New Mexico Vacations Travel Guide

General Information

Baby Equipment Rentals - companies in New Mexico that rent baby gear and equipment including car seats, strollers, cribs and more

Family Resorts in New Mexico - resorts, hotels and other family friendly lodging

New Mexico Travel & Tourism - visitors information with maps, places to eat, accommodations, activities, what to see, calendar of events and more.

Zoos

Alameda Park Zoo
1321 N White Sands Blvd ~ Hwy 54/70 @ 10th Street Intersection.
Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310
Phone: (800) 826-0294 / (505) 439-4290
The Alameda Park Zoo was established in 1898 with a small collection of waterfowl and deer. The park served as a diversion for weary railway travelers to enjoy as the steam locomotives refueled. Today the well shaded, seven acre Zoo is home to 90 different species, nearly 300 animals. Visitors enjoy playful otters, colorful birds, endangered wolves, and are entertained by the antics of a variety of monkeys. The Zoo also offers travelers a shaded picnic area and playground on seven acres of city park.

Albuquerque Biological Park
903 10th St SW
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102
Phone: (505) 764-6200
Only a stone's throw from the legendary Rio Grande and its cottonwood bosque (woods), the Albuquerque Biological Park invites you to explore the mystery and diversity of living organisms 362 days a year. All of nature, all in one place. Core facilities include: Albuquerque Aquarium, Rio Grande Botanic Garden, Rio Grande Zoo and, in the near future, Tingley Aquatic Park. The BioPark has an estimated 6,000 animals, 11,000 plants, 300 staff and 350 volunteers.

National Parks

White Sands National Monument
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 679-2599
At the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert lies a mountain ringed valley called the Tularosa Basin. Rising from the heart of this basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico.  Sightseeing along Dunes Drive; picnicking in the Heart of the Dunes area; hiking, backcountry camping; observing plants and wildlife along the boardwalk.  An eight-mile scenic drive leads from the Visitor Center into the heart of the dunes. Wayside exhibits at pullouts along the drive provide information about the natural history of the park.

Petroglyph National Monument
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 899-0205
Petroglyph National Monument protects a variety of cultural and natural resources including five volcanic cones, hundreds of archeological sites and an estimated 25,000 images carved by native peoples and early Spanish settlers.

Capulin Volcano National Monument
Capulin, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 278-2201
Capulin Volcano, a nearly perfectly-shaped cinder cone, stands more than 1200 feet above the surrounding High Plains of northeastern New Mexico. The visitor center contains exhibits about geology, natural history and human history of Capulin Volcano. A ten-minute video shown in the Visitor Center auditorium details the story of Capulin's eruption and the surrounding Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field. A short Nature Trail is adjacent to the Visitor Center. Roads/Trails: The Volcano Road, which leads to the rim, is approximately two miles long.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 785-2232
The park contains over 94 known caves, including Lechuguilla Cave—the nation's deepest limestone cave at 1,567 feet (478m) and third longest.  Carlsbad Cavern, with one of the world's largest underground chambers and countless formations, is highly accessible, with a variety of tours offered year-round.

El Malpais National Monument
Grants, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 783-4774
This monument preserves 114,277 acres of which 109,260 acres are federal and 5,017 acres are private. Volcanic features such as lava flows, cinder cones, pressure ridges and complex lava tube systems dominate the landscape.  Photography, sightseeing and wildlife viewing opportunities abound. Hike along established routes or make your own way. Go underground and experience the diveristy of life thriving in lava tubes. Picnic or camp. The backcountry camper is virtually certain of isolation.

Bandelier National Monument
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 672-0343
Best known for mesas, sheer-walled canyons, and the ancestral Pueblo dwellings found among them, Bandelier also includes over 23,000 acres of designated Wilderness. Sight-seeing along Main Loop Trail through excavated archeological sites, and along other trails. Backpacking, day hikes, bird watching (no pets on trails). Camping and picnicking in designated areas.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Silver City, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 536-9461
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument offers a glimpse of the homes and lives of the people of the Mogollon culture who lived there from the 1280s through the early 1300s. During the summer season, daily guided tours are provided to the first 22 people to sign up. On the weekends, two daily tours are provided at 10:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. Special tours can be arranged by calling the visitors center.  Hiking in the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness areas are popular activities in our area.

Fort Union National Monument
Watrous, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 425-8025
Visitors use a self-guided tour path to visit the second fort and the large, impressive ruins of the third Fort Union. The largest visible network of Santa Fe Trail ruts can be seen here.

Museums

New Mexico Museum of Space History
Alamogordo, New Mexico 88311
Phone: (877) 333-6589 / (505) 437-2840
The New Mexico Museum of Space History is located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It is a complex consisting of a space museum, Planetarium, IMAX® dome theater, and an International Space Hall of Fame.

American International Rattlesnake Museum
202 San Felipe NW, Suite A
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104
Phone: (505) 242-6569
The Rattlesnake Museum is an exciting and educational experience for the entire family. This animal conservation museum reveals the hundreds of ways that rattlesnakes and other "less desirable" animals have influenced our lives. Examples are given through artifacts, memorabilia, and the largest collection of different species of live rattlesnakes in the world.

