3 Star Places To Visit in New Mexico, United States (50)

1. 3.5 Ruidoso Winter Park (288 reviews)
   - Slow turnover with tubers on slopes
   Ski & Snowboard Areas
   
   
   Pre-purchased tickets and signed waivers but still had to wait in line with everyone who was purchasing tickets to receive our tags. Defeats the purpose of buying in advance. Limited runs open made the wait time over an hour to tube the larger runs. Therefore you only were able to tube 3-4 times. They needed more runs open and staff to keep the line moving. Overall time was fun when you got to tube, but not worth the price for a family if you don’t get the opportunity to tube multiple times. Food trailers were a plus. See more..
   
2. 3.5 Downtown Historic District (231 reviews)
   - Cool Place for a Stopover /Short Visit
   Neighborhoods • Historic Walking Areas
   
   
   Beginning in the 1830s as a mill town, Roswell's historic neighborhood features many of the original buildings that have been restored. See more..
   
3. 3.0 Zia Park Casino (159 reviews)
   - Push button casino at its best
   Thursday: 10:00 AM - 12:00 AM Spent More than 3 hours Casinos • Horse Tracks
   
   
   Get in on the action and excitement at Zia Park Casino where a single spin could make you a winner! With 750 slot machines, Zia Park has the all latest games and all your favorite classics, including exciting reel and progressive slots, video poker and electronic table games. You’ll find around-the-clock thrills with exciting promotions and big jackpots always up for grabs! There are more thrills when you play the ponies during fall live racing and year-round simulcast races at Zia Park Racetrack where every race could put you in the winner’s circle. See more..
   
4. 3.0 Billy The Kid Casino (159 reviews)
   - Its not bad but not the best for sure
   Casinos
   
   
   Casino located at the Ruidoso Downs. See more..
   
5. 3.5 Big Ditch Park (146 reviews)
   - Interesting
   Parks
   
   
   Is really just a nice walk along a creek. A large mural on the wall provided an interesting history about the flood that created the big ditch. Cool that they turned it into a nice place to walk and be in the shade. See more..
   
6. 3.0 Clines Corners Gift Shop (124 reviews)
   - great place to stop for gas
   Speciality & Gift Shops
   
   
   great place in the middle of no were New Mexico to stop for gas. Easy to get to and lots of pumps for both cars and RVs See more..
   
7. 3.5 Maggie’s Diner From Wild Hogs Movie Set (108 reviews)
   - Wild Hogs filming site
   Speciality & Gift Shops
   
   
   The town of Madrid (pronounced with the accent on the first syllable: MAD-rid, not Ma-DRID) was founded in 1869. Now a pleasant artisan town with several shops and a couple of restaurants. The highlight for me was seeing Maggie’s Diner from the movie Wild Hogs. Not really a diner but a T-Shirt and souvenir shop. See more..
   
8. 3.0 Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino (91 reviews)
   - Too smoky in the restaurant!!!
   Thursday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM Casinos
   
   
   We went for the breakfast buffet and did not like the overpowering smell of cigarettes from the casino. What I remember of the food was good, but limited selection. As non smokers the smell made it hard to enjoy any thing on our plates. Sadly we will not be able to return! Second hand smoke is dangerous. See more..
   
9. 3.5 Spence Hot Springs (86 reviews)
   - Awesome morning soak
   Hot Springs & Geysers
   
   
   Bathing suits are optional as you soak away your worries in the 102 degree hot spring pools that offer soft, sandy bottoms. See more..
   
10. 3.5 Old Fort Sumner Museum (83 reviews)
    - Museum was closed ...
    History Museums
    
    
    Museum was closed .. as is most everything during this tumultuous year of 2020 .. where everything is blown way out of proportion. You can visit the cemetary at any time ... it's pretty spooky in there ... I saw the billboards, so I had to find the time to stop and see this historical grave site, even though no one is even sure where his actual body is. All in all its an interesting story. I was in the cemetary alone, and got a pretty spooky feeling, telling me to leave now, right after I spent some time at Billy's site. I've seen ghosts walking at Gettysburg, at 1am with friends. Ever since, I don't question the feelings I get at cemeteries. See more..
    
