Must see New Mexico? (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: RV park, spring break, hotel)

[Lunabell]

We recently moved to the San Luis Valley in Colorado and while driving back from Florida for Christmas Vacation, we decided to tour New Mexico for Spring Break. We have an RV and three kids (12 and up). We are planning on doing Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands, but what are the other must see places we should go? We have 10 days to work with and would like to do at least two nights per stop. Please let me know what we need to see! We like natural areas and out of the way places and are not that interested in city centers, if that helps, but are more than open to checking them out if they are must-see. Thanks!

[riverdad]

1. Chaco Culture National Historic Park (NW part of the state)
2. 3 Rivers Petroglyph site (between Tularosa and Carrizozo)

These are 2 of my favorite places. They are both pretty isolated.

3. Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. Completely different than the first 2, but tons of fun. I took my 23 year old nieces there over the Christmas holiday and they loved it.

[Oregon Bill]

On your White Sands visit, consider staying at the BLM's Aguirre Springs campground, just off Highway 70. It lies at the very foot of the east side of the Organ Mountains and is absolutely spectacular, with wonderful hikes available. Immediately to the east is the headquarters complex of the guided missile range, with museum and missile park. White Sands National Monument is about 40 minutes east, and Las Cruces is about 40 minutes west (Old Mesilla will remind you of Taos). If interested, get your reservations early and keep in mind the campground gate closes at 6 p.m. this time of year. If the kids are into space, there is a really nice space museum here in Alamogordo -- and of course, Highway 82 here leads up the Sacramentos to Cloudcroft and on to Artesia and Carlsbad. You could also take Highway 54 north to Carrizozo, then 380 through Capitan (Smokey the Bear) and Lincoln (Billy the Kid --see the courthouse!) then tie into 70 at Hondo and on into Roswell. The Three Rivers petroglyphs midway between Alamogordo and Carrizozo must be seen to be believed. Even just 45 minutes there would be more than worth your time. It is hard to make a bad choice in this wonderful state.
Addendum: It sounds like you might be going home via I-25. There is not much to see in Cimarron, but the Ernest Thompson Seton Museum at Philmont Scout Ranch just north of town is a hidden gem that many are unaware of. Have lunch at the old St. James hotel on the way to Philmont and let the kids see if they can find all the bullet holes in the tin ceiling!

[joqua]

Originally Posted by Lunabell

We recently moved to the San Luis Valley in Colorado

Traveling south from the San Luis Valley to White Sands "can" be done in one long day, but would mean passing up numerous attractions along the way. The most scenic route would be one of several options that avoids interstate travel and goes straight south through Santa Fe and on directly southward, eventually connecting with US-54 into Alamogordo and White Sands.

My choice would then be to travel US-54 to El Paso and US-180/62 to Hueco Tanks State park, Guadalupe Natl. Park, and onward to Carlsbad Caverns N.P. Then loop back north on US-285 through Carlsbad/Artesia with options for either heading west to Cloudcroft/Ruidoso, or via Roswell to Ruidoso and all the tourist attractions in that area.

From Ruidoso, retrace your route via US-54 and onward to Santa FE and spend the time remaining at some of the sites bypassed on the southward journey.

Alternatively, one could head straight back to Santa Fe from Roswell on US-385 and spend the remaining time visiting sites in the northern part of the state.

[aries63]

If you have not seen them, then Taos and Santa Fe's historic Plaza areas are must-see. They are unlike any "city centers" you have seen before. Both have excellent museums that interpret the local areas. Museum Hill in Santa Fe (outside the city center) has the International Folk Art Museum which is a must-see in my book. There are also museums focused on Indian arts and culture which may also be of interest.

You can park your RV at Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos which has ancient cliff dwellings to explore that are fascinating for all ages:
https://www.nps.gov/band/planyourvis...campground.htm

[Sarahsez]

I started listing places we loved. I think we will have to make another trip out. There is a lot that is neat, but not necessarily what I would visit on my first trip.

Make sure you are out each evening when the sun goes down. New Mexico has the best sunsets. Taos and that top northwestern part of the state is very colorful.

You may already know this, but hot springs in New Mexico attract nekid people. I'm just throwing a warning out there for the benefit of the kids.

