Newport Coast villas or Marriott Shadow Ridge in December?

[bethy]

Which would you choose if you had young children and weren't golfers? We are already booked at Disneyland for four nights (VGC) so that is covered. But we have always wanted to visit Legoland. Plus I do love the ocean. But will it be so much warmer in Palm Desert in December that it's worth it to stay out that way? My kids do very much love to swim.

This is definitely a first world problem!

 

[Rent_Share]

Don't know where you live, but even if the pools were heated at MCV I can't imagine swimming In Newport in December, there's a scenic route from north San Diego County to Palm Desert

Lego Land could be a night in a hotel, in between

 

[ricoba]

If your kids want to swim in the pool then Palm Springs will be warmer than Newport in December. Not sure where you are from, but if you are planning on swimming in the ocean, the Pacific is cold year round in Southern California.

If you want to do Legoland, you may not want to do that from Palm Springs area.

 

[bethy]

Thanks all! I think we'll stick with our plan of going to Palm Springs. I am from up north but on the coast so I know that the ocean is cold. But I still love looking at it. We usually vacation in places with beaches and so I'm a little nervous about being in the middle of a desert. It'll be great, I'm sure!

 

[Aussie girl]

I would choose Newport Coast Villas. We go either in December or January every year on a getaway and I swim every day. The pool was like bath water. I usually request the 1000 or 1100 building as I like the grotto pool.

The only time I've been to Palm Desert was in December and it was freezing that week and I didn't go in the pool once.

If your children are anything like mine were, come rain, hail or shine they would be in the pool.

I have lived in Canada for the past 30 years so Califronia in December to me is not cold.

 

[pipet]

I would choose Newport Coast Villas. We go either in December or January every year on a getaway and I swim every day. The pool was like bath water

LOL! What you think of as a bathwater temperature pool is freezing water to locals. We wear *parkas* down here when it gets below 60F.

I've been to NCV in Feb - similar weather usu to Dec - and the pool was cold but kids will still go in it. If they aren't from a hearty Northern stock or don't constantly move, even kids will get cold and want the hot tub to warm up. You can get lucky and get some really nice weather in Dec, but if you are talking this Dec, El Nino is supposed to be rearing its head so I wouldn't bank on lots of 70-75F+ weather. On the other hand, occasionally we get some exciting waves with the winter storms and that can be fun to watch.

The views at NCV are really nice so you might miss the view if you go to a desert resort, but the pools at Shadow Ridge are *great* for kids. There are also plenty of activities in the Palm Springs area - The Living Desert, Tram, Joshua Tree daytrip, etc.

 

[PassionForTravel]

NCV is great and I love it but if it was me I would go to the desert in December. But then again I'm a southern CA wimp when it comes to weather.

We went to ncv in Feb one year the first hall of the week it never made it to 60 there was no one in the pools but it was pleasant to sit out reading with a jacket on. By the end of the week it was 70 and there were a lot of kids in the main pool. Never can tell in winter. The desert will generally be warmer in the day and cooler at night. Joshua tree NP is definitely worth a visit. We go there every time we are in palm desert.

Ian

 

[bethy]

Thank you PassionForTravel! I appreciate it!