TravelGuides

(TGA) - Travel - Tet: The overnight at a Hogan was our idea. After reading the other comments I have modified our trip. We are planning to be in N.M on 6/6/2010 and stay until 6/20/2010. Here's what we want to see and do:
To see:
Albuqerque, Sante Fe, Taos, Gallup, White Sands, Carlsbad, El Paso, Los Alamos, Ruidoso and maybe Las Cruces and Roswell.
To do:
White water rafting,
sightsee,
attend a Pow wow ,if available,
shop at local native american flea markets and trading posts,
visit a reservation
Enjoy the various vistas of NM
Here's the tentative plan:
Start at either Sante Fe or Alb--- for two days
next Taos and off to Gallup --- for one day
Gallup on 6/11 for the Indian rug auctions--- for one day
south to Las Cruces--- for one day
then to El Paso--- for two days
off to Carlsbad--- for one day or two
next to Mescalero for both . Whilte Sands ..Ruidoso---- for two or three days
then wend our way north to Albuquerque by the back roads in the hope of find something unique.
Leave Albuquerque on the 20th
This is a tentative plan and I would once again appreciate your comments and suggestions.
Thanks Tet.
Roman
---- Reply -----
Some of your trip sounds great--but then wondering about two days in El Paso--what are you goals for this visit? You could probably do Southern New Mexico in about 4 days--Las Cruces (and Mesilla), White Sands and Mescalero, then across to Carlsbad and Caverns, and then Roswell and back to Albuquerque. If going to El Paso to go over to Ciudad Juarez, I would certainly re-think that option!
---- Reply -----
Missed this post but you already know my ideas by PM. Agree with Cruzcouple about EP. Understand why you want to go Gallup also now.
Tet
---- Reply -----
You may have already booked your stays in various locations, but here's our two cents worth: New Mexico may only get one page in the U.S. Atlas, but it's the 5th largest state in terms of size. You're going to be doing a LOT of driving. I haven't computed the distances on a Google map, but you're going to be spending more time driving than "doing" things.
Taos, for example, is not a one day trip. Our guests spend an average of 3 nights and still have trouble seeing and doing all that there is to do.
If you're interested in more details, feel free to send me a private message.
---- Reply -----
If you're looking to do something in ElPaso, they do have a great concentration of stores that sell good Western boots!
---- Reply -----
Santa Fe should be minimum 2 days, the same for Albuquerque. It would take most of a day from Taos to Gallup. I agree that Taos also needs more than one day. Gallup to Las Cruces would require returning on I-40 to Albuquerque, then south on I-25 to Cruces. Again, most of a day. Cruces deserves most of a day, which could include White Sands. Carlsbad needs a minimum of a day in the cav3erns, including either the morning or night bat flights. I wouldn't spend two days in El Paso; most everyone I know here in NM says they don't even want to go down there. With Juarez being so bad with crime at present, going across the border would be foolish. Better to spend those two days somewhere else. You have a lot of driving, and some of the things you wwant to do would require more time than you might have. What you are describing should be at least 3 full weeks.
---- Reply -----
Thanks for your comments and suggestions, it really helped me. Here's what we ended up with:
Day 1 and 2 in ABQ
Day 3,4,and 5 in Santa Fe and Taos. Then drive to Gallup at the end of Day 5.
Day 6 at Gallup and Zuni Pueblo and then off to Grants, in the evening.
Day 7 at Acoma Pueblo and then to Socorro - Truth/Consequences and end up at Las Cruces for the evening.
Day 8 Las Cruces and Mesilla and in the evening, drive thru El Paso to Carlsbad.
Day 9 Carlsbad and at end of day drive to Roswell.
Day 10 Roswell sightsee and then head towards Mescalero in the evening.
Day 11 White Sands National and stay in Mescalero/Ruidoso area
Day 12 Travel back to ABQ via back roads and enjoy the countryside and maybe be pleasantly surprised.
Day 13 In ABQ to wind down and take in whatever we missed when we started our vacation. Maybe a Spa treatment for my wife and I.
Day 14 Back to Fl.
Once again ...Thank you all for your helpful comments.
---- Reply -----