NORTHWEST

Gallup, Farmington, & Aztec

Northwest New Mexico is full of incredible history, culture, and, of course, adventure. These age-appropriate highlights will help you kickstart your planning across the region. 

Kiddos (5 and Under) 

• Cool off at Bisti Bay 

• Enjoy some wildlife viewing at the Riverside Nature Center 

• Get hands-on at the E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center - younger kiddos will especially enjoy the Tots Turf 

• Get up close and personal with more than 2,500 mounted animals from five continents at the Bolack Museum of Fish and Wildlife 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• Stand in four states at once at the Four Corners National Monument! Kids can stand in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado at the same time 

• Prepare for hours of fun at the Fly High Farmington indoor trampoline park 

• Become a Junior Ranger at Aztec Ruins National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, or El Morro National Monument 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Experience the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano, where they’ll make their way over an ancient lava trail before making their way down into the perpetual Ice Cave 

• Lace up those sneakers and hit the Animas River Trails 

• Have a wild adventure at the Animas River White Water Park 

• Hike through the richly diverse volcanic landscapes at El Malpais National Monument near Grants 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Watch the Nightly Indian Dances for free in the heart of downtown Gallup from Memorial Day to Labor Day 

• Don’t miss the Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial in August 

• Watch as more than 100 colorful hot air balloons fill the sky, backdropped by vibrant red cliffs during the Red Rock Balloon Rally in the winter 

NORTH CENTRAL 

Santa Fe, Taos, and Española

Spend your next family vacation backdropped by some of New Mexico’s most famous landscapes! While North Central New Mexico is perhaps most famous for its dramatic scenery, there’s no shortage of fun and adventure to be had here. 

Kiddos (5 and Under) 

• Cultivate their sense of joy and discovery at the Santa Fe Children’s Museum 

• Take a scenic stroll through Santa Fe’s Botanical Garden 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• Spend a day exploring Santa Fe’s Museum Hill 

• Get hands-on at the Bradbury Science Museum 

• Enjoy all things creepy crawly at the Harrell Bug Museum 

• Experience a day in a living history museum at El Rancho de las Golondrinas 

• Unleash their creativity at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum 

• Get outdoors with kid-approved activities at Eagle Nest Lake State Park or Cimarron Canyon State Park 

• Hop aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad – one of the nation’s most scenic trains 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Ski vacation on your mind? Angel Fire Resort and Red River Ski & Summer Area have play areas and kid-friendly snow activities for older kids and teens to enjoy 

• Visiting outside of ski season? The region’s ski areas, including Ski Santa Fe and Taos Ski Valley still have family-friendly activities like scenic chairlift rides, hiking, fishing, and even zipline adventures during summer and fall months 

• Spend the day at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu 

• Don’t miss an opportunity to hike in the Valles Caldera National Preserve – New Mexico’s very own super volcano 

• While kids of all ages can hike the main trail at Bandelier National Monument, older kids may enjoy climbing the ladders into the cavates 

• Let imaginations run wild at Meow Wolf, a one-of-a-kind immersive art experience that’s part mystery narrative, part fun house, part jungle gym, and wholly awesome! 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Welcome spring blooms at the annual Taos Lilac Festival 

• Enjoy art markets and festivals in Santa Fe all summer long 

• Watch your dooms and glooms burn away during the annual Burning of Zozobra in September 

• Enjoy plenty of good music and food in September during the annual Red River Folk Festival 

NORTHEAST 

Las Vegas, Tucumcari, and Raton

Northeast New Mexico – where the plains meet the mountains. Full of rippling prairies, hidden lakes, tales of the Old West, and, of course, plenty of adventure.  Frontier trails, dinosaurs, and even volcanoes – you'll find it all here. 

Kiddos (5 and Under) 

• Tucumcari is home to more than 30 picture-perfect murals which will make for perfect photo ops with the little ones 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• First stop: dinosaurs! Go where the dinosaurs roamed at Clayton Lake State Park and Dinosaur Trackways – home to one of the most extensive dinosaur trackways in North America 

• Still not enough dinosaurs? Head to Tucumcari for a visit to the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum and Natural Sciences Laboratory 

• Visit historic courthouses, watch as cowboy history and outlaw fables come to life, explore poignant ruins and landmarks, camp out under some of the darkest skies in New Mexico, and more using our Frontier Trails & Tracks Itineraries! 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Take a thrilling dive in the world-famous Santa Rosa Blue Hole 

• Enjoy some friendly competition with a game of disc golf at the Robert Lumpkin Memorial Disc Golf Course in Tucumcari 

• Experience the robust history and drama, excitement, and thrill that sprinkles Northeast New Mexico using our Frontier Trails & Tracks Itineraries 

• Make plans for an ed-venture at Pecos National Historical Park 

• Enjoy kid-approved outdoor activities at nearby Conchas Lake State Park, Ute Lake State Park, or Cimarron Canyon State Park 

• After a day full of thrills and adventure, catch a film at the Odeon Theatre in Tucumcari 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Get rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ down to Tucumcari in May for the annual Tucumcari Rawhide Days 

• Attend a Feast Day hosted by the Pecos National Historical Park in August 

• Head to Las Vegas in December for some holiday cheer during their annual Electric Light Parade 

CENTRAL 

Albuquerque, Bernalillo, & Los Lunas

Central New Mexico is a cultural hub and outdoor playground for all ages! Central New Mexico is not only home to Albuquerque, the state’s largest city, but also nine Native American communities. 

