Getting a long weekend vacation right can be tricky. It needs to be an easy trip and have a good mix of activities and relaxation so you can squeeze both into three or four days. The Palm Springs area delivers on all counts, and for families, the nearby Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa is a standout epicenter of family fun.
I recently took my family to this Rancho Mirage resort, about 25 minutes from downtown Palm Springs, for a weekend getaway that mixed pool and water park time, relaxation, some national park sightseeing in nearby Joshua Tree, and of course, more than one of the region’s famed date shakes.
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My kids were instantly smitten by the vast family friendly swimming complex that includes a pool, cabanas, and a water park. We all liked the mix of activities available around the resort (more details below), and before leaving we were already making plans to return with grandparents and cousins.
Things to Know About the Omni Rancho Las Palmas
- If you’re there with kids, try to get a room near the family pool. It was super convenient to be close enough to the room to easily run back for a hat, a forgotten water bottle, or extra sunscreen.
- Though the buildings are spread out and pretty walkable, you can always call a golf cart to take you anywhere on property.
- The resort is a good destination for a multi-generational group, with a ton of activities to keep all ages entertained and happy.
- Though Omni Rancho Las Palmas isn’t in Palm Springs proper, it’s still got that vibe and is close to all of Palm Spring’s most popular sights.
What families need to know
Of all the things we did in the Palm Springs Area, my kids’ absolute favorite was the resort’s Splashtopia water park. The small but varied water park has two waterslides, a lazy river, a zero entry beach that’s particularly great for babies and toddlers, and a splash pad that gets increasingly more popular as the day heats up.
We opted for a cabana for our day at the pool (the family pool and the water park are part of the same area). The mix of shade; misters and overhead fan; and included cold waters, welcome cocktails or smoothies, and fruit plate kept us all feeling energetic and happy even as the temperatures crept up past 100 degrees. It was a happy home base for adults and a place for kids to recharge between waterslides and pool time. Because cabana rentals are all day, we could also take a break for some off-resort activities and return in the late afternoon for more pool time.
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There are a number of buildings surrounding the pool and water park, and it was super convenient to stay in a room in one of these nearby buildings so we could easily run back to the hotel room without interrupting our day at the pool.
For parents, grandparents, and anyone else looking to balance the kid-pleasing activities with something more their speed, there’s also an adults-only pool, two nine-hole golf courses on property, a spa, 20 tennis courts and 20 pickleball courts.
Omni Rancho Las Palmas reviews
Omni Rancho Las Palmas earns high marks not just from me, but from other guests as well. On Kayak, the property earns a rank of Excellent with an 8.2 based on about a thousand reviews. And Tripadvisor reviews average at 4 out of 5, with past guests praising the location and amenities but sometimes disliking noise during times when the resort is hosting events.
Key details about Omni Rancho Las Palmas
Location
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas is in Rancho Mirage, about 20 minutes south of the Palm Springs airport, 25 minutes from downtown Palm Springs, and 45 minutes from the south entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.
The property
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas is its own little resort universe that’s packed both with activities and ways to unwind. The property is home to four pools (including a pool at the spa), a water park, two nine-hole golf courses, a large spa, and a massive tennis and pickleball court area with 20 tennis courts and 20 pickleball courts.
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It’s easy to come and go; rooms are spread out across the property, but you’re never so far from your car that you couldn’t easily hop in and head out for a hike, some shopping, or to pick up a famous local date shake.
Wherever I went on the property, I felt like I was in a desert oasis. The beautifully landscaped property is lush against the backdrop of desert hills and mountains, and the dry desert air carries that particular and wonderful sagey aroma.
Dining
The resort has one main restaurant, Bluember, along with a host of other food options. Bluember has a pretty indoor-outdoor space and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I was both delighted by the menu and impressed by what came out of the kitchen. In addition to usual resort faves like steaks and Caesars, there was a creative mix of healthy-but-delicious options that ranged from acai bowls at breakfast to ceviche at dinner. There’s also an unexpectedly robust kids’ menu (the Junior Chef menu) with so much more than the typical chicken fingers and butter pasta–think salmon, salads, and smashburgers along with standard faves like chicken and mac and cheese.
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Beyond Bluember, there’s a great menu at the Conchilla Valley Pool Bar & Grill, the kid- and adult-pleasing mix of offerings at the family pool’s Splash Bar (if you order food to a cabana, it comes from here), the pizza-and-burgers sports bar vibe of R Bar (this one’s family friendly too), and the Country Club vibe at Between the 9s at the Club, which has snacks, full meals, and drinks. There’s also the grab-and-go Palms Cafe near the lobby, which has hot items, local coffee, and snacks and during my stay was especially popular with parents of young, early-rising kids.
Spa
The Omni Rancho Las Palmas has a cool history as a wellness hotspot for celebs, and with its recent refresh, the Spa at La Costa has doubled down on its reputation as a self-care destination. It now has three salt rooms, steam rooms with new aromatherapy options, and more than 50 treatment options, many which feature local California desert ingredients.
