Everyone says "Palm Springs," and that's what we said too. But the house we actually stayed in was in Indio, about 23 miles east of Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley, in a gated community a few minutes from the Empire Polo Club (yes, the Coachella festival grounds). Downtown Palm Springs is roughly 30 to 40 minutes away by car. If you're searching for a big group rental "in Palm Springs," it's worth widening the map. Some of the largest houses with the most over-the-top backyards are a little further down the valley.
There were 6 families of us, with 8 young kids. That's a lot of people to keep happy under one roof, and honestly, this house did most of the work for us.
7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms: every one of our 6 families got its own bedroom, with one to spare. That bathroom count matters more than you think when there are 8 little ones to bathe before bed.
The house: basically a private theme park
The house is called "Lights, Camera, Vacation!" on Airbnb, and it's huge. The backyard has a swimming pool with three slides and a hot tub, and the inside is genuinely beautiful. Walking through it, my first thought was that it would be perfect for a bridal shower or a girls trip. It has that polished, photo-ready look. But it turned out to be just as much fun with a crowd of kids.
And the backyard isn't just a pool. It's fully themed: rock walls and palms, an elephant sculpture by the hot tub, a skull carved into the rocks, and movie-style statues tucked all around the slides, from a giant gorilla and a red dragon guarding a treasure chest to a wizard and a little yellow cartoon sidekick. At night the whole thing lights up. The kids treated every corner like a scavenger hunt.
Then there's the game room, which was the dream for the kids and the adults equally. It had:
Driving arcade games, shooting arcade games, a pool table, a poker table, an air hockey table, and a basketball shooting arcade game.
The kids also fell in love with the bunk room, a bedroom with two sets of bunk beds. Even when it wasn't bedtime, they kept disappearing in there to play.
Outside, there's even more: a covered outdoor kitchen with a grill, a pizza oven, a sink, an ice maker, a TV, and bar seating, plus a pickleball court with a colorful mural along the wall. With 6 families, having a second "kitchen" outside where the adults could gather while the kids swam made a big difference.
How we beat the end-of-September heat
We went at the end of September and it was hot, with highs in the upper 90s °F. The desert doesn't really cool off until later in the fall, so plan your days around the sun. Here's the rhythm that worked for us:
- Hottest hoursStay inside. The house and the game room kept everyone busy and cool.
- Around 4pmEveryone into the pool. Slides, hot tub, repeat.
- Before dinnerOut of the water, showers, and dinner for 6 families.
With a house like this, you don't need a plan for the day. The house is the plan.
Sleeping with a baby: a nursery inside the master
We took the main master bedroom because we had the youngest baby in the group. This was the detail that made me love the house as a parent: there's a nursery room inside the master suite, with a crib, a changing table, a high chair, and an infant bathtub, plus an additional Pack 'n Play. I didn't have to bring or improvise any of the bulky baby gear, and the baby slept a few steps from us.
The catch: so much glass furniture
From the amenities alone, this house is very child friendly. But here's my honest parent-to-parent warning: there's a lot of glass furniture. The dining table, the living room table, an alcohol cart, and most of the tables in the bedrooms were glass. Whenever my little ones were wandering around the house, I had to watch them the whole time so nothing got broken, or worse, so nobody got hurt.
Scroll through every interior photo in the listing and look specifically at the tables. Glass coffee tables, dining tables, and bar carts are common in stylish desert rentals, and they change how relaxed your trip will feel with a walking toddler. If the house is otherwise perfect, pack some corner guards and plan to move small breakables up high on day one.
My packing trick: laundry bags
This one was a small win that I'll keep doing. I packed everyone's clothes in laundry bags instead of folding them straight into suitcases. During the trip, dirty clothes went right back into the same bag. When we got home, laundry day was easy: grab the bags, dump them into the machine, done. No sorting through a whole suitcase of clean and dirty clothes mixed together.
If you want the full list of what I pack for a desert pool weekend with kids, I wrote it up here: how I pack for a family weekend, with a free printable checklist.
Who this kind of house is right for
Overall, it was a very fun trip, and I'd recommend this house. Here's who I think it fits best:
My honest verdict
- Great for
- Families with slightly older kids who can roam safely, and babies who aren't walking yet (the nursery setup is excellent)
- Also great for
- Bridal showers, girls trips, and big multi-family groups
- Think twice
- If you have a new walker or a busy toddler and want to relax: the glass furniture means constant supervision
- Size
- 7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms. The listing allows up to 16 guests
- Weather
- End of September: highs in the upper 90s °F. Plan pool time for late afternoon
- Our stay
- 2 nights, end of September 2026
- The house
- "Lights, Camera, Vacation!" on Airbnb, Indio, CA
Quick answers
How hot is the Palm Springs area at the end of September?
On our trip, highs reached the upper 90s °F. We stayed inside during the hottest hours and got into the pool around 4pm.
Is a big rental house with a pool good for toddlers?
It can be, but check the furniture. Ours had a full nursery, but most of the tables were glass, so I was on constant watch. I'd recommend houses like this for slightly older kids, or babies who aren't walking yet.
Is it a good fit for a bridal shower or girls trip?
Yes. The interior is beautiful, and between the slides, the hot tub, and the game room, it's made for a celebration.
Find a house in Indio and Palm Springs
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Planning a big family trip from Los Angeles?
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