Desert Botanical Garden
Located in Papago Park adjacent to the Phoenix Zoo and devoted exclusively to cacti and other desert plants, this botanic garden displays more than 20,000 plants from all over the world. The Plants and People of the Sonoran Desert Trail is the state's best introduction to ethnobotany (human use of plants) in the Southwest. Along the trail are interactive displays that demonstrate how Native Americans once used wild and cultivated plants. You can make a yucca-fiber brush and practice grinding corn and mesquite beans. At the Center for Desert Living, there are demonstration gardens and an energy- and water-conservation research house. On the Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail, you'll find an ever-changing palette of colorful wildflowers throughout much of the year. If you come late in the day, you can stay until after dark and see night-blooming flowers and dramatically lit cacti. A cafe on the grounds serves good food and makes a great lunch spot. In spring and fall, there are also concerts in the garden. In early December, during Las Noches de las Luminarias, the gardens are lit at night by luminarias (candles inside small bags).

Huhugam Heritage Center
Although this architectural gem adjacent to the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort was not fully open when I visited, it did have a small exhibit on ancient Native American trading trails through the desert. However, the main reason to visit this new facility operated by the Pima and Maricopa tribes is not only to learn about these tribe's culture, but to admire the fascinating architecture and ethnobotanical garden. The center complex is built within a huge berm that was designed to resemble a giant pot buried in the ground.

Cosanti
This complex of cast-concrete structures served as a prototype and learning project for architect Paolo Soleri's much grander Arcosanti project, currently under construction north of Phoenix (see "En Route to Northern Arizona," later in this chapter). It's here at Cosanti that Soleri's famous bells are cast, and most weekday mornings you can see the foundry in action. Visit between 9:30 and 12:30 for the best chance of seeing bronze bells being poured.

Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort
The Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort is only eight miles/12 minutes from Sky Harbor International Airport via the Squaw Peak Parkway (State Highway 51). Centrally located, Squaw Peak is conveniently nestled next to a 300-acre desert mountain preserve; yet only four miles from downtown Phoenix where guests can enjoy shopping and sightseeing. Take State Highway 51 (Squaw Peak Parkway) north to Glendale. Exit Glendale west (take a left at the stoplight at the Glendale exit) to 16th ...

Royal Palms Resort and Spa
The Royal Palms is a Spanish Mediterranean Estate par excellence. Its one hundred seventeen casitas and guestrooms serve as an oasis for guests seeking tranquility and solitude amidst a truly remarkable setting.The hotel is poised within the Valley of the Sun, in the beautiful Phoenix / Scottsdale resort community. Camelback Mountain, to the north, provides a striking visual backdrop. During the hotel's recent multi-million dollar restoration, architect Don Ziebell captured the integrity ...

AmeriSuites Phoenix North
The AmeriSuites Phoenix Metro Center is located 1/4 mile east of Interstate 17 and Peoria Avenue, 1/2 mile north of one of Arizona's largest malls - the Metro Center with over 35 restaurants, three sets of theaters, and Castles and Coasters, Arizona's only amusement park. The hotel is located in the center of the business district and close to American Express, Honeywell, GMAC, APS, AG Communications and many more corporate ...