How To Vacation In Palm Springs With Kids

how to vacation in palm springs with kids

This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a commission if you make a purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. This helps offset the costs of running this blog & I appreciate your support. Please see my privacy & disclosure policy for more.

Table of Contents

Our family loves visiting Palm Springs with kids. We live in the greater Los Angeles area and Palm Springs is only a 2.5-hour drive away which is the perfect place for a staycation. After finding a good deal on a kid-friendly hotel in Palm Springs, I was excited about our trip. I didn’t tell the kids were we going, so it was sort of a small surprise for them.

How To Vacation In Palm Springs With Kids

Interested in visiting Palm Springs with kids?  Check out more on how to vacation with kids in Palm Springs below:

Mom and two kids smiling in front of a giraffe - how to vacation in palm springs with kids

When Did We Go To Palm Springs With Kids

We visited Palm Springs in April.

two children in sunglasses with Thomas the Train suitcases - how to vacation in palm springs with kids

Palm Springs Weather

On our visit, the Palm Springs weather was warm, in the 70s. Usually, Palm Springs is much hotter at this time of the year so I was surprised by the weather. In the summer it gets even hotter, 100 degrees plus.

How To Get To Palm Springs With Kids

  • Los Angeles to Palm Springs Drive

We drove to Palm Springs. It took us about 2.5 hours to get there from the Los Angeles area, which is one of the reasons why I picked it. The boys slept the entire drive which was perfect!

  • Palm Springs Airport

Palm Springs has an airport, so if you are flying in, you can fly directly into the airport.

How To Get Around Palm Springs

Because we drove to Palm Springs, it was easy to get around using our car. However, you can use Uber, Lyft, Taxi or take the bus if you prefer.

Palm Kid Friendly Springs Resorts

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort

We stayed at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa Rancho Mirage which is in the Palm Springs area. The main reason why I chose Palm Springs for our short 3-day trip was because of this hotel. Finding kid-friendly hotels is always a win for the kids and me, so I make sure to do my research prior to every trip. I was even more excited about this hotel because of its water park, Splashtopia. The Omni Rancho Las Palmas Palm Springs Resort is an expensive hotel, and because I am keen on budget travel, I booked it on Groupon . So, make sure to check Groupon for your dates. I did a review our stay there; read more about it here – Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa Rancho Mirage.

how to vacation in palm springs with kids

Other Kid Friendly Palm Spring Resorts

child swimming in the La Quinta Pool3 kids sitting on a bench in front of the Doubletree by Hilton resort in Palm Springs


Things To Do In Palm Springs With Kids

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway With Kids

This popped up on my things to do in Palm Springs list. Once you take the tramway up to the top, there are plenty of things to do there. By the way, this tramway is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world. Once you get up there, you will find a small movie theater that plays a 15-minute movie about animals, a small natural museum, and the highlight of it all; San Jacinto State Park.

Family riding the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway With KidsViewing the distance through a telescope from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

It was very windy when we visited, so we were not able to hike and explore the state park as I wanted to. Due to the elevation, it is much cooler up there, so I suggest visiting in the heart of summer for a great experience. In the winter, it snows up there so it is also a great time to visit. There is a restaurant as well and a gift shop. We didn’t eat anything there, so I am not sure how good the food is.

Family visiting Mount San Jacinto State Park Visiting the Mount San Jacinto gift shop

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 

This Zoo is pretty big, and the exhibits are scattered around. It can get pretty exhausting walking around especially in the summer months when it is really hot, so I highly suggest that you pay for the tram. I’ve been to this Zoo twice but haven’t made my way entirely around it. I always forget to get the tram pass and then we all get so tired from walking around in the heat so we don’t spend as much as I’d like to. With the tram pass, you can ride around and get off at the stops that you want to or just stay on and enjoy the ride around the entire zoo. Also make sure to go early so that you can do some of the animal feedings, such as the giraffe feedings. Giraffes are my favorite animals so I absolutely love this activity.Visiting the The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens  two children looking at the exhibits at the The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Family visiting The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens 

Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert / Palm Springs Children’s Museum With Kids

