Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
add photosOpen every day September 1st through June 15th from 9am-5pm. In the summer from June 16th through August 31st, Open from 8am-1:30pm.
10 Reviews for Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
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"Who knew such an incredible Zoological Park was waiting for us in the desert?"
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting out of the Living Desert before I arrived. Maybe a few desert animals hiding from the desert heat in small enclosures surrounded by cacti. I certainly wasn’t expecting a zoo of the size and incredible caliber that the Living Desert actually was!
My kids and I headed to the Living Desert on an April day in the mid 80s. Most of the animals didn’t seem to mind the heat, though I can imagine during the heat of the summer most of the animals will be hanging out in the shade. To be honest, my family didn’t mind the heat either. Many of the trails were shaded, cold drinks were plentiful, and an air conditioned Discovery Center offered a cool break midday.
One of the special spots in the Living Desert is the Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center. The state-of-the-art building was designed to help keep the animals of the Living Desert healthy all while giving visitors an opportunity to get a close up view of what goes on inside an animal hospital with docent led tours. The day that we were there, a docent was giving a talk about a kestrel (a small bird of prey) and kids were delighting in being able to stand close to the wild bird. Additional volunteers were on hand with feathers, snake skins, and other objects that were fun for little ones to touch.
There were more animal exhibits than I can write about without boring you to tears, but I did want to highlight a few of my family’s favorites. The North American desert is not to be missed- after all, visitors are walking through a North American desert! One thing I loved was that the dens of many of the animals were in the front of the exhibit, usually with only plate glass separating the viewer from the critter. The expansive big horn sheep built into the side of a rocky hillside is definitely not to be missed. I am also partial to the cheetahs and jaguars. There is just something mesmerizing about those gorgeous desert cats.
The botanical gardens are another standout. Desert scenery reflecting the different deserts of the world are just stunning. I especially enjoyed all the flora of the desert that seem to make their home near those precious pockets of water. Come during the spring to see this varied desert landscape in bloom.
If your kids need a break from all the animal viewing, Gecko Gulch, the park’s playground is fun and includes a Saguaro cactus slide. An endangered species themed carousel provides inexpensive fun at $2.00 a ride. A massive G-scale model train exhibit is very impressive aesthetically but we didn’t get a chance to actually see it in action. I am not sure if there are certain operation times or if the train operator was just out to lunch but if you have a train obsessed kid, you might want to call ahead and make sure it’s running. Finally, no trip to the desert is complete without a camel ride so be sure to cough up a few dollars ($5 to be precise) and let your kids take a bumpy ride that they won’t soon forget.
Bottomline: This zoo is definitely not to be missed as long as the weather isn't too extreme. If you do come in the summer, make sure to come as soon as the park opens. Any other part of the year, get ready to have a wonderful day at a world class zoo and botanical gardens.
Disclosure: My family received complimentary admission to the Living Desert as guests of the Palm Springs Visitor Center. They did not ask that I express any particular opinions and all my reviews always reflect my honest impression of an activity.
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"Stay all day!"
The Living Desert is a come early and stay all day kind of a place. It's huge! The park is broken into sections based on the different deserts in the world and will surely not disappoint. There is a tram/shuttle service that I believe you can pay extra for and they have various stops around the park and you can get on and off at your leisure. We didn't think the park was that hard to navigate but this might be a good option with the very young or elderly. There are plenty of places to stop and sit for a little snack break.
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"Neat but HOT"
Be warned it can get HOT out there walking around!! It is a neat place where you can walk trails and see different desert species. Little ones may get tired from all the walking. Bring water and have fun walking the very clean and neat paths to discover all the animals.
1 family found this helpful
"An Educational Delight! "
While vacationing in the Palm Desert, we decided to visit The Living Desert Zoo and Museum. Coming from a smaller community with a small scale zoo, we were excited to see different types of animals in their habitats. Not knowing a lot about the zoo before we went, we were surprised to find out they also have an animal hospital there in which you can view some of the animals getting their checkups (on certain days and times) as well as a children's exploration area which contains different skeletons, pelts, and critters! Also, the staff in this building are extremely friendly and knowledgeable and love to talk to the kids.
Our favorite exhibits were feeding the giraffe's (it's free), and watching the leopards. I personally liked the the hyena's- they're huge! The playground area was also a big hit with the different tunnels and passages. The big downside to the day was that it was so hot (low hundreds) that most of the animals were hiding out of sight.
