Park of the Canals started as nothing more than a roped-off area where the ruins of ancient Hohokam Indian canals had been discovered. Today it is a 30-acre park and desert botanical garden, including vegetation from four distinct desert regions. There is a large children's playground and many picnic tables and ramadas. The park is still reletively undiscovered, so nearly any time you can have the place to yourself. BTW, everything is free.