10. The Lincoln Historic Site
Lincoln is a town made famous by one of the most violent periods in New Mexico history. Today's visitors can see the Old Lincoln County Courthouse with museum exhibits that recount the details of the Lincoln County War and the historic use of the "House" as store, residence, Masonic Lodge, courthouse, and jail. Walk in the footsteps of Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and other famous and infamous characters of the Wild West. Trace the events of 1878 through the Courthouse and the Tunstall Store, with their preserved 19th-century atmosphere.
Los Cerrillos is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 229 at the 2000 census. Accessible from State Highway 14 or The Turquoise Trail, Cerrillos is on the road from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, closer to Santa Fe. There are several shops and galleries, a post office, and the Cerrillos Hills State Park, which has five miles of hiking trails. The Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum contains hundreds of artifacts from the American Old West and the Cerrillos Mining District. It also displays cardboard cutouts of characters from the film Young Guns and information on other movies which have been filmed in and around Cerrillos. This is a good place to view Cerrillos Turquoise from the Browns' turquoise claim, The Little Chalchihuitl.
8. Santa Fe
Santa Fe is an amalgam of Native American, Spanish, and Anglo culture, so it only makes sense to dabble in each. You might as well start strong (and early—this morning is jam-packed!) with a Native American-inspired breakfast at
Amaya, at the
Hotel Santa Fe, the city’s only Native American-owned hotel. It’s in downtown Santa Fe’s Railyard District, and on Saturday mornings, this neighborhood is home to one of the best farmers’ markets in the country. In fact, it just claimed the
6th spot in USA TODAY’s 10Best poll for best farmers’ markets in the US.
For a fun weekend in a picturesque town, check out Capitan, New Mexico. With little cafes, restaurants, museums, and gift shops nestled in a beautiful mountain range, whether you want to spend the day in the RV, camping, shopping, or in a museum, you can have it in Capitan! The village of Capitan is located in a gap towards the southwest of the Capitan Mountains. North of Lincoln National Forest, the Mountain Range is about 20 miles long from east to west and about six miles wide. The tallest peak is more than 10,000 feet.
Hidden up New Mexico State Road 14 (also know as the Turquoise Trail) between Albuquerque and Santa Fe is the small eclectic town of Madrid. The town presently is home to several shops, restaurants and a museum, but almost eighty years ago this small wasn't all that small at all. During Madid' heyday the town was home to the largest coal mining companies west of the Mississippi, a professional baseball team and Christmas celebration that drew thousands of people from around the world. Indeed Madrid, New Mexico is a town with an amazing history. There aren't many towns anywhere that can claim that it was once a boomtown, a literal ghost town, and experienced new found fame all in the matter of a handful of decades.
Sandia Peak Tramway has taken more than 12 million passengers to the top of Sandia Peak and back again, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in May 2016. Located on the eastern edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, the tram is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Central New Mexico. A trip to Europe by Robert Nordhaus, who was one of the original founders and owners of the Sandia Peak Ski Company, inspired construction of the tram. Nordhaus came back with the idea of a tram similar to those he rode in Europe and, with partner Ben Abruzzo, they made the idea a reality. It would connect Albuquerque to the top of Sandia Peak, combining first-rate views with efficient transportation for skiers, avoiding a half-hour or more drive on an icy, curving mountain road.
Take a tour around Roswell in the Alien Crawl party bus and experience some of Roswell’s finest restaurants, such as The Black Cock Brewery, Farley’s, Peppers Bar & Grill, Pasta Cafe, Pecos Flavors Winery & Bistro, and Antigua Cocina Mexicana for samples of alien themed beverages and appetizers. Choose from two separate tours that visit three of these establishments for an unforgettable local experience. The tour begins at the Alien Crawl bus stop on Main and 9th St. at the Roswell Convention Center and ends at the Galaxy Cantina, also at the Convention Center.
New Mexico has always embodied the exotic: deep multiculturalism, the mythology of the American West (and a truckload of cinematic Westerns) and epically enormous landscapes. The state has one of the longest histories of European settlement in the United States. It was the birthplace of the atomic bomb and the setting for an untold number of spiritual awakenings. Also here for a long time is the city’s Old Town, which dates from the early 18th century. (Although trade between Native American groups had already been going on for centuries before Europeans arrived, the city was was formally founded in 1706 as part of the provincial kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, a Spanish colony. And yes, a reckoning with that history is under way.) Some of those early adobe structures still stand, including the San Felipe de Neri church, from 1793; the lively High Noon Saloon, from 1785; and the Church Street Café, from sometime in the early 1700s.
2. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
“USA Today 10Best” readers say that the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is the best train ride in North America as well as the top attraction in both New Mexico and Colorado. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad traverses 64-miles between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO. It crosses the borders of Colorado and New Mexico 11 times as it chugs its way up and over the 10,015′ high Cumbres Pass. Our scenic railroad is jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico. In recognition for its place in our national history, it was awarded National Historic Landmark Designation in 2012. We’ve been operating under this prestigious designation ever since. The volunteer docents who ride along with you share their complete education of the history, the legends and the lore of this region and the railroad.
1. Jemez Mountains Including Soda Dam, Hot Springs and Battleship Rock
As the name implies, Jemez Springs is abundant in natural hot springs. Primitive hot springs make Jemez Springs a delight for hikers who are rewarded by beautiful waterfalls or comforting hot springs. Spence Hot Springs near Soda Dam and McCauley Hot Springs, near Battleship Rock in the Santa Fe National Forest, are accessible via hikes ranging from easy to challenging. Commercial hot springs, spas and bath houses in Jemez Springs provide a more controlled, cleaner environment in which to soak and relax.
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