The largest city in New Mexico, which is situated about 65 miles to the southwest of Santa Fe, attracts both culture vultures and outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors have the option of hiking in the nearby Sandia Mountains or taking the 2.7-mile-long, scenic Sandia Peak Tramway instead to save their feet. Meanwhile, visitors interested in learning more about Albuquerque's numerous museums can peruse the interesting collections at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, and the Albuquerque Museum. Visit Historic Old Town for a look into Albuquerque's past, where a number of art galleries, eateries, and businesses are currently housed in Pueblo-Spanish-style adobe structures. It is one of the best things to do in New Mexico.

Albuquerque is lovely all year round, but tourists suggest going in October when the nine-day Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta features more than 500 vibrant hot air balloons taking to the skies. This well-known festival, which is the most photographed event in history, features hot air balloon rides, concerts, educational exhibits, pyrotechnics, and evening balloon glows, where hundreds of grounded balloons simultaneously fire their burners to provide a beautiful nocturnal light show.

Location: county seat of the county of Bernalillo

Website: https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/

Phone: 1-800-284-2282

TripAdvisor rating: 2.5/5.0

One of the most captivating and unique natural wonders in New Mexico, if not the entire globe, is White Sands National Park. The world's largest gypsum dune field may be found within this magnificent national park, which is situated within the Tularosa Basin. Recent visitors claim the sight will take your breath away. More than 73,000 acres of beautiful white sand spread as far as the eye can see. In fact, the size of this beautiful dune plain makes it visible from orbit. Visitors can travel through the park by car. There is an 8-mile route that runs from the White Sands Visitor Center to the center of the gypsum dune area. Another well-liked activity is biking, and the park offers a number of ranger-led programs that range from romantic twilight strolls to full moon hikes.

But sledding is the pastime that the majority of tourists can't wait to attempt. This thrilling sport is permitted along Dunes Drive's loop, where there is little surrounding foliage and no close traffic to present a safety concern. The most secure way to sled is on a plastic snow saucer that has been waxed; these may be bought at the park's gift store.

Location: in the state of New Mexico and completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range

Phone: +1 575-479-6124

Google rating: 4.8/5.0

The capital of New Mexico is teeming with tourist-friendly attractions. Santa Fe Plaza, a National Historic Landmark in the heart of Santa Fe, ought to be your first destination. Visitors can take in the colorful ambiance of the plaza, which frequently hums with markets, live music, and vendors. Many of the restaurants and stores in Santa Fe's downtown may be reached from here as well.

Meanwhile, tourists who enjoy stunning opera performances held in exceptional open-air theaters are drawn to the famed Santa Fe Opera House. Along with other tourist favorites like the New Mexico History Museum, New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art, and Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return, a distinctive and eye-catching art installation with more than 70 rooms of immersive art, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is also a must-see. Plus, Santa Fe's Canyon Road is lined with more than 80 galleries and studios featuring some of the best New Mexican artists, as if that weren't enough. When the Santa Fe Fiesta, an annual event that features music, dancing, arts and crafts vendors, and more, takes place in September, you may visit to see the city come to life.

Location: the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico

Phone: 800-777-2489

Website: https://www.santafe.org/

Deep beneath the Chihuahuan Desert, there is a vast labyrinth of limestone caves, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park is where more than 100 of them may be found. Sulfuric acid disintegrated Capitan limestone, creating a complex network of caverns and rock formations in the process. The Big Room Trail and the Natural Entrance Trail are two underground paths that you can use to explore these caverns at your own pace. The most well-known path, known as the Big Room Trail, leads travelers through one of the biggest cave chambers in North America. Along the Natural Entrance Trail, tourists can view rocky formations, including Devil's Spring and Iceberg Rock. The trail is exceedingly steep, so experienced hikers should only attempt it. It is one of the best things to do in New Mexico.

There are various hiking trails that travel above ground in the Chihuahuan Desert and the Guadalupe Mountains. Popular treks include the half-mile Chihuahuan Desert Nature Track and the park's 100-mile Guadalupe Ridge Trail, which is the longest above-ground trail. Every nightfall, 400,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats leave Carlsbad Cavern in search of food, so if you go during the summer, you can witness this. From Memorial Day weekend until October, rangers conduct free, informative presentations at the Bat Flight Amphitheater, where visitors may get the best view of this stunning mass exodus.