Kiddos ( 5 and Under) 

• Spend the day with some of Albuquerque’s wildest citizens at the ABQ BioPark 

• Get wild with the animals at the Wildlife West Nature Park 

• Enjoy a stroll through Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town 

• Cruise down Albuquerque’s unique stretch of Historic Route 66 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• Let curiosities run free in Albuquerque’s world-class museums like Explora and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science 

• Surround yourself in the wonderful oddities at the Tinkertown Museum in Sandia Park 

• Head to Hinkle Family Fun Center for a day of go-karts, mini golf, and more 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Enjoy incredible landscape views as you ride up above the mountains on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway 

• Step into the technicolor world of the Electric Playhouse 

• Catch some air at the Urban Air Adventure Park 

• Make a visit to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the National Hispanic Cultural Center 

• Head to Tingley Beach for wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking, or picnics 

• Go hiking or biking at the Paseo del Bosque Trails 

• Hike through the unique landscapes of Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Attend the largest pow-wow in North America during the annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow 

• Celebrate everything lavender during the Lavender in the Village Festival 

• Chow down in the summer during Rio Rancho’s annual Pork & Brew 

• The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in October is a must-see! 

SOUTHWEST  

Silver City, Las Cruces, & Truth or Consequences 

Southwest New Mexico – home of beautiful, rugged wilderness, Old West history, green chile goodness, and the future of space tourism. 

Kiddos ( 5 and Under) 

• Does your littlest travel companion have a big sweet tooth? Make plans to stop in Pie Town for a slice of mouthwatering pie! It’s definitely a tasty adventure well worth the drive 

• Get the perfect photo op at the Recycled Roadrunner Statue in Las Cruces 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• Get a taste of New Mexico’s Old West history with a visit to one of the area’s Ghost Towns like Chloride, Hillsboro, Kingston, and Monticello 

• Venture through 47 acres of interactive fun at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum 

• Get hands-on at the Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science 

• Learn about railroad history at the Railroad Museum in Las Cruces 

• Spend a day exploring Historic Mesilla 

• Explore the unique landscape of City of Rocks State Park near Deming 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Go sledding down the dunes at White Sands National Park 

• Hike the trails in the Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks National Monument 

• Play all day at Elephant Butte Lake State Park 

• Explore the Gila Cliff Dwellings 

• Space fans will love a special gem nestled in the region – Spaceport America! 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Head to Truth or Consequences in May for their annual Truth or Consequences Fiesta – a celebration of the day the town changed their name on a dare 

• Experience the Great American Duck Race in Deming in August 

• Prepare to get your hands dirty in July for the Silver City Clay Festival 

• Watch as hot air balloons soar above the lake in August during the Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta 

• Visit Hatch, the Chile Capital of the World, Labor Day weekend for the Hatch Valley Chile Festival 

• Bundle up and head to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in November for the Festival of the Cranes, an incredible opportunity to watch the annual migration of sandhill cranes, snow geese, and ducks 

SOUTHEAST 

Roswell, Alamogordo, & Socorro

Wild West Outlaws, alien invaders, space adventure – you'll find it in Southeast New Mexico. 

Kiddos (5 and Under) 

• Hang out with the animals at Alameda Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the southwest 

• Walk the trails and see the animals at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park 

• Spend a day on the rails at the Toy Train Depot 

Big Kids (Ages 6-9) 

• Get up close and personal with alien invaders at the International UFO Museum in Roswell 

• Become immersed in an alien adventure at the Roswell UFO Spacewalk 

• Get a taste of the Old West with chuckwagons, gold panning, cattle roping, and more at the Flying J Ranch 

• Go nuts at McGinn’s PistachioLand – home of the largest pistachio nut 

• Spend a day of tubing and sledding at Ruidoso Winter Park 

• Enjoy a day of bumper cars, go-karts, mini golf, and more at Pillow’s Funtrackers Family Fun Center 

Tweens and Teens (10+) 

• Invade Area 52 for some laser tag and VR gaming 

• Sit back and enjoy a tour through space at the Goddard Planetarium 

• Get a taste of space at the New Mexico Museum of Space History 

• Visit one of the largest active solar telescopes in the world at the Sunspot Solar Observatory 

• Go exploring at Carlsbad Caverns National Park 

• Have a blast at Ski Apache, which has kid-friendly activities in both the winter and summer months 

• Plan a day of fun at the Adventure Mountain Family Fun Center 

• Enjoy bottomless fun at Bottomless Lakes State Park 

Fun Events for All Ages 

• Invade Roswell in July for the annual UFO Festival 

• Stop by White Sands National Park in September for the annual White Sands Balloon & Music Festival 

• Get in the holiday spirit in Carlsbad during the annual Christmas on the Pecos boat rides