Monday, November 8, 2010

Desert Botanical Garden

One of the highlights of our trip to Phoenix was an outing to the Desert Botanical Garden. On a previous (kid-less) trip to Phoenix, I visited the Gardens first thing in the morning. The only people I remember seeing besides my mom and sister were a few employees. On this trip, when we pulled into a packed parking lot around 11 a.m., I feared I may regret coming. But it was surprisingly still a fairly peaceful way to talk a walk in the desert.

My favorite aspect of the Desert Botanical Gardens is the variety. You'll see so many unique plants and landscapes when you visit. There are also examples of homes that desert dwellers built and lived in back in the day, along with small exhibits about other aspects of desert life. The arrow thought the huts were pretty cool and we adults learned a lot.

There are a variety of walks and trails at the Gardens. All were very stroller friendly. It was fun to let the arrow loose and watch him romp around a bit, too.

If you go with kids, you might want to think through your strategy of which trails to cover and in which order. We tried to see as much of the Gardens as possible during our visit (beginning with the Desert Discovery Loop Trail, which runs throughout the Gardens, then the Herb Garden Trail, followed by the Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail, and ending with the Desert Wildflower Loop Trail). By the time we got to the wildflower trail, the arrow was getting a little cranky.  The Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail would probably be the most interesting for kids, especially those a little older than the arrow.

So on this chilly Monday, I'm dreaming of cactus lining my path, sun on my face, and beautiful desert scenery all around me. This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

4 comments:

  1. These gardens look great! Totally different from the botanical gardens I recently visited (http://www.lovebabylovetravel.com/edinburghs-royal-botanic-gardens-with-kids/)
    The photos of your son are gorgeous as always!

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  2. I'm hoping to make it to Phoenix some day with my kiddos & this place was already on my radar. So thanks for sharing! :)

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  3. I'm so glad you found the park to be just as great as the first trip...only better because your rental car didn't die! But that only adds to the memory, right? :)

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  4. I love the Desert Botanical Garden! I haven't brought my kids there yet though. The last time we visited they had a fantastic display of Dale Chiluly sculptures - my favorite may have teen ones that were designed to look like ice cubes, floating in a pond. Visual wit on a very hot afternoon.

    I'd agree with your tips about making a plan if going with kids. And I also agree that the Plants and People trail is the one likely to appeal to most kids, especially school-aged children who have studied native peoples.

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