Need ideas for family friendly dining...my kids will eat anything and are well-behaved for 6 and 8 but don't want to pay an arm and a leg to feed them. I am looking at the following places...Desert Hot Springs Hotel, Agua Caliente Hotel or Miracle Springs Resort. We will be going the last week in July for 2 days and plan on visiting the Living Desert musuem, Josusha tree National Park early in the morning...what else should we do??

Know that it will be HOT!! And I'm talking at least 105-110. So, the living desert will be really hot,especially with kids. Be prepared. Never stayed in those hotels you mentioned but Kobe's Steakhouse in Rancho Mirage is great for kids!

You may want to cool off with a trip on the Palm Springs Tramway to the top of the San Jacinto Mountains. Take a picnic basket along, and enjoy a hike/walk. The tram makes two revolutions on the way up with some dramatic scenery.

My friends went to the Living Desert last weekend and it was very hot 110 Invest in a couple of those personal misting systems or a hand-held battery operated misting fan. Also factor in plenty of pool time.

The Aerial Tram is fun for kids. It's usually a bit cooler up at the higher elevation. Last time we went, there were donkey rides available. There's also a restaurant up there, so you can have lunch overlooking the steaming valley below.

Elephant Bar is also a kind of a loud and kid-friendly restaurant.

Haven't stayed in any of those hotels, but the Desert Hot Springs area is kind of more run down than Palm Springs proper.

There is a water park in the desert you may want to check out. There is also a great small art museum in PS. If you are there on the weekend there is a flea market at College of the Desert. Have fun, stay cool!

Check out Las Brisas, a best western property but VERY nice. We got a great rate last summer of $99, including free made-to-order omlettes and waffles for breakfast. Nice sized pool with water misters etc, nice staff etc. Perfect location within walking distance (1-2) blocks to shopping, cafes etc.

Also for reasonable eats: Ruby's on Palm Canyon Drive, behind the statue of Sonny BOno. If you're not familiar with the chain, its a crosss between fridays and johnny rockets. It was our first time and we loved it. Also thai smile on palm canyon, and several pizza places, altho we didn't have time to try them all.

You'll be fine in joshua tree. We were there both times in july and yes, it is hot. However there are lots of pull off points with VERY short walks. And you can see alot from the car, also. Same with Death Valley Nat'l Park. We go when we can go, regardless of time or temp.

Hope this helps. Have fun!

Thanks for the info.

Palm Springs has a Children's Discovery Museum (www.cdmod.org) that I've heard good things about.
The water park is a Knott's Soak City, and my kids love it.
Right close to the water park is an indoor rock climbing place called Uprising -- gives you the fun of climbing without the sun and heat. I don't know how old the kids need to be, but I remember seeing kids there.
Palm Springs also has a WWII air museum if you're interested in history, and if so you might want to make the drive to Chiriaco Summit to see the George Patton museum.
Every Thursday evening is the street fair in downtown Palm Springs, with some music, good food and shopping. Most businesses along Palm Canyon Drive stay open later on Thursdays for street fair foot traffic.
For family food we like Islands in Palm Desert for burgers and tacos, as well as Ruby's and Johnny Rockets in Rancho Mirage. To be honest, we spend more time in Palm Desert than Palm Springs anymore, but for Mexican food in Palm Springs we LOVE the Blue Coyote.
The tram is a good idea for beating the heat while enjoying terrific views. No matter where you go or what you do, carry plenty of water.
Hope this helps.

Whatever you do, DO NOT stay at Miracle Hot Springs! I had checked in there last year and had the absolute worst service & room that I refused to stay there and we checked right out. There are way too many places to stay, plus Desert Hot Springs is too far from PS and the strip, it's also depressingly poor looking. I would stay in PS, the Monte Vista hotel is ok, not great but clean & reasonable. DHS hotel never stayed but is very shabby looking on the outside. Peppertree is ok too...good luck because it will be so hot.

