Week Long Family Trip to Palm Springs

Our party consisted of two small children, my grandmother, my spouse and me! We stayed at a resort, which is a must when vacationing with small children. It is so nice to have a full kitchen and separate bedrooms. We also had access to a laundry facility in the building.The highlights of the area include the Palm Springs Tram ride to Mount San Jacinto State Park, the guided Celebrity Tour, views of the HUGE windmills as you enter the valley, shopping, and dining out.We took a guided tour of the windmills which was way too long and way too hot. I would not recommend it. Just enjoy them from afar.There are outlet malls and casinos withih 15 miles of downtown if you want to venture out. Otherwise there is plenty to do in downtown. Relax and dine at chain or local restaurants. Browse shops at all price points while being cooled on the sidewalks with water misters. There is even a statue of former Mayor Sonny Bono in the heart of downtown!We also enjoyed the short drive to Palm Desert. There is a nice gondola ride with views of swans and flamingos at the Marriott Desert Springs resort.We stayed in this area for one week and combined the trip with 5 days at Disneyland (only 2-3 hours away depending on traffic). It is definitely very hot in the summer months, but a lot less crowded. Most of the "snowbirds" were gone. There were plenty of young families and fun activities at the resort.

Quick Tips:

Celebrity Tour (try the date flavored shake!).Palm Springs Tram ride.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rental car or tour bus for getting places. The best is to walk in downtown for shopping and dining.

This resort had a great pool with a slide and some fun on-site activities for kids. The views were beautiful and we had a two bedroom unit. It had a full kitchen and balcony. We were disappointed that there was not a washer and dryer in the unit. There was a laundry facility on a lower floor, but bring your quarters!The unit was not up to normal resort/spa standards. It was older and the carpet and furnishings were a bit dated.There was an outdoor bar and also a restaurant by the pool. The service was okay and the food was good for burgers and fries. It was close to downtown, but you definitely need a rental car to get around!It's a fun place for families with kids, but definitely not a luxury spa. The pool was crowded even during the hot off season when we stayed there.

A breathtaking view at the top of the Palm Springs Tram! You must take the tram ride and eat at the restaurant.There are several hiking trails. Beware that it is about 20 - 30 degrees cooler at this elevation, so you might want to bring a jacket. We stayed most of the day and took one of the last trams down so we could enjoy the sunset views.Children love climbing on the rocks and you can even put a penny in one of those embossing machines for a fun souvenir. It is hilly, so bring good shoes and plenty of bottled waters if you plan to hike.

Do you love old movies? Do you love history and gossip? Want it all from an air-conditioned coach?? Then this tour is for you!

Celebrity Tours will pick you up at almost any resort or hotel in Palm Springs. The tour is around $20 and lasts about 4 hours. You ride in an air-conditioned bus, and the tour guide tells you all about the old movie stars and their houses. My grandmother was on the tour and had a blast as the guide quizzed her on old movie trivia. She was able to guess the previous owners of the homes. We also learned about the history of Palm Springs.

The tour also included a stop at a local deli, where we were enticed to try date shakes. They made them fresh right in front of us (they were pretty tasty, too). Definitely recommended for seniors, as it involves no walking and plenty of air-conditioning.