Skip to main content

Palm Springs and Joshua Tree (January 2024)

 About this Trip

We took this trip to see our California cousins over the winter break. We flew out early on New Year's Day and caught a direct flight on Southwest Airlines. Palm Springs has a TON of AirBnb and Boutique hotel options. Ours was really cute and included a pool + hot tub, a popcorn machine, a cotton candy maker, and a pool table. The kids loved it. We didn't plan very much in advance, but we should have bought our tickets to the Palm Springs tram in advance. During peak times, they sell only a limited number of tickets in advance and it was fully sold out when we went.


Palm Springs Aerial Tram

We were excited to ride the Palm Spring Aerial Tram. We drove up to the parking area and then took a shuttle bus up to the ticketing office. The line was out the door and, after asking a few questions, we determined that it would probably take about three hours of waiting to (maybe) get on a tram and probably another two hour wait to get back down. We didn't have that kind of time, so we just toured around the area and climbed up some of the rocks. Next time! 



Living Desert

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, located in Palm Desert, is a unique zoo and botanical garden focuses on desert environments and their inhabitants.

One of the highlights of the Living Desert were the kangaroos in and the giraffe feeding. The Living Desert also features extensive gardens showcasing desert plants, nature trails, and interactive exhibits. Our kids loved the opportunity to explore and learn more about the diverse ecosystems of desert habitats.



Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree did not disappoint. It was a little colder than we were expecting, so we had to buy a sweatshirt and some hats in the Visitor's Center (and we had to collect our Junior Ranger stuff too of course). It was not crowded at all and parking was easy.

Key attractions at Joshua include:

  1. Joshua Trees: The park's namesake trees, which are actually a type of yucca, are scattered throughout the landscape, creating an otherworldly appearance.
  2. Rock Formations: Iconic rock formations, such as Skull Rock and Arch Rock, are popular for both their natural beauty and as climbing spots.
  3. Hidden Valley: A scenic area with a well-maintained trail that offers a glimpse into the park's unique geology and vegetation.
  4. Keys View: A high vantage point providing panoramic views of the Coachella Valley and the Salton Sea.
  5. Barker Dam: A historic dam built by early cattlemen, accessible via a short, easy hike that often features desert wildlife sightings.
  6. Cholla Cactus Garden: A dense concentration of cholla cacti, offering a striking and photogenic desert landscape. 
We had a great time in the park and would go back again if we are ever in the area!




Cabazon Dinosaurs

The Cabazon Dinosaurs, a fun roadside attraction in Cabazon, California, feature two enormous steel-and-concrete dinosaurs named Dinny the Dinosaur and Mr. Rex. Just west of Palm Springs, these impressive structures—a 150-foot-long Brontosaurus and a 65-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus rex—are easily visible from Interstate 10. While primarily a photo op, our kids did enjoy exploring the area, and it's a quirky stop if you're nearby. When we visited, the dinosaurs were still dressed up for Christmas, adding an extra festive touch. Watch Pee-Wee's Big Adventure before you go; these dinosaurs are featured in the classic silly film.





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Maui, Hawaii (Spring 2025)

 About this Trip We took this trip for Spring Break 2025—two adults and two kids, ages 9 and 13. Overall, there wasn’t a lot of advanced planning involved beyond booking our flights, accommodations, and a rental car. We did lock in our fishing expedition a couple of weeks ahead, and if you’re planning to visit Waiʻānapanapa State Park during your drive on the Road to Hana, I’d recommend reserving your spot at least a day or two in advance. If catching the sunrise at the summit of Haleakalā is on your list, be sure to reserve that well ahead of time—like months in advance. I’d also suggest booking a luau early since, while there are plenty of options, they tend to fill up quickly. Everything else we did was super easy to book, often the day of or just a day or two before. (Oh, and we ended up skipping the sunrise at Haleakalā this time around. Next trip!) Stay & Flight We flew Southwest Airlines from Dallas on a 4-hour flight to OAK, where we had a quick connection before head...

New York City (November 2022)

  About This Trip We did this as a combined family trip with Eric's sister and her family (8 of us total). This was our kids' first trip to NYC - it was SO COLD most of the time and a lot more expensive than I remembered NYC being. The kids did great on the subway and didn't complain too much about the walking or the weather. It gets dark there by around 5:00 in the winter so make sure to plan your activities accordingly. New York remodeled La Guardia, JFK, and Newark and all three airports are absolutely beautiful now. Highly recommend a New York city movie marathon before you go - the kids will love seeing the movie sites in real life. Helpful Packing Tips Bring a roku (if staying in a hotel). Our kids were good in two pant layers, two shirt layers, ski jackets with hoods, insulated boots, and gloves.  Bring and carry an empty backpack with you so that you can shove all the layers in there when you are doing indoor stuff. Get a good walking winter shoe for everyone in you...

Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, and Guadelupe Mountains National Park (March 2024)

About this Trip We took this road trip for Spring Break 2024 with our kids 12 and 8. Our focus was to see three national parks: Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, and Guadelupe Mountains. This was a lot of fun, and did not require advance planning outside of general logistics except: 1. Get the Carlsbad reservations in advance. 2. If you want to do the peak or Devil's Summit at Guadelupe Mountains on Spring Break, start very early in the day or there will be nowhere to park.