Things to Do With Kids in Palm Springs | 10 Heat-Smart Picks

Palm Springs family days work best with a cool tram ride, wildlife, hands-on museums, water play, and early desert time.

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Desert heat can turn a good family day into a retreat to the hotel by noon. The smartest way to plan things to do with kids in Palm Springs is to put outdoor stops first, then shift to a museum, pool, or mountain ride.

Palm Springs suits mixed-age families because the city pairs short outings with bigger half-day attractions. The strongest plan uses one paid anchor each day, adds a free park or museum stop, and leaves pool time open rather than filling every hour.

Palm Springs Family Activities: What Works By Age

Palm Springs has worthwhile choices for toddlers, grade-school children, and teens, but no single stop fits every age equally. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens have the broadest appeal, while the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert is strongest for children eight and younger.

Ride The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs from Chino Canyon to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet in about 10 minutes. The rotating car keeps the view changing, and the mountaintop is commonly about 30 degrees cooler than the valley floor, so carry layers even during a hot week.

Online round-trip fares currently list at $36.95 for adults and $20.95 for children ages 3–10, including the processing fee. Children younger than two ride free but need a same-day boarding pass, and the tram is scheduled to close for maintenance from September 8 through October 4, 2026. Check current conditions before setting out.

Give The Living Desert A Full Morning

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert works best as a two- to three-hour morning visit. Families can see giraffes, desert wildlife, a model train, a goat area, an indoor discovery center, and a splash pad without relying on one long walking loop.

Summer hours run 7:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. from June through September; regular-season hours run 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The zoo lists 2026 general admission at $44.95 for adults and $34.95 for ages 3–17, with free parking.

For guided outings, windmill visits, canyon trips, and other bookable family activities, compare the current Palm Springs options here:

Which Palm Springs Activities Fit Your Kids?

The right choice depends more on age, heat tolerance, and attention span than on popularity. Use this comparison to choose one main activity, then build the rest of the day around shade, water, or a short drive.

The official Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ticket page carries current fares, hours, age rules, and closure notices.

Cooler Indoor Stops For Hot Afternoons

Palm Springs’ museums turn the hottest part of the day into useful family time. Pick the discovery museum for young children, the air museum for machinery-minded kids, or the art museum for a shorter and quieter stop.

Children’s Discovery Museum Of The Desert

The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage is designed mainly for children up to age eight. Admission is $19.95 per person age one and older, and the exhibits favor building, pretend play, motion, and hands-on problem solving rather than display cases.

Palm Springs Air Museum

The Palm Springs Air Museum displays flyable aircraft and aviation history in large hangars beside Palm Springs International Airport. Plan about 90 minutes for younger visitors and longer for children who want to read every aircraft panel; the museum is generally open daily from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Palm Springs Art Museum

Palm Springs Art Museum is always free for visitors under 18, while adult admission is $25. Thursday admission is free from 5:00–8:00 p.m., and the monthly Family+ program adds art-making and activities on selected Sundays.

Outdoor Stops For Cooler Mornings

Indian Canyons, Moorten Botanical Garden, and Ruth Hardy Park are good morning choices because each can be kept short. Begin near opening time, carry more water than the family expects to drink, and leave exposed trails when the temperature rises.

Walk Andreas Canyon

Andreas Canyon is the easiest Indian Canyons choice for many families: the loop is about one mile and follows palms, rock, and seasonal water. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for ages 6–12, and free for children five and younger; water is required on the trail.

See The Cactarium At Moorten Botanical Garden

Moorten Botanical Garden is a compact alternative to a long hike. The collection includes mature cacti and desert plants, and the current schedule shifts from 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. in the cooler season to 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. on Fridays through Sundays in summer.

Reset At Ruth Hardy Park

Ruth Hardy Park gives children room to run without another admission charge. Pack breakfast or an early lunch, use the playground before the equipment heats up, and treat the stop as breathing room between ticketed attractions.

Where To Stay For Easier Family Days

Central Palm Springs is the simplest base for the tram, downtown, the air museum, and restaurants, while Rancho Mirage or Palm Desert cuts driving time to the discovery museum and zoo. Families who prize pool time should compare the actual pool setup before choosing by room price alone.

Use the map to compare family stays against the attractions that matter most:

Water Play And Pool Time

Water time belongs in the middle or late part of a Palm Springs family day. The Palm Springs Surf Club offers a seasonal waterpark with a lazy river, slides, a splash area, tubes, and Coast Guard-approved life vests; day-pass prices change by date.

A hotel pool is often the easier choice for toddlers or families staying several nights. Confirm pool heating, shade, depth, and any wristband rules before booking, since resort pool policies vary widely.

Plan Around Desert Heat And Drive Times

Palm Springs attractions are spread across Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, and the national park, so a car saves time for most families. Downtown is walkable in small pieces, but the zoo, discovery museum, Indian Canyons, and Joshua Tree National Park do not form a practical walking itinerary.

• Schedule outdoor activity before 10:00 a.m. during hot months.
• Reserve the tram and seasonal water activities ahead for weekends.
• Keep water in the car, but never leave children or pets inside a parked vehicle.
• Save Joshua Tree National Park for a separate half or full day.

A rental car is most useful for families combining Palm Springs with Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, or Joshua Tree:

How Many Days Do Families Need?

Two full days cover Palm Springs’ strongest family attractions without overloading children, while three days leave room for Joshua Tree National Park or a slow pool day. A one-day visit still works if the family chooses only one major paid stop.

1. One day: Ride the tram in the morning, eat downtown, then choose the air museum or a hotel pool.
2. Two days: Add an early Living Desert visit, followed by the discovery museum or water play.
3. Three days: Spend the extra day at Joshua Tree National Park, or pair Indian Canyons with Moorten Botanical Garden and a long pool break.

Best use of limited time: choose the tram for the widest age range, The Living Desert for animal-loving children, and the discovery museum for children eight and younger.