The Perfect Palm Springs Vacation – The 11 Destinations That Offer Fun for the Whole Family
Palm Springs offers more than just hot springs, golf, and vintage boutiques. It’s guaranteed fun for the whole family if you plan ahead and know the right spots.
Planning a vacation with kids is usually harder because you have to find activities that will keep everyone entertained. But not in Palm Springs. That’s because there’s no shortage when it comes to a variety of activities for everyone.
There are many unique things to do in Palm Springs that you and your kids will find enjoyable.
1. Go to the Joshua Tree National Park
What sounds fun for the whole family? How about seeing a national park with natural scenery that looks out of this world? It’s one of the best things to do in Palm Springs with kids, especially if the whole family enjoys outdoor activities.
It’s great for photo ops and hiking, or even just for a drive. In fact, you might want to consider driving with your AC on during the summer as it gets very hot.
2. Have Fun at the Knott’s Soak City Park
This waterpark has fun activities for the whole family and is a great spot if you want to keep cool in the summer. It has over 20 water attractions, including a massive wave pool. Be sure to check out the lazy river, too.
You can also enjoy the dining options that are always a kid-favorite. But if you want to unwind after a long and eventful day, the Yacht Club has a more adult-friendly poolside section.
3. Tour the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
If your kids like animals, a Palm Springs vacation is the ideal choice for you.
One of the coolest things to do with kids here is visiting the Palm Desert Zoo. It has American and African-native animals, as well as many gardens with desert plans.
Most of the trails are nature trails that showcase undisturbed desert land. The preserve looks amazing and the promoted interaction with some of the animals will certainly keep the kids entertained.
4. Engage in Fun Activities
Where can you take your overly energetic kids? To the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert. It’s a place where entertainment and educational activities go hand-in-hand. While this is more suitable for younger crowds, teenagers may also find some cool things to do.
For starters, there’s an archaeological dig, animation creation, physical activities, exploration, and much more. They’re great for family bonding and doing hands-on projects.
It’s a top tourist destination, especially for those with an artistic side.
5. Tour the Palm Springs Air Museum
Maybe your kids aren’t history buffs yet, but they probably like anything that flies. Then, you’ll need to see the Air Museum, as it features many Pearl Harbor fighters and other Second World War military planes and helicopters.
The collection is massive and you can spend hours touring the museum. There’s also an exhibit of modern jets and kids will get to see how military aircraft progressed over the years.
6. Play Sports at the Ruth Hardy Park
This park has, admittedly, not much to offer in terms of being unique. It simply does a fantastic job of making the desert feel alive, especially for kids.
If you’re traveling as an energetic bunch and want to simply let loose, the sports facilities in the park are top-notch. You also have access to kids’ playgrounds and a field for playing catch.
It sits on 22 acres and you can spend as much time as you want in the park until 10:00 pm.
7. A Modern Attraction for Modern Kids
When talking about things to do in Palm Springs, it’s a must to visit the Palm Springs Skate Park. The 30,000sq.ft park features every obstacle and type of course your kids can think of. It makes it one of the coolest tourist spots around.
Even better, it has a concrete bowl that resembles the old school swimming pool training grounds of legendary skaters. It’s a nice destination for anyone looking for an adrenaline rush.
8. Visit a Kitschy Jurassic Park
No, there are no real dinosaurs in Palm Springs. But there are large fake dinos that young kids might enjoy at Cabazon Dinosaurs, making it a nice spot for families.
It’s not a museum by any standards. But it does host some cool sculptures and activities, such as fossil panning, but with a twist that kids will enjoy. There’s even a mechanical Brontosaurus ride, as well as other theme-park style attractions.
Don’t forget to pick up something from the gift shop to commemorate your visit.
9. Relax in the Sunnylands Center & Gardens
Apart from hosting many themed events, this destination is great for simply hanging out with the whole family. And you don’t have to take the tour just to relax on the green.
There are many paths and trails that you can walk on even without a guide, as well as lots of colorful desert plant species to see. It’s a great place for organizing family vacation photo ops.
10. Embark on Desert Adventures
Outdoor enthusiasts will definitely get more out of a Palm Springs vacation.
For starters, you can take a jeep desert tour and check out the San Andreas Fault. There are many canyons to see, including the Painted Canyons and the Indian Canyons.
And instead of doing it alone, check out one of the local experiences on the Desert Adventures private preserve. It’s easier to get to all the cool nature spots without wasting time or endangering anyone.
11. See Palm Springs from Above
While your kids can’t fly in any of the planes on display at the Air Museum, there is a way to see Palm Springs from up above. Take the Aerial Tramway and soar 2.5 miles in just 10 minutes. The top of the tram line is 8,516ft above sea level, so you know you’re in for a visual treat.
Apart from the exciting ride to the top and the awesome views, you’ll also get to experience lower temperatures. Not a bad deal at all, and it’s probably even cooler to do this during the winter. Snowball fight, anyone?
Palm Springs Offers Fun for All Ages
There’s a lot you can do in Palm Springs – from hiking to checking out fake Indian villages and dinosaurs. And it covers different seasons, as there are plenty of water parks for you to cool off in the summer and tons of winter activities, too.
Adults can take in the gorgeous scenery or feel young again by taking part in some cool activities with their young ones. So, plan to visit as many attractions as you can with your family.
