Top Things to do in New Mexico
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10 Points of Interest & Landmarks in New Mexico That You Shouldn't Miss
With its rich cultural heritage from Native American and Spanish settlers, New Mexico has been both a Spanish colony and a Mexican colony, and still retains a strong individual identity within the United States. The landscape is breathtaking, the food incredible, and there is a thriving cultural scene, all of which makes New Mexico, and Santa Fe in particular, a great place all year long.
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1. New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 196 reviews
The volunteers of the New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society are completely restoring the 1944, 4-8-4 Santa Fe (AT&SF) Steam Locomotive No. 2926 to full running order. Seventeen + years in the restoration process and now under steam as of August 20, 2018 - this is not a museum. This is a working restoration operation staffed with skilled volunteer welders, pipe-fitters, mechanics and many other trades. Free tours are available to visitors on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You'll be issued a hard hat and a personal guide who will present a hands-on introduction to this very large locomotive, cab, and its tender! You may call ahead to see if the operation is closed due to adverse weather. Parking is free and donations are important to keep the restoration moving forward. Adults, children and groups are welcome for tours, 9AM - 2PM. Merchandise is available for purchase from the gift shop. Bring your camera. Visit our website to learn more! NMSL&RHS is a non-profit 501(c)3.
Reviewed By Specialstay
The 2926 is a steam engine and tender rebuilt with a great team of dedicated old rail enthusiasts. Their love of this old train and the thousands of people who come to watch the progress of reconstruction is evident to everyone who visits their site on Saturdays while they are open. History is alive on the rails of the 2926! Come see it for yourself and bring your children to experience hospitality while the volunteers rebuild a piece of equipment which helped build this country.
2. The Couse-Sharp Historic Site
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By willOtheWisp11
Roberta gave us an in-depth tour, with bonus time in the childhood playroom and machine shop. It pays to visit this site more than once, because there are so many layers to the stories embedded here. Like ancient Amber, new clues to the past can be revealed with the scrutiny of the present.
3. Taos Pueblo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,039 reviews
Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. We welcome you to visit our village when you travel to northern New Mexico.Taos Pueblo Hours: Monday - Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm and Sunday 8:30am-4:00pm.Guided Tours available daily starting at 9:00 am.Pueblo Shops open daily.Taos Pueblo is expected to be open for the winter season. Any closures would be due to unexpected events within the community and will be posted on our official website.
Reviewed By MildaLeo - London, United Kingdom
We were lucky to visit Taos Pueblo during their feast day. While we didn't had enough time to see dances, we still managed to see natives in ceremonial clothes, joined a guided tour (free, with donation) lead by an inspiring young local woman, and visited local stores. Wekll worth the visit - as Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. You can see the multi-storied adobe buildings which have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years, have no running water or electricity. You will have to leave your cameras and phones in the car (or just not to take them out from your bag). But what you get is true authenticity and chance to interact with locals. We had a nice chat with a local jeweller while he was making me a silver bracelet there on the spot and measured to my wrist size.
4. Santa Fe Plaza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,097 reviews
Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, the Plaza is the heart and soul of the city. The gathering spot for residents and tourists alike is surrounded by city landmarks, shops and restaurants.
Reviewed By jh453
My 20-something daughters and I spent an enjoyable hour in and around the charming Plaza on a gorgeous Spring day. There is something there for every budget and many time constraints and tastes. You can sit on one of the plentiful benches, on the grass, or at one of the metal tables and relax and people watch for free. You can spend a little or a lot of money at the stores that flank the Plaza or at the sidewalk vendors who sell mostly silver jewelry (most of it, apoarently, made by local Native Americans in tribal styles). You can eat in one of the nearby restaurants. The day we were there, there was just one food truck in one corner of the Plaza, selling only fajitas and tamales. I wish I knew the name, because their food was excellent- smoky, delicious, generous, and a great bargain, with fajitas at $5 and tamales at $2 or $2.50 each. I hope that truck is a regular and that my description is enough to let you find it and enjoy a tasty (and economical) lunch. I noticed that all the tables were wheelchair-accessible.
