New Mexico experts ~ please help
Jun 25th, 2007, 04:54 AM
#22
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ellen_griswold, Mrs. MileKing and I spent two weeks in NM last October and visited many of the cities/sites you are inquiring about. Here are my thoughts on some of the areas you are considering:
1. If the Turquoise Trail is even just a bit out of your way, I'd skip it. We were disappointed by the Trail. It is not really a scenic drive and our impression of the artisans was that the bulk of them were Santa Fe wanna-be's.
2. The food at the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid was good. It is really the only place to stop for lunch and thus gets crowded. Tour buses stop here.
3. The Hilton Las Cruces is no more. About a year ago, it changed names to the Encanto de Las Cruces and underwent renovations. I can't speak to the food there, but the hotel itself is nice and I would not hesitate to stay there again. A new Staybridge Suites also opened in Las Cruces last summer. That may be worth looking into.
4. If Smokey is your mascot, certainly go to Capitan. It's out of the way, but the Smokey museum is well done. We enjoyed it very much.
5. Lincoln was a huge disappointment. Most of the buildings were closed when we were there and we felt the small museum was a rip-off for the $3-4 it was charging (and this was run by state if I remember correctly).
6. If you are into birding, a stop at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro is a must. The best time to visit is late fall and winter when the sandhill cranes and other migratory birds are in abundance, but we saw a number of interesting birds when we were there in October.
Good luck and enjoy!
1. If the Turquoise Trail is even just a bit out of your way, I'd skip it. We were disappointed by the Trail. It is not really a scenic drive and our impression of the artisans was that the bulk of them were Santa Fe wanna-be's.
2. The food at the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid was good. It is really the only place to stop for lunch and thus gets crowded. Tour buses stop here.
3. The Hilton Las Cruces is no more. About a year ago, it changed names to the Encanto de Las Cruces and underwent renovations. I can't speak to the food there, but the hotel itself is nice and I would not hesitate to stay there again. A new Staybridge Suites also opened in Las Cruces last summer. That may be worth looking into.
4. If Smokey is your mascot, certainly go to Capitan. It's out of the way, but the Smokey museum is well done. We enjoyed it very much.
5. Lincoln was a huge disappointment. Most of the buildings were closed when we were there and we felt the small museum was a rip-off for the $3-4 it was charging (and this was run by state if I remember correctly).
6. If you are into birding, a stop at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro is a must. The best time to visit is late fall and winter when the sandhill cranes and other migratory birds are in abundance, but we saw a number of interesting birds when we were there in October.
Good luck and enjoy!
Jun 25th, 2007, 05:15 AM
#23
Join Date: May 2003
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Bosque del Apache is great at the right time of the year. Now is not it though. Definitely worth an early morning [daybreak to watch them fly out] or sunset visit [to watch them return for the night]. Sunset is easier to do IMHO, not so cold and you don't have to get up at quarter till dawn to see them.
