Family Vacation

Last week, my kids were off from school from Spring Break, so I decided to take the kids to the desert for a few days to party at Coachella and watch the shows. Just kidding. We headed out for a family vacation to La Quinta to squeeze some play time and a little R & R at the La Quinta Resort and Club.

The Water Park

On our way to La Quinta, I surprised the kids with a stop at Wet ’N Wild Waterpark in Palm Springs. If your kids are between the ages of five and 12 – and if you’re the only adult chaperone – this is the perfect family water park.

The park is small, with about 10 rides, including a wave pool and a lazy river, and almost all the rides accommodate children 42” and under, so every child can go on nearly every ride in the park. Perhaps we had excellent timing, but the park also wasn’t crowded, so we didn’t have to suffer in long lines.

There are two rides in the park, Tidal Wave Tower and Pacific Spin, that have a 48” height requirement. My five year old didn’t meet it, but my older kids did and were able to ride them together, without me. (YES! I’ve finally hit that stage!)

We had a fabulous time. Our cheeks hurt from laughing all day.

Here’s a quick video of the visit:

Pool Time

The resort has several small pools and one larger adults-only pool. Since most of the kid-friendly action takes place at the resort’s main pool, that’s where we spent our days, swimming and lounging. (The main pool and the adults-only pools also have meal and drink service, which the other pools don’t offer.)

Eats and Treats

Family vacations can be expensive. In an effort to keep the costs of the trip down, I brought enough food and snacks for us to eat breakfast and lunch in the room, but there are several fabulous restaurants and shops inside the resort, so guests never have to leave the resort, if they don’t want to.

Morgan’s in the Desert is the most high-end restaurant in the resort, with a piano bar and fire pits outside on the patio. It’s a great atmosphere if you want a fun dinner out with friends, which my husband and I have done several times.

The Adobe Grill is also a great restaurant option, if you’re looking for great food, fabulous margaritas, and a more casual vibe.

Guests can also sit on the main patio, around a large fire pit and fountain, listening to a live band or musician. While the menu for this location only offers appetizers, they’re hearty and delicious. The setting is relaxed and informal, so it’s a nice option for a family vacation with kids who are too wiggly to stay at the table for long.

We left the resort for dinner at El Ranchito, a small Mexican restaurant in the older part of town, only once, preferring to eat at the resort. (La Casita is also very good and just around the corner.)

Spa

No spa time for me on this trip! But I’ve been to the La Quinta spa many times and it’s always a luxurious treat. The staff are friendly and the facility is clean and spacious. If your spouse or another adult is with you on your family vacation, I highly recommend fitting in a little “me” time. It’s also a great location for a girls’ weekend or couples trip.

Golf

For golfers, The Mountain course at the resort – a Pete Dye-designed course – is a great course with gorgeous views of the mountains.

I intended to bring my kids’ putters with us since there are several small putting greens around the property, but unfortunately, I left them at home.

Check out my La Quinta looks….

Click here to shop these looks and update your summer wardrobe.

The Grounds

The grounds at La Quinta Resort and Club are expansive and meticulously manicured. The flowers in the spring are nothing short of dazzling. The property is a close to a desert oasis as you’ll ever see. There are numerous paths for taking long walks and the many casitas scattered throughout the grounds are charming and historic.

Tennis courts are also plentiful and the tennis club rents bikes to guests who’d rather see the property on wheels. There’s also a well-equipped gym next to the spa (which I managed to avoid completely on this trip.)

As I mentioned, I’d forgotten our putters and the kids’ iPads (by accident, on purpose), but the kids each brought their baseball/softball mitts and balls. We played catch and baseball games with imaginary runners every night, which the kids loved.

Our second favorite activity was walking the grounds in the evenings before bed. The intoxicating fragrance of the night blooming jasmine alone was enough to get us outside, but the warm breeze and starry sky helped, too.

We all missed daddy a lot, but all in all, it was a wonderful family vacation and a great chance for some quality time together, making memories.