The Desert Botanical Garden, in Papago Park, is one of the world's best collections of desert plants. Founded in 1939, it covers 140 acres and shows just how surprisingly varied desert flora can be — from the tall saguaros of the Sonoran Desert to fat baobabs and spiny Madagascar succulents.
The thematic trails are well done: a Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail explains traditional Hohokam and O'odham uses for native species; the Cactus and Succulent Galleries hold thousands of specimens from around the world. Sunrise and sunset visits are best — the saguaros silhouette beautifully against the desert sky. The garden glows during the spring wildflower season from March to April.