Looking for more California family vacation ideas, or wondering about the best family-friendly hotels in the LA area? Check out our list of local road trips, kid-friendly international vacations, and more in our travel guide! 

Best Family-Friendly Hotels & Resorts in Palm Springs

Take a boat ride through the lagoon, play with Legos, and swim in five pools! Photo courtesy of the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa— Palm Desert 

This sprawling resort is a prime spot for luxury vacationing. Have you ever stayed at a hotel with a boat that comes inside the lobby? The J.W. Marriott has more than enough entertainment for kids and adults, including a full-scale arcade known as the JW Entertainment Zone, incredible on-property dining, an aviary, two full-scale golf courses with golf lessons available for all ages, a putting green for the littlest golfers, tennis courts, boat rides through the lagoon, five glistening pools, a full-service spa for mom and dad, and flamingos out in the entry. 

My kids loved the turf with giant Legos, Connect Four, and other lawn games, situated next to comfy couches and tables. We grabbed breakfast to-go every morning of our stay and would enjoy our breakfast burritos while the kids played. 

If you want more space to sleep, the Desert Springs resort is connected to the Marriott Desert Springs Villas I and II, which line the golf courses surrounding the main resort. These villas have their own pools, an activities center, and a schedule of resort activities. The villas include full kitchens and laundry, plus a living space and two bedrooms. These accommodations are perfect for a longer stay, a larger family, or a family that has dietary restrictions and needs to have a fully functioning kitchen available. 

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort — Rancho Mirage 

This stunning resort has a water park, Splashtopia!, right in the middle of the property. Our stay here was blissful. We floated around the lazy river, slid down the park's two water slides, splashed around in the splash pad, rested in the beach entry pool, and ate fruit and drank smoothies under a cabana. It felt like we were in Hawaii!

The Omni has a schedule of kids' activities available almost daily, including glitter tattoos, arts and crafts, special movie nights, and more. There is also a small entertainment center with arcade games, air hockey, and claw machines. The on-site dining is spectacular, and the villas are spacious. The hospitality was a 10/10, and my kids are begging to go back. 

You can lounge poolside while kids run around the splash pads. Photo courtesy of the Marriott Shadow Ridge Villas

Marriott Shadow Ridge Villas — Palm Desert 

Are you detecting a bit of a theme? The Marriott hotels in the Greater Palm Springs area are some of the best in the area for families. The Shadow Ridge Villas is another property with plenty of family-focused fun, including incredible pools with splash pads, a water slide, a beach entry pool, and a giant LED screen that streams key sports games and family-friendly movies.

Like the Desert Springs villas, the Shadow Ridge accommodations include two-bedroom villas with living spaces and full kitchens. We've visited this property several times, and are big fans!

Which giant water slide will you try first? Photo courtesy of the Grand Wyatt in Indian Wells

Grand Hyatt — Indian Wells

The Grand Hyatt has been around forever, but it recently got some upgrades that are spectacular! The Hyatt now has HyTide, an on-site water park with two giant (and I mean giant) water slides, a lazy river, a splash pad, and eight expansive pools. Guests can also rent bikes, hit the links, and play tennis or pickleball.

Room options include a space with one king bed and two bunk beds, or you can opt to book a one or two-bedroom villa with a separate living space, kitchenette, and even a private patio and fire pit. 

Westin Rancho Mirage — Rancho Mirage

More water slides! The Westin Rancho Mirage is another spacious family-focused spot with slides that empty into a sprawling pool, pickleball courts, bike rentals, a golf course, and even tortoises. My kids loved putting on the mini greens (bring your kid clubs) and they splashed in the pool for hours. Bonus: The Westin tends to be one of the more affordable resort options in the Greater Palm Springs area. 

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