Explora Science Center and Children's Museum
Albuquerque, New Mexico

National Atomic Museum
Albuquerque, New Mexico
A portion of the museum, the low bay, is devoted to exhibits on the research, development, and use of various forms of nuclear energy. Adjacent to the low bay is the theater. The featured film is David Wolpers classic 1963 production, Ten Seconds That Shook The World. This excellent film is a 53-minute documentary on the Manhattan Project.  Located around the outside of the museum are a number of large exhibits. These include the Boeing B-52B jet bomber that dropped the United States' last air burst H-bomb in 1962, and a 280-mm (11 inches) Atomic cannon, once America's most powerful field artillery. Also found in this area is a Navy TA-7C (a modified A-7B) Corsair II fighter-bomber, a veteran of the Vietnam War. Many other nuclear weapons systems, rockets, and missiles are found in this area.  In front of the museum are a pair of Navy Terrier missiles. The Terrier was the Navy's first operational surface to air missile.

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
1801 Mountain Road NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 841-2800

The Bradbury Science Museum
15th and Central
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Hands-on activities: Many of the Museum's exhibits feature hands-on computer programs, learning activities, and videos. Science demonstrations: At random times during weekdays, visitors may enjoy free science demonstrations by science educators. Historical films are also shown at various times.

War Eagles Air Museum
8012 Airport Rd.
Santa Teresa, New Mexico 88008
Phone: (505) 589-2000
The War Eagles Air Museum is dedicated to collecting, restoring and displaying historic aircraft of the World War II and the Korean Conflict eras. This unique Museum pays special tribute to military aviation and reminds us all of the significant role these airplanes, their pilots and support crews played in securing our freedom.

Theme Parks, Amusement Parks & Water Parks

Cliff's Amusement Park
4800 Osuna Rd NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Phone: (505) 881-9373
Rides and water rides for all ages.  A fun family park.

Family Activities

If you know of a family activity in New Mexico, let us know and we will add it here.

Summer - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Beaches, Lakes, etc.)

Summer Lake - Fishing, swimming, boating and camping.  Located 14 miles northwest of Fort Summer Off U.S. 84.

Abiquiu Dam - Fishing, boating, camping and nature walks.  This is a popular area for nature walks since there has been reptile fossils found that are hundreds of millions of years old.  Located 30 miles west of Espanola off U.S. 84.

Conchas Lake - Fishing, boating and camping.  Located 34 miles northwest of Tucumcari on New Mexico State Route 104.

NOTE: Some of the Winter Family Vacation Spots below also have summer activities, such as golfing, mountain biking, hiking and more.

Winter - Family Vacation Hot Spots (Ski Resorts, etc.)

Angel Fire
1 N Angel Fire Rd
Angel Fire, New Mexico 87710
Phone: (505) 377-6401
Winter: Skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and ski school with a variety of terrains.  Summer: golfing, biking, hiking, horseback riding and more.

Sandia Peak Ski Area
10 Tramway Loop North East
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87122
Phone: (505) 856-6419
Experience some of the longest cruising terrain available in New Mexico. Sandia Peak Ski Area offers 30 trails serviced by four chairlifts, a surface lift and a children's mitey mite.  During the summer you can go mountain biking and ride the scenic tram.

Ski Rio
Costilla, New Mexico 87524
Phone: (505) 758-7707
Rio has a reputation for being one of the roomiest resorts in the southern Rockies. Its slopes are uncrowded and made for cruising. The resort caters to beginners and intermediate skiers. The powder is deep. The views are stunning. Our mountain delivers a 2150-ft. vertical and some of the most awesome skiing and snowboard riding in the Southwest.

Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort
Located on Highway 518, just 22 scenic miles southeast of Taos.
Phone: (505) 587-2240
Family owned and operated since it's inception in 1952, Sipapu remains a small, family-oriented ski area boasting modest prices, lots of amenities & uncrowded lift lines. Nestled in the mountains of the Rio Pueblo, Sipapu is surrounded by the Pecos Wilderness and the Carson National Forest.  Sipapu offers a varied terrain for snowboarding, downhill & cross-country skiing and adult & kids lessons.  During the summer and fall, there is an abundance of activities including disc golfing, fly fishing, horseback riding, rock climbing, and annual motorcycle rallies & arts and craft fairs.

Enchanted Forest /Millers Crossing
417 W. Main Street
Red River, New Mexico 87558
Phone: (505) 754-2374 / toll free 800-966-9381
Enchanted Forest is a full-service facility located 3.5 miles east of Red River just below the summit of Bobcat Pass on Highway 38. It has over 30 kilometers of trails through 1000 acres from 9600 feet to 10,040 feet in elevation, which accounts for the excellent snow coverage all winter.

Red River
400 Pioneer Rd
Red River, New Mexico 87558
Phone: (505) 754-2223
A great family skiing area.

Ski Apache
Ruidoso, New Mexico 88355
Phone: (505) 336-4356
Skiing and snowboarding on a good variety of terrain from beginner to advanced.

Ski Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Phone: (505) 982-4429 / Off season (505) 983-9155
Experience the excitement of world-class skiing in breathtaking beauty of Ski Santa Fe. Located minutes from the historic city, Ski Santa Fe welcomes skiers, snowboarders, families, and locals to our 12,000 foot mountain.

Taos
Taos, New Mexico 87525
Phone: (505) 776-2291
Taos Ski Valley is known for its expert terrain that consists of narrow steeps and chutes. This ski area features more than 18 runs accessible only by hiking.  However there is a small amount terrain for the beginner and intermediate skiers.

Helpful websites and services

If you know of a website or company that is helpful to families traveling to New Mexico, let us know and we will add it here.

Travel Specials & Vacation Packages