Family-Friendly Guide for a Labor Day Trip to Palm Springs

Day Trip to Joshua Tree National Park

Our main mission in visiting Palm Springs was to visit Joshua Tree National Park, about an hour's drive away from the resort. Joshua Tree is definitely hot this time of year, so be prepared with plenty of water. But the desert landscapes, fun rock formations and family-friendly hikes, make it the perfect spot for outdoor family adventures. We had plenty of time to cool down in the air-conditioned car driving from spot to spot throughout the park. Our kids absolutely loved all the rock climbing they got to do!

Top Family-Friendly Activities in Joshua Tree National Park

• Junior Ranger Program: Start at the park visitor center and get your kids involved in the Junior Ranger Program. They can learn about the park’s ecosystem and earn a badge with their National Park Stamps.

• Cholla Cactus Garden: Take a walk through this fascinating garden of cacti. It’s an easy, short trail that kicked off our visit to the park.

• Hidden Valley Trail: This 1-mile loop is great for families. The trail winds through a scenic valley, offering views of massive boulders and the famous Joshua trees.

• Barker Dam Trail: This easy 1.3-mile loop is a great spot for my kids to see desert birds and lizards in their natural habitat.

• Skull Rock: A quick stop at Skull Rock was definitely on our agenda. The kids loved spotting the rock that’s shaped like a giant skull, which was a fun photo opportunity.

• Arch Rock Nature Trail: This is an easy, flat trail that takes you to Arch Rock, one of the park's most famous rock formations. The trail is perfect for kids to explore and a popular spot for rock climbing.

• Keys View: This short, paved trail leads to the best view in the park. From Keys View, you can see the Coachella Valley, the San Andreas Fault, and on clear days, Mount San Jacinto and Salton Sea. It’s a great spot for a family photo, but be warned there are honey bees everywhere! My kids chose to stay in the air-conditioned car for this one for fear of the bees.

Visit Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Located nearby in Palm Desert, we visited this family-friendly zoo which had some fun desert animals we aren't used to seeing! Our favorite thing was feeding the giraffes and seeing the creepy reptiles!

Highly recommended activities

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: ride on the world’s largest rotating tram car for amazing views of the desert valley. At the top, you’ll find cool temperatures, hiking trails and picnic areas.

Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert: For an indoor activity, this hands-on museum has interactive exhibits and programs that are perfect for younger kids.

Where to Stay: Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Spa

Located in Indian Wells, a short drive from downtown Palm Springs. The Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Spa is the perfect family-friendly resort for your Labor Day vacation. This resort offers tons of activities for kids and parents to make sure that your holiday weekend is both relaxing and fun-filled. Throughout our weekend, there was a DJ, games and evening movies at the pool our kids absolutely loved.

Why Grand Hyatt Indian Wells is Perfect for Families

• Family-Friendly room options: There are oversized guestrooms (2 king beds!), suites or even private villas with plenty of space for the entire family.

• Water park & Pools: The resort has a HyTides Water park, with two water slides my husband and son loved to race down, a lazy river and a small slide with a splash pad for the little kids to enjoy! Families can also relax by the family pool or book a private poolside cabana.

• Golf & Tennis: For active families, the resort has golf courses and tennis courts you can play at.

• Spa & Wellness: Parents can visit the Agua Serena Spa for some rest and relaxation.

Dining at Grand Hyatt Indian Wells

The resort has several places to eat onsite that our family really enjoyed!

• Agave Sunset for family-friendly dining with beautiful desert and golf course view. We really enjoyed their breakfast buffet.

• Roadrunner Café poolside for perfect for lunch and dinner while we were swimming.

• Lantana offered a menu with great options for everyone in the family, including kid-friendly meals we visited for dinner onsite.