11. 3.5 Black Mesa Golf Club (81 reviews)
    - Tough and Beautiful
    Golf Courses
    
    
    Black Mesa is a high-desert links style layout that weaves its way around and over sandstone foothills on the Santa Clara Pueblo located thirty minutes north of Santa Fe. Designed by Baxter Spann, the course opened in 2003 to numerous accolades including "Best New Affordable Course" by Golf Digest and one of the" Top Ten Courses You Can Play" that debuted that year by GOLF Magazine. Since then, Black Mesa has been continually cited in the media for its challenging play for golfers of all skill levels, stunning panoramic views and exceptional value. The course has been rated in the various industry Top 100 lists since it opened. and was recently named one of the "Ten Most Spectacular Courses in the World" by LINKS Magazine. See more..
    
12. 3.5 Casa Grande Trading Post & Petting Zoo (75 reviews)
    - Fun for a short visit.
    Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Speciality Museums
    
    
    Todd & Patricia Brown are owners of the Casa Grande Trading Post, Mining Museum and Petting Zoo. They live in a 19-room adobe hacienda that they built themselves. They make jewelry from rare Cerrillos Turquoise and Variscite from their two mining claims. The turquoise is brilliant green, while Cerrillos Variscite is white. They cut and polish the stones and set them in silver. Todd uses techniques developed when he first came to Cerrillos in 1970. Their son Andy follows his dad's footsteps, working with him at the mines. He is also as an artisan who does custom jewelry & repairs. Visit the Mining Museum, admission $2. A sprawling display on local history, prehistoric mining and territorial mines of the 1880's. Items include antique bottles, mine photos, tools, minerals and the unique finds of an 1880's Cerrillos outhouse dig. The Petting Zoo is a barn yard of several friendly goats, llama, chickens and pigeons. Animal food is for sale in the gift shop. Children enjoy the live entertainment and a stop will add to your adventures on The Turquoise Trail. See more..
    
13. 3.5 Walnut Canyon Desert Drive (60 reviews)
    - Nice place to spend some time
    Scenic Drives
    
    
    This is a 9 mile gravel road that makes a loop through Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is shown on the map at the NPS website, and mentioned in guidebooks such as National Geographic's Guide to the National Parks. See more..
    
14. 3.5 Pecos River Flume (55 reviews)
    - Worth Seeing
    Bodies of Water
    
    
    Once featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not" as the river that crosses itself, this artificial channel brings Pecos River water from Lake Avalon to dry areas as part of the Carlsbad Irrigation System. Orginally made of wood, the Flume was destroyed by a flood in 1902 and then remade out of concrete. See more..
    
15. 3.0 Isleta Lakes (53 reviews)
    - Terrible place to think you will get any sleep
    Bodies of Water
    
    
    Nice views and beautiful natural habitat. The downside was that the trains just never stopped. They kept going day and night. Every 30 or 40 minutes you can count on hearing a train whistle blow. See more..
    
16. 3.5 Storrie Lake State Park (45 reviews)
    - Short visit
    State Parks • Parks
    
    
    Only stopped by to relax and have a snack while passing by on the freeway. The lake is pretty. People were swimming, fishing and boating. Appears everyone was social distancing. Nice ramadas to picnic. Toilet areas were clean and stocked. It was very windy which would make any activity less fun. They give you a pass when you pay so you can leave and re-enter if necessary. See more..
    
17. 3.5 Ralph Edwards Park (40 reviews)
    - Good town park with lots of water and pictographs.
    Parks
    
    
    This is a city park with bbq grills, basketball courts, water, etc. What this also offers is ancient pictographs and grinding holes among some prominent rocks in the park. For free this is awesome. See more..
    
18. 3.5 Walker Aviation Musem (36 reviews)
    - Small, yet informative
    Thursday: 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM Speciality Museums
    
    
    A very small museum within the Roswell Airport. A lot of displays about the Walker Air Force base in Roswell, NM. Lots of memorabilia from the base and the airport. A quick visit, but worth it, if you enjoy military or aviation history. See more..
    
19. 3.5 Fort Selden State Monument (26 reviews)
    - Very cool history
    Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monuments & Statues
    
    
    Mostly ruins now but great history. Goes back a thousand years for native settlements. For me the real claim to fame is that when it was a US fort it was occupied by the Buffalo Soldiers. Worth passing by. See more..
    
20. 3.5 Dancing Eagle Casino (24 reviews)
    - Great little RV Park
    Spent More than 3 hours Casinos
    
    
    This casino offers a great deal of traveler amenities. A full hookup RV Park, a well stocked market place and various stores across the road from the park including a fuel travel center. Used the laundry and it was nice, clean and reasonable . Going over to the casino to eat and see what kind of gaming they have. See more..
    
