FEEL THE HEAT AT THE CHILE PEPPER INSTITUTE
What is the world’s hottest chile? Why are New Mexico’s Big Jim peppers so prized? Get answers to these burning questions on a guided tour of the New Mexico State University Chile Pepper Institute Teaching Garden in Las Cruces. More than 150 varieties are grown in this one-acre garden, which attracts all kinds of pepper lovers. “We get chile-heads, the people solely after the heat,” says April Beauchemin, program specialist at the Chile Pepper Institute at NMSU. “They’re usually from out of town. New Mexicans want to know which chiles have the most flavor.” Bite into New Mexico chile history, learn how cultures around the world cook with peppers, and find out what causes the garden’s ornamental peppers to turn different colors. “They come in a full kaleidoscope of colors, and they’re beautiful,” Beauchemin says. —Lynn Cline
📍113 W. University Ave., Las Cruces; 575-646-3028, nmmag.us/teaching-garden
RIDE THE RAILS
1. The waves! The dips! The 360-degree helix! Ruidoso Winter Park’s Screaming Eagle Mountain Coaster, the only one in the state, gives thrill-seekers control of their individual cart’s speed—up to 25 mph—over 5,100 feet of track for a rollicking good ride in the fresh air of the stunning Sierra Blanca Mountains. Screaming encouraged. 121 Ski Run Rd., Alto; 575-336-7079, ruidosowinterpark.com
2. Travel in luxury on Sky Railway’s historically restored trains for the 36-mile round trip between Santa Fe and Lamy. Choose your theme, from the sublime (Sunset Serenade) to the adventurous (Outlaw Express), then sip some bubbly, graze on snacks, and revel in glorious desert and mountain landscapes. 430 W. Manhattan Ave., Santa Fe; 844-743-3759, skyrailway.com
3. Climb aboard the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad for a trip back in time along a route no car can follow. Ride the narrow-gauge railway, powered by one of nine steam locomotives, from Chama. Round trips range from a 64-mile journey over the 10,015-foot-high Cumbres Pass to Antonito, Colorado, to a short 75-minute jaunt for day-trippers. 500 S. Terrace Ave., Chama; 888-286-2737, cumbrestoltec.com —Debra Levy Martinelli
TRIPLE THE FUN ON THE RÍO GRANDE
Three days. Three sports. Thirty-plus miles. This isn’t your average float trip. New Mexico River Adventures, in Embudo, delivers the ultimate adrenaline fix with its Río Grande Multi-Sport 3-Day expedition. Covering 35½ miles, you’ll raft Class III and IV whitewater, kayak thrilling stretches of the Río, and climb dramatic basalt cliffs—all while immersed in the beauty of the Río Grande del Norte National Monument. “This trip is designed for people who want to push themselves,” says founder Matt Gontram, “and experience everything this incredible landscape has to offer.” Nights are spent under starlit skies, indulging in gourmet camp meals, and collecting bragging rights. —Lanee Lee
📍2273 NM 68, Embudo; 505-983-7756, newmexicoriveradventures.com
DRESS UP FOR A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
It’s old-world art form meets good old Americana. “People have been tailgating at the Santa Fe Opera for as long as there’s been a Santa Fe Opera,” says Mariah Olesen, media and public relations manager. “It’s a wonderful tradition that’s entirely unique.” The distinctive and graceful opera house sits on 155 acres and presents some of the best music the City Different has to offer. This year, the opera presents the company premiere of Wagner’s Die Walküre (July 26–August 21). “It’s an epic story with music of titanic magnitude,” Olesen says. For La Bohème (June 27–August 23), Olesen suggests guests go full flapper to fit with the 1920s Parisian setting, but most everything goes. “We see it all, from bolos to ball gowns,” she says. —Katy Kelleher
📍301 Opera Dr., Santa Fe; 505-986-5900, santafeopera.org
BASK IN RAINBOWS
Take your selfies. But then put your phone away and sit. Feel the sun’s warmth as color spectrums wash across the white walls of the Dwan Light Sanctuary on the United World College campus in Montezuma. “Visitors can experience the ephemeral beauty of light in real time,” says Nicole Dial-Kay, curator of exhibitions and collections at the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos. Constructed by artist Charles Ross and architect Laban Wingert as a nondenominational place for contemplation, the sanctuary’s circular building and prisms align with the sun, moon, and stars to tap into New Mexico’s aura. “It’s sometimes hard to convey the feeling of being in Charles’s work,” says Dial-Kay, who worked with Ross on the Harwood’s exhibition Mansions of the Zodiac. “So much of it requires time spent, feeling in our bodies how we relate to these huge things happening in the cosmos.” BONUS: See all 12 of Ross’s nearly 16-foot-tall Star Maps at the Harwood’s Mansions of the Zodiac, through September 7. —Steve Gleydura
