The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens

Reticulated Giraffe at the Living Desert

Courtesy of the Living Desert

Day three of Simon and Sin's Summerpalooza. My 'rents haven't spent this much time together in years and it rocks! Amy is still going on about her brush with Mouse-ness in the Magic Kingdom and Simon, well, he's Simon. And me? After our stops at Disneyland and California Adventure I pretty much thought that I was all amazed-out. But just two and a half hours from LA, a short drive from Palm Springs, is The Living Desert.

Sindy's Review of The Living Desert

Even with the desert sun pounding down on us (very, very thankful for all the misting stations), I knew we were in for a treat. Our visit to The Living Desert started on a high and kept right on going. If cacti are your thing, there are dozens of amazing desert gardens. If you're keen on the ER scene, take a walk through the fully operational Tennity Wildlife Hospital. But the cherry on the top has to be the Wildlife Wonders show. Under the shade (again, very thankful) of the amphitheater we got to snuggle up to some dreamy desert animals. This surprising show features creatures from deserts all over the world. From the caracal who can leap seven feet into the air to grab her chow, to best buddies Sabi the cheetah and Henry the Labrador retriever (kind of like me and Simon). My only slam is that we didn't get to see all The Living Desert has to offer. Maybe next year.

What Simon Says About The Living Desert

I only have one question after hanging at The Living Desert. How can a place so hot be so cool? Must have something to do with all the amazing animals and their habitats. The whole desert alphabet was there. From the African Crested Porcupine (spikey chic) to the Grevy's Zebra. But my fave by far was Village WaTuTu. It felt like I had been transported to a traditional African village, complete with huts, a petting kraal and a non-stop drummer in the elders grove. And there were lots of other drums and percussion instruments so you can play along. Sin had to drag me away. I had a howlin' time, but after a few hours in the mid-day, I'm glad we flagged down one of the trams to finish off the trip.

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