Thrifty Phoenix - Rental Car

Desert Botanical Garden

This garden is located in Papago Park and has the largest outdoor desert plant collection. During the Spring the visitors will see a variety of colorful plants placed in a way that will amaze them. This park is not just good for gazing at but also good for exercise. The main attraction to this garden is the ethno botanical walking trail which strolls through the garden. It also explains how the plants were involved into Native American tribal life.

Arizona Capitol Museum

This museum is held in a beautiful stone building which was once the state capitol.  Inside visitors will find out how Arizona was documented as a territory and how it first started out as a state. There is a copper dome and a 16 foot zinc Winged Victory statute. In and around the building are flags that document the state's history. Some of the flags are even from Spain, Mexico, and the Confederacy.

Mystery Castle

This castle has 18 rooms and was built in the 1930's and 40's by Boyce Luther Gulley. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis before he built the house. He left his family in Seattle and then came to Phoenix because he liked the weather. He built this mansion from recycled materials and old bricks honoring his young daughter.  Shortly after he died, the house went to his daughter. His daughter and her mother moved into the mansion immediately. Today the daughter still lives there and holds tours through the house in memory of her father.