'Summer' Is Here! Cassadee Pope Shares Her Seasonal Favorites – Beaches, Beer and Sublime

Plus: The scary summer flick that she just can't get enough of

Photo: Lance Goodman

The temperatures are rising – but it’s still not as hot as Cassadee Pope‘s brand new EP, appropriately titled Summer.

Released June 3, the four-track country EP features three tunes penned by the 26-year-old Voice winner, including “Alien” and “Piano.”

In honor of the breezy new release, Pope tells PEOPLE her summer must-haves and fondest memories of life in the sunshine.

Favorite Summer Drink
Pope likes pina coladas (and maybe getting caught in the rain).

“They’re so good,” she says. “But it’s hard to bring that [to the beach] in the cooler. So I would probably bring some beer just because it’s easy.”

Favorite Summer Vacation
The Florida native retreated up the East coast during her youth, trekking away from the ocean to Vandergrift, a rural town in Western Pennsylvania.

“It’s where my great-grandparents were born, it’s where my grandpa was born,” she explains. “So my dad, my mom and my sister and I would drive from Florida to Vandergrift and we would spend summers there whenever we could.”

Pope says Vandergrift is “beautiful,” and the family still tries to get to their house there as much as possible.

“I have some great memories there, just hanging out with my great-grandparents, spotting deer, watching my grandpa race dirt cars – he would always race in local dirt tracks.”

Related Video: Consider This Cassadee Pope’s Audition to Sing Every Jingle Ever

Perfect Summer Flick
She’s gonna need a bigger boat.

When it comes to summer screening, Jaws “takes the cake” for Pope.

“It’s one of those I was scared of when I was a kid, but I would always secretly watch it because I just couldn’t get enough,” she admits.

Essential Song of the Summer
Pope’s new single “Summer” is still making its way to the top of the charts, but the singer has her own warm weather playlist essential.

Her song of the summer? “Probably ‘Santaria’ by Sublime.”

“I actually reference them in the chorus of ‘Summer,’ they’ve always been a beach band for me,” Pope explains. “I’d always listen to them at the beach.”

Ideal Beach Day
Pope is an early bird when it comes to getting her toes in the sand: she likes to arrive to the beach right at 10 a.m.

“I love to get a great spot, bring a cooler of drinks and some snacks, but my favorite thing about Lantana Beach in Florida is this place to eat right above the beach,” she says. “As a kid I would always go up there and get some soft-serve ice cream afterwards. It was a tradition.”

Favorite Cookout Food
“I love hot dogs,” Pope says. “You can’t go wrong with a hot dog, and they’re super easy too. I’m not great at the grill – I can do certain things, but hot dogs are probably the easiest.”

Pope’s favorite pairing: corn with butter and sugar. “That sweet corn action – pretty good!”

•Reporting by MOLLIE CAHILLANE