Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa Planning & Tips

All About the Extras
The annual Sliders Cup Competition running Thursdays through Saturdays from mid-June through Memorial Day weekend, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., is a chance for kids and adults to race down the Splashtopia waterslides; age divisions are up to 10 years, 11-14, 15-19 and 20 & up. The quickest slider of the day in each age group wins a free smoothie, and then the grand prize winner in each group at summer's end receives a voucher for a two-night stay with daily breakfast for two (no pressure, kids!).

Throughout the summer, every Thursday and Saturday evening, beginning at sundown, a family-friendly film screens at the Splash Pool, so you can watch while floating.

On the bluEmber's patio, live music plays many evenings from 6 p.m. onward. Between October and April or May, the music is on five nights per week; during the summer, it usually plays three or four nights weekly. Here, you'll find adults enjoying a drink next to their exhausted kids, slumping in the cushioned chairs and zoning out to the tunes.

The Art of Smart Timing
The resort is open, and attracts guests year-round. The high season in Palm Springs generally starts in October and goes through April or May -- in short, it ends before it gets too blazing hot.

However, summer, despite the potentially very hot temperatures, is still a very busy time for the resort, which seems to draw families looking for a water-filled vacation during kids' summer vacation. Spring -- particularly during spring break -- is very busy.

For the fewest crowds, plan your Rancho Las Palmas trip between November and February. The pool is heated at that time, and, though it's winter, you're still likely to enjoy sunny days with average highs in the 70's.

Getting There
Rancho Mirage is about 120-miles east of Los Angeles. The resort is on Bob Hope Drive, and accessed quickly from an exit off of Interstate 10. Highway 111, is what most visitors will use to access other desert cities nearby, like downtown Palm Springs, which is about 12-miles northwest via Hwy. 111.

The Palms Springs International Airport (PSP; 3400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, (760-318-3800) is 10-miles northwest of the resort. Rancho Las Palmas does not provide airport transportation. Desert Valley Shuttles is one door-to-door shuttle service available, and Palm Springs Airport Taxi provides cab service in all of Coachella Valley.

For Mom and Dad
If either parent, or both parents, can get away for a spell, the adult-only Tranquility Pool is a very lovely option at this resort. Be sure to spend a few minutes near the Splash Pool en route, though, so that you fully appreciate how different (so quiet, so serene!) this pool minus children really is.

Adjacent to the resort is the Rancho Las Palmas Country Club, with a 27-hole golf course and a complex with 25 tennis courts (eight of which are lit in the evenings). Golf and tennis lessons can be scheduled, and a fitness center with treadmills, exercise bikes, weights and more sits next to Palms Cafe.

If you can fit in a date-night out, there are numerous options in the desert cities, including fine dining to more casual eateries, cinemas, and live-music bars and other venues.