When most of us think of Palm Springs, we think of a playground for Hollywood stars and other celebrities. We think of a place where luxury hotels, stylish boutique stores and classy restaurants line the sides of wide, opulent boulevards adorned with palm trees swaying in the gentle desert breeze.
All of these images are true, but that doesn’t have to mean the Palm Springs is only a city for wealthy young adults and retirees: it is also a great place for a family vacation, so if you’re looking for Palm Springs vacation rentals for your next family vacation and you’re wondering whether there’ll be enough to keep everybody occupied, you need not worry.
There are plenty of family-friendly activities in and around the city of Palm Springs, and with 360 days of sunshine a year, you can be sure that you can plan just about any outdoor activity at any time of the year. The key to ensuring that your family vacation in Palm Springs lives up to the hopes of everyone in your group is in doing some research before you go and coming up with a workable itinerary that you can rely on to keep everyone happy. And with so many options for things to do, the process should be an easy one.
Below are some of the best family-friendly activities for you to consider in and around Palm Springs.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Whilst many people treat a trip to Palm Springs as an opportunity to venture off into the wilderness of the desert and go exploring, those with small children and/or elderly people in their group may want to find a different way to experience all the different animals and plants that the desert has to offer.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens specialises in desert creatures and gives visitors the opportunity to get up close to animals they may otherwise never have seen in real life. With animals native to both the North American and African deserts, The Living Zoo sets out its exhibits geographically and allows visitors to learn about how the different animals in their exhibits interact with their wider ecosystem.
Unusual and elusive animals like hyenas and coyotes are bound to excite the children in your group, and with an indoor creative museum on the premises where children can enjoy interactive exhibits from the comfort of the air-conditioned premises, you can rest assured that all the family will be having fun and learning at the same time.
Joshua Tree National Park
Situated 45 minutes away from Palm Springs by car, Joshua Tree National Park is a unique place where two distinct desert ecosystems meet – the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The distinctive shapes of the Joshua Trees, the otherworldly appearance of the rock formations and the vast open spaces for exploring are all bound to ensure that the children in your group are entertained, and their imaginations are inspired.
The park offers opportunities for hiking, cycling, horseback riding and rock climbing for those people looking to keep active and explore. For children, the one-mile track of the Hidden Valley is a good place to start.
Indian Canyon Trails
If a 45 minute drive is a bit too much for you, and you’re looking for an opportunity to keep everyone entertained outdoors closer to where you’re staying, you’ll be pleased to discover that a range of hiking paths exist at the Indian Canyon Trails.
With hiking trails that are challenging for even the most experienced hikers as well as ones that are perfectly suitable for toddlers, the Indian Canyon Trails offers a wide range of options to suit different parties.
If you’re lucky, you may get to spot some of the local wildlife such as the iconic big horned sheep – and on those rare occasions when there has been recent rainfall, you may even discover a waterfall along the way!
World’s Biggest Dinosaur Museum
One thing that seems to infatuate virtually all children is learning about dinosaurs. For a small entrance fee, you can visit the World’s Biggest Dinosaur Museum in Cabazon, under 20 minutes from Palm Springs by car.
The museum features huge robotic dinosaurs that are sure to impress, as well as an animatronic Brontosaurus that children can ride on, and a massive model of a T-Rex that they can climb on. There’s also a popular Dino Dig, which allows children to search through a sandpit in an attempt to win a prize.
For an all-round family day out that will be full of fun and laughs, the museum is well worth the $10 entry fee and short drive.
Palm Desert Aquatic Centre
If there’s one defining feature of the climate in this part of the United States, it’s the immense heat. In the summer months, temperatures consistently soar to almost unbearable levels, so cooling down regularly is essential.
For days when dipping into your hotel pool aren’t going to be enough, you could always visit the Palm Desert Aquatic Centre with its 8 acres of pools, slides and diving boards. There’s also a splash playground and toddler pool for young children to play in, so there’s plenty to entertain the whole family – from thrill-seeking teenagers to playful babies!
With these and many more opportunities available, you can see that Palm Springs isn’t all about celebrity parties and expensive stores: with the right planning and a good itinerary in place, you can ensure your upcoming trip to Palm Springs is your best family vacation yet.