This is truly a treat in the Valley of the Sun. The Desert Botanical Garden provides a calm getaway from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area. It's nice to visit during the day and browse several different exhibits throughout the park. However, my favorite part of the Desert Botanical Garden is that they offer a wide variety of lovely events throughout the year. In the fall, they host events like Beer in the Garden and Music in the Garden. In the winter, they host their well-known holiday event, Luminaris and in the spring they host a variety of Jazz in the Garden nights. Every event they organize is done well and provides a perfect evening out.
In addition to their wonderful events, I also really love their butterfly exhibit. The butterfly exhibit is charming and sweet. Plus, if you're lucky, you just might visit during a time when they are letting Monarchs loose in the exhibit and you might just get to let one free (hint: go in October).
DBG is one of those places in the Valley that can easily be forgotten by locals but the grounds are beautiful and the events are a perfect activity!