We stayed at "Lights, Camera, Vacation!", a huge rental house in a gated community in Indio, about 23 miles east of Palm Springs, at the end of September 2026. There were 6 families of us with 8 young kids, for 2 nights. I already wrote up the full story of our weekend there, with lots of photos. This page is the quick, scored review: the details that help you decide if this house is right for your group.
My scores
4.3out of 5 overall (the average of my 7 scores below)
What I loved
- Pool with 3 slides, a hot tub, and a very shallow area so babies can join in
- Arcade-style game room (with a pinball machine) and a bunk room the kids never wanted to leave
- 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms: a room for every family
- A full nursery inside the master suite
- A master bathroom with a two-person shower
- Strong AC and great water pressure, even with 6 families showering
- A well-stocked kitchen and an outdoor grill that made dinner for a crowd fast
- Super easy check-in with gate and door codes
What to know
- Lots of glass furniture, so walking toddlers need constant watching
- Only 3 cars fit in the driveway. Extra parking is across the street in the community
- About 30 to 40 minutes by car from downtown Palm Springs
- One of the two washers was broken during our stay (we still had the other one)
- The desert air gets very dry at night, so bring a diffuser or humidifier if that bothers you
Pool & outdoor: 5 out of 5
This is the reason to book the house. The backyard is fully themed, with rock walls, palm trees, and movie-style statues around a pool with three slides and a hot tub. What surprised me as a parent: the pool has steps and a very shallow area, so the babies got to enjoy their share of the pool too, not just the big kids on the slides.
Two small things that made a big difference: there were plenty of pool towels, so we didn't have to pack beach towels for 8 kids. And the outdoor TV can split into 4 screens at once, so nobody had to fight over what to watch. There are also misters along the patio roof on the pool side, which help a lot when it's this hot. Add the covered outdoor kitchen (grill, pizza oven, sink, ice maker) and the pickleball court, and the adults had as much fun out back as the kids.
Indoor fun: 5 out of 5
The game room has driving and shooting arcade games, a basketball shooting game, a pinball machine, a pool table, a poker table, and air hockey. During the hottest hours of the day (highs were in the upper 90s °F), this room saved us. And the AC is great: even in that heat, it was actually cold inside the house. The bunk room, with two sets of bunk beds, became the kids' clubhouse.
Space & sleeping: 5 out of 5
With 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, each of our 6 families had its own room, with one to spare. We took the master suite because we had the youngest baby, and it has a nursery inside with a crib, a changing table, a high chair, an infant bathtub, and an extra Pack 'n Play.
The master bathroom deserves its own mention. The shower has two full sets of showerheads, each with a handheld spray and a rainfall shower, so two people can shower side by side. It's so spacious that my toddler took her own shower right next to me while I showered. She thought it was the most fun thing ever. The bathtub is roomy too, and there's a vanity mirror with an accessories holder. The bath and shower experience was exceptional.
The water pressure is great throughout the house, too. With 6 families and 8 kids to bathe, we never had a problem, and everyone got to shower at their own pace.
Desert nights are dry: what I bring
One thing to plan for: because of the desert climate, the air in the bedroom was very dry at night. I usually travel with my own small fix for this. I bring my ASAKUKI diffuser and a bottle of Young Living Lavender essential oil, and I set them up right next to the bed. The cool mist takes the edge off the dry air, and the lavender helps me fall asleep and sleep better.
Cleanliness & value: 4 out of 5
The house was clean and ready when we arrived, and the kitchen was well stocked for a big group: plenty of pots and plates for 6 families, basic seasonings, and even Costco zip-top bags. There are 2 washers and 2 dryers. One washer was broken while we were there, but with the other one working it wasn't a big deal. Split between 6 families, the house felt like good value for everything it includes.
Kid-friendliness: 3.5 out of 5
On amenities alone this would be a 5: a nursery, baby-friendly pool steps, a game room, a bunk room. The half points come off for one reason: there's a lot of glass furniture. The dining table, the living room table, a bar cart, and most of the bedroom tables are glass. Whenever my little ones were wandering, I had to follow them so nothing got broken, and nobody got hurt.
Pack some clear corner guards, and on day one, move small breakables up high. If your kids are a little older, or your baby isn't walking yet, this is much less of an issue.
Location & parking: 3.5 out of 5
Indio is a quieter, roomier part of the Coachella Valley. Downtown Palm Springs is about 30 to 40 minutes away by car, so this is a "stay at the house" kind of trip, not a base for exploring Palm Springs every day.
Parking is the other reason for the lower score. Three cars fit in the driveway. With 6 families, the rest of us parked in the community's extra parking across the street. It works, but it's not very convenient when you're unloading car seats, coolers, and sleeping kids.
Check-in, rules & Wi-Fi
- Check-inThe host shared the gate code and the door code ahead of time. Very easy.
- HostWe never needed to contact the host. Everything was well planned.
- House rulesPosted clearly inside: be respectful to the neighbors, no loud noise after 10pm.
- Wi-FiReliable. We had no issues all weekend.
- ACGreat. It was cold inside even with highs in the upper 90s °F.
- Water pressureGreat. Everyone showered at their own pace.
- Laundry2 washers and 2 dryers (one washer was out of order on our stay).
- Parking3 cars in the driveway, extra community parking across the street.
Groceries: the market that made our dinners
Our best shortcut for feeding a crowd was Vallarta Supermarkets, a huge Mexican market near the house with all kinds of meat and vegetables. We bought pre-marinated meat there, threw it on the backyard grill, and had tacos the first night with barely any prep. The second night we grilled steak and salmon. And their avocados were huge and so fresh.
Pre-marinated meat plus a big outdoor grill: dinner for 6 families, done fast.
Who should book it
My verdict
- In 3 words
- Spacious, surprises, splashing fun
- Book it for
- Multi-family weekends, kids old enough to roam, and babies who aren't walking yet
- Also great for
- Bridal showers, girls trips, and celebrations
- Think twice
- If you have a brand-new walker and want a relaxed trip, or if your group needs more than 3 cars right at the house
- Size
- 7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms. The listing allows up to 16 guests
- Our stay
- 2 nights, end of September 2026, 6 families with 8 young kids
- The house
- "Lights, Camera, Vacation!" on Airbnb, Indio, CA
Packing for a weekend like this? Here's how I pack for a family weekend, with a free printable checklist. And for the full story, with all the backyard photos, read our big-group weekend at the house.
Quick answers
Is this rental good for babies?
For babies who aren't walking yet, yes. There's a nursery in the master suite and the pool has steps and a very shallow area. Walking toddlers need close watching because much of the furniture is glass.
How many cars can park at the house?
Three in the driveway. Extra parking is in the same community across the street, which is a bit inconvenient.
How does check-in work?
The host sends a gate code and a door code. It was very easy, and we never had to contact the host.
Compare more stays in Indio and Palm Springs
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Planning a big family trip from Los Angeles?
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