Moorten Botanical Gardens

The petite private garden Moorten Botanical Gardens (moortenbotanicalgarden.com; adult/child $7/3) was created in 1938 by silent movie actor Chester "Cactus Slim" Moorten and his wife Patricia and is now overseen by their son Clark. A stroll through this enchanting symphony of cacti, agaves and other succulents and desert flora is balm for eyes and soul and also takes you past "Cactus Castle," the Spanish–style family home. You may also see the resident desert tortoises trucking around if they’re not hibernating, a treat since tortoise sightings in the wild are rare.