Its Land of Enchantment nickname is well-earned, as New Mexico enthrals and entices with its combination of stunning national parks and old-world cities.
Witness the weird and wonderful in New Mexico, a state with Wild West towns, eye-catching national monuments and charming, multicultural cities. New Mexico is covered in surreal landscapes, from perfectly clear cave lakes to other-worldly rock formations. Experience Americana at its grandest and strangest in a state packed to its borders with adventure.
Feel the history of a landscape that has been inhabited for over 2,500 years by Native Americans. Discover the ancient settlements, of the Pueblo peoples in places such as Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque offers a broad and informative overview of American Indian culture in New Mexico.
Stroll around the storied streets of Santa Fe, the state’s atmospheric capital. Marvel at paintings inspired by this unique landscape in the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. The Museum of International Folk Art and the Palace of the Governors are just two more of the many popular cultural attractions in one of the oldest cities in the U.S.
Follow in the footsteps of cowboys in the ranches that are scattered across New Mexico’s plains. The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum has livestock and exhibits on the region’s agricultural history, while Lincoln’s historic sites recall the days of Billy the Kid.
Disappear into dramatic landscapes such as the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, where rocky cones rise to jagged peaks. The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument is a cinematic canyon and White Sands National Monument offers a desert of rolling, bright white dunes.
Head to Gila National Forest for wilderness adventures such as hiking, kayaking and rafting. Go underground in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, where you can explore many of the 119 mapped caves.
Fly into Albuquerque or Santa Fe, then drive around New Mexico for non-stop panoramic views of its dramatic landscapes. Come in different seasons to experience the varied regions of the state. The deserts of the south should be visited outside of summer, which is otherwise the best time to explore the northern mountains.
