Las Cruces is both an outdoor playground and a cultural hub—and the chile will have you asking for a second helping.
At first blush, the rugged natural beauty of Las Cruces invites curiosity — the longer you linger, the more its charm draws you in. “Sometimes people drive by and only see desert,” says Hilary Dutcher, destination experience manager at Visit Las Cruces. “But if you take the time to explore, you’ll become immersed in one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.”
Surrounding Las Cruces, New Mexico’s second-largest city and the heart of Doña Ana County, is the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument. A good place to start your outdoor adventure, Dutcher says. Rising from the Chihuahuan Desert floor to an elevation of 9,000 feet, the monument offers myriad opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, camping, wildlife viewing, and photography. The 250-mile, figure-eight Monumental Loop, which starts and ends in downtown Las Cruces, beckons serious cyclers but can easily be broken up into smaller jaunts. Other highlights include the four miles of hiking trails at Dripping Springs Natural Area and the mile-wide, 80,000-year-old Kilbourne Hole Volcanic Crater. Nearby, Prehistoric Trackways National Monument preserves fossilized footprint trackways of amphibians, reptiles, and insects from the Paleozoic era.
Back in town, the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum demonstrates how people have grown food in the Mesilla Valley for more than 4,000 years. Today the region is a leading producer of the nation’s pecans—second only to Georgia. Las Cruces celebrates that distinction each spring during the Las Cruces Pecan Festival, where nut lovers can sample everything from pecan milk and oil to pecan-stuffed tacos.
Other major Mesilla Valley crops include chile, cotton, alfalfa, and onions. At New Mexico State University, the Chile Pepper Institute celebrates and facilitates growers of the spicy local staple, while restaurants across Las Cruces proudly showcase its many forms. Dutcher’s favorite chile tradition involves making tamales with friends during the holidays. “We try out different variations. My job is to spoon in the red chile pork or green chile chicken filling,” says the Iowa native, who earned a master’s degree at New Mexico State University. “There’s something wonderful about getting cozy and warm at that time of year with people you love.”
Chile is such an integral element of the city’s culture that a New Year’s Eve tradition has sprung up around it. Instead of a glittering silver ball dropping at midnight, Las Cruces drops a giant chile decked out with 400 feet of LED lighting. The twinkling pepper also shines as the centerpiece for another popular downtown event, ¡mira! Las Cruces, a showcase of the region’s art, music, history, culture, and cuisine. Held in April, the annual celebration includes a drone show and live luchador (Mexican masked wrestler) matches. “There’s no more beautiful embellishment for that celebration than the chile,” says event organizer Russ Smith.
More local flavor awaits on the city’s Walk of Flame food trail. Try Caliche’s Frozen Custard’s famous green chile sundae, Boba Cafe and Cabaret’s green chile chicken wonton soup, Pecan Grill & Brewery’s green chile beer, and Lorenzo’s Italian Restaurant’s green chile lasagna. At the Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces, which spans seven blocks of downtown Main Street every Saturday, pick up seasonal produce, nuts, coffee, honey, breads and pastries, plants, soaps, candles, furniture, garden decor, and jewelry. A smaller version pops up Wednesdays on Plaza de Las Cruces.
Wine is big business in southern New Mexico — the region is the oldest wine-producing region in the nation —and Las Cruces is no exception. Kick off summer at the annual Las Cruces Wine Festival held each May or hit the Las Cruces Wine Trail, which showcases locally owned wineries and tasting rooms sprinkled throughout the city and Mesilla Valley.
A visit to Las Cruces isn’t complete without a stop in neighboring Mesilla, a historic town steeped in Southwestern charm. There, the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site is a must-see, although it is currently under renovation until fall 2025. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site comprises two adobe storefronts and a residence that once belonged to the late J. Paul and Mary Daniels Taylor and their family. “It’s a remarkable old adobe home that highlights southern New Mexico and the Mesilla Valley,” explains Alexandra McKinney, the site’s instructional coordinator.
Back in Las Cruces, experience hot-air balloons rising above the mountain landscape at the Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally, which returned in January 2025 after a 14-year hiatus. The three-day event includes sunrise mass ascensions and an evening glow.
Dutcher can’t imagine living anywhere else. “Las Cruces has so much to offer all year round, whether you’re an outdoor adventurer, a festival enthusiast, a history buff, or just someone who loves the beauty of the desert,” she says. “It really does have something for everyone.”
