11 Prettiest Downtown Strips In New Mexico
New Mexico has downtown strips that are each pretty in extremely different ways. There's 1950s neon nostalgia lighting up the night in Tucumcari on Route 66. Los Alamos holds the site of the Manhattan Project. Jemez Springs sits on natural mineral baths that first drew visitors in the 1870s. Mountainair has truly dark sky with the Milky Way overhead. These eleven downtown strips are all worth experiencing on a New Mexico tour.
Tucumcari
Tucumcari is known as the Heart of the Mother Road. A famous destination along old Route 66, this downtown is a rare chance to see the authentic Americana of the 1950s. Original neon signs still dazzle drivers along Tucumcari Boulevard just as they did in the heyday of swing. One of the most famous of those neon signs is a bird in flight above the famous Blue Swallow Motel, which has been proudly serving travelers since 1939. And beyond those famous neon signs, lovers of public art have flocked to Tucumcari to view more than 100 murals depicting the city's history.
Get to know the stories and secrets of this place more intimately at the Tucumcari Historical Museum, which is not a sterile museum, but more like an attic or treasure chest of history to explore. While you're at it, don't miss the world's largest collection of bronze dinosaur skeletons at the Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum. And if you're in Tucumcari during the last weekend of June in any year, you'll get to see the Rockin Route 66 Festival in action, featuring musical concerts that give that blues/jazz/swing '50s vibe, stunt shows, hot rods, pin ups, a Taste of New Mexico, and vintage goods for sale inside and outside the local establishments up and down old Route 66.
Roswell
Roswell welcomes adventurers of all kinds, including aliens, rocketeers, cowpokes, and cattle ranchers. The downtown strip is a mix of Southwestern hospitality and major UFO landmarks. Step inside the International UFO Museum and Research Center to learn about the 1947 Roswell Incident, witness firsthand accounts, and learn about the mysteries of the universe. Just outside the UFO Museum, head to the Roswell UFO Spacewalk and Gallery for a black-light sci-fi art adventure fun for the whole family.
You'll want to put your feet up after your adventures, so step inside any number of beautiful local restaurants, like El Toro Bravo for classic New Mexico dishes, or cafes like The Cowboy Cafe for a kitschy Western lunch or brunch. You can also opt for a glass of local wine in Pecos Flavors Winery and Bistro or a local pint in the Black Cock Brewery. Roswell's downtown is an out-of-this-world adventure for travelers, no matter where they come from.
Mountainair
The town of Mountainair wants travelers to know that it's still possible to find a main street with the real small-town feeling that once was the backbone of life in America. It's a place where people look you in the eye when they say hello, where you're subconsciously invited to slow down and share a slower pace of life. You can spend your time taking in the work of many resident artists in the shops and galleries. You can even take a Guided Art Walk Tour to make sure you don't miss anything.
Step inside Mountainair Meds & More, a neighborhood pharmacy with a vintage soda fountain, filled with unique creations that will remind you of your childhood, and sip from straws while twirling on the red stools in front of the bar. Hear the trains whistle as they go by and see cowboys walking down the street. Be sure to stop by the local hardware store, Gustin Hardware, filled with history, antiques, and taxidermied critters (and one live snake) for the full daytime experience. And at night, enjoy the truly dark sky of Mountainair with the Milky Way overhead.
Mesilla
Mesilla is a little town that's far from average. Rich in history and good taste, the downtown of Mesilla is brimming with fine art, award-winning cuisine, and unique shops. Many of these galleries, restaurants, and shops can be found in the Mesilla Plaza, a Historic Landmark where transfers of power first led to the creation of the New Mexico Territory and later led to the Gadsden Purchase.
Also of historical significance is the Basilica of San Albino, one of the oldest churches in the region and one of the few that can claim to have been built in Mexico before the transfer of land to the United States. Take in an arthouse film in the historic Fountain Theatre, also in the Plaza. Then have dinner at La Posta de Mesilla, a 19th-century stagecoach station that also features a piranha tank & aviary.
Carlsbad
New Mexico is a state with an official state question: red or green? This refers, of course, to what kind of chile sauce you prefer. Carlsbad, New Mexico, takes this question seriously, and green chile is its signature dish. Carlsbad recommends several restaurants along its main street and invites you to sample them all, but the Green Chile Grits at the Lucky Bull Grill comes specially recommended. After sampling your choice of chile, you'll want to lift a pint of locally crafted brew at Milton's Brewing, Carlsbad's first taproom and brewery, doing business out of a building originally built in 1906 to be the International Order of Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 21.
When most people think of Carlsbad, they think of the caverns, but there is so much to enjoy on the main street, which overlaps with the Pearl of the Pecos Arts & Culture District (POP District). The art district is bursting with original art, cafes, and irresistible boutiques. Many people who go just for the caverns say that if they'd known Carlsbad had such a cool downtown, they would have stayed longer.
Pie Town
The main street of Pie Town, as recreated by the artist Russell Lee, has hung on the walls of the MoMA and the Smithsonian. Only a few dozen buildings are there, and several of them have to do with, you guessed it, pie. You won't want to miss The Pie Town Co. for fresh-baked pies and country scratch cookin'. And not far from this incredibly fresh fare are the fabulous ruins of Ancestral Puebloan communities. This area is rich in Native American heritage, with pottery, tools, petrified wood, and even bones still being found there.
