Our quick New Mexico getaway in October began with an overnight in El Paso, just enough time to reset before the real adventure. By morning we were on the road, heading toward Alamogordo, NM, with wide‑open desert views stretching in every direction.
Our first stop was the New Mexico Museum of Space History. The museum felt like it could use a modern refresh. Still, it had a few interesting moments. S loved dressing up as an astronaut.
Lunch was at a local BBQ spot where we quietly hoped the smoker had been cleaned sometime this year. It was fine—and we lived to tell the tale.
The afternoon was reserved for White Sands National Park, a place that feels almost extraterrestrial. The dunes were blinding under the early afternoon sun, and since we forgot our hats, we skipped the long hike and went straight for the sledding. It took a few runs to figure out the magic formula: the right incline plus proper waxing equals actual speed. By evening we found a perfect slope. It doesn’t take much to realize how exhausting dune climbing really is. S loved the big sand dunes.
S earned his Junior Ranger badge, proudly adding another to his growing collection. By sunset he was happily digging and playing in the cool white sand while I chased the golden light across the dunes.
That night we checked into a small Airbnb in Alamogordo, where the resident cat immediately decided we were her new humans. She greeted us at the door, supervised our unpacking, demanded pets, and graciously accepted treats. Easily one of the friendliest, most social cats we’ve ever met—though it’s unclear whether she was taking care of us or we were taking care of her. S loved to feed her.
The next morning, we drove to Albuquerque and wandered through Old Town. It was charming but uncomfortably crowded, and the restaurant we planned to try had a 1.5‑hour wait. We grabbed a quick bite at a café and escaped.
After Old Town, we made a quick stop at Petroglyph National Monument, where S earned his second Junior Ranger badge of the trip. We hiked just enough to see several petroglyphs carved into the volcanic rock.
By late afternoon we headed to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, one of the most visually spectacular events in the country. Our tickets were for the Evening Glow, when dozens of balloons inflate but stay tethered to the ground, lighting up like giant lanterns against the darkening sky. Parachutists dropped in carrying flags and fireworks, a drone show lit up the sky, and the night ended with a full fireworks display. It was magical.
The next morning started at 5 a.m. with a bus ride to the launch field. As the sky shifted from deep blue to gold, hundreds of balloons lifted off, one by one, slowly filling the sky with color. It was both peaceful and overwhelming, and absolutely worth the early wake‑up. S requested that next time get tickets to ride a balloon.
Before heading to the airport, we squeezed in one last stop: the Sandia Peak Tramway. The sure way to get to the top was to get the tickets ahead of time. But even with timed entry tickets, high winds at the summit meant a one‑hour wait in line. Eventually the tram reopened and we boarded. The ride carried us up the rugged face of the mountain, revealing sweeping views of Albuquerque and the desert beyond. A bit of trivia, this tramway is the longest aerial tramway in the Americas.
At the top, we had lunch at the restaurant overlooking the vast landscape. It was a calm, scenic pause before the rush of travel resumed.
New Mexico delivered a mix of quirky, beautiful, exhausting, and spectacular—and we left with sandy shoes, tired legs, and a few more memories tucked away.
