Moorten Botanical Gardens (Palm Springs)

Though only an acre in size, the Moorten Botanical Garden is packed with prickly varieties of cacti and other desert plants. The family-owned garden dates back to the 1930s and harbors more than 3,000 specimens of desert plants from around the world that are grouped by region. There's also a nursery if you want to take some plants back home with you—a rather lively souvenir, if you ask us.

Address: 1701 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264. Phone: (760) 327-6555