New Mexico Travel Guide

Eating New Mexican Enchiladas: There are few things more New Mexican than the enchilada. You can order red or green chile, or "Christmas"—half and half. Sauces are rich, seasoned with ajo (garlic) and oregano. New Mexican cuisine isn't smothered in cheese and sour cream, so the flavors of the chiles, corn, and meats can really be savored. Enchiladas are often served with frijoles (beans), posole (hominy), and sopaipillas (fried bread).
Taking the High Road to Taos: This spectacular 80-mile route into the mountains between Santa Fe and Taos takes you through red painted deserts, villages bordered by apple and peach orchards, and the foothills of 13,000-foot peaks. You can stop in Cordova, known for its woodcarvers, or Chimayo, known for its weavers. At the fabled Santuario de Chimayo, you can rub healing dust between your fingers.
Exploring Chaco Culture National Historical Park: A combination of a stunning setting and well-preserved ruins makes the long drive to Chaco Canyon an incredible adventure into ancestral Puebloan culture. Many good hikes and bike rides are in the area, and there's also a campground.
Seeing a performance by the Santa Fe Opera: One of the finest opera companies in the United States has called Santa Fe home for nearly 50 years. Performances are held during the summer months in a hilltop, open-air amphitheater. The big highlight for 2007 is a Santa Fe Opera-commissioned world premiere by Chinese-American composer Tan Dun—who won an Oscar for scoring Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon—titled Tea: A Mirror of Soul.
Witnessing the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta: The world's largest balloon rally assembles some 750 colorful balloons and includes races and contests. Highlights are the mass ascension at sunrise and the special shapes rodeo, in which balloons in all sorts of whimsical forms, from liquor bottles to cows, rise into the sky.
Exploring Taos Pueblo: Possibly the original home of pueblo-style architecture, this bold structure where 200 residents still live much as their ancestors did a thousand years ago is awe-inspiring. Rooms built of mud are poetically stacked to echo the shape of Taos Mountain behind them. As you explore the pueblo, you can visit the residents' studios, munch on bread baked in an horno (a beehive-shaped oven), and wander past the fascinating ruins of the old church and cemetery.

I will never forget when I was in second grade, standing on the dusty playground at Alvarado Elementary School in Albuquerque, pointing west toward the volcanoes. "We went beyond those volcanoes," I bragged to my friend about what my family had done over the weekend. "No way," my friend replied. Actually, a number of times I'd been much farther than the 10 miles between us and the volcanoes, and I now know that the strong impact of the journey's distance had to do with culture rather than miles. Read More

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I read an article in sunset mag. about a vacation where a guide will take you to a campsite by horseback and set camp for you and come back at a later date to breakdown camp and take you back, what type of adventure is this called? I can't remember!
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We are thinking of vacationing in New Mexico in March 2010. We are avid golfers and were wondering which part of NM has the best courses to play also what is the weather like in March?
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I have 3 small kids (3,2,1). I am looking for a wading pool no deeper than 2 feet, I am also looking for a place they can climb and get out alot of energy, along with a 3/4 star hotel and possibly a zoo nearby... any suggestions?
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