Alamogordo, New Mexico Travel Guide
Alamogordo in New Mexico is a small city with about 31.000 inhabitants. It is located in the Tularosa basin and is home to the Holloman Airforce base. On the east, the city is borders the Sacramento mountains, and on the west it borders the Air Force base.
The area is extremely rich in history and there are many interesting things to do in and around Alamogordo. Alamogordo and the surrounding area are pretty quiet, so it is a great place to enjoy nature and relax. As an Air Force wife, I have always enjoyed staying in Alamogordo, especially because of the fantastic nature surrounding it.
Here is my ultimate guide to Alamogordo, New Mexico. Find out about the best things to do in Alamogordo, where to eat in Alamogordo, and much more interesting info for your visit! Let’s dive right in!
How to get to AlamogordoThe closest (bigger) airport to Alamogordo is in El Paso, Texas. It is about 85 miles (136.79 km) away from Alamogordo. There are some smaller airports in the area, like the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport or the Las Cruces Airport, but they do not offer many connections.
When is the best time to visit Alamogordo?
Alamogordo has very nice weather year-round. The winters can be pretty cold, but luckily they are very short. For warm weather activities, I suggest visiting between May and October. From the end of May until mid-September is the hot season in Alamogordo, with roughly 86°F on average.
July is the hottest month, with an average of 93°F. December is the coldest month, with an average daily temperature of 31°F. Luckily, there are very few rainy days in Alamogordo, with a dry season from the end of September until the end of June. This makes it a great destination to visit year-round.
Things to do in Alamogordo The White Sands National Park
The White Sands National Park is located about 15 miles outside of Alamogordo. It is one of the most underrated national wonders of the world. The beautiful white desert in New Mexico is consisting of 275 square miles of gypsum sand.
The White Sands National Park has an interesting history. The oldest human footprints have been found there, proving that humans have lived there for 23.000 years. Also, the first-ever nuclear bomb has been tested in the missile range next to the park.
There are many amazing things to do in the White Sands National Park. Join a guided tour with a park ranger and learn all about the interesting history, flora, and fauna of the park. You can hike one of the many beautiful hiking trails or even participate in a full-moon hike.
There are three major foot trails in the park. The Interdune Boardwalk is roughly 0.3 miles long and takes you to a beautiful viewpoint. The Playa Trail is also about 0.3 miles long and leads you through the magnificent white sand dunes. More experienced hikers will love the Alkali Flat trail with roughly 4.3 miles.
Families with kids will especially love going sledding in the park. You can rent plastic sleds from the visitors center and have fun taking them down the white sand dunes. Make sure to visit the museum on your way out and learn in an interactive way all about the beautiful area.
The New Mexico Museum of Space HistoryThe New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo has been founded in 1976. It was dedicated to honor the pioneers of space exploration and educating future generations. It is showcasing the role New Mexico has played in the development of the US Space program.
The facility does not only include the Space History museum but also the Space Hall of Fame, a dome theater and a planetarium, an Astronaut Memorial Garden, and the Hubbard Space Research Center. There are many different exhibitions showcased that are super interesting to see.
Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft is an interesting, small mountain village, located in the Lincoln National Forest. It is located at an altitude of 8,676 ft and is a great place to visit when staying in Alamogordo. The charming little village with about 700 inhabitants has cute shops, great restaurants, and an interesting historic railroad museum.
There are many things to do in Cloudcroft, for young and old. The area around the town is famous for its hiking trails in the open forest. You can enjoy a great walk or hike and be rewarded with an amazing view of the valley and the city of Alamogordo.
Especially in winter, taking a walk through the snow-covered mountains and enjoying a hot beverage afterward in the scenic town of Cloudcroft is magical.
There are also several typical winter activities that you and your family can join in Cloudcroft. From ice skating to skiing and mountain tubing – Cloudcroft offers a fun activity for everyone.
Visit the World’s Largest Pistachio
Alamogordo is home to the World’s largest pistachio. It is 30 feet tall and you can find it in PistachioLAND. You can see over 12.000 pistachio trees on this farm!
The farm stretches out over a 90-acre property. You can visit it via the orchard’s 14-passenger open-air shuttle, zooming among 12,000+ pistachio trees. You will also enjoy a view of the rolling grape vineyards on the property
The farm has a gift shop and offers wine tastings for everyone older than 21 years. Younger guests will enjoy the ice cream parlor and the free samples of various sweets.
Alameda Park ZooThe Alameda Park Zoo is a great place to visit in Alamogordo with kids. It was founded in 1898 and is one of the oldest zoos in the US. They have around 265 animals of 90 different species in the zoo.
People especially love visiting the pumas, the lemurs, and the Mexican grey wolf in the zoo. The White Sands pupfish and the Hawaiian goose are also visitors’ favorites. The Educational Center offers an Eco-Ranger Junior Zookeeper program.
Toy Train Depot
The Toy Train Depot is a famous toy store and railway museum in Alamogordo. This is a great place to visit in Alamogordo with kids.
The Toy Train Depot is featuring scale models of train locomotives, and passenger and freight cars. It is also home to America’s Park Ride Train Museum, which runs in Alameda Park.
Trinity SiteThe Trinity Site is the place where the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945. It is a very interesting site to visit, and you can learn a lot about the history of the place.
The White Sands Missile Range MuseumThe White Sands Missile Range museum is home to a lot of historical missiles. The museum will take you back in history and teach you a lot about warfare back in the day.
My favorite place to eat lunch in Alamogordo is the Plateau Espresso. The cute little café and bistro is located on a hill, so you have an amazing view of the city and the nature that lies behind it. Plus, the service is great and the food is extremely yummy.
But this is not the only great restaurant in Alamogordo. The small city of Alamogordo has a surprising amount of great food places. My favorite dinner restaurant is Si Senor, offering delicious Mexican cuisine and great Margaritas.
Check out the Pizza Patio, Thai Cuisine, and the Y’alls Steakhouse-Alamogordo for delicious meals in a great atmosphere.
There are a couple of great hotel options for staying in Alamogordo. The Hampton Inn in Alamogordo is a great choice of hotel for your trip. It has an indoor pool and a whirlpool and the rooms are super spacious and nice.
Another great option is the Home2 Suites by Hilton. They have an outdoor swimming pool, a spa center, and a sun terrace.
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