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"The Living Desert"
This is a great destination for families! We went in mid-October, and it was still pretty hot. That is the first thing to consider- try and go in the late fall through early spring. It heats up fast out there.
The paths are dirt, make sure to wear shoes. Not flip flop friendly! There are some minor hills, but nothing major in my opinion. If you were walking in 105 degree heat, the hills would probably seem HUGE!
My daughters favorite exhibit was the giraffes. You are up high enough, where you can feed them out of your hands. We did not get a chance to do that, but I have seen videos, and it looks pretty cool!
The other interesting part was the animal veterinary hospital. Not only was it nice and cool, but they had videos running of animals getting exams. My daughter seemed pretty interested in this.
They really have an amazing assortment of exhibits, a lot of them seemed like animals you would see on a safari or something. Essentially all animals at The Living Desert you will find in one of the worlds deserts.
Admission is cheap. You can get a membership, which I did not decide to do. We got one at The San Diego Zoo because the weather there is much more tolerable year round.
Excellent place. I will definitely take my family again.
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"So Much Fun, Wear Sunscreen!"
We have been here two times. The first time we decided to go here I wondered how great a zoo in the middle of the desert could be and it was great!
There are zebras, wolves, several aviaries, tons of cactus gardens, bighorn sheep, and my favorite the giraffes, who are always up close and personal!
New additions include a carousel of desert animals for $2 a ride.
They also have an amazing model train set that will have any train lover occupied for hours. My son couldn't get enough of it!
It gets hot, go in the morning. I went in February and it was hot, so I can only imagine what it feels like in the summer months!
3 families found this helpful
"A great Zoo!"
When visiting The Living Desert Zoo, make sure you go first thing in the morning before the heat of the day makes it unpleaseant to explore this great place! The animals tend to hide in the shade during the hot points of the day and you are likely to just get to view the wonderful landscaping of the exhibits!
The lay out of the zoo makes it very easy to stroll through with or without the kids in a buggy. Our favorite (but smelly) exhibit was always the mountain lions. The exstensive running train models were always a must during our visits as well.
I recommend walking the night tour during the holiday season as the zoo is decorated with a ton of lights and displays.
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"Fun with the Family"
This 1,200-acre preserve lets parents and kids have a close-up look at everythingfrom a desert cactus to a bobcat. Common desert inhabitants roam freely in addition to the world’s smallest fox, bighorn sheep, gazelles, tortoises, and zebras. Although much of the desert fauna is nocturnal (cooler temperatures bring out the animals), you will surely encounter some of it, especially if you take a hike on one of the several
trails on the premises. The family will enjoy the live animal shows daily in the outdoor Tennity Amphitheater. One favorite: the Critter Close-Up, a daily event that permits kids to see small desert animals. The newest exhibit is Gecko Gulch Play Land. At the Village Watutu, kids can get up close with camels, hyenas, birds, and a petting kraal. Stop for a cool drink at the Thorn Tree Grill and peruse the souvenirs at the Kumba
Kumba Market.
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"Awesome desert experience"
We spent a week (during springtime) in Palm Desert and decided it was worth it to get a family pass. Every morning after breakfast, we went to the Living Desert and explored for a couple of hours. We hiked some of the trails and saw jack rabbits, lizards, many different species of birds and bugs. It was great to go so many days because we didn't see the long horn sheep until our last day there- they prefer the shade and I don't blame them! There is a petting zoo. The model trains are fantastic. The learning center was a lot of fun- the kids got to touch all sorts of animal skins, bones and teeth. The plants/gardens are fun to explore and we enjoyed the desert tortoise. Go early and wear a hat and sunscreen. We brought lots of water and snacks, especially on the hikes. Well worth the visit!
4 families found this helpful
"Felt like we were on a Safari...."
This is a great zoo to take the kids to when visiting the Palm Springs area. My son just loves watching the HUGE train display. You can just spend an hour looking at all different trains and mini-town displays. All of the animals are easy to see in a natural outdoor setting. Great outdoor interactive kids play area. Be prepared for lots of walking and can be rather dusty. Do not let this discourage you from visiting one of my families favorite zoos! If you are there during the Christmas season do not miss the fabulous christmas light displays!
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