5. Canyon Road
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,969 reviews
Canyon Road is Santa Fe's historic arts district. Home to over eighty art galleries, as well as boutiques, restaurants, and historic adobe homes, it is the cultural center of Santa Fe. The galleries on Canyon Road show everything from traditional southwestern Pueblo pottery and quintessential Western art to contemporary abstraction and computer and digital art. Take time to explore; there's a little something for everyone here.
Reviewed By 66abi
A short walk from downtown this mile or so of art galleries offers a bit of everything, from crafts to really good fine art. We found happy surprises in nearly every one. My painter friend and I are art lovers so looked at everything with interest and took two days to do it, which was made easy by the presence of good restaurants and a wonderful tea house. We never knew what was behind the next doorway, in the next room and often were wonderfully surprised.
6. Trinity Site
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 178 reviews
The exact spot where the first atomic bomb was detonated.
Reviewed By bmrdoc1600
This visit is history! Read about the Manhatten Project, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the story of Los Alamos and the end of WWII. Then visit the Trinity Site! Standing at the spot where history was made is overwhelming. What happened here in 1945 touches each one of us today in so many ways! Ground Zero and the MCDonald ranch house where the core of the bomb was assembled is an experience not to be forgotten. Only two days a year is the site open for visitors as it is on the White Sands Missile Range, an active government installation run by the Army. The Trinity Site is remote, the open house well organized, and an experience. Most important: you cannot get there too early!!! The lines to enter the WS Missile range are long if you wait until mid-morning - it is very well attended. First Saturday’s in April and October are the only times the public can enter the site. See the Trinity web site for details.
7. Manby Hot Springs
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 40 reviews
Located along the Rio Grande River, two primitive hot spring pools can hold five or six soakers, with attire optional.
Reviewed By Shibaru
Beautiful natural hot springs with a lot of awesome history. You can see the old wagon road from the trail. There is some hot pools and lukewarm pools. The trail down is fairly easy and short if you’re reasonably fit. It’s considered to be a nude spring and 90% of locals do go nude, so probably DO NOT go if you’re going to get huffy about naked people. Nearest non nude hot spring to Taos is Ojo Caliente.
8. Very Large Array
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 305 reviews
Reviewed By craftingnew - Austin, United States
In a barren area in New Mexico there are; 27 massive radio telescopes, 82 ft/ 25-meters, mounted on double parallel railroad tracks in a Y-shaped array making discoveries about the universe. The Very Large Array provides high resolution images of celestial objects such as stars, black holes and galaxies beyond. So worth the time and adventure in any season. Note; you’ll be asked to place your cell phone in air plane mode and turned off in order to not interfere with the radio telescopes however it was allowed to turn them on for a quick photo but quickly turn it off!
9. Sky City Cultural Center & Haak'u Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 934 reviews
The Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum, rich in cultural architecture, serves as the reception center and museum for visitors to the Pueblo of Acoma, as well as a research and community use facility for tribal members. The primary 40,000 square foot Cultural Center is a two story structure with a basement and central courtyard/plaza area. The Cultural Center was designed to represent and recreate the ancestral architectural styles of the Acoma people – which include natural stacked stone and natural mud plastered adobe – while showcasing Acoma Pueblo architecture both past and present. This world class facility is dedicated to the preservation of Acoma history, traditional pottery and other art forms, the repatriation of objects of cultural patrimony and the development of both educational and interpretive programs.
Reviewed By YOUNGSTERAT70
If you're into S.W. Pueblo-an culture, you must go see the Pueblo Acoma at Sky City. I've had it on my bucket list for many years as I passed by the exit for it off of I-40, west of Albuquerque, N.M. I finally made it! Everyone meets at the Culture Center, which is a very nicely done visitor center and gift shop and then you board a bus for the ride to Acoma on the top of the mesa. There I had a very knowledgeable Indian guide, who lives there, and he gave a wonderful, informative 2 hour tour. Many of the residents sell their wares in front of their homes as you pass by on the tour. The prices are lower than you'll find in the tourist shops you'll find in N.M., so bring a few dollars for a souvenir! Very worth your time!
10. Murals of Tucumcari
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 280 reviews
Reviewed By tank1050 - Wescosville, United States
This is another town on Route 66 with Murals through out the town. Most of the 40 or so scattered about were done a couple over a 10 year period. We couldn't find a map of them so we just drove around the town a bit a sought out as many as we could find. It was fun and enjoyable.
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