By Olivia T., Sonoma Valley, CA

We've visited Palm Springs four times now, both before our kids were born and now that there are three of them. We love it so much that when we stayed recently, after being evacuated from our home in Sonoma due to the wildfires, we said that it felt like coming home and we were so grateful for this at a time of stress and upheaval. In the weeks after returning home, my two-year-old kept saying "I miss Palm Springs", her eyes downcast for dramatic effect.

The first time we visited Palm Springs we stayed at a hotel, but on subsequent trips, we’ve stayed in vacation rentals which have been perfect for our now-expanded-family. It's very difficult to make a vacation with three young children work in a hotel, especially when that also involves eating out in restaurants too, and we really valued the freedom and privacy afforded to us by the houses in which we've stayed. We’re also appreciative if the “quiet time” hours that Palm Springs enforces so we can all get some much-needed rest. We've become firm friends with one of our hosts, and the kids have loved meeting the neighbors and making friends in the parks nearby. We have also loved the warm calm of the Palm Springs evenings once the rest of the family has been put to bed.

I think my favorite thing about the city is its gentle pace and how peaceful it is for a family vacation. I'm grateful for not feeling pressure to do a thousand full-on things when we come. We've had amazing days visiting the giant dinosaurs, going up on the aerial tram, seeing the art museum and trying out as many date shakes as we can comfortably get away with. It really is one of my favorite places in the world to vacation, and we can't wait to come back!