Top 10 Attractions in New Mexico

From outdoors activities and ancient dwellings, to an infamous cowboy’s museum and even an alien encounter, here are the Top 10 New Mexico attractions.

1. International UFO
   114 N. Main Street
   Roswell, NM   88201
   

   The name “Roswell” rings a bell, doesn’t it? This town was the site of the famous Roswell Incident, an alleged UFO crash-landing which catapulted the nation into angst and fervor in the year of 1947. Since then, the town has come to grips with the happenings of Roswell, and built a museum dedicated to the preservation of the phenomena’s history. Learn about UFOs, aliens, and other strange happenings in and around New Mexico, all at the International UFO Museum in Roswell, New Mexico.

2. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
   Silver City, NM  
   505-536-9461
   

   Guests who are vacationing to New Mexico will want to devote a day in their schedules to the observation of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, whose preservation of the ancient American Indian way of life is at once informative and amazing. Over eight hundred years ago, the area was populated by cliff-dwelling Native Americans, and their homes have been kept intact through the hundreds of years since they first made their home here.

3. Chaco Canyon National Historic Park
   Historical Park
   Nageezi, NM  
   

   From the times of AD 850 to 1250, this park was rich with the tidings of culture and society. The Pueblo Indians were the main inhabitants of this region, and their ancient dwellings in the park can be compared to today’s major cities. See this exciting display of history as it’s so rarely preserved, and then take in the beautiful desert landscape and the flora and fauna which make this attraction such a popular New Mexico destination.

4. White Sands National Monument
   NM   87747
   505-679-2599
   

   Brilliant white dunes of sand find their home at White Sands National Monument; in fact, 300 square miles of brilliant white dunes sprawl across a vastness that is unparalleled except perhaps by that of the Sahara desert. Gorgeous gypsum dune fields are another attraction at the monument, and guests will feel inclined to view the beautiful wildlife which has stressfully adapted to the barren climate.

5. Slaughter Canyon Cave
   Carlsbad, NM  
   505-785-2232
   

   Descend into the darkness in a setting that you’ll only get to experience once, and that’s when you’re traveling to New Mexico. Explore Slaughter Canyon Cave with the trusty aid of a flashlight or a headlamp, and of course with rangers and fellow tour members. The tours of the cave run 2 hours long, and along the 1.25 mile tour you’ll witness geological wonders such as the world’s tallest underground columns, sparkling earthen delights, and a fragile rimstone dam that will dazzle your senses.

6. Palace of the Governors
   105 West Palace Avenue
   Santa Fe, NM   87504
   505-476-5100
   

   Built in 1610, you’ll want to visit Palace of the Governors just to witness this piece of history which, amazingly, still stands today, completely and fully functioning as a housing point for an intriguing and amazing collection of art, history, and of course, culture. Gape at the architecture that our distant ancestors once dwelt within, and experience New Mexico through some of its greatest works of art.

7. New Mexico Museum of Space History
   Alamogordo, NM   88311
   505-437-2840
   

   The Museum of Space History is where guests travelling to New Mexico will want to stop for a day of educational experience involving the history of astronomy and its working applications in the world today. Gape at the cosmos through a state-of-the-art planetarium’s expert lenses, and learn about everything floating up there in the blackness at the museum’s many informational and captivating displays.

8. Christ in the Desert Monastery
   You’ll be hiking through the desolate desert which encompasses the geological landscape of New Mexico when suddenly you’ll envision an oasis. Trekking towards it, the beautiful stone structure which lies in front of your eyes won’t dim or fade, and upon reaching the destination you’ll reach out and feel its hot stone walls, confirming their realness. The structure is, in fact, a monastery where men and women can isolate from society in order to rouse their spiritual selves from sleep.
   
   
9. Billy the Kid Museum
   1601 E. Sumner Avenue
   Fort Sumner, NM   88119
   800-556-7049
   

   Lincoln County, situated in the heart of New Mexico, can claim home to one of the Wild West’s most infamous figures: that of Billy the Kid, the outrageous cowboy who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Not 1, not 2, but 60,000 relics await visitors to New Mexico at the museum, which include the notorious bad guy’s very own chaps and rifle.

10. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    3225 National Park Highway
    Carlsbad, NM   877479
    505-785-2232
    

    Once you’ve gone spelunking in the beautiful underground paradise that is Carlsbad Caverns National Park, you’ll never think of the earth the same way again. A stunning dissection into the world that lies only yards beneath our feet, the park is world-famous for its gorgeous underground caverns – and also for having the world’s deepest limestone cave, which rests nearly a mile below the surface of the earth.

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