Pour a drink and unwind on one of these 7 patios this summer

This article was written for our sponsor, Fuquay-Varina.

Summer is the perfect time to kick back and enjoy a nice, cold drink on a sizzling hot day.

While some prefer to cool off with a lemon-garnished sweet tea, a refreshing lemonade or a fruity frozen treat, others may choose to imbibe with an ice cold beer or a cool cocktail. No matter your beverage of choice, we did some research to compile a list of the hottest patios and the coolest drinks Fuquay-Varina has to offer this summer.

"Everybody used to hang out on a porch — not a lot of people do that anymore. In Fuquay-Varina you can find lots of places around town to porch sit and hang with your friends or family," said Dawn Russell, downtown manager for the Town of Fuquay-Varina. "We have something for everybody — there's ice cream, beer, cold brewed coffee and more."

Whatever suits your fancy, stay cool this season with our top seven Fuquay-Varina patio recommendations.

1. Cultivate Coffee Roasters
128 S Fuquay Ave, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Even in the summer, everyone needs a good caffeine fix. If hot coffee is a turn-off for you in the summer heat, don't fret. The team at Cultivate has mastered the art of cold brew, which is the perfect morning pick-me-up and can be enjoyed on the front patio that seats around 30 people.

"The patio will be full all day long because people just come and hang out," said owner Ben Sommerville. "It's dog-friendly too, so you can bring your pets."

Whether you want to catch up with an old friend or enjoy a good book – the patio at Cultivate offers ample outdoor seating and umbrellas to help you beat the heat while you load up on some great beans. Cultivate roasts all of its coffee in-house, so their cold brews are very flavorful.

Beans aren't the only thing this place has to offer though. Sommerville noted Cultivate also has brews, kombucha and blended beverages like their seasonal peach bellini.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: Cold brew coffee on ice with a splash of milk, blended with their house-made vanilla bean syrup. It's pure, crisp, caffeinated bliss.

2. Fainting Goat Brewery
330 S Main St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Want to disconnect while you keep cool? Located on Main Street in the heart of Fuquay-Varina, this veteran-owned local boutique brewery is the perfect summer spot to unwind on the patio with an ice cold brew.

Leave your laptop at home because Fainting Goat Brewery doesn't offer Wi-Fi – on purpose – because they want people to connect face-to-face like the good old days. In addition to the great beer and the perfect patio, Fainting Goat regularly welcomes live music acts, food trucks and other entertainment throughout the summer.

It's the perfect place to "unplug" and enjoy the summer season.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: No kidding, you've got to try their Belgian beer – it's called "No Kidding Belgian Wit." It's their take on a traditional Belgian white, which means it's refreshing and perfect for summer. Featuring flavors of coriander, orange and tangerine peel, it's a real citrusy delight.

3. Stick Boy Bread Company
127 S Main St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

While a bakery may not be an obvious choice that comes to mind when weighing your summer patio options, the Stick Boy Bread Company is the perfect destination for a cool drink to complement an early breakfast or a midday snack.

The locally-owned and operated bakery's menu boasts some sticky sweet treats as well as traditional, savory and seasonal breads, Larry's Beans coffee and some amazing fresh, frozen smoothies.

The patio, which has a Parisian feel, will have you saying "Bonjour" to passersby.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: There's no reason to be blue with this smoothie – an incredible blend of blueberries, bananas and apple juice. It's a cool, sweet treat they like to call "Don't Be Blueberry." Yummy and refreshing.

4. Vicious Fishes Tap & Kitchen
132 S Fuquay Ave, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

A gastropub featuring a wood-fired grill, Vicious Fishes' patio is a great place to enjoy a great meal and a cold drink. Some popular snacks include house-made potato chips, peppers, pickles and pork rinds – as well as a menu of both small and large plate options.

But no patio dining experience is complete without the perfect summer cocktail, and they've got plenty to choose from, as well as a great selection of beer and wine. It's vicious and delicious.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: The Sea Mist – a signature cocktail made with a refreshing blend of prosecco, Aperol (a dry, Italian aperitif) and a splash of soda. It's garnished with an orange and served over ice to cool you off.

Another fan favorite is the Here Be Dragons IPA. You can't go wrong with either choice.

5. The Mason Jar Tavern
341 Broad St #151, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Drinking out of a mason jar during the summer months is quintessentially seasonal. Whether you want a soda, an ice tea, a signature cocktail or a cold lager, the Mason Jar Tavern has you covered in taste and nostalgia.

Its outdoor patio is family-friendly and offers a great venue for a quick bite and a cold drink. Mason Jar Tavern believes in good old Southern hospitality and makes sure your jar is always full with the drink of your choice.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: Here, you've got to try a traditional sweet tea. Garnished with a lemon and plenty of ice, it will remind you of long chats with your grandmother on her front porch.

6. Pints
512 Broad St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Whether you're clinking mugs or chowing down on some cookies 'n' cream, at Pints, you have your choice of two types of pints – an ice-cold brew or fresh ice cream. Both the beer and the sweet treats are all made in North Carolina, and once the summer heat hits, you can't go wrong either way.

Their ice cream is made on-site with local ingredients and features unique flavor concoctions such as rosemary and olive oil, or white chocolate lavender. The brews are made throughout North Carolina – from Apex to Asheville and everywhere in between.

Enjoy your cone or your beer out on the Pints patio — it's covered so your ice cream won't melt as fast in the sun.

Best Patio Drink of Choice: Be sure to try a root beer float with your ice cream of choice. There are plenty of fizzy cream combinations to choose from.

7. Aviator Brewing Tap House
600 Broad St, Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

The Aviator Tap House has been around for 10 years now, offering perfectly chilled, fresh draft beer right out of the old Varina train depot.

While the building dates back to 1903, the food and drinks are the freshest around with tons of scratch-made choices. Offering 12 varieties of wings, creative brewery-style bites, sandwiches, salads and family-friendly menu options, their patio and porch provide the perfect outdoor oasis for enjoying a drink or a meal.

"When we moved into the Tap House, it had all these elements to make a cool outdoor space — it had the trees outside. We were able to use masonry instead of fences and create a space that almost has a European feel to it," said owner Mark Doble, who grew up abroad and loved the outdoor culture of Europe. "When the warm weather hits, basically everybody's outside just drinking on patios. That was the inspiration to do a patio here. The whole thing is an experience — it's not just that you're drinking outside, but also, what the environment looks like."

Best Patio Drink of Choice: Try the "I Would Go," a Hawaiian style IPA. It features flavorful tropical hops, pineapple, and mango and will bring you sandy toes and palm tree vibes for sure.

This article was written for our sponsor, Fuquay-Varina.