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Excellent points Malamute. There really is no enticing reason to come here, short term, the way there is in Ruidoso or Traverse City. Ruidoso has mountains and as you said, a break from the heat. Traverse City has water. Las Cruces has, well, nothing. It's more of a place to live than it is to visit.
We don't have mountains?
I can think of many reasons to come visit - White Sands, Dripping Springs, Old Mesilla, the incredibly scenic drive down 28 to El Paso and yes, The Farmer's Market - to name a few.
Since I moved here, I cannot get over feeling like I am still on vacation. I never get tired of any of these places.
I can think of many reasons to come visit - White Sands, Dripping Springs, Old Mesilla, the incredibly scenic drive down 28 to El Paso and yes, The Farmer's Market - to name a few.
Since I moved here, I cannot get over feeling like I am still on vacation. I never get tired of any of these places.
You are from Bergen County, right?
Coming from Bergen County, going to Stroudsburg PA would be like going on vacation. But, with that said, where are the people coming from to enjoy these activities? And are they staying expressly to partake in these activities, or, are they, as Malamute suggested, en route to some other place? For instance, many here in Las Cruces or El Paso (or from other areas in West Texas) will go to Ruidoso to cool off, shop, eat, etc. There is a snowlift, a racetrack, a casino there. It kind of makes for a full 3 or 4 day weekend experience. Can the places you mention make for that similar kind of experience? I know what you mean about being on vacation, but we both are here re-located from a very different area of the country. It's a complete change, and it does lend itself to being on a long term vacation. But we came from a completely different area of the country. Most of Ruidoso's business comes from people who live in a proximate area. It's kind of like people going to towns in the Pocono Mountains or the Jersey Shore for a 3-4 day weekend. You didn't see people making a 4 day vacation going to Woodcliff Lake or Ho-Ho-Kus. That's because that's where people made their primary residence.
The clip I posted was done by a downtown assn, and certainly focused on tourism, so it's natural that you'd see it as a primarily tourist area. But understand also that from early October thru the end of May tourism isn't much of a factor there at all, and what you see in the vid is mid-summer, when tourism is at it's peak. Regional shopping and entertainment IS what makes that town prosper year round and tourism is an important boost during the summer season.
I was in TC yesterday doing some business before heading back to Mesilla (can't wait to get back!), it was snowing like crazy (over 40 inches so far this winter) and the streets were still busy with local people Christmas shopping, dining, going to the movie, whatever. A downtown based on tourism would be pretty bleak right about now, especially in the Michigan depression.
Tourism does help an area and a small town like TC, there is no doubt. Why else would a little pueblo like Mesilla have so many restaurants and shops? All patronized by local folks, no doubt, but also there to attract and serve the visitor.
When tourists are in Southern New Mexico or Westernmost Texas, or just on their way to Tucson or LA or Santa Fe, where is a natural stop for them? The Crossroads, my friends....right in LC! How many thousands of tourists and potential visitors zip thru on 25 and 10 every day? But, right now, when they stop, what do they see? The same malls with the same chain shops and restaurants they have at home. Big deal...can see that at home, or anywhere else for that matter. If they go downtown to visit a museum or whatever, it probably scares and/or depresses them. There are strengths in LC. Unless you want to ski or gamble, Ruidoso is pretty cold right now, where LC is still temperate. LC is on the Camino Real, one of the earliest European trade routes in the USA, it has a great mix of cultures, with music, food, art, architecture, on and on. It's in a beautiful river valley. It's up to LC to find it's strengths and grow them..nourish and develop them. I think that's underway, starting with the reopening of Main St. etc. but it will take time and strong support from local people and organizations. People have to discover their pride in Las Cruces.
Traverse City did this by tearing down factories and warehouses and a huge power plant that lined the lakefront and creating a park system in that area. They saw one of their strengths, developed it, and it looks great now. It's major attraction in the summer. The downtown had wonderful old buildings that had been covered over in a stupid attempt to modernize in the 50s and 60s (sound familiar?), and gradually those buildings are being restored as they were originally. When you walk down that main st. you know where you are... it's not a cookie cutter mall in Anywhere USA, and local entrepreneurs operate the vast majority of those storefronts and restaurants. (By the way, the nearest freeway is over 40 miles away.)
I posted the video thing just to show that it can be done.
Great post!
We have so many hidden jewels in LC and I do include the art museum, the Branigan Library, the Rio Grande Theater and Branigan Cultural Center in that list.
I will never forget my absolute astonishment at being able to see the wonderful Dali exhibit last year as well as the wonderful exhibit of work done by some of our incredibly talented local high school students.
There are wonderful things here, if we take the blinders off.
I am encouraged by the plans to enhance University Avenue and the NMSU campus and I believe that the downtown area will ultimately come together with enough support and the right resources.
Say what you will about the 'Disneyfication' of mid-town NYC, but, many people never thought that area would get cleaned up and re-vitalized.