Visiting the children’s museum in a city is a given. The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Dessert is not as big as some of the ones we’ve been to, however they have plenty to keep kids busy. We have been to this museum before, and what I like about it is the fact that their exhibits change. It becomes monotonous if you visit the same museum all the time and do the same things, so the kids and I love that when we visit, we can expect to see something new. There are several buildings so make sure to visit them all as each one offers something different.Two kids and Dad at Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert Family building race car at Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert how to vacation in palm springs with kids

Relax At Your Palm Springs Resort With Kids

The point of this short trip was to relax as well as do a few activities, so we spent one of our days at the resort and didn’t leave at all. We had breakfast at the restaurant on site, BluEmber and lunch by the pool, and both times the food was absolutely delicious. I don’t fancy hotel food, so I didn’t expect it to be so good. For dinner, we ordered take out. Click to read my review on Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa.

Play Tennis In Palm Springs With Kids

We spent most of the morning playing tennis with the kids and they loved it. We took our own rackets though.

family playing tennis in Palm Springs - how to vacation in palm springs with kids

Swim In Palm Springs With Kids

The kids loved the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort pool, lazy river, zero entry, sandpit and all the amenities. Family enjoying the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort pool area

Other Things To Do With Kids In/Around Palm Springs

family portrait in joshua tree national park with kids
Joshua Tree National Park

Where To Eat In Palm Springs With Kids

Palm Springs has a ton of restaurants with yummy food. It is really hard to go wrong.

Piero’s PizzaVino

Fod from Piero's PizzaVino in Palm Springs

Greek Islands

dishes from Greek Islands in Palm Springs

Omni Rancho Las Palmas

We had breakfast at BluEmber and lunch by the pool and the food was absolutely delicious.

blue ember omni rancho las palmas breakfast and brunch dishes

Wilma & Frieda

Okay, just FYI, this is one of the best restaurants in Palm Springs. We have breakfast/brunch here every single time we are in Palm Springs. While waiting for our food, I gave the kids a math pop quiz and they did really well.

Brunch from Wilma and Frieda's in Palm Springs - how to vacation in palm springs with kids

Giuseppe’s

Food from Guiseppe's in Palm Springs - how to vacation in palm springs with kids 10

Other Places To Eat With Kids In Palm Springs

Food
  • Ruby’s Diner
  • Las Casuelas Terraza
  • Brickworks
  • Kaiser Grill
  • Trio
  • Native Foods
  • Cheeky’s
  • Lulu California Bistro
  • Elmer’s
  • Smoke Tree BBQ & Grill
  • Greek Islands
  • Tyler’s Burgers
  • Sherman’s Deli and Bakery
  • Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewhouse
  • Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza and Grill
Desserts
  • Brandini Toffee
  • Over the Rainbow Cupcakes and Desserts
  • Great Shakes
  • Capizzi’s Cheesecakes
  • La Michoacana Ice Cream Parlor
  • Ice Cream & Shop
  • Lappert’s Premium Gourmet Ice Cream & Dole Whip

[ Best Websites To Find Cheap Flights & Error Fares ]

Tips For Visiting Palm Springs With Kids

  • Palm Spring gets extremely hot in the summer, keep that in mind when planning to visit.
  • Choosing the right hotel in Palm Springs can make or break your trip. Head over to TripAdvisor to read reviews on the best hotels in the area.
  • Instead of flying into the Los Angeles LAX Airport and driving to Palm Springs, you can always fly into the Palm Springs (PSP) airport. Make sure to use Skyscanner to book your flight as it will show the cheapest and best time to fly. Don’t forget to download the Skyscanner App also to track flight prices, find hotels and much more.

how to vacation in palm springs with kids 1

Tips & Tricks For Booking Your Next Budget Trip

Flights

Accommodation 

Activities / Excursions

Rental Cars

Cruise

Travel Insurance

  • Purchase must have travel insurance through Allianz

[mc4wp_form id=”1323″]

Kay, The Mom Trotter

Hey Fam, I’m so glad you’re here!
I am an entrepreneur and travel enthusiast who is passionate about sharing an alternate way of living surrounding travel, homeschooling, parenting and financial independence, with a mission to inspire other families.

Spread the word:

Grab My Family Travel Guide

Get ready to transform your family vacations with our upcoming Travel Guide.

Don’t miss out on making your family trips more memorable and stress-free. Join our waitlist now and be the first to grab a copy that will pave the way for a lifetime of adventurous globe trotting and meaningful memories.

Related Articles