Welcome to our 2nd Annual “Where in the West Should I Go?” This year, we’ve added some places, so you have more of the West to explore. The full list is only available to subscribers, though much of it isn’t behind the paywall. We’ll also be posting throughout the year on our Substack. Sign up …
Where in the West Should I Go? • 60 Places to Visit in 2023 Read More »
A visit to New Mexico conjures up images of relaxation, adventure, art, history and gastrotourism. Usually folks flock to Taos or Santa Fe or Albuquerque for their New Mexican excursion. In 2023, leave the big cities behind and hit the backroads – you’ll see a whole different side of The Land of Enchantment.
A trip to New Mexico should certainly include stops at Carlsbad Caverns, which will take you underground into a world of wonder, and White Sands, one of our newest national parks and a marvel in its own right.
The world’s largest gypsum dune field at some 275 square miles, it’s perhaps the most otherworldly place on our planet (though some other Western wonders like Bryce Canyon are certainly in the running).
There might not be anywhere in New Mexico that better exemplifies the state’s “Land of Enchantment” motto than Taos. In the state’s high desert, located northeast of Santa Fe in between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos is an artsy city with an array of attractions.
Situated midway between the towns of Silver City and Deming, City of Rocks State Park has been described as, “In the middle of a place very close to nowhere, just south of somewhere and a little past over there.” In other words, it’s remote.
Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge has cultivated its wetlands to imitate the Rio Grande when it ran wild. Located near Socorro, the 57,000-plus acre refuge is home to the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, the yellow-billed cuckoo, the Rio Grande silvery minnow and other endangered species. It’s also home to more familiar animals – mountain lions, reptiles, bats, rats and deer.
From cities and towns to national parks and lesser-known landscapes, this inaugural special section has your 2022 travel through the West covered! We’ve curated a list of 52 places to visit this year – four in each of the 13 states we cover. If you travel at a breakneck pace, that’s one a week. Let this guide serve as inspiration and enjoy the West!
