Best summer vacation spots in new mexico
Travel can be hard. Really hard. Traveling to new places with unfamiliar cultures, having to deal with unfamiliar foods, finding accommodation for a decent price, and all those stories about getting mugged in foreign countries are just so terrifying. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a place to travel where you don’t have to deal with any of that headache? Well look no further! Here are some of the best places in New Mexico for you to take an awesome vacation this summer.
New Mexico offers many vacation spots in its unique landscapes and varied settings. Whether you have your heart set on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, hiking along the Rio Grande, hearing flamenco performed by the Camino Real or watching sandstorms sweep over the dunes at White Sands National Monument, you’ll find something fun to do this summer.
Tired of searching high and low for the best vacation spots? Ready to throw your hands up and give up? Luckily, you’re in the right place. Your days spent searching are over. In this mega-list of tourist attractions, you’ll find the 30 coolest places to visit in the beautiful state of New Mexico. Be sure to look through all of them because I’m positive you’ll enjoy at least one.
New Mexico is a great vacation spot, whether you’re planning to spend time in the city or explore its natural wonders. The state offers a wide range of activities and experiences, which makes it easy to find something that suits your interests.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or an adventurous excursion, you can find what you need in New Mexico. Here are some of the best summer vacation spots in New Mexico:
Taos
Taos is a small town with a big personality that offers plenty of things for visitors to enjoy. From guided tours through town to hiking trails and other outdoor activities, there’s always something new to try. If you prefer more sedentary activities like shopping or dining out, Taos has plenty of options for those too!
Santa Fe
If you’re looking for an urban experience without having to deal with big crowds or traffic jams (and who isn’t?), Santa Fe is the perfect place for you! This historic city offers plenty of museums and galleries along with plenty of outdoor activities like hiking trails and waterfalls nearby as well. You’ll never run out of things to do while visiting Santa Fe!
As summer approaches, the time is right to start planning your vacation.
If you’re looking for a place to escape the heat and relax, New Mexico is just the place for you. There are plenty of options for all budgets, so whether you’re looking to spend a few days or a few weeks away from home, there’s something in this state that will suit your needs.
Here are some of our favorite places to visit:
1) Santa Fe: It’s one of the oldest European settlements in North America and has an old-world charm that can’t be beat. You’ll find plenty of art galleries and museums here, as well as some great restaurants. And if you’re looking for somewhere quiet to sit back and take in the scenery, there’s no better place than the Santa Fe National Forest (which is just outside of town).
2) Albuquerque: This city has plenty going on year-round—from festivals celebrating everything from jazz music to contemporary art—and it’s also home to several famous writers who have lived here over the years (including John Steinbeck). If you’re not into museums or galleries but still want something cultural, try out one of Albuquerque’s many theaters or movie theaters—they’ve got something
Taos
Taos is an exciting destination in New Mexico if you love skiing and snow sports. There are several ski resorts here to hit the slopes and take in the mountain scenery. But Taos is also a fun town to visit any time of the year, even when the snow isn’t falling. It has an artsy vibe, and the scenic landscapes have even drawn in artistic legends like Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. You’ll often find craft fairs here, as well as the Taos Art Museum to experience the city’s artsy side. If there is a must-do, it is visiting the Taos Pueblo, a multi-story adobe village that has been continuously inhabited since pre-Columbian times and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Santa Fe
New Mexico’s capital is an especially enchanting city with a small, walkable downtown that offers a number of attractions, including a picturesque central square that serves as a gathering place of all types, which makes for some great people-watching. Santa Fe is an artsy city with Native American crafts and jewelry for sale, musicians performing impromptu songs on open lawns, and so many galleries with beautiful items for sale. One of the best places in the U.S. to spark your inner artist, you’ll find some 250 art galleries as well as one of the largest art markets in the nation. Once your creative juices are flowing, choose from one or more of the 200+ creative experiences available through workshops and hands-on art classes that focus on everything from photography, glassblowing and painting to pottery, weaving, and drawing.
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Albuquerque
Albuquerque is a large New Mexico city that offers a little something for everyone. “Breaking Bad” fans will enjoy taking a tour of the iconic TV filming sites, and active travelers will love the great bike routes through and around the city. In the fall, the city really comes alive with the International Balloon Fiesta, a huge event that launches hot air balloons into the New Mexico skies. Make sure to explore Albuquerque’s historic Old Town, get birds-eye views from the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, and sample local beers and wines from the area’s many breweries and wineries. If you’re looking for a local place to stay, check out the city’s top Airbnbs.
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White Sands National Park, Alamogordo
One of the state’s most unusual landscapes is the incredibly striking snow-white dunes of White Sands National Park, composed of gypsum. The wave-like dunes engulf 275 square miles of the Chihuahuan Desert and are considered to be one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Walk 10 minutes from the road in just about any direction, and suddenly all you can see are an endless expanse of white dunes, some as high as 60 feet, with mountains glistening on the horizon and the blue bowl of sky. Ranger-guided and evening walks through the dunes are available.
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The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa
Surprisingly, one of America’s driest states is home to a world-renowned scuba diving site, the Blue Hole. Located in Santa Rosa, the natural, bell-shaped pool is 80 feet deep and is famous for its incredible clarity and constant water temperature of 61 degrees. It’s considered an artesian aquifer, where rainwater trapped beneath the ground is forced up under natural pressure. The spheres you see bobbing on its surface are attached to underwater diving platforms. It appears in the midst of the arid high mesas like a grand, brilliant blue gem, and is not just for divers, it’s also considered to be one of the top 10 natural swimming holes in the nation.
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Carlsbad Caverns
Secretly nestled below the Chihuahuan Desert and the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico is an incredible treasure in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. On the surface this area looks deceptively normal – in fact, it’s hard to imagine that under this bleak stretch of landscape, there exists a magnificent world of exquisite beauty. Visitors are taken via elevator, 75 stories underground to an illuminated walkway where hundreds of formations are unveiled, including some that resemble ocean waves, soda straws, and even the face of a mountain troll. One of the best parks in New Mexico, it is home to over 300 known caves, with more discovered every year.
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Silver City
Silver City is located in the remote southwest corner of New Mexico, serving as the high-country gateway to the beautiful Gila Wilderness. It makes an ideal base for exploring the famous Gila Cliff Dwellings and enjoying the multiple geothermal hot springs in the area. It offers plenty of attractions on its own, including fabulous Old West charm and a historic district with a number of outstanding eateries serving eclectic fare, coffee houses with a fun bohemian vibe and the popular Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery, which features a tasting room and tavern that produces house-crafted beers and spirits.
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