Palm Springs is a great destination for families who love getting outside, but not every desert hike is going to be a good fit with kids. Between the heat, sun exposure and rocky terrain, it’s worth choosing your trails carefully. These easy hikes in Palm Springs for families are the ones we enjoyed most during our family trip to Palm Springs.
Dan Brewer
Living Desert Hike: Wilderness Loop With Kids
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly Palm Desert hike that feels like a real desert adventure, the Wilderness Loop Trail is well worth considering. This Living Desert Hike gives families a chance to leave the zoo paths behind and hike through rocky desert scenery, a fun boulder field and beautiful views from the slopes of Eisenhower Mountain.
Ryan Mountain Trail in Joshua Tree: Family Hike Guide
There are plenty of easy walks in Joshua Tree, but if your family is ready for a bit more of a challenge, the Ryan Mountain Trail with kids is well worth considering. This short but steady uphill hike climbs to one of the best viewpoints in Joshua Tree National Park, with wide-open desert views, rocky landscapes and a sense of accomplishment at the summit.
Panorama Loop Trail in Joshua Tree with Kids
If the main areas of Joshua Tree National Park are all starting to look the same, we recommend making time for the Black Rock Canyon area. It feels noticeably different from the busier parts of the park, and hiking the Panorama Loop Trail with kids is a great option for families looking for a longer, quieter Joshua Tree hike with plenty of desert scenery.
See the Amalfi Coast with Kids in One Day
With only one day to experience the Amalfi Coast with kids, we knew we needed a plan that would let us see as much as possible. We were based in Sorrento, so we looked for the easiest and most enjoyable option to see the most famous locations along the Amalfi Coast. We booked a ferry package with NLG, which took us from Sorrento to Amalfi, then on to Positano, before returning to Sorrento.
Pompeii with kids
Our kids had read several books on Pompeii, so when we told them we wanted to go on a family trip to Italy, they practically begged us to go to Pompeii. After looking into the region and discovering that Pompeii was close to the Amalfi Coast and the beautiful island of Ischia, we decided to visit Pompeii with kids.
3 Days in Ischia with Kids
When we told our kids we were planning another family trip to Italy, they both begged to go to Pompeii. After looking into visiting Pompeii with kids, we realized we’d have some extra time in our itinerary and wanted to visit one of the nearby islands in the Gulf of Naples. At first, Capri seemed the obvious choice, but the more we looked into it, Ischia emerged as the clear winner for our family. We chose to visit Ischia with kids for three days for its mix of amazing outdoor activities and cultural attractions.
24 Hours in Rome with Kids
When our kids were little, we had the good fortune to spend a week in Rome with our kids. We saw virtually everything there is to see on a family trip to Rome, but sadly they were too young to remember anything. On our most recent family trip to Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, we flew in and out of Rome. As a result, we had 24 hours in Rome with kids and we wanted to make the most of it.
Italy Itinerary with Kids: 10, 14 & 30 Days
Italy is one of the most family-friendly countries on the planet, but you still need to build in the right mix of culture, outdoor time, slower travel days and kid-friendly stops. With world-famous cities like Rome, Florence and Pisa, beautiful coastal villages in Cinque Terre, and beach time on the Island of Elba, this Italy itinerary with kids gave us a trip that felt both memorable and manageable.
Colombia with Kids: 3-Week Family Itinerary
Our trip to Colombia with kids ended up being one of the best family holidays we’ve ever had. We focused our Colombia family itinerary on the Caribbean coast, which gave us a good mix of colourful cities, beach time, jungle hiking and wildlife.