Must See Attractions in and Around Phoenix, Arizona

Being that Phoenix, Arizona is the sixth largest city in the United States; you can imagine how much it has to offer. So where do you start and what do you see?

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Be sure to visit the Desert Botanical Garden

The Desert Botanical garden is 50 acres of more than 20,000 beautiful desert plant specimens. It houses 139 rare, endangered and threatened plant species, collected from around the world and has one of the best collections of dessert plants around the world.

A few current and upcoming exhibits include the Sybil B. Harrington Cactus and Succulent Galleries, Illustrating Nature: The Tradition Continues and Chihuly Art Exhibition.

Seasonal events include Spring Jazz in the Garden, Flashlight Tours, Birds in the garden, Southwest Society of Botanical Artists Meetings and so much more.

Enjoy fabulous food at the Desert Botanical Garden Patio Café and pick up a gift at the Garden Shop, specializing in unusual plants.

Seasonal hours are; October thru April- 8am to 8pm and May thru September- 7am to 8pm. Garden members get free admission. Adult general admission is $10, seniors pay $9, students with ID cards pay $5, children cost $4 and kids under three get in free.

The Desert Botanical Garden is located at 1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85008. (480) 941-1225

One of the most popular places to see in Phoenix is the Mystery Castle.

The Mystery Castle was built by Boyce Luther Gully for his young daughter Mary Lou gully. This home is made of automobile parts, adobe, stone, cement and even Petroglyphs. It has 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces and is 8,000 square feet. It is three stories and took Boyce 15 years to build it.

In 1930, Boyce found out he had tuberculosis, so he left for Phoenix to try and get rid of it. He left behind his wife and daughter. He built this Mystery Castle for the little girl he left behind. When Boyce died Mary Lou and her mother were informed about the house, not long after they moved in.

Today Mary Lou still lives in the castle and even helps with the tours. The money raised from the tour admission goes into the maintenance and upkeep of the castle. The cost for adults is a mere $5.

The Mystery Castle is located at 800 E. Mineral Rd. Phoenix, Arizona 85040. (602) 268-1581

Take in some culture with a walk through the Deer valley Rock Art Center.

The art center has over 1,500 petroglyphs on a 47-acre nature preserve. On an old sacred Indian site, there are over 500 boulders with petroglyphs on them.

The Deer Valley Rock Art Center has three main points to it, to preserve, to respect the ancient sites and petroglyphs, and to connect the lives of today with those of the past.

Exhibits include the ongoing People Were Here, and award winning photography of rock art, Land of Fire, House of Sun.

Admission is $7 for adults, $4 for seniors, kids ages 3 to 12 cost $3 and kids under age three get in free. Guided tours are also available and are slightly cheaper.

The Deer Valley Rock Art Center is located at 3711 West Deer Valley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85308. (623)582-8007

Take in an experience of a lifetime at the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, the best wildlife park in all of Arizona.

Enjoy a Giant Snake Show with Anacondas, Boas and Pythons. Follow the animal caretakers as they throw hundreds of pounds of raw meat, to hungry carnivores.

Take an hour long trolley ride throughout the wildlife preserve for a great time and experience or go on a 45 minute Serengeti Safari.

Do not miss the Tiger Splash, as Bengal Tigers play in a 35 X 50 foot pool. How about feeding one of them, from only a few feet away? Then at the Wonders of Wildlife show, you will be introduced to all sorts of creatures, some cute and cuddly and some, not so cuddly.

Out of Africa Wildlife park is home to more than 400 animals from all over the world. Animals include, but by no means limited to, Zebra, Rhinoceros, Ostrich, Spotted Hyena, North American Black Bear, Royal White Bengal Tiger and an Australian Bare-Eyed Cockatoo.

To get in adults pay $32, seniors pay $28, kid's ages 3 to 12 cost $20 and kids under age three are free. Annual memberships are also available.

The Out of Africa Wildlife Park is located at 3505 West Highway 260, Camp Verde, Arizona 86322, about 90miles from Phoenix. (928) 567-2840

sources:

travel.yahoo.comwww.mustseephoenix.comwww.asu.edu
phoenix.about.com