Palm Springs Eternal

Sometimes, it's important to stop and smell the flowers and enjoy the nature around us. It's important for  the little ones too. It's important for them to take a break from the over-stimulation-non-stop-commercial-media world for EVERYONE to refuel. You'll appreciate it and yes, your kids will enjoy it too. It doesn't have to be Disney Princesses/Batman/Spongebob/Barbie all day, all the time. The Palm Springs/Desert area is the perfect place to do just that.

Only about 2 hours away from San Diego and Los Angeles, the Palm Springs area offers you an opportunity to relax and take a breather, all the while keeping the family entertained thanks to the beautiful desert environment.

I've already written about the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, but it truly is an amazing place to unwind.

The rooms are beautiful, the bed ultra comfy. Hip but still very family friendly. We got a room with a king bed and there was enough room for E to sleep in her trusty camping bed. The prices are generally very reasonable and if you visit this site you can usually find some amazing deals. We stayed for under 100$/night. The King's Highway restaurant in the hotel is also a great option. We had both breakfast and dinner there and both were great. Although there isn't a kids menu per say, they were also very accommodating in making special meals for kids. In the evening the restaurant also has Free theme nights. We all enjoyed Sissy Bingo with Linda Gerard, E thought it was great fun! I really can't say enough about this place, what I can say, is that you won't want to leave!

About an hour away from Palm Springs is Joshua Tree National Park. It's an amazing day to spend the day taking in the desert landscape. The parks service also has great recommendations for kids. We went on a few hikes and took in some great views. The Keys View will give you an opportunity to see a panoramic view of the Coachella Valley where you can see all the way to the Salton Sea.

Discovering the Salton Sea is also incredible and if you are interested in nature preservation, I would highly recommend doing it while you still can. Isreali born documentary film-maker Alma Har'el  made an amazing film about the Bombay Beach area. 

While you're near Niland, why not check out the zaniness of Salvation Mountain. Created by Leonard Knight, this incredible piece of outsider art is a 50 ft high and 150 ft wide tribute to his love for god.

Another place to see some amazing views is at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway where you will travel through 4 climate zones as you travel up the Chino Canyon of San Jacinto mountain. Sign up your little ones (ages 3 - 12) for the Tramsters Club for some discounts!

After seeing the great heights on the aerial tram head off to The Living Desert Zoo to take in animals from the North American and African continents. The kids will love grooming the dwarf African goat in the Petting Kraal of the African Village WaTuTu. There's a great Discovery Centre which offers some great interactive indoor activities if you need to get out of the sun for a little bit and a really awesome G scale model train which is sure to fascinate if not mesmerize the little ones! There's also a carrousel for all to ride. Note that summer hours are reduced as it gets too hot for the animals (and people), so if your visit is during the summer (June 1 - Sept 30) make sure that you plan your visit for the morning.

Lastly, the canyons were unfortunately closed when we were there, but next time we are in the area we will definitely be checking out the ranger-led hike of Palm Canyon.