Pie Town is most often visited by cyclists, hikers, and equestrians making their way along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. These travelers are given lodging, supplies, and, yes, pies by request. In fact, three of the long-time residents of Pie Town have been so extraordinarily kind that they have been awarded the Curry Trail Angel Award. But if you aren't equipped for hiking a trail, the best possible time to visit the main street of Pie Town is the second Saturday of each September for the annual Pie Festival, which includes a pie baking contest, games and races, music, food, and arts and crafts.
Artesia
Artesia's Main Street features an active arts district. Murals and bronze statues festoon the entire main street area, and the city actively seeks ideas for new artworks to install. Eleven monumental statues comprise the History in Bronze public art project, which represents the local history of cattle drives and oil wells. You can stop by the Artesia Visitor Center for a walking tour guide of the works.
Keeping with the arts theme, Artesia often hosts free outdoor festivals, and evening shows and concerts regularly take place at the Ocotillo Performing Arts Center. Just off Main Street, you'll notice a very distinctive roofline that's been made to resemble the mountain horizon west of Artesia. This roofline belongs to New Mexico's Most Beautiful Library. Be sure to stop inside to pay your respects to a mural by New Mexico's famed artist, Peter Hurd. According to the library, this mural was originally painted in the 1950s in a downtown Houston building. It is approximately 47 feet wide by 15 feet tall and weighs nearly 25 tons. Be sure to ask the library to tell you the story about how the mural traveled between Houston and New Mexico.
Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft is a mountain village high up in the Sacramento Mountains. In winter months, this place becomes a winter wonderland, and at all times of the year, its cool climate is a welcome retreat from the heat down below in New Mexico's desert (it's always 20 degrees cooler in Cloudcroft). While in town, you'll almost certainly want to stay at The Lodge at Cloudcroft. Built in 1899, it's a historic landmark at 9,000 feet above sea level, home to one of the highest golf courses in the world, two disc golf courses, and a luxury spa. This is one of New Mexico's most renowned hotels (and it's also famously haunted).
In the heart of Cloudcroft is the Burro Street Exchange, a must-stop shopping experience with an eclectic mix of new and Old West shops and restaurants. While you're there, you may want to rent an ATV to explore the surrounding Lincoln National Forest. Or if you prefer to stay nearer to the main street, you should be sure to stop by Mad Jack's Mountaintop Barbeque, famous for its slow-cooked savory dishes. Alternatively, if you prefer comfort food for your sweet tooth, visit Burro Street Bakery, famous for its "Fruits of the Forest" pies.
Los Alamos
Los Alamos was established as a secret city during WWII. This was the destination the US Government chose for the Manhattan Project in 1942. Thousands of brilliant scientists and workers made Los Alamos their home as they developed the world's first atomic weapon, and today it is still home to some of our most creative scientific minds. There are currently 36 square miles of research and testing facilities, although the areas of scientific research are much more diverse now.
You can learn all about the past and present scientific achievements from Los Alamos at The Bradbury Science Museum, which has been curated by the local scientists. Walk in the footsteps of scientific giants as you stroll through the green Central Park Square. Take a self-guided tour through historical landmarks in the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. And of course, you'll want to visit the Oppenheimer House for a truly one-of-a-kind interaction with scientific history.
Taos
The history of Taos as we know it today dates back to 1796, when the King of Spain granted land to Don Fernando de Taos. Over the years, a growing fortress was built with huge gates to protect families and livestock from unwanted attackers. Many of the original buildings have been lost to fire, but new ones have been built, and today, what is known as Taos Plaza has a predominantly 1930s character. Taos Plaza is the heart of Taos downtown and is now home to galleries, shops, a farmer's market, and the continued (centuries-old) culture of Taos.
Take a turn down Historic Ledoux Street, just outside the Plaza, to see an atmospheric alley filled with artistic, unusual, and culinary delights at every twist and turn. You may have heard Taos called an "artist colony," and that's well deserved. See for yourself what Taos artists have created in the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House. Many of these works are kept in their place of origin and can't be displayed elsewhere. If interested in history, you can finish your stay with a visit to the Couse-Sharp Historic Site to learn more about the founders of the Taos Society of Artists and their love of Taos' natural beauty.
Jemez Springs
Jemez Springs is one of the few downtown areas that offers hot spring soaking, mineral baths, and massages. The Jemez Springs Bath House was one of the first structures built in what's now known as Jemez Springs, and dates back to the 1870s. Another establishment, once called "Giggling Hot Springs" and now called Jemez Hot Springs, offers quiet pools beside a river for you to enjoy.
This town is a place for quiet and inspiration, as evidenced by its surroundings of 17th-century Spanish ruins, and even more ancient stone dwellings. And after you've soaked in the relaxation, quiet, and history, stop by one of their favorite eateries, the Los Ojos Restaurant & Saloon, for burgers and brews, elevated views, and often live music, too.
The Downtowns of Enchantment
Whether you're traveling with your family, friends, or looking for a romantic getaway, these are some very pretty downtown strips indeed. You can almost literally eat pie in the sky, soak in history, and travel back in time, all while still being within reach of good restaurants and interesting attractions. Though each city offers something different, there's assuredly something for everyone in these relaxing towns. Book your weekend getaway to one of these memorable New Mexico cities soon.
