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Home » Travel » 5 Things to do in Palm Desert with Kids

September 20, 2019

5 Things to do in Palm Desert with Kids

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There are so many fun things to do in Palm Desert, here are our top 5 favorites!

Things to do in Palm Desert graphic
Skull Rock, a tourist attraction at Joshua Tree National Park

Table of contents

  1. 5 Things to do in Palm Desert with Kids
    1. Best Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Palm Desert
      1. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
        1. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
          1. Oasis Date Farm
            1. Cabazon Dinosaurs
              1. Joshua Tree National Park

              Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California in the Coachella Valley. It is about 14 miles east of Palm Springs. You may think of Palm Desert area as only a place where retired people go spend the winter but it is actually a great place for a family vacation.

              There is a little something for everyone in Palm Desert, from zoo’s and botanical gardens to awesome shopping and a giant dinosaur roadside attraction for the kids. Read on to learn the best things to do in Palm Desert.

              Palm Desert Stone Sign

              5 Things to do in Palm Desert with Kids

              Hello Friends, it’s Adrienne here from Hubbard Family Travels and today I’m going to share some of my best travel tips for southeast California.

              My In-laws are snow birds. Every winter they escape the cold, wet winters of the Pacific Northwest for Palm Desert and the Coachella Valley.

              Since they have room for us to stay with them at their house and it’s a short 2 hour flight, we try to go down for a visit every winter and soak up as much of the bright desert sun as we can.

              No matter what time of year you go to visit, sunshine is almost always a guarantee in southern California. However, I recommend you visit Palm Desert in the fall, winter or spring and skip the summer if possible. The temperatures in the desert can go higher than 110 degrees farhenheit and the hot sun can become unbearable.

              mountain range in Palm Desert
              The Chocolate Mountain Range in Coachella Valley
              What is Palm Desert Known For?

              The city of Palm Desert is located in the center of the Coachella Valley (yes, where they have that big music festival every year). Palm Desert is known as the cultural and retail center of the nearby desert communities. It is about a 2 hour drive from San Diego and 120 miles from the Mexican border.

              Is Palm Desert and Palm Springs the Same Place?

              No, They are only about 14 miles apart, so if you are staying in one city you can easily visit the other and enjoy the attractions it has to offer.
              Palm Springs has more of a mid-century modern vibe. It’s known for is famous architecture, shopping and it’s fun for those who want to feel like they are going back in time to the glitz and glamour of the 1950’s and 60’s. Palm Desert has lots of resorts and casinos. It has lots of shopping and dining options. Both cities are safe, and considered “upscale”.

              Best Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Palm Desert

              Here are some of our favorite things to do in Palm Desert California.

              young girl with bird sitting on her head
              You can buy cups of nectar and feed the tropical birds at The Living Desert Zoo.

              The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

              The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is one of the nicest zoos in the country. It is both a zoo and botanical garden. It features animals from all over the world who are native to a desert climate. The Living Desert’s mission is “desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation”.

              Some of the 450 animals you can expect to see are mountain lions, warthogs, big horn sheep and jaguars. You can feed a giraffe, watch cheetahs run and pet goats at this large family friendly zoo!

              Palm Springs Aerial Tram in the San Jacinto Mountain Range

              The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

              The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway serves as a gateway to southern California’s Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which spans across the southern side of the Coachella Valley.

              This area is officially recognized as a cultural and natural resource. Many of the hiking trails in the Mount San Jacinto State Park begin at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and extend across the San Jacinto Mountains out to the outskirts of the town of Idyllwild. The National Monuments encompasses around 272,000 acres, established to preserve the geological, recreational, cultural, scientific, and biological values of national significance.

              You can take a trip up to the top of the Tramway and explore the beautiful hiking trails and scenic views. There is a restaurant and café at the top to satisfy your hunger after you are done exploring.

              Oasis Date Farm

              The Coachella Valley is known for it’s date farms and no trip to the Palm Desert is complete without a trip to the Oasis Date Farms. They have a gift shop with lots of great souvenirs and if you visit you have to try their signature medjool date milkshake. There is also a café and picnic area on site and you can take a relaxing walk through the date and cactus garden.

              Cabazon Dinosaurs

              The Cabazon Dinosaurs is one of the most iconic roadside attractions in the California. It features two enormous, steel-and-concrete dinosaurs named Dinny the Dinosaur and Mr. Rex.

              Located just west of Palm Springs, the 150-foot-long Brontosaurus and the 65-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex are visible from the freeway to travelers passing by on Southern California’s Interstate 10. 

              The roadside dinosaurs are best known for their appearance in the films Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and The Wizard. The Cabazon Dinosaurs attraction also features an open-air museum with fiberglass and robotic dinosaurs. Other activities at the site include a sand pit where visitors can experience a “dino dig” as well as a gemstone and fossil-panning sluice. 

              joshua tree in the desert
              A Joshua Tree growing at the National Park

              Joshua Tree National Park

              Joshua Tree National Park is located about 50 minutes west of Palm Springs so it’s a great place to visit for a day trip. Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park.

              There is a variety of plants and animals who make their home in this area sculpted by strong winds and rain, Including the Joshua Tree and the Cholla cactus.

              Have you ever visited this part of southern California? What is your favorite thing to do in Palm Desert? And if you love the desert – be sure to check out our guide to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, too.

              Free US National Park Pass Information
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