18 Best Places To Visit In New Mexico

Above, a hearth in Old Town Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I moved to New Mexico from California six years ago, I have traveled around the state as much as I could. The pandemic put a little crimp on that for a while.

For those who are curious about New Mexico and what the locals say are the best places to visit, Travel + Leisure has a list of 18 places in the state.

They begin it with:

For a true taste of the American Southwest, consider a trip to New Mexico. Spanning approximately 121,000 square miles, the state is famous for its rich Indigenous history, vast landscapes (from towering dunes to subterranean caves), amazing archaeological sites, national landmarks (cliff dwellings, well-preserved adobe buildings, and centuries-old churches, to name a few), and an incredible arts and culture scene. It’s no surprise, then, that New Mexico is nicknamed the Land of Enchantment.

To narrow down the state’s best attractions, we reached out to local experts for their top recommendations. Without further ado, here are the best places to visit in New Mexico, from sprawling national parks to tiny towns and everything in between. 

To see what they are, go here.