New Mexico Vacation Ideas

[BBob]

Los Alamos has an epic approach from east or west, a really cool Atomic/Nuclear Age museum, there's a "brewpub" that has really good food and beer but maybe try a week day. Do not try to take your firearms through the National Lab in either direction. That's an effective way to get them taken away and a chance to spend the night on a pipe cot in 'otel federale', use the hockey bypass instead (yes NM has hockey and Wild fans too).

"there's a "brewpub" that has really good food and beer but maybe try a week day" Bathtub Row aka "The Tub". Weekends will be jammed shoulder to shoulder for sure.

The Bradbury Museum is worth a stop if you are in town.

 

[cal30_sniper]

I live right outside of 6A. There’s some really cool stuff to do right there in the unit itself, but expect it to be jam packed with Burqueños every summer weekend.

Jemez Springs is a neat little town, and somewhat a hidden jewel. I say somewhat because of aforementioned Burqueños.

Cuba is an oilfield town, San Ysidro is a Res town. Both are good for a stop to get gas and a bite to eat, but I wouldn’t count on much else from a vacation perspective.

Theres a casino complex in Bernalillo, and another at Sandia Pueblo. Both might make neat spots to stay within a hour or so of the unit, but I haven’t personally stayed at either living so close to there. Corrales, NM is probably the closest ‘nice’ place within an easy drive of the unit. An Air BnB there would get you within easy driving distance but still in a place with shops, restaurants, wineries, touristy attractions nearby for the wife.

Stuff to do with the wife near there:
-Valles Caldera (Unit 6B)
-Jemez Springs (restaurants, small hotels, small shops. Lots of neat fishing spots up and down the river from there)
-Jemez Soda dam
-Battleship Rock
-Jemez Falls (go on a weekday or early in the morning)
-Bandelier NM
-Ojito Wilderness (hot in the summer. Seismosaurus trail has a really good petroglyph spot)
-Guadalupe Ruin (one of my favorite Anasazi sites. Easy to get to, seldom visited, close to unit 6. Aztec Ruins and Chaco Canyon are bigger, but a long way west of Unit 6.)

If it were me, I’d look into Air BnB type accommodations in Jemez Springs, outside of Cuba, or on the NW side of Albuquerque (Los Alamos side would also be a good spot to stay, but I don’t go there much). You could spend a weeklong vacation just in the Jemez and not hit all the cool spots, plus you’d be scouting your actual unit.

Have fun!

 

[Laelkhunter]

Red or Green? (Will be asked this each time you eat)



LaGriz

Red, green, or Christmas (which is both side by side-not mixed together).

 

[Laelkhunter]

If near Chama, PM me for the best places to eat, and the BEST place to stay overnight. If closer to Santa Fe added for a Spiritual visit, try the El Santuario De Chimayo Church-It is about 8 miles off the main drag in Santa Fe, but a visit there will be enlightening for sure. We do it every year.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Also near Santa Fe, if you have an itch to make a donation at a Casino, Buffalo Thunder Resort has the best in gambling, and the Hotel is fabulous.

 

[Red Letters]

Drive through Colorado and make stops there

 

[GrayGoose]

Taking off Saturday morning for this trip. We ended up finding an airbnb in the unit and have a good list of things to see/do in the area. We also have plans to stop by Santa Fe and Albuquerque. My wife seemed to be more open to scouting/hiking than I originally thought she would be so we'll be spending the majority of our time driving the unit, hiking different areas, and checking out some of the must see locations.
@cal30_sniper i appreciate the additional ideas and the heads up about Burqueños (had to look up what it meant). Hoping to avoid the larger crowds by staying there during the week.

 

[Red Letters]

Taking off Saturday morning for this trip. We ended up finding an airbnb in the unit and have a good list of things to see/do in the area. We also have plans to stop by Santa Fe and Albuquerque. My wife seemed to be more open to scouting/hiking than I originally thought she would be so we'll be spending the majority of our time driving the unit, hiking different areas, and checking out some of the must see locations.
@cal30_sniper i appreciate the additional ideas and the heads up about Burqueños (had to look up what it meant). Hoping to avoid the larger crowds by staying there during the week.

Go buy her a new outfit or two and a matching pair of hiking boots, take a camera for her to use and make sure she gets to use the glass if she shows an interest in that part. A hydration pack for water and make sure she gets plenty of water before hand, my wife has grown to like all this and I think we all still have enough kid in us, we want to look the part. (not that there's not a huge benefit to having the right gear)

 

[Slingblade]

We stayed in Taos during my sons Antelope hunt in August and Loved it. The gorge is awesome, lots of Bighorns to look at and photo. My wife and youngest son took a Hot air balloon ride over the gorge and white water rafted while we hunted. Plenty to do and would love to go back. Kit Carson's grave site is worth seeing as well if you're into some of the Western history.