The Nostalgic Soda That's Everywhere In SoCal (But Nearly Impossible To Find Nationwide)

When the sun is beating down and you reach for a refreshing drink, what are you picking up? While you're probably supposed to say water, sometimes that just doesn't quench the thirst in the way you need. You could go for a crisp glass of Coca-Cola (though we always wonder about what Coca-Cola's flavor actually is) or even a bottle of Gatorade, but if you're a Southwestern United States native, you may find yourself reaching for a lesser-known brand: Cactus Cooler.

Cactus Coolers were created in 1966 by none other than Canada Dry. However, these days it's manufactured by the Keurig Dr Pepper company. The beverage originally launched as a nationwide product, but over time gradually shrunk its presence to the Southwest in states like New Mexico, Arizona, and especially Southern California. These days, it's mostly found in SoCal.

Many remember the distinct, funky packaging of Cactus Coolers, bright and colorful with graphics of desert landscapes. The designs are reminiscent of the packaging on AriZona cans, including the Black and White iced tea (which happens to be our favorite AriZona Iced Tea flavor).

While Cactus Cooler is technically categorized as an orange soda, the drink also contains notes of pineapple, bringing the tropics to mind. It's often described as medicine-like in terms of sweetness with a chalky aftertaste reminiscent of marshmallows and cream soda, but it's supposedly good enough to polish off the entire thing in one sitting. No, it's not made from real cactus, although it was specially formulated to deliver a tangy, refreshing taste perfect for any blistering, desert-temperature kind of day. It doesn't have caffeine, but the carbonation means it joins other drinks in the soda aisle of grocery stores and gas stations.

If "Cactus Cooler" sounds like a made-up name straight out of a cartoon, that's because it is! Cactus Cooler was actually inspired by "The Flintstones," the animated sitcom from the '60s, specifically from an episode where one of the main characters drinks a cup of "Cactus Coola." Looks like Fruity Pebbles (and these three-ingredient Fruity Pebble bars) aren't the only edible product that "The Flintstones" inspired. You can pick up a bottle of Cactus Cooler just about anywhere in the Southwest, but you'll have a harder time finding it outside the desert region. For those of us on the other side of the country, we'll have to grab a bottle of orange Fanta, draw our own trippy labels, and simply imagine the unique flavors of a Cactus Cooler.