I will be in New Mexico next month for a week road tripping at Las Cruces, White Sands, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and maybe some other stops in the state. Any places to stop to visit, eat, entertainment or check out?
Wicked Good Ag said:
You going to hit up Carlsbad caverns ??
Geronimo in Santa Fe is pretty good place
I hear the scenic road between Albuquerque and Santa Fe is something that is worth the extra time and if I recall has a couple of places to eat on that road that are good but I haven't been on that road or at least not recall it as a kid
Motot said:
Rancho de Chimayo near Santa Fe. Good New Mexican food restaurant.
Sports-Ag said:
I will be in New Mexico next month for a week road tripping at Las Cruces, White Sands, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and maybe some other stops in the state. Any places to stop to visit, eat, entertainment or check out?
We are going to Santa Fe/Taos in August. Our third trip but never taken this route. Doesn't look to be too out of the way. How much time does it add?CanyonAg77 said:Sports-Ag said:
I will be in New Mexico next month for a week road tripping at Las Cruces, White Sands, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and maybe some other stops in the state. Any places to stop to visit, eat, entertainment or check out?
That's a lot of driving. I usually recommend doing Northern and Southern NM on different trips. Off the top of my head, some things to Google up and see if they float your boat. Some are on the I-25 route, some are over on highway 54 and other places.
Cloudcroft is a nice little mountain town
Alamogordo has a small space museum
If it is open (has been COVID closed) White Sands missile museum is toward Las Cruces
Off I-25 are the ruins of Ft. Craig, near Civil War Battle Site
San Antonio, NM, Owl Cafe, home of the Green Chile Cheeseburger
Bit of a drive, but west of Socorro is the Very Large Array, fascinating science site
Off the Highway 54 side, White oaks ghost town, Malpais lava flow
Go over to Lincoln for Billy the Kid history, and see Fort Stanton
Never been to Snowy River Cave, but it sounds interesting
North of Mountainair are several Spanish Mission ruins (Salinas Missions)
Way east is Clines Corners, tourist trap since 1939
If you go from Clines direct Santa Fe, divert at Lamy to see the train station, which figures in Manhattan Project history
Moriarity has glider rides, full auto machine guns, and the Lewis Auto Museum, which is really more of a wrecking yard, but I liked it
The back road from ABQ to Santa Fe is the Turquoise Trail, goes from Tijeras through Madrid to Santa Fe. Madrid has some interesting history, they filmed the final scenes of Wild Hogs there.
Off the Turquoise Trail, you can drive to the top of Sandia Peak and see spectacular views of ABQ
ABQ, tons of great places to eat, El Pinto, Sadies, La Salita, Church Street Cafe, Cocina Azul, tons more. Biopark is good, Old Town interesting. National Nuclear Museum must see. Can take the tram up the west side of Sandia Peak. If there for breakfast, find a Weck's, and you can skip lunch. And maybe dinner.
Santa Fe has historic square, good food, Clafloutis Bakery is a must. Get Croissants.
Los Alamos: Manhattan Project National Park, County Historic Museum, Manhattan Project sites. Bradbury Science Museum. Go to the Smith's grocery store, drink your morning coffee on the patio. Most beautiful grocery store site in the US
Set aside a day for Valles Caldera. Most spectacular place in NM
Nearby, Jemez Springs, Soda Dam, Gillman Tunnels
Plaza Blanca near Abiquiu
Chama, and the Cumbres and Toltec RR
Let me know if you want more info on any of the above.
If you're going from ABQ to Santa Fe, it might be fewer miles. But 2-lane vs. Interstate, and a few little towns, so probably a lot slower. Google maps says it adds 50 minutes.Quote:
We are going to Santa Fe/Taos in August. Our third trip but never taken this route. Doesn't look to be too out of the way. How much time does it add?
That is great to hear!!! We were there over Memorial Day and was the driest I ever remember it being.Bucketrunner said:
Loving the rain here in Ruidoso!
CanyonAg77 said:If you're going from ABQ to Santa Fe, it might be fewer miles. But 2-lane vs. Interstate, and a few little towns, so probably a lot slower. Google maps says it adds 50 minutes.Quote:
We are going to Santa Fe/Taos in August. Our third trip but never taken this route. Doesn't look to be too out of the way. How much time does it add?
And, of course, add another hour round trip to Sandia Crest, if you do that. Great views, though.
Madrid is interesting. Was a company coal mining town, one of the first towns anywhere to have electric lights, especially for the baseball field. Was a ghost town for a while, some characters moving back in.
Should be lots of info online about the Turquoise Trail.
Edit to add: Where are you driving from? Are you just going to Taos? What kind of things do you like to do? May have some roads/ideas for you.
CanyonAg77 said:
Have you been to Los Alamos? Bandelier? Or my absolute favorite, Valles Caldera? Drive up to Los Alamos on both highway 4 and 502, both spectacular. Great museums in Los Alamos, a few Manhattan project survivors. Some interesting trails along the plateau.
Abiquiu is where Georgia O'Keefe hung out. Plaza Blanca there is interesting.
Someone mentioned Rancho de Chimayo restaurant, we agree.
I assume you've driven the high road to Taos.
Highway 54 from Taos to Angel Fire is pretty, you can visit the first Vietnam War Memorial there. You can continue on to Red River and meet all the other Texans. Take Jeep tours up to old mines and mountain lakes.
Ask for any details.
Oh, and I strongly suggest the National Nuclear Museum in ABQ
Will look for it.YouBet said:
I'll ask more tomorrow.
Sorry for your lossYouBet said:
Going to check this out a little later. We are dealing with death in the family.
I will say that first pic looks like Longmire's back yard. Is it? I'm pretty sure his house was in NM IRL. If you know what I'm talking about.