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“…By the way, I’m taking 5-months-old Baby Kyra to the world’s largest rotating cable car in Palm Springs!”
Kida
Well, flying all the way from Australia, we didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to explore this beautiful desert. We’ve never been to a desert before, and to be honest, we weren’t quite sure what to expect either.
In this post, we share our experience and tips on getting to Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs with a baby, we hope to give a boost of confidence to other families who are thinking of making the same trip with their kids.
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Table of Contents:
The Road Trip to Palm Springs
We hired a car for our 2 weeks road trip along the west coast of California. This was our 3rd stop after Santa Monica and Los Angeles.
Palm Springs is about 3 hours drive from LA, and we weren’t too sure how our baby will handle the heat, so there was only one thing on our itinerary in Palm Springs, and that is Aerial Tramway. It turned out to be quite an unforgettable adventure, and we are now so much more confident in bringing our kids there for longer next time!
© Photos by Kida
“Hey Siri, Palm Springs Visitor Centre!”
This is one of the most scenic drives, expansive views of the mountains are very unique to the landscapes of California. We just had to pull over along the way to take photos and admire its beauty.
Our baby did extremely well during the entire drive. She slept longer than usual and was very content in a moving, air-conditioned car. This made things so much easier when we finally arrived at the Aerial Tramway Station.
© Photos by Kida
Preparation Essentials
- Air-conditioned car (life-saving!)
- Top up on petrol
- Bring lots of water
- Diapers/Nappies
- Hats
- Sunscreen
- Baby carrier
- Camera
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Address: 1 Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262, United States (Google Map)
© Photos by Kida
Parking & Tickets
The entrance fee of $8 includes an allocated parking lot near the station. Cable rides cost around $26.95 and under 2s are free. We left our stroller behind thinking it wasn’t accessible, but that was a mistake! You can bring strollers up, they may ask you to fold it up if it gets too crowded. Alternatively, bring an Ergonomic Baby Carrier to get around easily. Outside was about 45°C on the day (in August) and we literally ran into the air-conditioned station as soon as we got out of the car.
© Photos by Kida
Cable Car Rides
The cable car travels along the cliffs of Chino Canyon, into the wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park. It rotates slowly to give everyone a chance to take in the glories of Palm Springs. There is no air-con in the cabins, but all the windows are open and it does get cooler as you travel up. It took us a little used to at first, as the motion of going upwards whilst rotating, wasn’t something we experienced every day. But once the sensation settled in, the view took our breath away!
© Photos by Kida
Our Baby’s Experience
Our baby did really well on the way up, but with unsteady grips on a rotating platform, it was really hard for me to have her on my arms the whole time. Hence why I would strongly recommend bringing a carrier if you plan to visit with a baby. The trip down wasn’t as smooth, perhaps it was the change of altitude (approx. 6000 feet), Kyra cried her whole way down and made quite a scene in a small crowded rotating cable car. Well, I was expecting worse.
© Photos by Kida
Up The Top
2,595 meters above ground, temperatures dropped to a comfortable zone well below 30°C with a cool breeze. The observation deck was truly a stage to another world, I could’ve stayed there all afternoon!
Enjoy some lunch or afternoon tea at one of the 2 restaurants, accompanied by the park’s local resident squirrels. If you have time and energy left, explore one of the hiking trails! Listen out for the return trip timetables, you don’t want to miss the last trip down unless you have a camping permit of course.
© Photos by Kida
You might be interested in
Top Things To Do in LA with kids
Tour Option
If you’re still not comfortable going to Palm Springs on your own, you can always explore the top tours on Viator and their reviews on TripAdvisor. However, do keep in mind it is going to be a long day, and the tour is not stroller-friendly as stated in the terms and conditions. (Always read the fine prints.)
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Have you been to a desert with a baby before? What was it like and how did you survive the heat?
