Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

The Living Desert opened in 1970 and grew from a small nature preserve into a full zoo and garden accredited for its animal care. Its exhibits are organized around the world's deserts, so animals are shown alongside the plants and landscapes they belong to.

The African side includes cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and other species of the continent's dry country, while the North American side features the wildlife of the Southwest, from mountain lions and coyotes to the desert bighorn sheep of the surrounding mountains.

Half the park is really a botanical garden, with collections of cactus, succulents, and desert plants gathered from arid regions across the globe. Paths wind among towering cactus, spiny ocotillo, and desert wildflowers that bloom after the rains.

The gardens make the point that deserts are astonishingly diverse, each with its own plants adapted to survive on almost no water. For gardeners in dry climates, it is also a living catalog of what will thrive with little watering.

The park backs right up to the Santa Rosa Mountains, home to the endangered desert bighorn sheep, and trails lead from the grounds out into the wild desert beyond the exhibits. The setting ties the zoo to the real landscape it celebrates.

From here the Coachella Valley spreads out below the peaks, a bowl of desert that human effort has turned green in patches with the resort towns and golf courses of Palm Springs and its neighbors.

The Living Desert sits among the string of desert resort towns that run along the valley floor, with Palm Springs and its mid-century architecture, hot springs, and mountain tramway a short drive northwest.

The valley is a place of dramatic contrasts, snow sometimes visible on the high peaks above palm-lined streets, and it makes a fine base for exploring both the built desert of the resorts and the wild desert of Joshua Tree and the surrounding parks.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, in Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, California, is a wonderful zoo and botanical garden dedicated to the plants and animals of the world's deserts. Home to creatures from the deserts of North America and Africa, including giraffes, big cats, wolves, meerkats, and more, along with beautiful desert gardens, it offers an engaging and educational experience celebrating desert life. Popular features include a giraffe-feeding experience, a model train exhibit, and shaded trails. A beloved family destination, the Living Desert combines wildlife, gardens, and conservation in a beautiful desert setting.

You can see desert animals from around the world, including giraffes, cheetahs, wolves, bighorn sheep, and meerkats, feed the giraffes in a popular hands-on experience, stroll beautiful desert botanical gardens, ride or watch a large model train exhibit, enjoy children's play areas and seasonal events, and learn about desert ecology and conservation. Shaded areas and trails wind through the grounds. With its engaging animals, gardens, giraffe feeding, and family-friendly attractions, the Living Desert offers a fun and educational outing celebrating the fascinating life of the world's deserts in the Coachella Valley.

The cooler months from fall through spring are the most comfortable for enjoying this largely outdoor attraction, which is why they are peak season in the desert resort area, while summer brings intense heat, so if visiting then, go right at opening in the cooler morning hours, bring water and sun protection, and note the zoo may adjust hours seasonally. Mornings are best year-round for active animals and comfort. For the most pleasant experience, plan a visit during the cool season from fall through spring, ideally in the morning.

Yes, it is an excellent family destination, with children delighting in the desert animals, the popular giraffe-feeding experience, the model train exhibit, playgrounds, and interactive features, while adults enjoy the wildlife, gardens, and conservation focus. The manageable, walkable layout and shaded areas make it comfortable for families, especially in the cooler months or mornings. Educational and entertaining, it offers a wholesome outing that appeals to all ages. Its combination of animals, gardens, and kid-friendly attractions makes the Living Desert a top family choice in the Palm Springs area.

The Living Desert is in Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley, near the resort towns of Palm Springs and Palm Desert with their shopping, dining, and art, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, and the Indian Canyons, with Joshua Tree National Park a drive to the north and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the south. That makes the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens a family-friendly stop to combine with the attractions of Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley and the desert parks of Southern California on a visit to the region.