We loved Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands. If you want to do any of the reserved tours, get your reservations in now or as early as you can.

We've been to the Three Rivers Petroglyphs sites a few times. It's easy access and there are quite a few petroglyphs.

My kids enjoy Taos and Santa Fe and all of the food and shopping. Spend at least a day in each. Our favorite restaurants in Taos are Michaels and Orlandos. Santa Fe has several also. I haven't been there in a few years. Check TripAdvisor for ratings.

We enjoyed the Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks. Make sure you bring enough water because there is some significant hiking. It might be easier for you because you aren't having the elevation change I experienced. It's beautiful and not something you see elsewhere.

We looped out of Colorado one time down through Chama and Abiquiu to Santa Fe, I believe. You can do some research. It is very scenic and where Georgia O'Keeffe did her paintings.

My kids used to love the City of Rocks near Silver City when they were little. You would have to make a dedicated trip there if you go. It's not really on the way to anywhere.

We enjoyed our trip to Grants, El Moro and El Malpais when we went there for a weekend. Once again, very scenic. My kids were younger and fascinated with the volcanoes and lava tubes.

Depending upon how you chose to loop around the state, some of these places would be interesting stop or at least you could check it off the list as having seen them:

Roswell has the UFO museum. I wouldn't drive out of my way to see it, but if you are in the area, then go.

Lincoln with the Billy the kid stuff is worth an hour or two if you are in the area.

We didn't stop in Pie Town, but if going through there, I would stop if it were on the way.

The Very Large Array is a stop in the middle of nowhere also.

[SunGrins]

All good suggestions. San Luis Valley is close enough that you can probably make a few trips to see what you missed the first time. Pick either Acoma or Taos pueblos for a visit -- considered longest occupied communities in the US. The Rio Grande Gorge, west of Taos is impressive. There are about a half dozen old Spanish missions now in ruins but interesting. Pecos mission is southeast of Santa Fe. The three Salt Missions are near Mountainair. Jemez mission is at Jemez Springs. Albuquerque has a bunch of museums from race cars to atomic bombs and hot air balloons...not to mention fine art and natural history. There is also the tram to Sandia Peak.

[Lunabell]

Thanks for all the suggestions. You all have given me a lot to look into! We did spend the night in Roswell on the way home this time and I don't think I will go out of my way to go again unless it happens to be a stop along the way.

We drove home from there via 285. It was seriously windy. Is it always that windy? My poor husband was sore from trying to keep the RV on the road.

[Sarahsez]

Originally Posted by Lunabell

Thanks for all the suggestions. You all have given me a lot to look into! We did spend the night in Roswell on the way home this time and I don't think I will go out of my way to go again unless it happens to be a stop along the way.

We drove home from there via 285. It was seriously windy. Is it always that windy? My poor husband was sore from trying to keep the RV on the road.

New Mexico has some seriously windy periods and some sandstorms. I'm sure there is a name for it, but during certain periods of the year, there will be 3-4 days of ongoing noisy wind. It isn't always windy, but sometimes you'll have a nice day and then wind coming out of nowhere. Some roads have warnings because you get the wind that will blow you around and then the dust will reduce visibility.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by Lunabell

We drove home from there via 285. It was seriously windy. Is it always that windy?

Eastern New Mexico and the adjacent Texas panhandle are "high plains" country with all that implies for flat boring countryside - and flatness means windiness more often than calmness.

I mentioned the options when "returning" from White Sands/Carlsbad when you reach Artesia. By traveling west on US-82 you can reach Cloudcroft and the nearby Sunspot Observatory and spectacular views out over the Tularosa Basin that you visited on the way south (White Sands et al).

From Cloudcroft you can travel mountain roads through the Mescalero Indian Reservation to Ruidoso, where there are literally dozens (or more) options for RV parking while you visit the area's numerous attractions. From Ruidoso you can then backtrack over part of your route (with a short side trip to Valley of Fires state park) back to Santa Fe via US-54 as far as NM-550. Take NM-550 to Mountainair and visit the three ancient Pueblo ruins that make up the Salinas National Monument group. There is Manzano State Park just north of Mountainair for the RV.

From Mountainair, continue on north back to Santa Fe via Golden/Madrid/Cerillos.

Following my suggestions you should encounter very little windiness, and then only in short stretches.