Check out what there is to do in this super underrated state!
We visited New Mexico over spring break, and it was our first time exploring the state. We flew into El Paso (covered in our Texas section) and then crossed into New Mexico to start a few days packed with national parks, quirky roadside stops, and really good food.
This trip was taken March 2021.
Here was our itinerary – and check out our Texas page for content on El Paso and Guadalupe Mountains National Park!
- Day 1 – Arrive El Paso and head to Las Cruces
- Day 2 – White Sands National Park and Alamogordo
- Day 3 – Roswell NM and Carlsbad
- Day 4 – Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Day 5 – Guadalupe Mountains National Park and El Paso
Check out our full vlog here:
Day 1 – Las Cruces (lodging: Holiday Inn)
We spent our first night in Las Cruces, and it ended up being a really charming introduction to the state. Most of our time was centered around Mesilla Plaza — a small, walkable area filled with shops, restaurants, and a relaxed historic feel.
We wandered through local stores, spent time in the central plaza, and even picked up pistachio wine (surprisingly good). One of the more memorable stops was a Billy the Kid-themed shop located in a building tied to his trial and execution — a little morbid, but very “Old West” in a way that fits the area perfectly. Our son also bought a cowboy hat here that he absolutely insisted he needed… and wore nonstop for the rest of the trip. (but never again)
We also made a quick stop at the giant roadside World’s Largest Chile Pepper, because no road trip is complete without at least one oversized landmark. Dinner was simple — pizza to go from Roadrunner Pizza — because we were already tired and needed a rest!
Day 2 – White Sands National Park and Alamogordo (lodging: Holiday Inn)
The next day we were up early and grabbed some coffee at a cute shop called Picacho. Then – we were on to the main attraction – White Sands National Park. It’s a really beautiful drive up to Alamogordo and we made a few stops to take in the views.
We arrived at White Sands National Park before lunch and immediately headed out into the dunes to find a sledding area.
We had originally bought our own plastic sleds before the trip, but they were not exactly ideal. Luckily, some very kind visitors were leaving just as we arrived and handed theirs off to us — classic road trip luck. The round sleds worked perfectly.
We spent a few hours sledding down the dunes, walking barefoot across the gypsum sand, and stopping for photos. Eventually, we found one of the picnic areas for lunch right in the middle of the dunes, which honestly felt surreal.
It’s one of those places that looks like it shouldn’t exist in real life.
After White Sands, we spent the afternoon exploring nearby Alamogordo.
First up was the New Mexico Museum of Space History, which was a surprisingly well-done museum with interactive exhibits and massive rockets displayed outside.
Next was one of the highlights for me — PistachioLand. This stop is exactly what a road trip attraction should be: a giant pistachio statue, farm tours, tastings, and way more pistachio flavors than you’d expect to exist.
We joined a golf cart tour (book ahead, or they take walk-in’s for $5) of the orchard and learned how pistachios are grown and harvested. It was actually really interesting. We learned that 97% of the worlds pistachios are grown either in the US (primarily California and New Mexico) along with Turkey and Iran. Their climates are similar and good for growing pistachios. We came during a time when they were not yet in bloom(?), but the trees were super interesting looking even without the nuts on them.
Before leaving, we browsed their really nice store where they had wine tastings and lots of pistachios you could try. A few bags made for good souvenirs for family back home.
From there, we drove up into the mountains to the town of Cloudcroft. Sitting at over 8,000 feet in elevation, it felt completely different — cooler air, small-town charm, and even a bit of snow still hanging around in spots. We wandered through a few shops, grabbed snacks, and just enjoyed the change in scenery.
There’s also the Apple Barn to visit on the way up also, and a historic train track.
Dinner was a quick stop at Hi-Di-Ho Burgers before heading back to White Sands for sunset.
And honestly, sunset was the perfect way to end the day.
We returned to White Sands National Park and found a quiet spot to set up blankets as the light shifted over the dunes. Compared to midday, it was completely calm and almost silent — just soft wind and shifting colors across the sand.
Day 3 – Roswell NM and Carlsbad (lodging: Hampton Inn)
Today we headed to Roswell — the town basically built around alien sightings and UFO lore. It’s one of those places that fully commits to a theme, and honestly, it makes the whole visit more fun.
Even everyday spots lean into it (yes, even McDonald’s and Dunkin’ have alien decor). We parked downtown and walked around checking out the shops and attractions. Some were a bit underwhelming (the UFO Spacewalk felt like a pass), but the International UFO Museum and Research Center was genuinely interesting and worth the stop.
We grabbed lunch at Peppers — solid, casual, nothing fancy.
We then still had time left in the day, so we checked out the Spring River Park and Zoo. It’s a small, inexpensive zoo that only takes about an hour to walk through.
While we actually really enjoyed getting outside and going for a walk, the zoo felt a bit dated and some of the enclosures weren’t great, and even the kids commented that it felt a little sad for the animals.
After Roswell, we continued down to Carlsbad. On the way in, we stopped at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park — and this was the opposite experience.
It focuses more on native plants and desert ecosystems, and everything felt much more natural and thoughtfully designed. The walking paths were beautiful, the enclosures felt spacious, and the scenery itself was worth the visit. A much better zoo experience overall.
We ended the day with dinner at El Charro Mexican, which was a great, easy meal after a full day of driving and exploring.
Day 4 – Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Our final full day in New Mexico was spent at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and it was easily one of the highlights of the entire trip.
We booked a timed entry slot in advance (just $1 with our America the Beautiful Pass, which we highly recommend if you visit multiple National Parks). The reservation is mainly to manage crowd flow, but it definitely helps make the experience smoother.
The entrance into the cave is unforgettable. You descend through a massive natural opening with long switchbacks and stairs that take you deep underground. It feels like you’re walking into another world.
Once inside, the scale is incredible — huge cavern rooms, intricate rock formations, narrow passageways, and endless underground features that are hard to fully capture in photos. It’s easily the most impressive cave system we’ve ever visited.
After exploring the caverns, we drove through the park and made a quick stop to see the Pecos River Flume before heading to dinner at Red Chimney BBQ to wrap up the day.
Wrap-Up
New Mexico completely surprised us in the best way. From sledding the dunes at White Sands, to quirky stops in Roswell, to the massive underground world of Carlsbad Caverns, every day felt different from the last.
It’s a state that mixes outdoor adventure, weird roadside attractions, and national park-level scenery all in one trip — and somehow it all works together really well.
We came in not really knowing what to expect, and left feeling like we barely scratched the surface. New Mexico is one of those places that quietly delivers way more than you plan for… and we’d absolutely go back to see what we missed.
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