(STACKER) – When planning your next holiday, you might feel an instinctual pull toward destinations that would take you across oceans, like Tokyo or Paris, but there are experiences closer to home that will have you thinking twice before booking a trip abroad ever again.
If you’re craving a burst of adrenaline, why not reserve a spot in Michigan’s famed Saugatuck Dune Rides? The activity’s charmingly dated website is a great indication of its word-of-mouth notoriety and timeless appeal. Over in Arizona, you might be surprised to find that it’s not just the Grand Canyon that tempts travelers to its desert landscape—it’s also one-of-a-kind venues like the Musical Instrument Museum, where music enthusiasts can find over 7,500 instruments from 200 countries around the world.
Indeed, even if you’ve lived in New Mexico your whole life, you might be surprised by just how many top-rated things you’ve yet to cross off your list. From architectural wonders and picturesque views to historical museums and other must-see sights, you’ll find your appreciation for New Mexico reignited just by reading through this list of top-rated things to do.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in New Mexico using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 3, 2024.
Whether you’re a family of five traveling in a recreational vehicle or a duo of friends looking for a quick getaway in New Mexico, read on for a list of sights you could easily plan a trip around.
#29. Pecos National Historical Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (479 reviews)
– Address: 1 Peach Drive Hwy 63 Pecos, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#28. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture
– Rating: 4.5/5 (894 reviews)
– Address: 710 Camino Lejo Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Millicent Rogers Museum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (782 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. High Road to Taos
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,297 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Ghost Ranch
– Rating: 4.5/5 (930 reviews)
– Address: 280 Private Drive 1708 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe on U.S. 84 between mile markers 224 and 225. Abiquiu, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#24. International UFO Museum and Research Center
– Rating: 4/5 (2,777 reviews)
– Address: 114 North Main St. Roswell, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. New Mexico History Museum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,500 reviews)
– Address: 113 Lincoln Ave. Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#22. Turquoise Museum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (490 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#21. Santa Fe Opera House
– Rating: 5/5 (1,088 reviews)
– Address: 301 Opera Drive Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Chaco Culture National Historical Park
– Rating: 4.5/5 (768 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Big Room
– Rating: 5/5 (1,022 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#18. Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center
– Rating: 5/5 (1,230 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#17. Petroglyph National Monument
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,000 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Taos Pueblo
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,152 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#15. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,137 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#14. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,361 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#13. Museum of International Folk Art
– Rating: 4.5/5 (2,135 reviews)
– Address: 706 Camino Lejo on Museum Hill Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#12. Santa Fe Plaza
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,248 reviews)
– Address: 63 Lincoln Ave. 100 Old Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Albuquerque Old Town
– Rating: 4/5 (5,380 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Meow Wolf Santa Fe
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,046 reviews)
– Address: 1352 Rufina Cir Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#9. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
– Rating: 4.5/5 (5,225 reviews)
– Address: 217 Johnson St. Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#8. Canyon Road
– Rating: 4.5/5 (4,071 reviews)
– Address: Canyon Road Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
– Rating: 4.5/5 (4,003 reviews)
– Address: 131 Cathedral Place Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#6. Loretto Chapel
– Rating: 4.5/5 (5,217 reviews)
– Address: 207 Old Santa Fe Trail Between Alameda and Water sts. Santa Fe, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#5. McGinn’s PistachioLand
– Rating: 4.5/5 (1,864 reviews)
– Address: 7320 US Highway 54/70 37 Highway 82 Alamogordo, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#4. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
– Rating: 4.5/5 (3,697 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Bandelier National Monument
– Rating: 5/5 (2,276 reviews)
– Address: 15 Entrance Road Los Alamos, New Mexico
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. White Sands National Park
– Rating: 5/5 (4,234 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Sandia Peak Tramway
– Rating: 4.5/5 (7,194 reviews)
– Read more on Tripadvisor
