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Southern California family guide

Things to Do in Coachella with Kids

The city of Coachella — the real, working-class heart of the valley, not the festival — rewards families with free civic gems: splash pads at Rancho De Oro, the summer community pool at Bagdouma, and the vibrant Coachella Walls murals winding through the historic Pueblo Viejo downtown.

Curated by Punita Patel

Reviewed & updated June 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.

💡 Local tip: Desert afternoons here regularly top 110°F, so the splash pads and pool are early-or-evening activities. Walk the murals in the cool morning and grab tacos or paletas downtown after.

Things to do in Coachella

Parks & Hiking

Rancho De Oro Park

This four-acre neighborhood park next to Cesar Chavez Elementary is a local favorite for its splash pad, playground and big grassy fields — the kind of free, no-fuss spot working families rely on to cool the kids off. Come early or near dusk in summer, since desert afternoons here regularly top 110°F.

Free
Parks & Hiking

Bagdouma Park & Pool

Bagdouma is Coachella's central community park, with a playground, sports fields and an adjacent community pool that opens for summer swim sessions — a genuine lifeline during scorching valley summers. Check the seasonal schedule, and bring water and hats since there's little relief from the sun out of the water.

Park free; pool fees vary
Parks & Hiking

Rancho Las Flores Park

On Van Buren Street, this park gives families room to run with playgrounds, picnic areas and open turf for pickup soccer — a quiet, low-key spot that rarely feels crowded. Pack a shaded picnic and plan morning or evening visits, since desert midday heat makes the grass and equipment blazing hot in summer.

Free
Arts & Culture

Pueblo Viejo Historic District & Coachella Walls

Downtown Coachella's historic Pueblo Viejo district is home to the Coachella Walls, a growing collection of vibrant murals honoring the valley's farmworker roots. Start near 6th Street and Vine and you'll spot several within a block — an easy self-guided walk with kids. Go in the cooler morning and grab tacos or paletas downtown afterward.

Free
Museums & Learning

Coachella Library

This Riverside County branch on 6th Street offers free kids' programs, story times and a cool, air-conditioned place to land with little ones — on triple-digit desert days it doubles as a welcome refuge from the heat. Call ahead to catch children's events; closed Sundays and Mondays.

Free
Parks & Hiking

Dateland Park

Next to Bobby Duke Middle School on Shady Lane, Dateland Park is best known as the city's skate park, drawing older kids and teens with wheels, with open space to spread out too. Skate in the early morning or after sundown, because the concrete bowls soak up desert heat and get scorching by midday.

Free

Seasonal & outdoors near Coachella

The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Coachella.

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Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.