9 Small Towns In New Mexico To Visit For A Weekend Getaway

New Mexico may be a Southwestern US state with vast arid landscapes, yet there is much more to this state. Not only can travelers explore the ethereal white sands of the state’s most famous national park, but they can also soar to new heights in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. New Mexico may have the United States’ oldest continually inhabited community, yet it is also home to the cutting edge of scientific research. And throughout the state, artists can find ample inspiration for artistic grandeur.

When one needs a cool weekend getaway, The Land of Enchantment most certainly lives up to its moniker. To better understand why, discover nine of the best small towns in New Mexico to visit for a weekend getaway.

Chama

High in the Southern Rockies of northern New Mexico, about 108 miles southeast of Durango (Colorado), is the mountain village of Chama. All around town, visitors will find a whole lot to do outside, including wintertime hunting, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing at the nearby Edward Sargent Wildlife Management Area. A little farther south, Heron Lake State Park offers spectacular landscapes and amazing opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing. And for anyone hoping to spot bald eagles and other migrating birds in the wild, El Vado Lake State Park is a prime spot for winter birdwatching.

Back in town, one can find high-quality coffees, teas, and daytime grub (and dinner and wine on weekends) at Rio Chama Espresso Kitchen & Wine Bar. Also downtown, one can stay at Sterling & Sage, the ultimate boutique hotel with luxurious accommodations and remarkable mountain views upstairs.

Red River

Red River is a vibrant hub for year-round outdoor fun in northern New Mexico. Perhaps the top attraction here is Red River Ski & Summer Area, a solid family-friendly ski resort boasting over 60 trails across more than 200 acres. For even more fun on the open snow, Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area offers a truly special place for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking, and the path up to Greenie Peak is a phenomenal trail for snowmobiling.

After a long day exploring the mountains, travelers can return to town and stop at Red River Brewing & Distillery for locally made craft beers and spirits alongside hearty New Mexico-style pub fare. Then, check into Sitzmark Sports & Lodge for cozy and comfy accommodations, as well as a rental shop stocked with all the necessary supplies for mountain outings.

Taos

Taos is not only a thrilling ski town in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, but also a place that overflows with fascinating history and colorful culture. A short drive north is Taos Pueblo, the 1,000-plus-year-old Indigenous community that is UNESCO-recognized for its preservation of Tiwa Puebloan traditions. Also nearby is the Millicent Rogers Museum, a wondrous institution that showcases over 7,000 artifacts spanning several centuries, including jewelry, pottery, and paintings by local and regional Native American and Hispanic artists. In town, the Harwood Museum of Art features another 6,500 works of locally made art, spanning from the 18th century to the present day.

To experience a more rugged and daring side of Taos, it is a scenic drive up to Taos Ski Valley, the region’s premier winter sports destination with 113 trails across 1,294 acres that offer up to an astounding 3,131 feet in vertical drop. Even better, one can stay at The Blake, a stylish alpine lodge with easy access to the ski lifts, the resort’s spa and wellness center, and ample inviting options for shopping and dining.

Abiquiu

While New Mexico has plenty of mesmerizing landscapes, there is nothing quite like the magical scenery of Abiquiú. In 1934, the acclaimed artist Georgia O’Keeffe began staying and painting at Ghost Ranch, and visitors can now visit the ranch to explore the high desert where O’Keeffe created iconic paintings like Ram's Head, White Hollyhock-Hills (1935), and Summer Days (1936). In addition, Ghost Ranch has the Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology and the Florence Hawley Ellis Museum of Anthropology that share the stories of the region’s history before Spanish colonization commenced.

For even more natural beauty made famous by Georgia O’Keeffe, one can make a reservation with Dar al Islam to visit Plaza Blanca, a striking geological treasure that O’Keeffe cherished as the “White Place.” Also nearby, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum offers tours of her Abiquiú home and studio, where she lived and worked from 1949 to 1984. Meanwhile, for anyone in need of supplies, a hot meal, and/or unique souvenirs, Bode’s Mercantile and General Store has everything from tasty breakfast burritos to rain ponchos and locally made soaps. For a nice place to stay, Rancho Los Milagros is a solid choice, offering a blend of traditional furnishings and contemporary creature comforts.

Los Alamos

It is about a 34-mile journey from Santa Fe to Los Alamos, and it is one worth taking for a wide variety of beautiful scenery and legendary history. The Los Alamos History Museum makes a great starting point, as it shares many stories from the town’s evolution from a modest homesteading outpost to a scientific research hub during World War II and the Cold War. Just blocks away, the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bradbury Science Museum lets visitors dive deeper into the history of the Manhattan Project and what the Lab has been doing since.

