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.

What a treat to know that there are still a few drive-in theaters left in operation! This place was our ace-in-the hole for a fun family night out.

With three little kids we could never dream of going to a traditional theater and having the kids make it through an entire movie. That is what makes this place ideal! The kids could have full run of the mini van while watching the movie and never bother anyone else near us.

Smith's Ranch was VERY affordable and always brought in a good selection of family friendly movies. Kids in carseats were free! And the concession stand was great!

This little museum is run by the historical society and is located in the original 1927 one-room schoolhouse in 29 Palms!

This charming little place strives hard to give visitors a glimpse into the past, and preserving the history of the desert. There are lots of artifacts on display and all tours are self-guided, but there are volunteers on-site to help answer any questions you may have.

This place is best suited for school-aged children.

Make sure you check ahead of time to see when the museum is open as the schedule is limited.

Luckie Park was our saving grace in our three years living in 29 Palms! This little patch of heaven was one of the few places around with grass and tall green trees - a luxury in the Mojave Desert!

Luckie Park not only has a great playground for the kids to run around on with restrooms nearby, but it also has a nice Swimming Pool, Picnic Shelters, Basketball Courts, Baseball Fields, and Soccer Fields!

***CAUTION*** It is best to not play the playground equipment during the heat of the day as it gets really HOT!

We frequently had a picnic at the park in the evenings once the sun had gone down, enjoying the feel of nice cool grass on our bare feet.

It is easy to pass by this little museum if you do not know that it is there! The Hi-Desert Nature Museum not a big place by any means, but it still offers a few hours of fun for the kids. They have a variety of collections, exhibitions and educational programs that can teach th kids about the Hi-Desert's unique natural and historical elements.

My kid's favorite part is the small live animal dosplay. They loved the little chipmunk named Sweet Pea and still talk about him to this day!