New Mexico's natural landscapes, architecture and sunsets, provide the perfect background for the history and proud heritage that exist in the "Land of Enchantment". The unique blend of Native American, Mexican, Spanish and Western cultural influences helped New Mexico to develop a colorful and distinctive spirit.
There is no other state with so many national parks dedicated to Native Indian civilizations. From Bandelier in Los Alamos to the ancestral Pueblo Indian ruins in Aztec to Chaco Culture National Historical Park , the whole state has places where you can learn about this important cultural heritage.
Albuquerque and Santa Fe are the main urban areas in New Mexico. Both are attractive towns with excellent tourist infrastructure. They are good starting points for exploring the north central portion of the state, where one can find many colonial villages, verdant forests, and high mountain country.
Northwest New Mexico is often called "Indian Country" due to the large populations of various Indian Nations in the area; Grants, Gallup, and Farmington are good bases for exploring this diverse and interesting region. Here you'll find the oldest continuously inhabited city in the US, the venerable Pueblo of Acoma, and the world heritage site of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Southern New Mexico is dominated by Las Cruces, a fast growing city that has warm winters favored by retirees and others fleeing the snow belt. The rugged terrain of the Gila region in the southwest of the state is home to Silver City and many small mountain towns.There are many interesting places to visit in Southern New Mexico: Dripping Spring Trail - an old West trail in the mountains with remains of a turn-of-the century sanatorium; Agguire Spring Recreation Area - located on the eastern side of the Organ Mountains, a short drive from Las Cruces, has 2 scenic trails along with picnic areas; City of Rocks - located ...