Location: in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico
Website: https://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm

Phone: +1 575-785-2232
Google rating: 4.9/5.0

The now-famous 1947 reported UFO crash, in which debris from a "flying disc" was discovered on the property of a local rancher, gave the town of Roswell its name. Even though Air Force personnel confirmed that the debris was from a weather balloon that had crashed, the incident gave rise to a lot of rumors. Many people still think that this occurrence is evidence of the existence of extraterrestrial life. Whether you believe in UFOs or not, Roswell is a must-visit location for anybody visiting New Mexico for the first time.

Visit the International UFO Museum and Research Center to discover more about the community's reputed alien presence. The goal of the exhibitions is to educate the public about the 1947 Roswell Incident and other unexplained phenomena related to UFO research, not to persuade visitors of anything. But there's more going on in this tiny town in southeast New Mexico than simply aliens. Along with a plethora of outdoor activities, Roswell is also home to a number of prestigious art museums, including the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art and the Roswell Museum. Head to Bottomless Lakes State Park where the blue-green tint of the enormous sinkholes here gives the impression of great depth for exciting sports like swimming, kayaking, and scuba diving.

Location: 426 N. Main St.Roswell, NM 88201

Website: https://seeroswell.com/

Phone: 575-623-3442

TripAdvisor rating: 4.0/5.0

Bandelier National Monument, which spans more than 33,000 acres of untamed wilderness, is a reminder of the intriguing and lengthy history of New Mexico. This monument safeguards thousands of archaeological sites, including cave houses, communities, and petroglyphs that were formerly inhabited by the Ancestral Pueblo people.

In addition to these well-preserved remains, there are more than 70 miles of hiking paths in the park. Visitors can explore the three caves, which are little rock caverns that have been excavated by hand along the Main (Pueblo) Loop Trail, by using the wooden ladders that are already there. Other trails lead to mesa tops and waterfalls. Visit the visitor center, which features a museum with interactive displays and a documentary on the park, to learn more about Bandelier and its past. It is one of the best things to do in New Mexico. The Western National Parks Association Store, which offers an extensive selection of books, maps, and souvenirs, is located across the parking lot from the visitor center.

Address: 15 Entrance Road, Los Alamos, NM 87544

Website: https://www.nps.gov/band/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

Phone: +1 505-672-3861

Google rating: 4.8/5.0

The "Soul of the Southwest," Taos, is known for its art galleries, hot springs, breathtaking scenery, and fantastic skiing prospects. The Kit Carson House & Museum, the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, and the Millicent Rogers Museum are a few of the most popular museums among tourists in Taos.

Take a stroll through the old Taos Plaza after viewing the exhibitions, or get in your car and drive the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. When you're driving, you can see Wheeler Peak and Hondo Valley. Visitors can walk along the gorge's rim for a new perspective or drive across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, one of the tallest bridges in the United States, for an adrenaline-pumping experience. It is one of the best things to do in New Mexico. Taos Ski Valley and Red River Ski & Summer Area are two of the region's most well-liked skiing resorts. When wintertime rolls around, Taos is bustling with skiers eager to hit the slopes.

Location: in the north-central region of New Mexico

Website: https://taos.org/

Phone: 1-800-732-8267

TripAdvisor rating: 4.5/5.0

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place on the National Register of Historic Places, Chaco Culture National Historical Park is roughly 150 miles northwest of Albuquerque. This area served as a key hub for Chacoan culture between A.D. 850 and 1250. The roughly 4,000 ancient and historic archaeological sites in the park serve as reminders of the once-thriving civilization that once called this place home. Many of these are the remains of Chacoan great houses, enormous stone structures built employing masonry methods (which were unusual at the time). These dwellings are among the biggest, most intricate, and best-preserved prehistoric buildings in North America.

Driving around the 9-mile Canyon Loop Drive, which connects six significant cultural sites, such as Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl, Una Vida, Hungo Pavi, Pueblo del Arroyo, and Casa Rinconada, allows guests to have a self-guided tour of these homes while they are in the area. Pueblo Bonito is without a doubt the most well-known of these, and for good reason. Pueblo Bonito is a magnificent illustration of early Pueblo history and was formerly the heart of Chacoan society. Today, tourists can explore the area on a small gravel route (less than a mile) and take in the remnants of this magnificent architectural marvel. Remember that getting here entails a long trip over miles of very uneven and rough roads, which may not be appropriate for cars without all-wheel or four-wheel drive.

