People will often say that there is nothing to do in Phoenix, Arizona. They will tell me that it’s just a place to drive through, on the way to somewhere better. They will claim that the desert sprawl is hideous, and that it hides a woeful dearth of culture. They are wrong.

I’ve written extensively about Phoenix. From my basic guide to the city (click here to read it) to more in-depth articles on the history of the area from Heritage Square (click here to read that one), to one of my favorite museums in the world (click to read about the Musical Instrument Museum), Phoenix has been a semi-regular part of my life as a travel writer. I have good friends there, and endeavor to make a trip every year or two.

But the Desert Botanical Garden is a place I haven’t visited in nearly twenty years, back to when I lived here in Phoenix. And it has changed, obviously, in that time. So on my most recent trip to Arizona, I just had to stop by.

Founded in 1939, the Desert Botanical Garden is the crown jewel of Phoenix’s Papago Park, a large area of beautiful red mountains sitting just minutes from downtown. The park as a whole is one of the places that makes Phoenix not an ugly city, and here in the garden, one will be lost in sheer beauty.

The Desert Botanical Garden sits on 140 acres. Some of it – most of it – is made up of paved paths. Some is a bit more wilderness in its feel. And all of it is gorgeous.

A visit starts with the remnants of a Chihuly art exhibit that is no longer here, a couple of stunning pieces just outside the main entrance. With how diverse the plant life is here, one would be forgiven for not immediately spotting that these are glass, but for fans of this amazing artist (like me), it is worth looking out for.

Once inside, the incredible diversity of desert life displayed here is able to be seen immediately. The entry garden only contains a tiny fraction of the more than 4,000 species in the Desert Botanical Garden, but is one of the most impressive spots. Organ pipe cacti, smaller barrel cacti, and literally dozens of others front a tiny maze of passages. You may have to fight with other visitors for the best spots to pose for photos, but the feeling of being surrounded by the most beautiful cacti is worth it.

From here, paths lead to the remainder of the gardens. You can follow the signs for a butterfly garden – and you should! After a brief instruction to not step on or try to grab butterflies, a wonderful little loop awaits with probably thousands of the beautiful creatures. I spend twenty or so minutes smiling nonstop.

The paved pathways of the Desert Botanical Garden cover the highlights of the place, with the Desert Discovery Loop being an hour or so intro to desert life. You’ll pass succulent gardens, traverse among cacti more than ten feet tall (and some much taller even than that), and enjoy lovely fountains and art installations.

Or you can venture beyond the paved paths, preferring a more natural landscape of dirt trails that meander among the mountains in the garden’s further reaches.

If you get hungry, Gertrude’s (near the entrance) is an exceptional cafe. Featuring a pretty diverse and healthy brunch and lunch menu and a gorgeous patio, you can sort of eat on theme. I opt for elote (Spanish for corn cob, it refers to Mexican street corn) fritters, paired with a sparkling prickly pear water that is to die for. My friend has a prickly pear cosmo that is also stunning.

In all, I spend about three hours at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden. It isn’t nearly enough time to see everything, but enough to get a feel for a place that will definitely become a regular stop on my future Arizona trips. I can’t believe I didn’t come here for nearly twenty years.

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