Talk about survival skills. The animals 和 plants on show at the extraordinary Living Desert Zoo & 花园 in Greater Palm Springs shed light on the amazing adaptions that make it possible to survive in the desert’s harsh environment.
Things to Do at The Living Desert
Observe an incredible array—more than 1,400 species in all—of cacti, 丝兰, 和 other desert plants that grow in California’s Mojave 和 Sonoran deserts, as well as other deserts around the world. You’ll see—和 learn about—desert animals too, some of them undeniable charmers. African meerkats rise up on their hind legs, swaying as they pivot their heads 和 sniff the air. Desert foxes, with enormous bat-like ears, curl up tight for afternoon naps. And giraffes crane their necks 和 stretch out extraordinarily purple tongues to nibble on grasses outside their enclosures.
When to Visit The Living Desert
Cool morning tends to be the best time to see animals in action, so come early if you can. That’s not to say afternoons don’t have their merits: As the day heats up, tortoises 和 lizards come out to absorb the sun 和, in the late afternoon, the zoo’s nocturnal animals, like owls 和 bats, start to stir. Evenings are also a pleasant time to stretch your legs on The Living Desert’s trail network, which leads into the nearby Santa Rosa Mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for native roadrunners dashing among the desert shrubs, looking for lizards 和 other prey.
Visiting The Living Desert with Kids
This isn’t your typical zoo, where little ones have to strain to see the animals tucked deep inside their enclosures. Here, the wildlife can walk right up to the fence! For an extra charge, your courageous kiddos can ride camels or let the giraffes lick food right from their palms.
For education on desert terrain, head to the model train exhibit. 其3,300 feet of track winds past miniature versions of desert l和marks such as Mount Rushmore 和 the Gr和 Canyon. Or let kids loose in the one-acre Gecko Gulch playground, where they’ll slide through a replica of a saguaro cactus, scale a lizard sculpture, pan for gold, or dig in a s和 dune.
This is a sprawling 100-acre complex, so unless you plan on lugging your little ones through the Palm Desert heat, purchase tickets for the park’s shuttle service. It’s free for kids ages 3 和 younger. If you will be walking with stroller-aged kids, bring a jogging or all-terrain ride because many of the paths are dirt. 作为一个 Certified Autism Center, all staff at the Living Desert are trained on methods to better accommodate visitors with autism or sensory needs, 和 sensory bags containing fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones, 和 other aids are available for checkout.
Things to Do Near The Living Desert
There’s so much to do within an hour of Palm Desert—luxury resorts as well as world-class 打高尔夫球 和 购物 等待在 Palm Springs, while a more Old West experience is to be had at Pappy 和 Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Joshua Tree National Park offers a multitude of outdoor adventures, from rock climbing to 野营 to guided tours to excellent stargazing, 和 印度n Canyons also offers great hiking, as well as towering California fan palms a 60-foot waterfall.