Attractions

New Mexico is a sublime state for the adventurous, offering visitors outstanding natural beauty in the form of desert landscapes, gorges and canyons as well as a rich ancient Native American and Hispanic heritage. With vibrant cities to enjoy as well as the great outdoors, New Mexico makes for a unique holiday experience.

The state's capital, Santa Fe, is a great place to start. Offering visitors a great history made tangible in its many world-class museums and galleries, including the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, it is also a wonderful center for shopping, craft-collecting and gourmet cuisine. Resting at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, a journey to Santa Fe should include exploring the remains of its 2,000 year-old Pueblo civilisation along the Rio Grande, and a colonial history dating back 400 years in the central plaza and winding alleys of the city itself.

Another city worth the visit is Albuquerque. For those with a taste for top-class New Mexican cuisine and plenty of diversions to work off the culinary over-indulgence, Albuquerque is the place to be. Apart from the food there are a variety of active pursuits, from cycling to dancing. Families are also guaranteed plenty of natural and recreational attractions. Albuquerque offers a taste of historic New Mexican life at attractions such as the Albuquerque Museum, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the exciting Museum of Natural History and Science.

The Land of Enchantment is a haven for those with a love for the outdoors, of course. The likes of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, gives visitors the chance to explore cave chambers and take on paved trails. The Taos Gorge Bridge also captures the spirit of adventure; rafting under it provides excitement as does merely gasping at the views from on top; it is the seventh highest bridge in the US, 565 feet (172m) above the Rio Grande. For avid hikers the Petroglyph National Monument is a popular choice; hikers can follow various trails and explore the Boca Negra Canyon.

Roswell photo

Roswell

The town of Roswell in south-east New Mexico has become the focus of UFO and alien hunters from all over the world. This has been the case ever since the 'Roswell Incident' in 1947…

Roswell

The town of Roswell in south-east New Mexico has become the focus of UFO and alien hunters from all over the world. This has been the case ever since the 'Roswell Incident' in 1947, when an alien craft purportedly crashed near the town, leaving surviving extra-terrestrials. Conspiracy theorists believe government authorities deliberately covered up the crash. The incident is highlighted at the International UFO Museum and Research Center in Main Street, along with a large collection of UFO memorabilia and artefacts. The museum also features a worldwide UFO sighting map and a comprehensive library. Roswell itself is just as UFO-crazy, and visitors can eat at UFO-themed cafes, and buy just about anything they can think of with an alien on it.

Website www.roswellufomuseum.com