Not sure what to do on your next vacation? Check out this list of the top 15 activities in New Mexico, USA that you won’t want to miss! From strolling around and exploring parks, all the way up through sightseeing tours and historical landmarks – we’ve got something for everyone. Get ready for an unforgettable experience!
The Best Thing To Do in New Mexico
White Sands National Park
- Address: New Mexico, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (12805)
- Phone: +1 575-479-6124
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMTuesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMWednesday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMThursday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMFriday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMSaturday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PMSunday: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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Top 15 Things To Do New Mexico, USA
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Address: Carlsbad, NM 88220, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.9 (11671)
- Phone: +1 575-785-2232
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMTuesday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMWednesday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMThursday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMFriday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMSaturday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PMSunday: 8:00 AM – 2:15 PM
- Reviews:
Wonderful! Absolutely amazing. I took so many pictures because all of it was worth being able to see over and over again. The walk down through the natural entrance is definitely worth the extra 1.25miles. You see so many interesting creations in the caverns and learn a lot about how the caverns formed. We went back that night and watched millions of bats leave the caves!By Alex R. (4 months ago)They truly are epic. This isn’t a 30 minute excursion. You will need at least 2 hours to explore and marvel at the stunning beauty and be in awe of the off the chart scale of these caverns that just keep giving the further into them you go. The paths are steep in places but they have lots of stop benches to rest. Hand rails to hold onto because the lighting is low. And an elevator to bring you back up after you have seen it all. Do not miss out!By Bryan S (11 months ago)Absolutely stunning! And well run. I appreciate the timed entry program. We presented our reservation and were immediately sent over to the elevator for our self guided tour. Expectations were set appropriately. There were rangers available for questions, the gift shop and restaurant were not crowded, and everyone was pleasant.
Later that day, I came back for a drive along the 9.5 mile loop road and was treated to lovely scenery, plants, and wildlife.
This was a great experience!By Sam Guse (10 months ago)Great place to visit with the kids and a must see for everyone! We have three boys and they were utterly fascinated with the wonders of the tunnels and caves, nooks and crannies of this underground marvel. We took the elevator down 754 feet vs the 1hr hike down the natural trail, and enjoyed comfortable 56° temps. We weren’t able to have a guided tour but that would have been helpful. The self guided tour has handrails, rest areas, and a paved path with numbered markers (not certain what they were for). There were also spotlights and some signage along the route explaining the different formations and sights. A shortcut is available before going to the infamous “Big room” if the trail gets too much or need a detour to the bathroom. But highly recommend using the bathroom ahead of time! Reservations are necessary! Plan ahead and sign up for the ranger guided tour….take as many pictures as you want…. There’s no time limit so take your time and enjoy the quiet breathtaking and awesome views of what WE consider to be one of God’s miraculous creations (both before and after the worldwide flood)! Happy exploring!By G L Parker (8 months ago)This is an Incredibly Magnificent Natural Cavern with some modern conveniences so you can see the jawdropping formations. You can hike in the natural entrance if you’re used to hiking. If your not, save your joints and muscles. It’s very steep. Walking/Hiking in the natural entrance, you will descend over 700 feet in 60 switchbacks. I saw quite a few dear people that should have never attempted that path. They were obviously in pain, exhausted and some were even afraid. It’s an incredible adventure, but not for the faint of heart or those with any kind of mobility difficulties. There’s a perfectly modern elevator to descend from the surface to the big room. In the big room, you will have ups and downs on the trail, but nothing that 99%+ can’t handle. The formations are mind blowing, beautiful and enormous. You will not regret seeing this natural wonder.By Shannon Kaye Germanos (3 months ago)
Four Corners Monument
- Address: 597 NM-597, Teec Nos Pos, AZ 86514, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4 (9902)
- Phone: +1 928-206-2540
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMTuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMWednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMThursday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMFriday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMSaturday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PMSunday: 8:00 AM – 6:45 PM
- Reviews:
It’s a little out there, but it was a great stop on our road trip. We went early day it was easy to get some pictures without other people in them. The shops along the outer part of the moment were great to look at and talk to the vendors. It is kid friendly and a great place to bring your family.By Balakay Smith (10 months ago)About 45 minutes from the closest town, but worth the trip if you’re in the area. All around the monument are vendors selling their wares (similar to a county fair) but not overwhelming or detrimental to the monument itself.
We arrived when fewer people were there and were able to get some photos without having to wait too long. If you’re just arriving, and there is a crowd, please be considerate that others who are just standing there may be waiting to take a photo (some people just walk up with little to no awareness of what is going on).
