Things to do / Travel Guide
No family vacation is complete without a cup of hot chocolate and a campfire ghost story! Snowball fights, cave exploration, ghosts of the past, and camping trips are great vacation ideas that make this region perfect for the whole family.
Camping in the California Desert
Take a camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park, complete with sunset hikes and nights spent telling campfire stories. Death Valley National Park and the San Bernardino National Forest both provide a great deal of hiking and camping opportunities as well. If you're vacationing with your kids in the region's parks, consider booking an off-road jeep adventure, which will complement your trip nicely as your kids are sure to get a kick out of the rumbling, bumbling, trailblazing jeep ride.
Cave Exploration in the California Desert
Grab your flashlights and be an explorer for a day at Mitchell Caverns, a system of massive limestone caves and rock formations located at the eastern edges of the Mojave National Preserve. On a half-hour-long guided tour of the caves, you and your family will discover literally thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, including some of the most unique limestone formations found anywhere in the world! This adventurous activity is a perfect energy expender for kids of all ages, especially after sitting in the car for so long wondering if “we're there yet.”
Water Activities in the California Desert
Palm Springs boasts the California Desert region's only water park, Knott's Soak City. With plenty of exciting, twisting, turning, high-speed and slower-speed water slides, a wave pool, and beaches that look almost too real to be smack in the middle of a desert, this water park oasis is guaranteed fun for every member of the family.
At Big Bear Lake there's a fast paced water activity for every member of the family to enjoy. Go waterskiing for a few hours or rent jet skis and wave runners from one of the marinas and feel the wind blow through your hair as you and the kids zip around the lake. For those family members who prefer a slower pace, you can rent kayaks, which have the added benefit of providing an energy outlet as your kids help you paddle along. After a day of fun on the water, the entire family is guaranteed to leave in high spirits.
Winter Activities in the California Desert
Want to see some snow in the region? No problem! Winter brings piles and piles of snow to the Big Bear Lake area. And with snow comes the opportunity to go skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, or just have a good, old-fashioned snowball fight. And when Mother Nature doesn't shed a few snowflakes, not to worry - the on-site managers of the Big Bear Lake resorts ensure a steady man-made supply of the powdery white stuff.
Kids can ski too, or build snow castles or snowmen. And whether it's winter or not, kids and kids-at-heart will love a thrilling downhill alpine slide ride at the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain. Powered by gravity alone, this downhill slide on a twisting turning track (sort of like bobsledding without ice) is a thrilling activity that will give everyone in the family a rush of excitement! After your winter activity, take a chance to gather round a fireplace and grab a delicious cup of hot chocolate. Ah, winter!
Ghost Towns in the California Desert
Take the kids to the Calico Ghost Town, and find out if any real ghosts still haunt the place. This one-time silver-mining boomtown, built in 1881, bills itself a “living museum,” with “living history” reenactments and is indeed one of the better-restored ghost towns in the United States. Calling itself “a walk you'll never forget,” the Calico Ghost Walk is a 90-minute after-dark tour of the ghost town streets held every Saturday from February-November, highlighting the history of the town, both natural and supernatural. Spooky stuff!
Family Vacation Ideas in Palm Springs, Death Valley and the California Desert
Family-Vacation-Ideas
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