I will tell you, we just got back from Palm Desert and yes, it was hot (it's the desert...), but it was BEAUTIFUL. We always stay at the Renaissance Esmeralda in Indian Wells, which is so great for kids!! It has a huge pool with a "beach" and our 3 year-old loved it. We would get down to the pool early, stay until about noon, take a nap, and go back in the afternoon to swim and have dinner poolside. As far as the Living Desert, I haven't doen that, but I think if you go in the late afternoon it'll be fine. I have had friends stay at the Miracle Springs resort and they are single, so i am not sure if it's for kids.... but I know you could get a super rate at the Renaissance, we did, it was only 79 bucks a night becuase of off-season. We have also stayed at the Miramonte (which is across the street from the Renaissance. The Hyatt Grand Champion is right next door, but it was too crowded, I thought. You know what else is nice and cheap right now is La Quinta. Lovely grounds and cute casitas. For food, we ate at Outback and Sammy's. Have fun!

I'm assuming that you chose Desert Hot Springs for its proximity to Joshua Tree. You might want to reconsider. I was trying to be diplomatic, but it really is a much dumpier area than the other communities. It's also a farther drive from all the good Palm Springs restaurants and attractions.

Jaxmom is so right. There are so many great deals to be had at the better resorts in this off-season. You could try Hotwire or Priceline and I bet you could get a 4* or better for well under $100/night. Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Indian Wells, are much better choices, IMHO.

I have to agree that DHS is not the ideal place, especially when there are great off-season deals to be had in the nicer communities. You will find yourself fairly isolated from activites if you stay in DHS. Joshua Tree NP has more than one entrance, so if your reason for choosing DHS is proximity to JTNP, it's not really worth it.
If you enter or exit JTNP at 29 Palms, there's an evening activity you might want to consider for your kids -- a drive-in movie. If you live in an area that still has an active drive-in, then it's no big deal. But I guess most places don't have drive-ins anymore and I'm always surprised how much kids who visit us enjoy going to the drive-in on a summer evening, sitting in lawn chairs and eating home-popped popcorn.

There are a lot of great comments and suggestions from Fodorites in this thread. I would add my voice to those who advise against staying in DHS. Too far off the beaten path of all the things you and the kids will want to do and sketchy accommodations. Summer is major bargain time at the big resorts. Esmeralda is a great kid friendly property---great pool etc. Others like Westin Mission Hills, Marriott Desert Springs---all should have killer rates.

Most restaurants are very family oriented. Kids do love Ruby's very much. My 6 y.o. always wants to go there. Knott's Soak City is a great way to spend a day.

It's summer, it's hot---but it's great (and cheaper).

Have fun.

PSL

Hi PSLocal! Haven't see you around lately and wanted to be sure you knew how much we appreciated your help w/last years out west road trip. I left a detailed trip report but not sure you saw it....

Anyway, your wonderful advice was right on target and helped us have a great time in your fair city; it rocks! We hope to visit PS in season someday when its not a bazillion degrees, and w/out the kidlets, and will definitely look to you as "THE" source.

Thanks again!
ellen, clark and fam

Hello Ellen!

I did see your report and I am happy I could help. It is the unbiased trading of information and people that are willing to report on their experiences that make this site worthwhile. I have benefitted from the experiences of others here in travels all over the world and it is nice to be able to contribute.

We will look forward to having your family back here in the seasonal weather and I hope you feel welcome.

PSL

Some other good family suggestions for dining. Pat and Oscars. Very casual place for chix wings, killer bread sticks (fresh and you can't eat just one), Ceasar salads and some other things, very reasonable.

Also, The little Italian place in the big Target shopping Center (Desert Crossing) in Palm Desert, on HWY 111. Great little cafe with very authentic food and reasonable prices. The people who own it are Italian, and wonderful. Their eggplant parmesan is the best.

Some people like the Macaroni Grill. Also I think there is a Baja Fresh at the river, good, fresh Mexican fast food. Also, Rubios Fish tacos are great. These are all cheap meal suggestions, mind you, for that off night. ANd do try In and Out burger. There are two I think, in the area. Great burgers and fries. My kids LOVE them. My DH too.

Just wanted to let you know there is good, inexpensive food out there.