New Mexico: Spring Break Road Trip

Dear New Mexico Experts:

I would appreciate your review and comment on our itinerary for travel during Spring Break in late March. We are Dad, Mom and 12 year-old daughter from Denver. We have traveled to NM a number of times and have always stayed in Santa Fe, with day trips to Bandelier, Taos, Los Alamos and Albuquerque. Our goal for this trip is to see more of southern NM. We want to explore and see enough but not have an overloaded itinerary. We like natural, historical and cultural sites along with light hikes and good food. I have researched extensively and developed the itinerary based on what we like to see and do, but I would value local expert’s suggestions. In ABQ we have been to Bio Park and Petroglyph National Monument. The trip up Sandia Peaks will be weather dependent at that time of year. The reviews of the High Finance Restaurant on top are pretty much thumbs down, so I think we’ll catch the sunset then head down for a better place to eat.

Thank you for your assistance…

Day 1: Travel Denver to Raton (PM drive after work).

Day 2: Capulin National Monument, drive to Carlsbad.

Day 3: Carlsbad Caverns.

Day 4: Living Desert Zoo, drive to Las Cruces, see White Sands enroute.

Day 5: Dripping Springs National Monument near Las Cruces, then drive to Silver City.

Day 6: Gila Cliff Dwellings, then drive to ABQ.

Day 7: Acoma Pueblo, return to ABQ.

Day 8: Old Town, Sandia Peak Tram.

Day 9: Return to Denver.

New Mexico: Spring Break Road Trip

It sounds like you%26#39;ve done your homework. :-)

I would just assume that on Day 2, you%26#39;d be seeing Capulin National Monument, and then returning to I-25 for your drive south to Carlsbad, rather than continuing on to Clayton.

On Day 4, you%26#39;d want to enjoy the scenic route from Carlsbad, to Artesia, and over to Alamogordo via US82 through Cloudcroft at an elevation of 9,000ft.. If you%26#39;d possibly like a cabin with crackling fire...Cloudcroft has several. You could still easily drive from Cloudcroft through White Sands, Dripping Springs, Las Cruces to Silver City on Day 5. Historic ';Old Mesilla'; just south of Las Cruces is also an interesting stop.

The remaining days seem fine to me.

P.S. The weather would only effect the Sandia Tramway if the winds were too high, which is rare, especially before April into May. I would ditto your reference to the High Finance. There is another Mexican restaurant at the base station...less expensive, and ';OK.'; If your family is into Bar-B-Q, the County Line at the corner of Tramway Blvd. and Tramway Road (leading up to the base station) is very good.

Have a great trip! We New Mexicans return the favor with our trips into Colorado. Both offer so much.

New Mexico: Spring Break Road Trip

Sounds like a good plan.

Places to dine include:

Raton - Oasis was good when we ate there years ago. Not sure how it is now.

Carlsbad - have not dined there in many years. Plenty of chains.

Las Cruces area - La Posta, Double Eagle

Albuquerque - tons of great places. Little Anitas is near Old Town, Frontier on Central, El Pinto and so many more. Visit www.itsatrip.org for ideas.

You may want to adjust Day 6. While the Gila Cliff Dwellings are only 44 miles from Silver City, it will take you about two hours to drive there, the better part of two hours coming back from the Cliff Dwellings until you are on a road leading to ABQ, and at least four hours to get to ABQ... and that doesn%26#39;t include the amount of time you%26#39;ll want to spend at the Cliff Dwellings themselves.

It%26#39;s do-able, but it%26#39;ll be a *long* day with lots of driving on twisty-turny roads.

I would suggest either spending a second night in Silver City and driving to Acoma the next day, or driving somewhere between Silver City and ABQ (such as Truth or Consequences or Socorro) and overnighting there.

Many thanks to all for the suggestions!