MAKE A PLAY DATE

Santa Fe Children’s Museum’s newly redesigned Backyard features more than an acre of fenced outdoor space that includes a zipline, amphitheater, sandbox, garden, beehive, and playground. “The concept was nature-based play,” says executive director Hannah Hausman, who notes that out-of-towners of all ages enjoy engaging with the Land of Enchantment. “Informal learning is so important for kids, but also for adults.” TRY THIS: Desert Bloom Play Cafe, in Los Alamos, is part coffee shop, part indoor play space. “It’s about creating memories, building friendships, and giving people a place to slow down and enjoy time together,” says owner Lauren Lippiatt, of the shop that opened in July.

Read up on Artesia Public Library’s Storywalk. Photograph courtesy of the Artesia Public Library.

TRANSPORT YOURSELVES

Bring story time to life along the Pecos River with Carlsbad Public Library’s StoryWalk, featuring 19 oversize pages from a children’s book that rotates monthly. “We have such a beautiful river and a sidewalk that goes by it,” says Carlsbad Public Library director Sarah Jones. “We wanted to highlight our city’s beauty and encourage families to get out and stay active.” The route starts by the train bridge and goes toward Lake Carlsbad Beach “with hills and a playground along the way,” Jones says. TRY THIS: Artesia Public Library’s StoryWalk winds through Eagle Draw Park and announces each new book on Facebook. “The first family who comes to tell us the title wins a prize,” says Wendy Kilpatrick, adult services librarian, who notes November’s book is I Am Bilingual/Soy Bilingüe by Karina Elze.

Get creative at Desert Bloom Play Cafe. Photograph courtesy of Desert Bloom Play Café.

EAT UP THE VIEW

“Sitting on our deck, you get a view of the entire city of Albuquerque,” says Jory Rosen, owner of the Homestead Cafe, which opened this summer at the base of the Sandia Peak Tramway. “When the sun goes down, you can watch it set from here and see the city lights flick on.” Situated in the foothills, where nature is the main attraction, it’s a great place to fuel a hike with a sandwich or to reward yourself with a post-hike treat after riding down from the peak. TRY THIS: At the entrance to the Chiricahua Mountains, north of Rodeo, Sky Islands Grill & Grocery provides an oasis to birdwatchers and hikers with a covered porch and a patio.

SOAR INTO NATURE

Make like a bird and land at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. “Cranes also visit the refuge in family groups,” says park ranger Amanda Walker, who encourages kids to identify which cranes are the young ones in each flock. “You can find yourself in animals too, which is fun.” The easy out-and-back Observation Blind Trail is flanked with new pathways shaped like wings from a bird’s-eye view. TRY THIS: Avoid the crowds and flock to Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, outside Roswell, which also gets sandhill cranes in large numbers, Walker says.