Southern CA Family Trip | 5 Days in Palm Springs with Kids 🏜️🌵

We flew from the Bay Area ✈️ to LA, spent a little time in Irvine + Newport Beach, then drove 2 hours to Palm Springs. It’s the perfect winter getaway—temps around 20°C (68°F)—and our 3-year-old had the best Christmas and New Year break! 🏨 Stay: Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort & Villas – highly recommend for families! We booked two connecting rooms (recently renovated, spacious). As a Hyatt Globalist, we enjoyed free breakfast, waived resort fees and valet parking. The kids' club is great for movie nights and games when you don’t want to go out. 🎡 Play: 🌵 Joshua Tree National Park – 1-hour drive, stunning desert scenery. Go in the afternoon and stay for sunset + stargazing. Bundle up—it gets windy and cold after dark! 🦒 The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens – gorgeous desert zoo with mountain views. Feed giraffes, have lunch near the antelope habitat. 🏊 Hotel Pools – Grand Hyatt has heated family pools, splash zones, a lazy river, and spas. We spent two whole days just pool-hopping—kids loved it! 🚡 Note: We missed the famous aerial tramway—tickets sell out fast during holidays. Book early if you want to go! 🍜 Eat: Torakichi Ramen (Palm Springs) – authentic and affordable, though service can be slow when busy. Honestly, we were having so much fun we mostly grabbed fast food (McDonald’s, Domino’s, Chipotle, Panda Express) when the little one got hungry! 😂 #PalmSprings #FamilyTravel #JoshuaTree #DesertZoo #KidFriendlyResort #WinterGetaway #CaliforniaTravel #TravelWithKids #HyattResort 🌴👨‍👩‍👧‍👦