As the lottery people used to say 'All it takes is a dollar and a dream.'
You are from Bergen County, right?
Coming from Bergen County, going to Stroudsburg PA would be like going on vacation. But, with that said, where are the people coming from to enjoy these activities? And are they staying expressly to partake in these activities, or, are they, as Malamute suggested, en route to some other place? For instance, many here in Las Cruces or El Paso (or from other areas in West Texas) will go to Ruidoso to cool off, shop, eat, etc. There is a snowlift, a racetrack, a casino there. It kind of makes for a full 3 or 4 day weekend experience. Can the places you mention make for that similar kind of experience? I know what you mean about being on vacation, but we both are here re-located from a very different area of the country. It's a complete change, and it does lend itself to being on a long term vacation. But we came from a completely different area of the country. Most of Ruidoso's business comes from people who live in a proximate area. It's kind of like people going to towns in the Pocono Mountains or the Jersey Shore for a 3-4 day weekend. You didn't see people making a 4 day vacation going to Woodcliff Lake or Ho-Ho-Kus. That's because that's where people made their primary residence.
Yep, and I would add that there are some still very suitable vacation spots in North Jersey.
Before I moved here, I managed to spend four very full days by going to the very places I mentioned. And, yes, I traveled here expressly to do just that. Nothing against Ruidoso, but none of the things offered there have ever tempted me to make that trip.
And, I know that there are other people, like me, who have no interest in skiing or horse racing or gambling, for whom wandering around the greater LC area would be vacation enough. There may not be many, but I know they are out there
Yep, and I would add that there are some still very suitable vacation spots in North Jersey.
Before I moved here, I managed to spend four very full days by going to the very places I mentioned. And, yes, I traveled here expressly to do just that. Nothing against Ruidoso, but none of the things offered there have ever tempted me to make that trip.
And, I know that there are other people, like me, who have no interest in skiing or horse racing or gambling, for whom wandering around the greater LC area would be vacation enough. There may not be many, but I know they are out there
I am more like you. I'd rather hike Baylor Canyon en route to Aguirre Springs than I would, say, rent a cabin in Ruidoso and hang on my back porch. I'd rather take a scenic drive through the Stahman orchards to go gambling at Inn of the Mountain Gods (most of the time anyway). But we are in the minority in this country. Most would prefer to take it easy, shop, eat, buy stuff, and gamble at a casino or racetrack, than go to a farmers market, a theater, etc.
If I had my druthers, I would live in Las Cruces, and vacation somewhere else. Las Cruces is a great town with plenty of amenities, but not exactly a tourist attraction. People who relocate to tourist destinations are often disappointed, while people who move to nice places to live, are less likely to be disappointed. Some towns are both, and then you have it all. IMHO!
You are making judgments of other lifestyles based upon your own values. There are many whose culture is very different. You cannot expect them to fit into your neat little mold. You need to love and appreciate people for their differences and not make judgments based upon cultural bias.
If they do not think that conservation and sustainability and having a charming little walking mall downtown is important; and if you are not happy with that kind of environment then perhaps you need to move to Portland or San Fran. where there are people who share your ideals.
There is no right or wrong and I am not slamming your point of view or any one else's. It is just that all too often I have heard disparaging remarks about people when in fact, they are simply misunderstood.
20yrsinBranson
What's to misunderstand about beating your dog? ever? anywhere? That's when you need to get in their business whether they like it or not. That's not acceptable anywhere - it has nothing to do with culture. Trash everywhere - culture??
Las Cruces is better off as a nice city then a tourist trap...which is what most Tourist destinations are...nice to visit but better off the live elsewhere...
There are wonderful things here, if we take the blinders off.
I am encouraged by the plans to enhance University Avenue and the NMSU campus and I believe that the downtown area will ultimately come together with enough support and the right resources.
You're absolutely right - which is why I moved here and why I still live here. Sometimes I run into a bad spell with a few days where it seems all I encounter are stray attack dogs, guys beating their dogs with a bucket, seeing people dumping trash into the irrigation canals, getting garbage thrown at me while I'm riding my bike...and I'm just soured and discouraged.
It's imperative to look beyond that and appreciate what southern NM does have to offer, and there are a lot of little treasures hidden amongst all the filth.
What's to misunderstand about beating your dog? ever? anywhere? That's when you need to get in their business whether they like it or not. That's not acceptable anywhere - it has nothing to do with culture. Trash everywhere - culture??
"There are many whose culture is very different. You cannot expect them to fit into your neat little mold. You need to love and appreciate people for their differences and not make judgments based upon cultural bias."
Part of the reason I moved here was for the Southwestern culture - the historic architecture, the fabulous regional foods, the mix of Spanish & English.
Seeing abused dogs chained to trees, trash dumped everywhere, and Walmart mentality isn't really culture and not quite what I envisioned before I moved here. I don't have to love and appreciate anyone who hurts animals and destroys the environment we all share.
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