The best drinks to bring camping are portable, easy to stock a cooler with, and don’t create a lot of non-recyclable waste (also, don’t bring a bunch a glass bottles to the woods!). From there, it’s time to ask yourself what kind of camping trip you’re going on. Is this a sleep-when-the-sun-sets, wake-when-it-rises kind of camping trip full of hikes and kayak excursions? Or is this a drink-around-the-campfire-until-you-pass-out kind of camping trip? Either way, we have you covered with the best camping drinks. (We can help you out on the s’mores front, too.) From canned water and instant coffee to cheap beer and premixed Bloody Marys for the morning after, these are the best drinks to bring camping.
- Mountain Valley Spring Water
Sourced from the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas, Mountain Valley Spring Water is one of the best drinks for camping because it allows you to feel one with nature while avoiding bacteria that’ll leave you hogging the latrine! I do my camping in Minnesota, where there are no mountains and few valleys, so Mountain Valley Spring Water promotes the illusion that I’m enjoying both. Plus, this canned water just tastes good. In her ranking of the best canned water, Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling described it as having a “sweet, grassy flavor on the finish.” Just be sure to crush your cans and take them with you!
Read the full ranking of the best canned water
- Starbucks Dark Roast Premium Instant
There are many things I love about camping, but the amount of sleep I’m able to get isn’t one of them. And, sure, you could pack a percolator and brew your own coffee out in the woods, but the best camping drinks are the simplest camping drinks, so instant coffee is the way to go here. G’head and grab the the best instant coffee we tried during our instant coffee taste test, Starbucks Dark Roast Premium Instant. Managing editor Gwynedd Stuart praised it for actually tasting like coffee, which is all you can really ask for when you’re looking for the best camping drinks to get you through three days without a shower.
Read the full ranking of the best instant coffee
- La Colombe Triple Latte
If you love cold coffee and you can’t be bothered to brew your own, La Colombe Triple Latte is a crucial inclusion in the best drinks to bring camping. Simplicity reigns supreme with the best drinks for camping and it doesn’t get much easier than cracking open a can. La Colombe has a strong coffee smell as soon as you crack the can and a good, roasty flavor to match. Oh and did we mention the 175 milligrams of caffeine in every can? Start the day with one of these and demolish those hiking trails.
Read the full ranking of the best canned lattes
- Barritt’s Ginger Beer
Barritt’s ginger beer is one of the best camping drinks because it’s a spicy-sweet brew that’s highly versatile. You can sip on it straight from the can if you feel like a soda or you can spike it with pretty much any booze that found its way into the ol’ Stanley hip flask. Justine loved that Barritt’s isn’t just spicy—it genuinely tastes like ginger and a lot of it. A good camping trip should make you feel alive and a good ginger beer like this one should have the same effect.
Read the full ranking of the best ginger beer
- Simpler Times Lager
When she sat down to taste every single Trader Joe’s beer, Justine found Simpler Times Lager to be the perfect day-drinking beer. She loved that it’s fresh and malty and just has way more flavor than a Bud Light or PBR. If you’re a beer drinker, this is the best camping drink to sip on all day long. And, honestly, pretty much every camping activity lends itself to day drinking…okay, maybe not hiking or rock climbing or canoeing, but if we’re talking cooking hot dogs, playing Uno, and incessantly collecting sticks for the fire, you’re golden!
Read the full ranking of the best Trader Joe’s beer
- Cutwater Bloody Mary
Justine’s favorite camping drink is Cutwater’s Bloody Mary, and I really can’t blame her for it. These pack all the booziness and zest of a homemade Bloody in a ready to drink can—what more could you ask for from one of the best drinks for camping?! Many of the best drinks to bring camping are in cans because it makes it so easy to throw them into a cooler without a worry. Pull one out and pair it with eggs and bacon for a restaurant-caliber brunch miles from civilization.
Read the full ranking of the best Cutwater flavors
The Best Snacks to Bring Camping
If you’re anything like us, then your favorite part of camping is the snacks. Followed closely by nature and nature potty. The stars come in fourth.
Subscribe
Get all the top food rankings, new product reviews, and other grocery content delivered to your inbox every other week.
By clicking submit you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
I’m glad you like Mountain Valley water! I’m local to the area and this is the main water bottle brand besides Nestle and generic here. The Ouachitas are beautiful!