Day 4: Golf & Flamingos
After a restful night of sleep, we were determined to get up early enough to enjoy a few more resort amenities before checking-out time and returning home.
We grabbed breakfast pastries and beverages from the Starbucks located right in the hotel lobby.
Golf
After breakfast, we borrowed some putters from the bell stand and headed outside to the mini golf course. It’s a free, 18-hole course complete with contoured fairways, sand traps, streams, and waterfalls! It’s not just for kids. We saw several couples out enjoying a round of mini-golf, too.
KidTripster Tip: If your family’s into golfing, you’ll find two championship golf courses at the JW Marriott Desert Springs. Kids “Golf-4-Free” here.
Flamingo Feeding
Once we finished our round, we dropped off our putters then headed out the front door to Flamingo Island, home to a few dozen Chilean flamingoes. We were provided with some flamingo food. We stood alongside the water, tossing snacks of compacted shrimp pellets to the birds below. The birds got a little raucous as they vied for our food. We noticed that at least a few flamingos weren’t at all interested in us. They were busy guarding some eggs. The chicklets were due to hatch any day. We learned some fun flamingo facts: flamingos stand on one leg to conserve energy (similar to how we sit), a group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance,” and Chilean flamingos are monogamous creatures that mate for life.
Aviary Tour
Although we could have watched these fascinating creatures for hours, there were other birds to see, too. We headed back inside to the Desert Springs Aviary. Birds rescued from around the world have permanent residence at the JW Marriott Desert Springs. The aviary is home to several species of birds, big and small. We even met one who liked to dance to Uptown Funk. (It seems even birds can’t resist this catchy tune.) My kids were smitten.
Unfortunately the time had come to say goodbye to the birds and the resort. The kids had a bit of a fit, begging that we extend our trip by a night … or maybe two. They agreed to leave on one condition, that we’d return soon. Deal! We shook on it and then got our car from the valet and headed to the airport.
Getting to Palm Springs
Many airlines offer nonstop flights into the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). This is a small and easy airport to fly in/out of.
Palm Springs is also about a two hour drive from San Diego or Los Angeles.
While the weather is great in the winter time, you can save money by visiting in the summer months. Hotel rates are at their lowest in the heat of summer.
KidTripster Tip: If driving in from L.A., stop at the Cabazon Dinosaurs (50770 Seminole Drive in Cabazon, CA). It’s a quick detour just off the highway. This is an iconic roadside attraction since 1975. You can see the dinos from the highway. There are two large dinosaurs in the parking lot that you can walk right up to and take a selfie with for free! Their outfits sometimes change for the seasons and holidays.
If you have a little more time to spare, visit the Dinosaur Park. Inside the park, there are modern displays of dinosaurs along an outdoor path. Kids can also dig for “fossils” (and win prizes), take photos of themselves surfing with dinosaurs and, the best part, is climbing inside the mouth of Mr. Rex and peering down below. Admission costs $11 for kids ages 3-12 and $13 for 13 and up. You’ll probably spend no more than an hour here.
The author was a guest of the Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. Greater Palm Springs encompasses nine cities: Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. Accommodations, meals and activities were provided. Opinions belong to the author.