Address: 1808 CR 7950, Nageezi, NM 87037

Website: https://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm

Phone: +1 505-786-7014

Google rating: 4.7/5.0

The prospects for scuba diving and snorkeling in landlocked New Mexico are unknown. But Santa Rosa's Blue Hole might be among the most intriguing diving locations in the country. The Cowboys originally used this surprising jewel as a method to escape the summer heat in the midst of the state's enormous desert terrain. Today, tourists from all over the world travel there to swim, dive, and perform cliff jumps. It is one of the best things to do in New Mexico.

One of the most unusual tourist destinations in New Mexico is the Santa Rosa Blue Hole, which has water that refills at a rate of 3,000 gallons per minute and maintains a constant temperature of 62 degrees. A little fishing pond nearby that has an inflatable obstacle course is well-liked by families. Keep in mind that a permit is required to dive here for scuba divers.

Address: 1085 Blue Hole Road, Santa Rosa, NM 88435

Website: https://www.santarosabluehole.com/

Phone: 575-472-3763

Google rating: 4.6/5.0

Petroglyphs, intricate and sacred rock carvings done with a chisel and hammerstone between 400 and 700 years ago by Native Americans and Spanish settlers. Nearly 25,000 of these carvings, 90% of which are thought to have been created by Ancestral Pueblo people, are protected by the Petroglyph National Monument. Even though it's unclear what many of these petroglyphs actually symbolize, they are an essential part of New Mexico's spiritual and cultural environment.

The monument features three petroglyph viewing locations with hiking routes of varying lengths and levels of difficulty. With bathrooms and a drinking fountain, Boca Negra Canyon is the only fully constructed section in the park and a particularly well-liked tourist destination. Although Boca Negra has more amenities, the other two viewing spots, Rinconada Canyon and Piedras Marcadas Canyon, are equally as stunning. While visiting, bear in mind that the monument is home to western diamondback and prairie rattlesnakes, so keep a look out for them.

Address: Unser Blvd. NW at Western Trail, Albuquerque, NM 87120

Website: https://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm

Phone: +1 505-899-0205

Google rating: 4.6/5.

The 21,000-acre Ghost Ranch, made famous by the famed artist Georgia O'Keeffe, is located in northern New Mexico and features spectacular desert scenery. Even though the vistas are breathtaking, this picturesque retreat offers more than simply beauty. One of New Mexico's most significant geological and paleontological riches is the area. Hiking, massages, kayaking on Abiquiu Lake, and even learning about the dinosaurs that once inhabited these areas millions of years ago are all options for visitors in this area. The only complete Coelophysis fossil—a little, slender carnivorous dinosaur—can be found on the property.

On-site resources for learning and study include libraries, museums, and several interesting fossil quarries. There are also many tours available, whether you're interested in fossils, Georgia O'Keeffe paintings, or sunset horseback riding. She previously resided on the site. At the retreat, guests have the option of staying overnight or only for the day in one of the rustic lodgings or the campground.

Address: 280 Private Drive 1708, Abiquiu, NM 87510

Website: https://www.ghostranch.org/

Phone: +1 505-685-1021

Google rating: 3.4/5.0

New Mexico has several natural hot springs because of its abundant geothermal activity. These springs, which range in size from modest off-the-beaten-path bathing alternatives in the forest to opulent spa resorts, are renowned for their curative qualities. Visitors seeking a more opulent experience can arrange a soak at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa or Jemez Hot Springs, while those seeking to unwind in nature can head to local favorites like Black Rock Hot Springs and Spence Hot Springs (which are clothing-optional).

Black Rock Hot Springs is a small cluster of hot springs that generates a small pool next to the Rio Grande when the river is low. It is situated along the stunning Rio Grande Canyon. The hot spring water is totally covered by cold river water throughout the winter and spring runoff, making it impossible to find. Expect to not be alone because Black Rock is relatively well known and accessible. When visiting hot springs, be careful to behave properly. The hot spring water's rock pool's ongoing repair is the only thing that has improved the situation.

Website: https://www.newmexico.org/things-to-do/health-wellness/natural-hot-springs/

Google rating: 4.5/5.0