personalizing it with macerated varieties of pisco, such as passionfruit and ají picante. (Photo via JW Marriot El Convento Cusco)

5. If you drink mezcal, head to Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. Avoid the crowds for a more authentic travel experience in Riviera Nayarit, a bohemian surf town where Mexico’s ancient spirit, Mezcal, flows. If you want to make Mezcal a major player in your trip, keep the W Punta de Mita in mind. The hotel’s beverage program is unlike any other, with weekly Mezcal Lab tastings guided by a local expert where you’ll learn how to properly sample the spirits. You should probably be on the adventurous side, though; the samplings are often served with house-made sangria and Mexican worm salt, which is made out of — you guessed it — worms! (Photo via W Punta de Mita)

6. If you drink vodka sodas, head to Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Leave the Tito’s in the States. The liquor you’ll be drinking in Costa Rica is actually called guaro, but it tastes similar to vodka and is sometimes referred to as “soft vodka” because of its lower alcohol percentage. Almost every bar and restaurant in the area is serving up this spirit, but if you really want to drink like a local, head to El Mangroove, a boutique hotel that’s surrounded by gorgeous bayside beaches and tropical forest. Its renowned drink, the Tico Sunrise, made with guaro, pineapple, basil, triple sec, lime, mango, and cayenne pepper syrup, is to die for; sip it poolside, where howler monkeys can be spotted swinging about in the overhead trees. (Photo via El Mangroove)

What’s on the menu for your next getaway? Let us know @BritandCo.