The Marriot at Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert was a great place to stay with our kids this week. I'm sure it's popular in both the summer and winter as its outdoor pools were fully and well heated, comfortable enough for even me (someone who hates to be cold and wet) to go in!
On Thursday, the kids spent upwards of five consecutive hours in the pools, and were thoroughly exhausted. While he can dog paddle several feet and "starfish" to avoid drowning, Iver is still a bit nervous in the water, and enjoyed the shallow "kid-friendly" depth as well as the nearby hot tubs. Unfortunately, he was a couple of inches shy of the height requirement for one of the pool waterslides, but Kingston got to enjoy it with some pool friends like "Willow" and "Liam" that they met while playing.
Niall loved paddling around in this borrowed inflatable life jacket.
Enjoying hot cocoa
hotel suite play
The grounds included some large sculptures...
... and the Mirage, an activity club which provided legos, games, arts opportunities, and more.
"Meet Rudolph" was a Christmas-themed event.
Klian was not shy in the least but Niall was more reserved...
...until he bopped Rudolph on the nose and ran away!
On our last morning in Palm Springs, we visited the Air Museum, which had a large collection of aircraft from WW2, the Vietnam War, and more.
(pets were allowed!)
Rudolph!
checking out the cockpit
Even Rudolph got tired! A nap on the way home was good in preparation for Christmas Eve festivities!