21. 3.0 Sandia Lakes Recreation Area (24 reviews)
    - Closed until further notice for Restoration.
    Thursday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
    
    
    Decided to visit Sandia Lakes today February 17th 2020. Arrived only to find it closed until further notice for Restoration. Should have really checked this out on the website before visiting! See more..
    
22. 3.5 Fox Cave (23 reviews)
    - Passed this place too many times- glad I stopped in and enjoyed this place
    Speciality & Gift Shops
    
    
    Fun and thought provoking we enjoyed the time we spent here and the people we met. The museums were interesting and a fun step back in time. The Pat Garrett museum was interesting and well laid out. It told the story about the sheriff shooting Billy the Kid had many artifacts and newspaper accounts of the event. All very believable and well displayed. The celebrity memorabilia museum took me back to my childhood and I really liked the alien museum. The cave is an impressive gift shop with most of the items being made in New Mexico. I am glad we stopped and would recommend taking the time to explore. See more..
    
23. 3.5 Ghost Town of Kelly (22 reviews)
    - Historical area
    Ghost Towns
    
    
    Very interesting ghost town which at one time had a population of 3000, but now only 2. There are some remains of some buildings, church, cemetery, and the head frame built from a kit from Carnegie Steel. 1866 was a time for silver and later zinc mining. It is named after Patrick Kelley who held a few claims. If he died in the area I did not find him in the cemetery. A lot of the buildings were hauled down to Magdalene. Do not take rocks without a permit, which you can get at the local Rock shop. You can drive partway to the mine, but we chose to walk. Carry water. See more..
    
24. 3.5 Aztec Sandstone Arches (21 reviews)
    - Cox Canyon Arch
    Points of Interest & Landmarks
    
    
    We only visited Cox Canyon Arch because the google map was reflecting "Aztec Sandstone Arches" as permanently closed. maybe, maybe not, but since we were had limited time time, we only went to the one we knew we could find. We had the right road but we almost missed the arch. We went too far, turned around and stopped to ask some workers and we just happened to be in the right place. We just didn't see the arch until the worker pointed it out. There are NO SIGNS the way we went. We enjoyed the surrounding area of the arch. We walked to the end of the canyon and got some terrific pictures of the canyon and the arch from a distance. We did not however go right up to the arch. We couldn't find an easy route up and we're a little too old for rock climbing. See more..
    
25. 3.5 Old Town (18 reviews)
    - Take the Lamplight Tour!
    Historic Walking Areas
    
    
    I can see why people don't find Cimarron Old Town very interesting. If you walk around on your own, you won't see much. But we really enjoyed the Lamplight Tour that is offered on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. There were about a dozen people on the tour on the Saturday we went. The guide was very knowledgeable and full of stories of the old west and the gory and wild history of the town. He knew everything from the factual history to the family histories to the ghost stories. The buildings don't look like much, but with these stories, the place is truly interesting. See more..
    
26. 3.5 Club Rio Rancho (17 reviews)
    - The new look and feel is a welcomed change
    Thursday: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM Golf Courses
    
    
    This place is now called Club Rio Rancho, the golf course was reduced to 18 holes from 27, the dining experience is great, the price for membership is a bargain and the overall atmosphere has become pleasant again. Jhett and Bob have done a great job revitalizing an important part of Rio Rancho. See more..
    
27. 3.5 Balzano Vineyard (16 reviews)
    - Great Winery
    Spent < 1 hour Wineries & Vineyards
    
    
    My wife and I do many vineyards and wineries back home in MN and WI. We were visiting family in Carlsbad for the first time and decided to try this place. One of the few wineries we have tried where the wines are good up and down the list, both whites and reds. We ordered pizzas as well. It's good the staff warned us about the pizza size, because we are used to "personal" size brick oven pizza at most wineries we go to (who have pizza). The pizzas here were basically a large size pizza you would find at a pizza joint. We were almost the only ones at the winery that day at lunch time, so the service was fine. The wines were good enough that we bought a case of various wines to bring back home with us. We will go back again when in town to visit. See more..
    
28. 3.5 El Vado Lake State Park (15 reviews)
    - Great place!
    State Parks
    
    
    1,730 acres located in New Mexico's northern mountains, this park region offers plenty of outdoor recreation such as fishing, boating, winter cross-country skiing, hiking and camping. See more..
    
29. 3.5 Las Vegas-San Miguel Chamber of Commerce (14 reviews)
    - Friendly staff in a great historic depot!
    Spent < 1 hour Visitor Centers
    
    
    This is a very nice visitor center, with friendly, helpful staff and lots of useful literature. The Depot is very nicely restored, and has good parking too. You can also get on a passenger train here-to Chicago or Los Angeles-but apparently you can't buy a ticket here. See more..
    
