High Desert Drinks: 6 Places to Quench Your Thirst in Victor Valley

Meyer Manor Winery

Stay hydrated. That’s good advice no matter where you live, but it’s critical for residents of the Victor Valley, known locally as the High Desert, where summer temps can easily reach triple digits. Luckily, it’s not hard to find all sorts of regional sips (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) in the area that will keep you hydrated and happy. 

Start in Victorville, where Tea Life serves elaborate and colorful boba teas. Two of its top sellers are its Signature Milk Tea with brown sugar boba pearls and the vibrant royal purple Taro Reading, which is made with taro, sea salt crema and boba pearls. Its menu also includes plenty of playfully named drinks (like Game, Set, Matcha and Oreo Speedwagon) as well as a handful of Vietnamese coffee drinks and the South Korean sensation Dalgona coffee. 

Just 15 minutes away in Apple Valley, Meyer Manor Winery & Vineyards. This small startup winery is growing zinfandel, malbec, Sangiovese and sauvignon blanc grapes. The vineyard offers occasional wine tastings while it completes construction on winery grounds. Meyer Manor awaits its official opening (which is planned for this year). Stay up to date and check out progress on Meyer Manor’s website and Instagram page. 

Also in Apple Valley, is Off the Grid Brewery. Off the Grid is true to its name. Its minimalistic website offers basic info, including a current tap list. There are beers in a wide variety of styles like blueberry and peach sour ale, rice lager and rauchbier (smoked lager). The spot celebrated its eighth anniversary this year. Visitors can also enjoy regular food trucks and trivia nights. 

And Frogee’s Cocktail Lounge, which has been in business for over 20 years, is a true local hangout in Apple Valley, thanks to its friendly service and no-nonsense vibe. The recently remodeled stage hosts frequent live bands as well as karaoke performers, and with pool tables and a patio, there’s entertainment for everyone. 

Finally, check out Hesperia, which is about 20 minutes southwest of Apple Valley. It’s home to Oak Hills Brewing Co., which has produced craft beer for over a decade. The tap room, open Thursdays through Saturdays, serves craft beer standards like pale ale, hazy IPA and fruited wheat beer, but it also offers housemade seltzer in flavors like green apple and watermelon. 

For a pick-me-up of the caffeinated variety, hit up Dulce Canella, a coffee and dessert shop that turns out tempting treats. In addition to coffee and milkshakes, customers can snag traditional Mexican beverages like café de olla, which is coffee prepared in a clay pot with cinnamon and sugar; atole, a hot, sweet beverage made from finely ground corn meal; and champurrado, atole flavored with chocolate. Pair those with Dulce Canella’s churros, which are topped with everything from whipped cream and ice cream to fresh fruit and decadent dulce de leche.