Places to Visit in New Mexico

Prior to 1610, when the city of Santa Fe was established by Spanish colonists, the area was occupied by a succession of local tribes, which explains the rich cultural and historical heritage that you can discover in the city today.

You can visit literally dozens of museums, historical sites, and Indian pueblos before even touching on the extravagant list of cultural attractions.

A stroll through the historical districts will showcase over 6,000 structures, and dozens of art museums, galleries, and markets (including the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum) will vie for your attention.

Foodies can hit the Margarita Trail, explore local breweries, and excite their taste buds at dozens of authentic New Mexican eateries.

Few places can compete with Taos when it comes to offering a diversity of attractions and activities within one city. Here you can explore over a thousand years of tradition and see how Native Americans lived several centuries ago at the famous Taos Pueblo, a multi-story adobe complex, before soaking up the atmosphere of this long-time artist colony by visiting some of the many galleries, studios, and museums that showcase mainly local artists.

The city nestles between the Rio Grande Gorge and the Sangre de Christos mountains, offering a large scope for just about any adventure activity you can name.

You can go rafting, hiking, camping, ballooning, fishing, and rock climbing in summer and enjoy the full range of winter sports, including skiing, snow-boarding, tubing, and more in winter.

Situated along historic Route 66, Albuquerque offers visitors an authentic American Southwest experience with a long string of attractions to suit all tastes.

You can explore some of the unique city museums (such as the American International Rattlesnake Museum) or take a walk through the Historic Old Town, which has been around since 1706.

Arts and culture are thriving and there are over 100 art galleries to tour and many venues where you can enjoy the performing arts – try to catch a show at the historic KiMo Theatre.

Other exciting attractions include hot air balloon excursions, the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, and the ABQ Bio Park, which includes an aquarium, botanical garden, and zoo. In addition, you can tour dozens of wineries and craft breweries and sample authentic New Mexico cuisine.

Legend has it that a manned alien spacecraft crashed at Roswell in 1947, but whether or not you believe in aliens you will find plenty to do in this interesting New Mexico town.

There is a long list of historical and cultural attractions you can explore, including the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, the Roswell Symphony Orchestra, and the General Douglas L. McBride Military Museum.

To make up your mind about the alien visitation, you can visit the International UFO Museum and Research Center or go on a Roswell UFO Tour.

Families can visit the Spring River Park and Zoo or go fishing, hiking, camping, and boating at Bottomless Lake State Park.

Nestled in the scenic Mesilla Valley in New Mexico, Las Cruces entices visitors with great year-round weather and a multitude of attractions and activitiesLas Cruces.

Outdoor enthusiasts can get back to nature at the Organ Mountain Desert Peaks National Monument, where you can enjoy hiking, biking, wildlife observation, fishing, and camping or take a day trip to one of several other national parks within a 70-mile radius.

You can take a scenic drive to explore some great historic ghost towns, or visit the Las Cruces Museum of Art. Children will enjoy the Mesilla Valley Maze and foodies can visit breweries and wineries or hit the “Walk of Flame” Las Cruses Green Chile Trail.

White Sands National Monument covers a truly unique 275-square-mile area of wave-like white gypsum sand dunes in the middle of the Tularosa Basin in New Mexico.

You will be amazed to learn about the diversity of flora and fauna that have adapted to these harsh conditions.

After picking up some info or an adventure pack at the visitors center, you can explore the area on foot, by bicycle, on horseback (certain areas only), or by car/motorbike along the 13 km scenic Dunes Drive.

If you enjoy hiking and camping, you can spend a night under the desert sky at one of the primitive backcountry camping sites.

Have some fun sledding the dunes, picnicking, and taking amazing desert photographs.

Carlsbad, New Mexico is something of an anomaly; here you will find a lush green oasis along the Pecos River, in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert.

The area has near-perfect year-round weather, which makes it a great destination for outdoor adventurers, who can enjoy hiking, biking, golf, and water activities all year round.

No visit would be complete without touring the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, where you can explore a wonderful labyrinth of caves that are over 250 million years old.

Young and old can learn about desert fauna at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens National Park and then beat the summer heat at the Carlsbad Water Park or at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park.

Las Vegas , New Mexico, is the complete antithesis to Nevada’s big and brash city of the same name. Here in New Mexico you will feel as though you have stepped out of a time machine into the 1800s as you walk through one of the best-preserved historical gems in the country.

You can stroll around five Historic Districts which are home to over 900 buildings on the National Historic Register.

The city’s Arts and Cultural District is just as fascinating and offers several galleries and live entertainment at the Historic Serf Theatre Hall.

You can enjoy water sports or go hiking, biking, and camping at the Storrie Lake State Park or visit the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge.

Visitors to Los Alamos will be amazed at the number and variety of attractions with which to fill their days.

A self-guided walking tour of the Historic District will help you find your bearings in the city – you can visit the Los Alamos Historical Museum, Fuller Lodge, and an ancestral Pueblo dwelling along the way.

The Los Alamos Creative District hosts a variety of events and activities for art lovers, while the Bradbury Science Museum will fascinate all ages.

Many people visit Los Alamos primarily to enjoy incredible mountain vistas – you can go on a scenic drive or get active on over 150 miles of hiking and biking trails, play a round of golf, or visit the Pajarito Ski Mountain in winter.

Alamogordo is a historic railroad town situated in the Tularosa Basin near the spectacular White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico.

The town is steeped in history – you can visit Old Town Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin Historical Museum to learn about the old days, while the fascinating New Mexico Museum of Space History and IMAX Theater will bring you back to the innovative 21st century.

Families can have educational fun at the Alameda Park Zoo, Kids Kingdom, and the Toy Train Depot and Train Museum.

The mild high-desert climate is conducive to outdoor activities in Alamogordo – you can try dune sledding at White Sands National Monument, hiking, camping, and wildlife watching at the Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, and hot air ballooning or desert-oasis golfing.