Palm Springs, California for Kids
The Living Desert, Knott's Soak City, Air Museum and More!
This desert resort for retirees actually has lots of fun indoor and outdoor tourist attractions for children, too.
The “golf capital of the world” is known for its more than 100 area courses, and it’s long been a popular place for "snowbird" retirees to spend their winters. But Palm Springs, California, is quite inviting for families with young children, as well.
Besides simply enjoying the desert playground with kid-friendly hikes, gentle mountain-bike rides and off-road jeep tours, there are a number of attractions ideal for families on vacation in Palm Springs. Here are five we’ve enjoyed on our frequent visits to the Palm Springs area to visit Grandma.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Children are especially good at reminding us that getting there is half the fun. So adventurers of all ages appreciate the scenic, 10-minute ride on the world’s largest rotating tram cars into pristine mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet. In the warm-weather months, air temperatures at the top are much cooler than the blazing desert, which can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more at summer’s peak. But at the top of the tramway, it’s perfectly comfortable for traipsing around the hiking trails or eating a picnic lunch. Winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Knott’s Soak City USA This mammoth water park in Palm Springs is a family-oriented water playground with a giant wave pool, several twisting water slides, a lazy river and a section reserved just for small fries under 4 feet tall. Open daily mid-March through Labor Day.
Palm Springs Air Museum Any child—young or old—with a fascination with planes, or World War II history buffs, will love this museum dedicated to combat aircraft used in WWII. My preschool-age children just liked looking at the old planes, located outside and in hangars, some of which they could actually climb in. Flight demos are held on occasional Saturdays.
The Living Desert In nearby Palm Desert, thismarvelous zoo showcases the animals and plants that make their home in the desert, including flora and fauna native to Africa and North America. At the Wildlife Hospital visitors can watch vets tend to animals. The autumn we took my then-three-year-old son we couldn’t tear him away from the giant model train. Erected as part of a Christmastime Wildlights display, the network of tracks and trains was so popular, it’s now a permanent exhibit. It is closed for maintenance June 16 to September 30, 2007.
Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert On a rainy (rare) or really hot (common in the summer) day, an excursion to this indoor museum in Rancho Mirage can keep young children entertained for hours. Ideal for kids age two to 10, the more than 50 hands-on exhibits include science experiments, art projects, imaginary play, a book nook, rope maze and much more.
Learn more about Palm Springs at the Bureau of Tourism website.
