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New Mexico provides many opportunities for recreation and entertainment. The two most popular cities in New Mexico are Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Albuquerque, the largest city in the state, offers museums, historic attractions, galleries, a splendid climate, and a melting pot of cultures in a beautiful mountainous setting. Some of Albuquerque’s museums include the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History; the National Atomic Museum, operated by the Department of Energy which contains declassified technology from the nation’s nuclear science history; and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Albuquerque also hosts numerous festivals such as the Gathering of Nations Powwow and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Children and adults alike will enjoy the Albuquerque Biological Park, which includes the Rio Grande Zoo and the Albuquerque Aquarium. The city itself boasts splendid pueblo and Spanish architecture, particularly in the Old Town district.
Santa Fe boasts a spectacular backdrop of canyons and mountains, which frame this smaller city of distinct cultures. Several museums celebrate Santa Fe’s heritage, including the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, celebrating the famed artist’s life and works; the Museum of International Folk Art; the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art; and the Institute of American Indian Arts, honoring the tremendous diversity of Native peoples in North America. Families will enjoy the Santa Fe Children’s Museum.
Fans of Western legends will want to visit the Kit Carson Home and Museum in the beautiful city of Taos. Fort Sumter boasts the Billy the Kid Museum.
New Mexico’s attractions range from tremendous caves to cliff dwellings to supposed UFO crash-landing sites. The National Park Service manages many sites throughout the Land of Enchantment. Carlsbad Caverns National Park displays a magnificent system of some of the largest caves in North America. At the Gila Cliff Dwellings, visitors can view the former homes carved into cliffs by the Mogollon culture hundreds of years ago. The Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves the former home of a Puebloan culture dating as far back as 850 A.D. At White Sands National Monument, remarkably white dunes of gypsum sand cover approximately 275 square miles (712.2 square kilometers or 71,225 square kilometers) of desert.
For UFO buffs, the city of Roswell offers the International UFO Museum and Research Center, which commemorates the 1947 “Roswell Incident” of a supposedly crashed spaceship.
Outdoor activities and sports are well represented in the Land of Enchantment. Ski resorts abound in the northern portion of the state, including Taos Ski Valley, Sipapu Ski Area, and Angel Fire Ski Area. Fly fishing, hiking, and kayaking are popular outdoor pursuits. Hunting and fishing permit information can be obtained from the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Hockey fans will enjoy watching the New Mexico Scorpions.
Whether seeking outdoor or urban pursuits, the Land of Enchantment has something for everyone.
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