📍United World College, 400 NM 65, Montezuma; 505-454-4200, nmmag.us/dwan
📍Harwood Museum of Art, 238 Ledoux St., Taos; 575-758-9826, harwoodmuseum.org
ATTEND A PUEBLO FEAST DAY
Feast days are among the most vivid cultural experiences in New Mexico—where history, ceremony, and community converge. Held across pueblo communities throughout the year, these celebrations honor each pueblo’s patron saint with traditional dances, drumming, and communal meals. “There’s usually an eating area open to guests with Pueblo breads, cookies, and chile stews,” says Amy Johnson (Isleta), curator of collections at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Each feast has its own rhythm, but many begin at dawn with church processions, followed by dances, foot races, or pole climbs in the plaza. Remember, etiquette is essential: no photos, dress respectfully, and observe quietly. “It’s not just a social dance but [an act of] prayer,” Johnson says. “The prayer really extends beyond the pueblo to the rest of New Mexico and the world.” Visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s website for a Feast Day calendar and etiquette guide. indianpueblo.org/feast-days —Candolin Cook
JOIN A TROLLEY TOUR OF LAS VEGAS
“That’s the first Wells Fargo building west of the Missouri,” says No. 11 Trolley Tours CEO Margo Segura of a large columned building. “Right next door was Doc Holliday’s business.” Inside the 22-seat trolley, Segura and tour guide Georgina Ortega Angel recount how the entrance of the railroad in 1879—the same year Holliday set up his saloon—cleaved Las Vegas, New Mexico, in two. White settlers raised Neoclassical Revival edifices like the bank building, putting their stamp on East Las Vegas (New Town), while the mainly Hispano West Las Vegas (Old Town) preserved traditions in the adobe vernacular style. “The tale of two towns,” as Ortega Angel calls it, is a regular feature on No. 11 Trolley Tours. The 50-minute route through the Meadow City’s five districts and 900-plus buildings on the National Register of Historic Places tells the story of what was once New Mexico’s most prosperous city, home to outlaws, governors, and the country’s largest contingent of Rough Riders. number11trolleytours.com —Molly Boyle
TAKE A CLASS AT TAOS CERAMICS CENTER
Let New Mexico be your muse at the Taos Ceramics Center, where you can sit at a wheel, cover your hands in clay, and see what comes of it. “People who are attracted to clay love its meditative nature,” says Georgia Epstein, founder and general manager of the center. “Clay demands your full attention. It’s this tactile experience that, with a bit of practice, allows you to make anything you want.” Weekend workshops range from sculptural building to wheel throwing. Eight-week courses, starting in June, allow students to delve into one subject. For beginners, Epstein suggests the Intro to Clay course. “It offers a taste of everything,” she says. Plus, working in clay means you leave with an inspirational handmade keepsake. —Maria Manuela
📍114 Este Es Rd., Taos; 575-758-2580, taosceramics.com
GEAR UP FOR THE ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL
Cruise into Tucumcari and park your wheels at the New Mexico Route 66 Museum. Packed with classic cars, vintage gas pumps, and other memorabilia celebrating the Mother Road, this sweet spot will spark your engine for the Route 66 centennial in 2026. The museum also boasts the world’s largest collection of Route 66 photographs, a display of more than 160 pictures by Michael Campanelli, who traveled the highway from Chicago to Santa Monica over 12 days in 2002. “They fill a complete wall and a half,” says museum director and curator Ken Christian. And don’t miss signs from the glory days of the Tucumcari Motel, Cactus Motel and RV Park, and Tucumcari Western Auto. “The neon is very popular,” Christian says. “It defines Route 66.” —LC
📍1500 W. Route 66 Blvd., Tucumcari; 575-461-1694, nmrt66museum.org
SPEND SUNDAY AT THE RAIL YARDS MARKET
“We are, first and foremost, a farmers’ market,” says Chloe Podkonjak, Rail Yards Market vendor and promotions director. But that’s hardly the whole story. On Sundays from May to October, Albuquerque’s historic Rail Yards—once the economic engine of the city—hosts an eclectic mix of more than 100 food, farm, art, and craft vendors, selling everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to plant starts, fine art, and jewelry. “There’s much more to do than just shop,” Podkonjak adds. Local musical acts, a dedicated kids zone, and weekly themes make the Barelas neighborhood a Funday hang. BONUS: Attend Old School Day (August 10), featuring a classic car, bike, and lowrider show that hands out awards in categories like Most Ill Ride and Oldest Rig. —Sarah Mock
📍777 First St. SW, Albuquerque; 505-600-1109, railyardsmarket.org