Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix (must see)

Phoenix's botanical gardens were established in 1939. They now host more than 50,000 plants, a third of which are native to the area. There are nearly 400 on display that are rare or endangered. The focus of the gardens is on desert landscapes and the plants that have adapted to them. These include collections from Baja California, Australia, and South American. Ecosystems that you can learn more about here include the mesquite bosque, the semidesert grasslands, and the upland chaparral.

The Botanical Gardens also host many cultural events and concerts throughout the year. During the holiday season, Las Noches de las Luminarias features 8,000 hand-lit candles; it's a beautiful example of the traditional display you'll find all over the Southwest at that time of year.

The gardens are divided into distinct trails. There are butterfly gardens and a butterfly pavilion, as well as a bee and hummingbird garden. The attraction of the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail is not only the plants and exhibits along the way but the real views of the desert from this beautiful location.