Beyond the great atomic wonders in town, Los Alamos also impresses with its natural resources. For one, there is Bandelier National Monument, a park that spans over 33,000 acres that protects Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, Indigenous-made petroglyphs, and pristine mountain wilderness where the Rio Grande River flows. Also in the area is the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a 89,000-acre preserve centered around a caldera formed by volcanic eruptions approximately 1.25 million years ago. Whatever one decides to do in and around Los Alamos, Pueblo Canyon Inn & Gardens is a lovely place to stay in town with its uniquely furnished guest rooms and its hearty continental breakfasts every morning.

Gallup

Around 140 miles west of Albuquerque is Gallup, a town at the center of rich Indigenous culture and stunning red rock landscapes. The George Galanis Multicultural Center (also known as the Gallup Cultural Center) is a convenient spot to begin exploring the history and culture of the region’s Indigenous tribal communities. To the east of town, Red Rock Park abounds in red rock sandstone cliffs formed during the Mesozoic Era (around 200 million years ago), as well as incredible items crafted by the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni artisans at the on-site museum.

For a better view of what’s being made in Gallup today, travelers can head back to town and shop at local boutiques like Kestrel Leather and City Electric Shoe Shop to snag some snazzy souvenirs to take home. And for the ultimate throwback, check into the historic Hotel El Rancho and stay where Hollywood A-Listers like Katherine Hepburn, Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, and Billy Wilder stayed when they filmed movies here.

Ruidoso

Ruidoso may be a Spanish word that translates to noisy in English, yet the New Mexico town of Ruidoso comes across more as a charming and tranquil village in the Sierra Blanca Mountains. But if anyone really craves a more thrilling experience in the mountains, one can do a snow day at Ski Apache, the United States’ southernmost ski resort with 55 trails across 750 acres. Meanwhile, Ruidoso’s Winter Park makes for a more chill day on open snow with its mountain coaster and tubing course.

After a long day on the snow, Ruidoso also offers great après-ski options, such as tasting New Mexico-made wines at Noisy Water Winery and downing local craft beer and pizza at Downshift Brewing Company. From there, one can retreat to the lovely and luxe confines of the Inn of the Mountain Gods, an Indigenous-owned casino resort with plenty of Las Vegas-style slots and table games, recently renovated guest rooms and suites, and a full-service spa.

Truth or Consequences

Truth or Consequences (also known as T or C) may have a funny name, yet this town that’s about 75 miles north of Las Cruces is dead-serious about rest, relaxation, and recreation. To the north of town, Elephant Butte Lake State Park is a prime destination for hiking, biking, hunting, and many other outdoor activities. For even more adventures in the open wilderness, T or C is within easy reach of the vast expanse of Apache Kid Wilderness and its exhilarating hiking trails.

While Truth or Consequences has no shortage of rugged wilderness, it also abounds in refreshing and rejuvenating hot springs. More specifically, Blackstone Hotsprings offers a convenient option for soaking downtown, while Riverbend Hot Springs has thermal pools on its complex perched right by the Rio Grande River. For the ultimate hot springs retreat, Sierra Grande offers not only a full-service spa with hot spring-fed pools but also a collection of intimate guest rooms designed for maximum relaxation.

Silver City

Perched at the foot of the Mogollon Mountains of southwestern New Mexico, about 305 miles east of Tucson (Arizona), is the fun and fascinating town of Silver City. Just to the north lies the vast mountain wilderness of Gila National Forest, where experienced hikers can take the trail up Bear Mountain or Black Peak. (Black Peak also connects to the larger Continental Divide Trail.)

For a different kind of exploration, visitors can stay in town and check out the Western New Mexico University Museum, home to one of the world’s largest collections of medieval-era Mimbres pottery and other pre-colonization Indigenous-made artifacts. There is also the Grant County Art Guild Gallery, which features silver jewelry, watercolor paintings, wood carvings, and other contemporary works by 35 local artists. To complete the ideal Silver City getaway, travelers can stay at Bear Mountain Lodge, a 12-room boutique inn that provides a wonderful oasis atmosphere at the edge of the Gila National Forest.

These Small Towns in New Mexico Make for Great Weekend Getaways

Whether one is looking for a fun ski trip, a soothing spa weekend, or a simple trip to "get away from it all," the Land of Enchantment dazzles with a plethora of phenomenal vacation options. Red River and Taos are cool ski towns with great mountain slopes, while Abiquiu and Los Alamos overflow with fascinating historic (and, in some areas, prehistoric) treasures. Meanwhile, Truth or Consequences is a chill spa town where the hot springs make for a strong flow of healing energy. Across New Mexico, visitors will find wonderful towns to spend a weekend, and towns that might compel them to keep coming back for more.