b'Sedonas Red Rock countryDesert, and desert wildflowers. Visit the Garden and enjoy Less well known than the Grand Canyon, but arguablyspecialized tours, special events, seasonal exhibits, concerts, even more beautiful, is the Red Rock Country of Sedona. family activities, Gertrudes restaurant, Patio Caf, and the Several tour companies, offer day trips from Phoenix.Gardens gift and plant shop.If youre interested in Native American history, you canJapanese Friendship opt to add a stop at national monument ruins or NavajoGardentrading posts along the way. And if youre feelingDesigned and built by adventurous, you canarchitect Nozomu Okita in schedule backcountry Jeeppartnership with Phoenixs tours through the area. Yetsister city Himeji, Japan, another option is to seethe Japanese Friendship both Sedona and the GrandGarden is a traditional Canyon on the same day orJapanese stroll garden overnight trip - either withlocated right in the citys a guided bus tour or byheart. Sitting on 3.5 renting a car. acres of land, the garden features 1,500 tons of hand-picked rock and more than 50 varieties of plants, a 12-foot waterfall, lanterns, streams, walking paths, and a massive Koi pond housing over 300 Koi fish.Marvelous museumsHeard MuseumThe internationally acclaimed Heard Museum is one of the best places to experience the myriad cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest. With a commanding presence on Central Avenue in downtown Phoenix, the museum hosts nearly 250,000 visitors a year and provides indigenous artists with a wonderful home that excites and inspires visitors from around the world. The museums 10 spacious exhibit galleries and beautiful outdoor courtyards feature outstanding traditional and contemporary Native American art.Gorgeous gardensDesert Botanical GardenThe Desert Botanical Garden offers the worlds finest collection of arid plants from deserts of the world in a unique outdoor setting. The Garden has more than 50,000 desert plants on display throughout five thematic trails that illustrate topics such as conservation, desert living, plants and people of the SonoranContinued on page 14AAP Periospectives| 13'