30. 3.5 Inn of the Mountain Gods Golf Course (13 reviews)
    - Loved the elevation changes and the scenery.
    Spent More than 3 hours Golf Courses
    
    
    Played Oct 29th. Front nine is fairly tight with tall pines lining both sides. Great elevation changes throughout the course. A couple holes have big mature trees right in the middle of the fairway which is a little odd. Course was wide open on a Friday in late October. We had the front nine all to ourselves but they must have let groups start off the back because when we made the turn there were two groups in front of us (which began playing #1 when we were on #18). The course was a great deal at the winter rates of $55 but don’t know if I would feel the same about the course at summer rates of $125. Course reminded me of some of the northern Michigan courses back home. A wonderful treat compared to some of the flat courses in the Southwest. See more..
    
31. 3.0 Northern Edge Navajo Casino (13 reviews)
    - SMOKE SMOKE SMOKE
    Casinos
    
    
    Northern Edge Navajo Casino is a state of the art Casino that features over 750 slot machines, table games and a deluxe poker room as well as a gift shop full of Navajo apparel, art and logo merchandise perfect for any occasion!. Our Cedar Bow Restaurant offers a variety of delicious sit down dinners. For a quick bite to eat visit our food court. See more..
    
32. 3.5 San Antonio Hot Springs (13 reviews)
    - Drive if you can
    Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water
    
    
    I've heard unless you have a 4WD it's a long hike from 126. I would drive as the hike is about 2.5 miles. There are a lot of deep holes and rocks on the road. I WOULD NOT DRIVE A SEDAN UP THERE. Other than that, its a beautiful and serene place. Always have your fair share of pot-smokers but at least there weren't any naked people. See more..
    
33. 3.5 Ruidoso River Museum (12 reviews)
    - a must see
    Speciality Museums
    My hubby and I visited this. museum in late Sept. 2012. We were on our anniversary trip aand it had rained. We were pleasantly surprisedbythisawesome museum. We plan to return again.. See more..
    
34. 3.5 Home On the Range (11 reviews)
    - Lots of hidden treasures
    Spent 1-2 hours Art Galleries
    
    
    Enjoyed browsing through books in particular here. Interesting place and we'll be back for sure! Nice little find. See more..
    
35. 3.5 Tierra Del Sol Country Club (10 reviews)
    - Decent place but overpriced
    Thursday: 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM Golf Courses
    
    
    Had been a member for many years but had to quit due to health reasons. Always enjoyed playing the course but customer service has been spotty. Course is in decent shape but overpriced compared to other courses in the area. See more..
    
36. 3.0 Eddy House (10 reviews)
    - Trashy and Neglected
    Historic Sites
    
    
    We made a special trip to see this historic site of the first house in Carlsbad and were so disappointed. The windows into the house have been broken, there was trash everywhere. The park is totally neglected and looks abandoned by the city. Shame on you, Carlsbad, for presenting this as an attraction to visitors. Could be very nice if someone showed up with a trash bag and a weed eater. See more..
    
37. 3.5 Bill Evans Lake Wildlife Area (10 reviews)
    - Great for boating & fishing
    Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas
    
    
    We hiked on a few trails, enjoyed viewing the poppies and other wild plants, and went on a rafting venture. Lovely area for campers. See more..
    
38. 3.0 Percha Dam State Park (9 reviews)
    - Camping - could've been better.
    State Parks • Parks
    
    
    Percha dam has probably seen better days and the ongoing drought isint helping. The campsites are in a pebble filled cul-de sac that backs into a field of chiles, Little pergolas are provided at each campsite with a table beneath them for shade. We set up our tent behind the structure and had a peaceful nights sleep ... or would have if not for the loud and obnoxious "neighbor" trying to set up camp at 11. Whats usually a 10 minute affair, turned into an hour long duel with an obviously inebriated patriarch yelling at the kids with unclear instructions. Our quiet tent turned into a nightclub with flashlights being aimed (not really) around at a dizzying pace. To make matters worse the restrooms were full of bugs and flies and only one was open. The showers were a boon and is what gives it 3 stars. The tent sites did seem more isolated and calmer and the camp hosts/rangers seemed like nice folks. See more..
    
