23 New Mexico True Adventures You Need to Experience During Balloon Fiesta

1. Fill Your Tank

Fill your tank with breakfast at one of more than 100 restaurants on the New Mexico True Breakfast Burrito Byway. Remember: Mornings can be chile. 

2. Ride the Rails

Ride the rails and see stunning fall colors on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama. 

3. Find “Hoppiness”

Find “hoppiness” on the New Mexico True Ale Trail and see what the hype surrounding New Mexico’s craft beer is all about.

4. Enjoy an Excursion

Explore New Mexico’s stretch of Route 66 and check out all 465 miles of classic neon, vintage motels, and roadside oddities.

5. Play the Slots

Play the slots (slot canyons, that is) at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument near Cochiti Pueblo. 

6. Just Relax

Just relax with a spa treatment that uses locally sourced ingredients.

7. Cowboy Up

Cowboy up with Old West traditions at the Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium in Ruidoso Downs.

8. Reach for the Sky

Reach for the sky at Acoma's famed "Sky City", a USA Today award winner as "Best Native American Experience."

9. Play in Nature’s Sandbox 

Play in nature’s sandbox and go sand sledding at White Sands National Monument. 

10. Break Out Your Lederhosen

Break out your lederhosen and raise a stein at Red River’s Oktoberfest, located on the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. 

11. Sip it Up

Sip it up at wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms on the New Mexico True Wine Trail.

12. Savor the Flavor

Savor the flavor along the Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail, USA Today's '10 Best Readers' Choice' award winner as "Best Food Trail."

13. Discover Native Treasures

Discover Native treasures with multicultural arts & crafts vendors, traditional dances, and hands-on demonstrations.

14. Taste Tradition

Taste tradition along the New Mexico Culinary Treasures Trail made up of family-owned restaurants in operation more than 40 years.

15. Intermingle with Artists

Intermingle with artists on the self-guided Abiquiu Studio Tour. The landscape alone, made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe, is worth the drive.

16. Craft Shop ‘til you Drop 

Craft shop ‘til you drop for unique works of art at the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival.

17. Grab Some Green Chile

You will find New Mexico’s signature pepper on almost every menu. But you can also pick your own at Big Jim Farms in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, and they’ll roast it for you right there.

18. Hit the Links

Hit the links along the New Mexico True Golf Trail, showcasing New Mexico’s many stunning—and affordable—golf courses.

19. Complete Your New Mexico Bucket List

Check off all of your can’t-miss experiences on our New Mexico True 30 list. It includes many of the state’s best-known sites, and a few that might surprise you.

20. Crafting and Mastering the Art of Chocolate

Indulge in the handcrafted chocolate at Cacao Santa Fe where you, too, can experience the process behind making fine chocolate while working alongside the master.

21. Peek the Peak and Explore

Take a ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway. From the observation deck at more than 10,000 feet, watch a New Mexico sunset produce a spectacular array of color.

22. Art Like You’ve Never Seen Before

Dive into the art museum at Meow Wolf. Climb through windows, walk through refrigerators, and explore mind-altering dimensions at the most immersive art exhibit you’ll ever find.

23. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

New Mexico is one of the only states in the U.S. with a protection ordinance for dark night skies. Connect with nature, explore how our ancestors navigated via the galaxy, and enjoy a sky filled with twinkling stars ready to be wished upon.