The Road Trip Is Back: A California Desert Getaway for the Whole FamilY
Photos by Daniela Radovan
The classic family road trip is having a moment again. As families look for more flexible and often more affordable ways to travel, getting there is becoming part of the vacation itself. Instead of simply driving from point A to point B, parents are building stops, experiences and a little spontaneity into the journey.
For Southern California families, the desert makes this particularly easy. A drive toward Palm Springs and Joshua Tree can include a stop at the Cabazon Dinosaurs, a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway or a visit to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens before reaching the final destination.
La Quinta Resort & Club, a California desert retreat that celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, has taken the road-trip concept a step further with its new Desert Odyssey experience in partnership with AutoCamp Joshua Tree.
The three-night getaway combines two distinctly different desert experiences. Families begin with a night at La Quinta Resort, trade the resort for an Airstream under the Joshua Tree sky the following evening, then return to La Quinta for their final night.
At the resort, families can settle into one of its historic casitas or suites and spend the day enjoying the pools and expansive grounds. The property lends itself particularly well to multigenerational travel, with adjoining casitas, family-friendly activities and enough space for everyone to spend time together without having to follow the same schedule throughout the day.
The next part of the adventure takes families to AutoCamp Joshua Tree, where accommodations shift from classic resort living to an overnight stay in an Airstream surrounded by the desert landscape.
The experience includes a chef-curated, ready-to-cook dinner prepared by La Quinta Resort, along with native firewood and an artisanal s’mores kit. Kids can roast marshmallows around the fire while parents enjoy the quiet of the desert night, creating the kind of simple family moment that often becomes one of the most memorable parts of a trip.
After a night in Joshua Tree, everyone heads back to La Quinta Resort for the final evening. The return gives families time for another afternoon by the pool, a spa visit or simply some downtime before heading home.
The combination can be particularly appealing for families traveling with multiple generations. Road trips naturally offer more flexibility than tightly scheduled vacations, allowing grandparents, parents and children to experience the trip at their own pace. Some may want a morning by the pool while others head out to explore, then everyone can come back together later in the day.
There is also a fitting sense of nostalgia surrounding a visit to La Quinta Resort this year. As the property marks a century in the California desert, some grandparents may be returning to a place they visited decades ago, this time introducing it to their children and grandchildren.
And perhaps that is part of the renewed appeal of the family road trip. It isn't only about where everyone is going. The roadside stops, the night around the fire, the unexpected detour and the conversations that happen somewhere between home and the destination all become part of the story.
With La Quinta Resort and Joshua Tree close enough to combine into one Southern California escape, the Desert Odyssey offers a modern version of an old-fashioned family vacation, one where the journey matters just as much as the destination.
https://laquintaresort.com/special-offers/the-desert-odyssey
