New Mexico!!
Ahhhh the land of enchantment! So beautiful. I was fortunate to live under those big skies for a few years and the following attractions/festivals were my top 10 favorite things to see and do.
1.) WHITE SANDS NATIONAL PARK
:Shine sparkle sparkle: White Sands is everything. It is a MUST SEE. Talk about magical! The soft powdery white sand in your toes… sigh. My husband brought me to have a picnic at White Sands for my 25th birthday and it is still to this day my favorite spot on the planet. Make sure to stay for the sunset because it’s epic! We went in March and the weather was absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. Just go. Just do it…now. Go.
2.) CARLSBAD CAVERNS
What an experience! Numerous different tours to take, different caves to explore, apparently there’s also a bat show if you stay until dark. We chose to do the self guided tour and we spent a few hours just exploring. We were able to take our time to admire how beautiful and majestic everything was. It was a little cold inside of the caves but it was hot outside when we visited so it felt nice. My husband and I left and didn’t speak for the first hour in the car afterwards because we were just in awe. Majestic in every sense! It left an imprint on us for sure.
3.) RIO GRANDE GORGE BRIDGE / TAOS
Go to Taos. If you visit New Mexico you have to make the drive to Taos. It is the cutest little town and the drive is gorgeous. Make sure to visit the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. We stumbled upon it on accident and it was breath taking. After you check out the gorge make your way over to Taos Mesa Brewery to catch some live music and taste some local beer!
4.) FOUR CORNERS MONUMENT
You know… it’s just one of those things. I remember my 5th grade teacher explaining that you could occupy space in 4 states at the same time and I immediately wanted to experience it. We went, we put our bodies in 4 states at once, and that was it… but it was cool! It made my list because if you’re going to be in the South West you have to do it! It was fun and my 5th grade dream became a reality so there’s that.
5.) ABQ BALLOON FIESTA
This actually should hold a higher place on my list because it’s really something special. Getting up early, watching all of the balloons take off as the sun comes up, and seeing them all up in the sky set perfectly against the mountains is spectacular. This one’s a definite bucket-lister, y’all.
6.) ZOZOBRA
Zozo! This experience was so fun and authentic. Zozobra is a 50 feet high giant marionette. He embodies gloom and by burning him, people destroy the worries and troubles of the previous year in the flames. The event takes place in September and in 2018 over 60,000 people attended. Once nightfall arrives fire dancers come out to perform. A “fire spirit dancer” also comes out dressed entirely in red with a flowing headdress and carrying two flaming torches, symbolizing Old Man Gloom’s arch enemy. She is accompanied by the small “glooms,” which are children dressed in white dancing alongside her. The fire dancer’s role is to scare away her little companions, as she represents the light that sends away the gloom and bad energy of the year. As the dancers perform on stage, Zozobra’s arms and head begin to move while letting out groans. After the dance is completed, Zozo is set on fire by attached fireworks. Once he collapses, more fireworks are set off! While all of this goes down the crowd is roaring. Everyone cheers and chants “burn him” and “viva la fiesta!” If you can attend you’re guaranteed to walk away feeling cleansed of your troubles.
7.) PUYE CLIFF DWELLINGS
Puye Cliff Dwellings was home to 1,500 Pueblo Indians who lived, farmed, and hunted game there from the 900s to 1580 A.D. My sister and I toured the cliff dwellings and had a BLAST. We crawled through the tiny caves and used the ladders to climb to the top of the mesa. The tours are guided but informative and interesting. We felt really close to the Earth and it was inspiring to learn about the history of the land.
8.) SANDIA PEAK
Reach great heights at Sandia Peak! Either drive up the mountain or take the tram until you hit 10,000 feet. WHAT A VIEW! I highly suggest doing both if you live in the area. We found that driving and taking the tram were such different experiences. If you drive keep your eyes peeled for wildlife! Maybe you’ll catch some deer like we did.
9.) KASHA-KATUWE TENT ROCKS NATIONAL MONUMENT
Explore the tent rocks! The tent rock formations are the products of volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago. This was a really cool place to hike around and explore. I also spotted my first tarantula here. Ah, memories…
10.) SANTA FE
Oh, dreamy dreamy Santa Fe. If you’re visiting NM I would typically assume that Santa Fe is at the top of your list. If it’s not, it should be. Stroll through the galleries on Canyon Rd, hit up the plaza for a fajita (no, seriously…those fajitas are BOMB), snag some turquoise from the locals, find some live music, and end the night with dinner and drinks at The Bull Ring. Don’t forget to get out and explore the mountains!
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