Southwestern Flavor!

There's something irresistible about Southwest flavor, and New Mexico has A LOT of it. The area of Ruidoso, NM and its surrounding area is infamous for its role in the life (and death) of Billy the Kid, as well as its Mescalero Indian Reservation. There is a lot of shopping to be done, as well as casinos to play at! If you want to get out into nature to a truly unique spot, check out nearby White Sands National Monument, or explore outer space at the International Space Museum and Hall of Fame!!

Quick Tips:

Ruidoso is a small community neatly tucked within a mountain range, and it gets surprisingly cool so be sure to bring a sweater. If you venture south towards Alamogordo and El Paso, it turns into desert so stay hydrated!

Best Way To Get Around:

Car rentals are abundant in the area.

Neatly tucked away in the Mescalero Indian Reservation is the newly-remodeled Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino. It's about a 20-minute drive away from the shopping strip of Ruidoso. If you're looking for a posh retreat, this is your place.

After a long day of shopping, you can flop onto your pillow-top mattress and oh-so-comfy pillows and snooze the night away. The room ambiance is so relaxing, it's like a massage for your brain. Soft lighting and a dazzling view of the great outdoors from your balcony will put your mind at ease. The tree-covered mountains and lake, right outside the property, will whisk your problems away.

If you're like me and you prefer to gamble or drink your problems away, or to just plain have a good ol' time, head down to the giant casino. There you will find almost every Vegas-style game there is to offer, as well as enough slot machines to make your head spin. Whether you're a penny pincher or a high-roller, you will find the perfect game. I prefer slot machines and, even on a limited budget, I can play the night away at the nickel and quarter slots! And even if I lose all my money, I can still feel like a millionaire after I retreat to my room.

Strolling into the All-American Diner was like taking a step back in time. The walls were littered with pictures of icons and decades past, as well as vehicle license plates from all 50 states. A very eclectic but friendly feeling to this restaurant. We were greeted by our server who looked a bit out of place serving at such a small mom-and-pop's diner type of establishment, but regardless, he was friendly and funny, as well as honest. I decided to try the spinach pie, but the waiter admitted that it's not the fastest item on the menu. He recommended the pizza, and boy was he right. It was the best pizza I had ever eaten. Hand-tossed, and the crust was done just so—a little crispy on the outside, and wonderfully warm and soft on the inside. It was indeed a slice of culinary heaven. Not to mention the slice was large enough to feed two people, and the price was right, too!

The All-American Diner is a great place to refuel your energy after a long day of shopping! It's nestled amongst the shops on the main road, so don't miss it!

For a truly unique experience, take a 45 minute drive south to White Sands National Monument.

White Sands National Monument is a vast but beautiful park. The name "White Sands" is a bit misleading, as the dunes are not made of sand at all, but actually gypsum. It is the world's largest natural deposit of gypsum.

For family fun, bring sleds as you'll see many kids sledding down the dunes like a snow hill! Or take a walk during the cool of night to check out the stars.

If you go during the day, don't forget to bring plenty of drinks to stay hydrated, as well as an old towel to brush off the "sand" before you leave. It has a tendency to stick to your feet more so than sand, and will make quite the mess in your vehicle. Also, if you decide to barefoot it, keep a pair of shoes or sandals handy as some parts of the dunes can be abrasive and HOT. (Call ahead to the park to make sure Highway 70 is not closed, as the White Sands Missile Range is nearby and closes the highway often for testing.)

Explore outer space without leaving our atmosphere! The International Space Hall of Fame/New Mexico Space History Museum will bring out the space explorer in all of us. As you drive into Alamogordo, NM, look into the mountains and you may notice a tiny silver building on the side. That's the subject of this entry!

This museum is a great spot for families. It has life-size models of space craft and their components, as well as both American and Russian astronaut uniforms! The museum documents the space race between America and the former Soviet Union with pictures, articles, and artifacts. The nearby White Sands Missal Range and Holloman Air Force Base also make generous contributions to the exhibits. On display are missiles of the past and present. Some are as long as the exhibit room! Startling statistics are posted next to each missiles detailing its capabilities. And don't miss the exhibit featuring HAMM—the first monkey in space! His burial site is also located within the property. Like to go fast? Check out the outdoor exhibit that features the sled of John P Stapp, who rode into record books at 632 miles per hour!

The museum is informative and a lot of fun to walk through. But be sure to make other plans for the day, as touring the museum only takes 2-3 hours.