39. 3.5 Apache Point Observatory (9 reviews)
    - A Sidetrip
    Speciality Museums
    
    
    Like everyone else, we went to the Apache Point Observatory while visiting the nearby Sunspot Solar Observatory. Perched high on the mountain are a number of active telescopes. There were quite a few cars there indicating that there must be some amount of activity. Is fun to see the telescopes out here in the middle of nowhere. If you're interested, there's quite a bit of information about Apache at the Sunspot Visitor Center. We chatted with the Visitor Center attendant who provided us with some interesting information. Also, there are some displays at the Sunspot Visitor Center on the Apache Point Observatory. Really just a drive-by, but what the heck. We were here anyways. See more..
    
40. 3.0 Lake Carlsbad Golf Course (9 reviews)
    - My favorite.
    Golf Courses
    
    
    Golfers can choose to tee off at the nine-hole par 3 course that runs along the beautiful Pecos River, the regulation 18-hole course situated in the foothills east of the river or the par 72 regulation course, which is not long, but offers a variety of challenges no matter what your skill level. See more..
    
41. 3.5 Tia Juana's (8 reviews)
    - Authentic Mexican
    Bars & Clubs
    Ate dinner here while traveling through. Went early because we forgot we had crossed into MST. Seated quickly and attended to immediately. Beers came fast as did the food. Wife had tamales, I had chilean rellanos, both done as we like them. Server was Amy who was very attentive. Highly recommend. See more..
    
42. 3.5 Morphy Lake State Park (6 reviews)
    - Stunning and quiet
    State Parks • Bodies of Water
    
    
    Stumbled across this lake when exploring outside of Las Vegas, and we were glad we found it! Very quiet and quaint, this lake offers amazing views and landscape. See more..
    
43. 3.0 Allen La Cueva 6 Theater (6 reviews)
    - Crappy theater!
    Spent 1-2 hours Movie Theaters
    Disappointing! 1. Floors in main area/halls: STICKY! 2. Couldn’t purchase any food: Point of sale was down. 3. The digitals displays indicating which theater our movie was in was inaccurate and staff didn’t know which was which - and unwilling to find out. We were told: sorry, sorry, and sorry. I can understand #2 if the system was screwed up but the other two is a complete lack of give-a-s#!+ See more..
    
44. 3.5 Rita Blanca/Kiowa National Grassland (6 reviews)
    - Silence on the prairie
    Spent More than 3 hours National Parks
    
    
    These grasslands stretch for miles, dotted with occasional trees and derelict buildings that were once prairie homesteads. The fields are alive with birds and small mammals, as well as grassland insects. This is a place where you can wander for hours or days to your heart's content. there are no developed facilities, just simple spots to camp and small towns in which to find a diner and a conversation. See more..
    
45. 3.5 Turquoise Trail Trading Post (6 reviews)
    - Jewel of a Find
    Speciality Museums
    
    
    Stop by the Turquoise Trail Trading Post if you're in Cerrillos, New Mexico or wandering down Hwy 14 from Santa Fe to Albuquerque...the drive is beautiful and you'll find lots of great shops. TTTP has a very large selection of items to choose from....and the prices are very good. See more..
    
46. 3.5 Chili Willie's Chili Store (5 reviews)
    - Good Quality at Great Price - fine selection
    Speciality & Gift Shops
    Loved this place , we found many different and amusing items at reasonable prices. The usual touresty stuff is here and some different interesting items. If I had more room in the car I would have stuffed a bird bath into the trunk - the prices were that good ! See more..
    
47. 3.5 Ocotillo Sports Bar &Grill (4 reviews)
    - Relay 4 life bike run
    Bars & Clubs
    
    
    Went on run to whites city afterwards had brisket and a beer the the service was real prompt and friendly clean nice patio. We go by once in a while for the steak & fries special pretty good small steak but very good. See more..
    
48. 3.5 Mormon Battalion Monument (4 reviews)
    - Five Minute Visit
    Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites
    
    
    What you see in the picture is what you get. A single monument with inscription giving some background on the Mormon Battalion's passage through the area. Small parking lot off an old abandoned byway. See more..
    
49. 3.0 Bandelier Trading Company (4 reviews)
    - OMG they have a lot of indian jewelry
    Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops
    
    
    You can find some really exquisite turquoise and silver, and local pottery of high quality. This is stuff you won't find in town anywhere. See more..
    
50. 3.5 Museum of Archaeology and Material Culture (4 reviews)
    - An education of the indigenous indian people
    History Museums
    
    
    Creative displays and a fascinating collection of artifacts and archeology. If you can get one of the owners to walk through with you, you will learn much. See more..