You've done Scottsdale. You've done 30A. Maybe you've even done Marbella. But lately, something keeps pulling your attention west — to the desert, to the mountains, to a place that's been quietly reinventing itself for families who want more than a pool and a strip mall.
Palm Springs is having a moment. And if you're paying attention, you already know why.
The Neighborhoods That Matter
Not all of Palm Springs is created equal — and if you're exploring it as a potential second-home destination, the neighborhood matters more than the zip code.
La Quinta is where serious families land. The community is built around PGA West, which means world-class golf is literally outside your door. But it's not just fairways. The streets are quiet, the lots are generous, and there's a family-first energy that you feel the moment you drive in. Homes here range from $1.5M to $8M+, and the quality of construction has jumped significantly in the last five years.
Indian Wells is the polished sibling. Think resort-caliber amenities — the Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosts BNP Paribas every March — with a residential feel. It's where you go when you want everything within a ten-minute drive but nothing within earshot.
Palm Desert offers the best balance of access and value. El Paseo is a walkable stretch of galleries, restaurants, and boutiques that rivals anything in Scottsdale. And the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens — more on that in a moment — is reason enough to base your family here.
What Your Kids Will Actually Remember
The aerial tramway. Full stop. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you from the desert floor at 2,643 feet to the alpine wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto at 8,516 feet in under ten minutes. Your kids will press their faces against the glass as the rotating car climbs through five distinct climate zones. At the top: hiking trails, snow in winter, and a perspective shift that makes the whole valley look like a model train set.
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens in Palm Desert is genuinely exceptional. It's not a traditional zoo — it's 1,800 acres of Sonoran and Saharan desert ecosystems, with giraffes, leopards, and Mexican wolves. The giraffe feeding experience alone will produce the kind of photos that end up framed.
Joshua Tree National Park is a 45-minute drive from most Palm Springs neighborhoods. A day trip here is non-negotiable. The rock formations look like another planet. Kids climb everything. Bring water, wear layers, and plan for sunset at Keys View — the entire Coachella Valley spread out below you, the Salton Sea glinting in the distance.
For the pool days: most luxury homes in the area have private pools, but the JW Marriott Desert Springs and the La Quinta Resort both offer day-pass access to resort-style pool complexes with lazy rivers and waterslides.
Where to Eat (With Kids Who Have Opinions)
Workshop Kitchen + Bar in Palm Springs proper is housed in a former 1920s theater. Exposed brick, serious cocktails, and a menu that moves between wood-fired meats and seasonal vegetables. Kids are welcome — the space is big enough that noise disappears.
Copley's sits on the former estate of Cary Grant. The patio is candlelit and tucked behind hedges, and the menu leans California-contemporary. It's date night material, but they handle families gracefully.
For casual: Sherman's Deli & Bakery has been a Palm Springs institution since 1953. Portions are enormous, the pastrami is correct, and your kids will leave with a black-and-white cookie the size of their head.
El Jefe at the Saguaro Hotel does upscale tacos in a courtyard draped in bougainvillea. Colorful, loud, family-friendly without trying.
When to Visit
October through April. That's the window. Summer temperatures regularly clear 115°F, which isn't uncomfortable — it's dangerous. The sweet spot is November through March: highs in the 70s, lows in the 40s, and a sky so clear the stars look computer-generated.
The Coachella and Stagecoach festivals hit in April, which means hotel prices spike and traffic thickens. If you're visiting with family, steer toward the quieter months — January and February offer the best combination of weather, availability, and value.
Why Palm Springs Is on Our Radar
Here's the part that matters if you're thinking longer-term.
Palm Springs is following the same trajectory we saw in Scottsdale fifteen years ago and 30A a decade ago. Infrastructure is improving. The airport (PSP) now has direct flights from 30+ cities. High-net-worth families are discovering that the desert lifestyle — outdoor living, privacy, dry heat, world-class golf — checks many of the same boxes as established luxury markets, at a fraction of the entry point.
We're watching Palm Springs closely. The combination of climate, accessibility, and property value trajectory makes it a compelling candidate for GoForth's expanding destination portfolio. When we find the right homes — properties that meet our quality threshold and sit in neighborhoods our families actually want to be in — you'll be the first to know.
In the meantime, go visit. Bring the kids. Ride the tramway. Feed a giraffe. And when you're sitting by the pool at sunset, watching the mountains turn pink and orange and purple, ask yourself the question we ask about every destination: Could this be home?