Offbeat New Mexico Travel Features

by Neala Schwartzberg. Set along one of the most scenic routes in the state, the Turquoise Trail which joins Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the tiny town of Madrid could easily be called the town that came back, and with a roar. From thriving coal company town to ghost town, and now a rising Phoenix of art and craft, with a substantial dose of quirky.

Its rich multi-cultural heritage and ethnic diversity has made Albuquerque, and whole swaths of New Mexico a dining delight. Yes, absolutely Mexican and New Mexican cuisine (and there are some differences), but also French, Thai, Vietnamese, BBQ, tea rooms, and more.

by Suzanne Wright. The state’s topographical diversity surprises many first-time visitors and includes dense forests, high desert, low-lying river valleys and majestic mountain peaks. These contrasting environments have spawned military bases, Native American pueblos, art colonies, vineyards and atomic bomb testing sites, all existing harmoniously. Whether you’re a winemaker, a nuclear physicist or a tourist, you’re welcome here.

by Nicole Blouin. It's time to take to the road -- biking the trails and byways of the Land of Enchantment. Here's how to do it.

by Neala Schwartzberg. There are some things that just seem to naturally go together. Then, there are other pairings that fill us with delighted amazement. A full English tea in a charming Victorian tearoom the midst of Albuquerque would seem to be one of those delights.

by Neala Schwartzberg. For many, the art of Georgia O’Keeffe and New Mexico are inextricably linked. She didn’t start out a New Mexican artist -- she was a well-established artist before she ever visited the Land of Enchantment. But this is the land she loved and it is here that we can walk in her footsteps.

by Emily Grey. It’s not a fashion model’s runway. It’s not a feline on a prowl. It’s just one of the neatest trails in western New Mexico.

If you want to know about opportunities for outdoor fun in New Mexico, this is the place to start! Article courtesy of PLIC.

by Isabel Bearman Bucher. Just minutes from the fabled Taos, Arroyo Seco is a little town that did. What it did was come back from oblivion.

by Isabel Bearman Bucher. She was an Irish girl born in Castlewellan, County Down. With scores of academy award nominations and dozens of films, Greer Garson married Texas oil millionaire and horse breeder, Buddy Fogelson in 1949. And moved to New Mexico.

by Emily Grey. A baby pronghorn springs playfully in the air. A bull elk, known as Pecos Bull, saunters to a boardwalk, shakes its handsome rack, and peers up fearlessly at a group of human admirers. Phantom, the adult mountain lion bats a bowling ball, its favorite toy, and then hugs and kicks it. One of my most endearing discoveries in New Mexico is a combination environmental education center, licensed zoological park, and wildlife refuge 20 minutes east of Albuquerque. In this sanctuary, rescued, injured, and non-releasable wildlife indigenous to the state will live, forever protected.

by Robert Painter. Head off to a day trip to this spectacular national treasure. Bob Painter tells you how.

by Neala Schwartzberg. I am standing at the top of the sandstone bluffs in El Malpais National Monument. The word means badlands in Spanish, but as I stand in the total silence surrounded by mesas and volcanic fields and look to the dormant volcano mountains in the distance and I can't help but think it should be called beautiful lands.

by Neala Schwartzberg. In a land of stunning vistas, of sandstone bluffs and multihued mesas, the Acoma lands contain some of the most scenic and compelling of all, stretching for miles to the horizon. Add to that a fascinating tour of pueblo life atop a mesa, and a close look at the pottery, weaving, and artisan crafts of a living culture. That's a visit to the Acoma Pueblo and their new cultural center and museum.

by Neala Schwartzberg. It's shortly after dawn and the Albuquerque sky is its customary vibrant clear blue. People walk amidst hundreds of colorful hot air balloons as they fill with heated air, expanding slowly like behemoths stretching after a long snooze. Then, slowly majestically, and silently they lift off the ground, floating up into the sky. There they pause, hanging like ornaments decorating the blue sky.

by Neala Schwartzberg. Albuquerque is a wondrous gritty city, and Santa Fe is the charming capital, but tucked away between them you can find a bit serenity in the oasis of Galisteo. The Inn and the tiny town of less than 300 residents is a woodsy haven in the midst of a high desert of New Mexico.

by Neala Schwartzberg. If it's true that every building has stories to tell, the town of Taos must have some of the most interesting. This small charming quirky town cherishes its varied, and often spicy history.

by Irene Harner. I flew into Albuquerque and experienced a portion of the Four Corners. A place where one can, by bending, place one hand in Arizona, one in Utah, a foot in New Mexico and the other in Colorado -- touching four states at one time. Interesting as that concept is, it pales compared to the places she did visit.

by Robert Painter. Not only did Bob find a delightful mineral springs and spa, but also native American history and a Master potter. Satisfying on all levels.

by Neala Schwartzberg. Over 3000 dancers and singers from more than 500 tribes. By turns educational outreach, reunion of family and friends, affirmation of heritage and identity, and opportunity to experience a small part of a vibrant and beautiful culture.

by Lyn Kidder. Residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico love their bears. It's a good thing since the bears often visit. But when the furry kind aren't around, there's plenty of carved ones all over town.

by Neala Schwartzberg. I have always wanted turquoise earrings. And from the southwest. Buying it any other place would miss the point. So, I waited. Then one day, my patience was rewarded.

by Neala Schwartzberg. Adobe-style warmth, with quiet sophistication, in the spare beauty of the high desert of New Mexico. The pinks and blues of the Sandia mountains as the backdrop.

Our Favorite Links
For Stories on the Strange and Unusual we've found Mike Smith's MyStrangeNewMexico.com to be a treasure trove.