Family stops between Phoenix and Anaheim

[st381]

We're planning on driving to Disneyland in April and are looking for some nice family friendly stops between Phoenix and Anaheim. Looking for places to let the kids get out of the car and have some fun before going on.

 

[PHXscuba]

Unfortunately, there's not a lot between Phoenix and Anaheim that I'd call "fun." We live in Phoenix and make the drive at least a couple times a year to Orange County.

Heading west from Phoenix, once you leave the sprawl, there's not much except rest stops and truck stops until you hit Quartzsite, about half an hour east of the CA/AZ border. Fast food, a few gift shops that cater to snowbirds and rockhounds. We often eat a meal here.

Blythe is just over the border. Gas will be very pricey here (gas up in Quartzsite if you need to). Lots of fast food, not much else.

Then there's a really looooong stretch of nothing except rest stops and a very tiny dot on the map called Desert Center, notable only because there is a diner there with a relatively clean bathroom (I speak from experience).

When you hit Indio, there's a little more to see, but still not much I'd call kid-amusing. Palm Springs is probably your best bet if you wanted to make a half-day stop. There's a desert zoo, a water park, and the tramway up into the mountains. Just west of Palm Springs in Cabazon, there are giant dinosaurs visible from the freeway that you can walk around. Also an outlet mall in this area.

Sorry; I know that's not much for fun. We have four kids and usually just push through. It takes us about 6.5-7 hours with bathroom stops, a food stop and a gas stop.

If anyone else has found some "hidden gems" between Phoenix and OC, I'd like to hear about them too!!!

PHXscuba

p.s. DO NOT take the 60 through Moreno Valley in CA (perma-construction ). Stay on I-10.

 

[Magix]

I always get off in Cabazon when I'm heading either direction out there. The dinosaurs are cool. I like to get a root beer in a frosted mug at the A&W (it never tastes as good out of a can). I also enjoy a stop into Hadley to pick up some walnut stuffed dates. They offer date shakes at Hadley, so that might be a fun thing to enjoy with the kids.

Other than that, there's not much to do. When you get into the San Bernardino area, if you pop over on the 15, between the 60 and 10 fwys, there's a little mini golf place that also has rides, including a roller coaster. Might be worth a try.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I've never driven to Phoenix but I live along the 10 in San Bernardino County so I know that area. I agree that the Cabazon Outlets and Hadley's (they are right next to each other) are good choices. Besides having date shakes like PP mentioned, Hadley's is a pretty big store with all kinds of trail mixes, nuts, dried fruits, candy, and other things like chips, bread, drinks. It's not the type of stuff you would find at a grocery store. They package a lot of it themselves (or at least put their label on it) and they have a lot of pre-packaged stuff that is different from what you normaly see.

Another place you might want to look into is Oak Glen. It's a little "apple town" (as DH calls it). It is basically one road that loops around (Oak Glen Road) and there are lots of apple orchards where you can stop at. Several places have little stores where they sell apple pie and apple cider as well as jams, syrups, apple themed gifts and frontier/old west themed things. Our favorite spot is Los Rios Rancho (i'm sure they have a website if you google it). They have a fairly big store, a huge grassy area with picnic tables, they have great apple pies and apple crumbles (and cookies, etc), on weekends they have BBQ available and sometimes music and also on the weekends there are hiking trails open. Other places along Oak Glen Road also have animals you can look at and I think a petting zoo. There's more stuff open on the weekend but there's still sevaral things open during the week (not sure what day of the week you're traveling). And Oak Glen does get a few inches of snow every year (melts fairly quickly) so if it happens to have snowed right before your trip you could see that too. Los Rios Rancho is also a great place to play in the snow because of the big grassy areas.

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[st381]

thank you all sooo much!

 

[jlmarr]

Just west of Palm Springs in Cabazon, there are giant dinosaurs visible from the freeway that you can walk around. Also an outlet mall in this area.

If you remember, those are the dinosaurs that were used in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" - http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2031. The Cabazon outlet mall is at the same exit and is very popular and upscale - http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/directions.asp?id=6 - great for the parents, probably not so much for the kids.

 

[tracys2cents]

And there's the fabulous and unique JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

 

[disneyfaninaz]

If you have time, you can take the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. It takes you up to the mountain up above the desert and is really a sight to see.

 

[firsttimer2007]

sorry