Things to Do in Palm Springs with Kids: A Local’s Family Guide (2026)

Palm Springs has a reputation as a grown-up town: martinis, midcentury homes, pool parties. But the desert is a giant playground for kids, too. Think giraffes, a rotating tram up a mountain, a hands-on children’s museum, palm oases with creeks to splash in, and date shakes as a reward for all of it. October through May is the sweet spot, when mornings are cool and every outdoor spot is open.

Here are the best things to do in Palm Springs with kids, from toddlers to teens. Checked October 2026. Prices and hours change, so confirm before you go.

The big three

1. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

If you only do one thing, make it The Living Desert in Palm Desert. It works for every age. There’s giraffe feeding ($10, daily 9 a.m.–3 p.m.), the Endangered Species Carousel ($3 a ride), a huge model train exhibit, the Gecko Gulch play park and the Oasis Splash Pad (included with admission, so pack swimsuits). Paths are wide and stroller-friendly. From Oct 1 to May 31 it’s open daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.). Tickets run $44.95 for adults and $34.95 for ages 3–17, under 3 free, and you need to buy ahead. Go at opening, when the animals are most active.

Holiday bonus: WildLights turns the zoo into a glowing night walk on select evenings from Nov 25 through Dec 30, 6–9 p.m. Kid tickets run about $18–$20.

2. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Aerial Tramway is a 10-minute ride in the world’s largest rotating tram car, from the desert floor to 8,516 feet. Kids lose their minds watching the floor turn. Up top there are decks, a small natural history museum, theaters, the Pines Cafe and easy trails. It’s often 30–40 degrees cooler, and in winter there’s sometimes snow, so pack jackets. Round trip is $36.95 for adults and $20.95 for kids 3–10, 2 and under free, plus $15 parking. Weekend trams start at 8 a.m.

3. Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert

For ages 1 to about 8, the Children’s Discovery Museum in Rancho Mirage is a lifesaver on hot afternoons. It has 80+ hands-on exhibits, including Toddlertown, a MakerSpace and Brain Buster Road, plus outdoor gardens, a tortoise habitat and a trike track. It’s open Monday–Saturday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Admission is $19.95 for ages 1 and up and cashless. Strollers stay outside.

Outdoor adventures

• Andreas Canyon: the best first hike for kids. It’s an easy 1.2-mile loop along a creek through a palm oasis inside Indian Canyons. Youth 6–12 pay $6, and 5 and under are free. Use a carrier, not a stroller. Read our full Palm Springs hikes guide for more.
• Moorten Botanical Garden: a one-acre cactus wonderland with a “Cactarium” that feels like a storybook. Admission is $3 for kids 5–12 and free under 5. Closed Wednesdays, and paths are dirt.
• Palm Springs Windmill Tours: a self-drive tour through the giant wind turbines, narrated by an app. Kids under 12 ride free.
• Lake Cahuilla in La Quinta: picnic lawns, a playground and kid-friendly fishing ($3 day use for kids 12 and under). No swimming in the lake.
• Parks: Demuth Park has a shaded playground with separate areas for ages 2–5 and 5–12. Ruth Hardy Park has a tot lot, and Sunrise Park has water-squirting turtles. Downtown Park on Museum Drive has a free splash pad (check seasonal hours).

Indoor and rainy-day (or too-hot-day) picks

• Palm Springs Air Museum: kids 12 and under get in free with a paid adult, and the air-conditioned hangars are full of warbirds. Saturdays 10 a.m.–noon there’s an open-cockpit experience. Free parking.
• Palm Springs Art Museum: always free for under 18. Family+ Day (usually the third Sunday, noon–4) adds maker workshops and face painting. Upcoming dates are Nov 15 and Dec 20.
• Agua Caliente Cultural Museum: an immersive Creation and Migration projection, the Oasis Trail and a kids’ activity guide at the desk. Kids 6–17 pay $5, and under 6 are free.
• Berger Foundation Iceplex: public skating in the desert. It’s $15 online plus $5 rentals, and ages 3 and under skate free. Session times change, so book ahead.

Water day

The Palm Springs Surf Club has a lazy river, slides, a splash pad and a famous wave pool. Kids under 14 need someone 14+ with them, and surfers must be at least 42 inches tall and strong swimmers. Prices change by day, so book on their site.

Weekly fun and big events

• VillageFest every Thursday, 6–10 p.m., on Palm Canyon Drive: street food, buskers and sweets. Go early with a compact stroller.
• Palm Springs Certified Farmers Market on Saturdays 8 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Cultural Center: free, snacky and toddler-paced.
• Howl-O-Ween at The Living Desert on Oct 31, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Costumes encouraged.
• Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival in November, and the Palm Springs Holiday Tree Lighting and Holiday Market at VillageFest in December.
• Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey: the Teddy Bear Toss on Dec 20 is pure joy. Bring ear protection for little ones.
• Snowtopia at the Air Museum, Dec 18–21.

Treats (you earned them)

Downtown has Lappert’s for ice cream and shave ice, Great Shakes for over-the-top shakes and Balboa Candy for retro candy and taffy. Out in Indio, Shields Date Garden has date shakes and a free garden walk.

Tips for Palm Springs with kids

• Morning outside, afternoon inside. Even in fall, plan hikes and the zoo early, then museums, the Iceplex or the pool after lunch.
• Hats, sunscreen and more water than you think, every single outing.
• Toddlers: bring a carrier for trails and the Moorten garden, swim diapers for splash pads, and layers for the Tram and evening events.
• Book ahead for the zoo, Tram on weekends, the Surf Club, Iceplex sessions and hockey.
• Check same-day hours: desert attractions change with season, wind and weather.

See everything family-friendly on our family events calendar and in the things to do directory.