By Joe Payne (6 months ago)Great place to be 4 places in one place. I loved walking across four states in mere seconds. This costs $8 per person (not vehicle) but I would say it’s worth it. The winter looks to be the off-season which was nice. There were about 30 people, but it wasn’t as crazy as the summers would be. There are little stalls where people sell items. Sadly the food was not available, but still a fun experience nevertheless.By Traveling Foodie (a month ago)Unfortunately we didn’t do enough homework before visiting. Originally saw it was cash only but when we arrived it was credit card only, cost was $8 per person. We arrived 15 minutes before they were closing and wouldn’t have been so bad if the family there wouldn’t have ignored that there were others wanting photos and we only got 1 photo while they got more than plenty. There were just 2 food vendors and they were prior to entering, all other vendor spaces were empty. Do your research before going so you can get more out of the trip. They have plenty to offer if you want to spend time there, we pretty much just took some photos quickly and left. Make sure to wear shoes that you can wipe the dust and sand off of. Next time we will take a tour and spend more time there.By Michele Hebert (6 months ago)Fun quick stop on our way to Colorado! There is an admission fee, however, this place is fun if you’re into this kind of thing. They also have vendors circling the perimeter of the monument selling jewelry and souvenirs. We also had some Navajo fry bread which was delicious!By Amanda Montemayor (2 months ago)
Santa Fe Plaza
- Address: 63 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (8987)
Sandia Peak Tramway
- Address: 30 Tramway Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (7860)
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
- Address: 2401 12th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.5 (5355)
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
- Address: 1801 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (3949)
Cliff’s Amusement Park
- Address: 4800 Osuna Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.4 (3607)
Petroglyph National Monument
- Address: Western Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (3439)
National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
- Address: 601 Eubank Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (2818)
Bandelier National Monument
- Address: 15 Entrance Rd, Los Alamos, NM 87544, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (2766)
Aztec Ruins National Monument
- Address: 725 Ruins Rd, Aztec, NM 87410, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (1624)
Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
- Address: 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1386)
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
- Address: New Mexico, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (1178)
City of Rocks State Park
- Address: 327 NM-61, Faywood, NM 88034, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (1128)
El Morro National Monument
- Address: NM-53, Ramah, NM 87321, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (815)
That’s it for our list of the best things to do in New Mexico! If you have any arguments or additional information, please leave a comment. We love to hear from our readers too!
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Loved this experience!!! We got there way too late in the day, should have been there early! Busiest and smallest NP I’ve been to, but well worth it. The dunes are unlike anything I’ve experienced and so much better than pictures can describe. Easy to get lost, so be careful! Take lots of water and definitely sun screen and hats.
Outstanding time!! Bring a large cooler with a picnic and lots of extra ice and water– the kids will love it. It’s hot but a lot of fun. There are picnic areas that have built in shade. Our kids ran from that to the sand hills to the AC in the car. Bring your own sleds as you pay 25$ each and it’s the only option for miles around although I think some lodging provides free rentals…
I’ve driven past White Sands National Park multiple times on road trips from Arizona to Texas but I had never stopped in before. Boy was I missing out! This is one of the most beautiful natural places I’ve ever visited! I went in the evening around 7 pm and stayed until closing at 9 pm. The sunset, clouds in the sky and white dunes that stretched on for miles was absolutely stunning. I drove back into the park approximately 6 miles as the ranger recommended that it was the best area for sand dune sledding. My kids had so much fun! There is plenty of parking, shaded picnic areas, and restrooms. If you have an America the Beautiful pass you can get into the park for free. The visitor center has gifts, snacks, restrooms and a museum. On certain evenings there are free tours of the lake, sunset strolls and full moon activities. Check the website for hours because they do vary by season and whether or not it’s a full moon. The sand does not stick everywhere on your body like beach sand, it’s very dry, soft, and clean. Enjoy!
Such a beautiful day to spend at the park. Very little traffic, and once you go deeper down the drive just beautiful white dunes as far as you can see. Many spots to pull off, picnic tables for you to be able to enjoy lunch or snack. Spots for trailers or campers. At the beginning their is a nice informational spot talking about the wildlife there as well. Overall very cool spot to check out!
Highly recommend ! The road in is also the road out! 8 miles one-way drive! Well kept up roads and lots of parking spots to get out and run across the dunes! Dunes are just beautiful and trails are nicely marked! Sleds can also be bought at the visitor center, or you can roll down the dunes like we did!