Okay you travelers... Where to go from El Paso?

[Cajungaltx]

Brad is currently in El Paso - they are going to get 4 days of leave next month. This will be our last chance to see him prior to him leaving country.

They get released at 6:00 pm, and at this time, there are NO flights out after 6:30pm to Houston.

He didn't want to come back to Houston anyway.

So - we are looking at options -

A.) I drive from here to El Paso with the 2 year old (my 12 year old goes to her dad's that week). El Paso is the worst freaking place in Texas to go from Houston. 3 hours to San Antonio... which is too soon to stop... and then 500 freaking miles to El Paso with NOTHING in between. Okay - I lied. There is Kerrville (isn't that where they just had a big photog thing?) and Ft. Stockton.

B.) We fly from Houston to El Paso - he picks us up, and we drive someplace... which might be the easier thing for me and Sarah.

Destination, unknown.

I've looked some on the internet and found places like Ski Apache... Taos Ski Resort... but am jus getting started.

So - anyone gone anywhere in South NM?

Just so your aware - going south (Mexico) isn't an option - they aren't allowed to go across the border.

[texkam]

Relax in Marfa at the Hotel Paisano.

[Imagebuffet]

Well, I think I might be able to help you...

My Mom and step-dad live in Deming, New Mexico, so I've driven between Dallas area and Deming a few times. Of course, I'm from New Mexico and Mom used to live in Albuquerque, so I've driven between Dallas and Albuquerque, too. In fact, I've covered most of Texas and New Mexico by car, at least along the Interstates. About the only place I haven't explored much is around Houston.

Now, I'm a big fan of state parks, camping and nature, so that's the sorts of places I visit. Some of these are more suited for small children than are others.

I recently visited the Caverns of Sonora outside of Sonora, Texas, located on I-10.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagebu...7621361774797/

http://www.cavernsofsonora.com/

The Caverns is a fairly common stop for families with small children. At least, there were several small children on the grounds when I visited. In fact, a busload of school kids was there, though they were leaving about the time I arrived. The Caverns have decent facilities above ground for waiting around until your tour starts. It is one of the most significant show caves in the world, never mind in Texas.

You might consider a jog through Balmorhea State Park, which contains the world's biggest natural spring-fed swimming pool. I absolutely loved my trips through there, more so the day after their annual cleaning (when hardly anyone was there).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagebu...7620729778610/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f...rks/balmorhea/

You could swing by Monahans Sandhills State Park in Monahans, too.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f...ans_sandhills/

Around El Paso, there are several other state parks, including the only Texas State Park with a tramway, the Wyler Aerial Tramway.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...n_bb_003.phtml

In fact, if you enjoy State Parks, you should check through the official State webpage for that area:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...n_bb_map.phtml

I can tell you what is around New Mexico, too, but I would prefer to know the sort of destination or attractions that might interest you. Would a small camping trip be good for you? New Mexico generally is sparsely populated. It has lots of ranchers and government facilities. Alamogordo has a space museum (like Houston doesn't, right). I've been to Roswell, Artesia, Cloudcroft, White Sands, Valley of Fire, Silver City, the Very Large Array (think Jodie Foster in "Contact"), Carlsbad Caverns and many other places. There is more in Northern New Mexico (and it generally looks better) than in Southern New Mexico. I've been through Marfa (looked for the Mystery Lights and saw some nice hotels), Alpine and Fort Davis. These are all good places to explore and enjoy nature. Also, the McDonald Observatory is out there by Fort Davis, and they have tours and a museum with good facilities for children.

One thing; if you do go to Balmorhea, get a full tank of gas while you are still near I-10. The only open gas station in Balmorhea charges about double what anyone else in Texas does, and the next available gas station is about 50 miles away.

Edit: Also, what kind of budget do you have? I mean, you could, in theory, fly to Hawaii for a day or two, then fly back. That means that you *could* go just about anywhere in North America, for a day or two. But, if I were him, I'd probably get my best value by heading up around Cloudcroft and either get a hotel room or camp, especially where he is going.

Edit: BTW, after you pass through Sonora, you would pass through Ozona. I camped out at an RV park located just off the Interstate. They have a very small museum for cars (maybe a half-dozen cars). That's all I saw there, before I continued on to Sonora.

[venchka]

You and the kidlet fly to Albuquerque. Brad flies to Albuquerque. Lots to see & do within a 2-4 drive of Albuquerque. Southwest should do both flights.

Or, you & the kidlet fly to El Paso and y'all drive north into NM.

[mmuhlenkamp]

With a small kid I would suggest flying...I've driven from Dallas to EP many times, and Houston is even further, blech.

Too bad the border is crazy right now (and soldiers aren't allowed in Mexico anyways) it's kind of interesting to go shop and eat in Juarez.

You can go on the Mission trail in EP (Socorro, Ysleta, San Elizario), interesting churches and history.

Drive up TransMountain road just because it's really close to Ft. Bliss. If you go at night you can see all the lights of the city from the overlook, very cool.

Old Mesilla in Las Cruces (about an hour away), olde tyme town with nice little shops and restaurants (La Posta FTW!).

Eat lots of Mexican food! Not Tex Mex, but real Mexican food, man it's good. Get something with green chiles, cause I know they don't have those in Houston.

There's White Sands which is really cool (photo op!) that's about a 2 hour drive away. It's a blast to slide down the dunes and it's cooled off now (summer time is not a good time to go).

Carlsbad Caverns is also pretty interesting, though I've never seen the bats.

Ruidoso has casinos (my parents often go and play penny slots), but the ski resorts probably don't have any snow yet.

Can anyone tell that I grew up in EP?

[johnastovall]

Fly and go north. Santa Fe, Taos, Truchas, Bandalier National Monument, Chimayo, Sandia Peak Tramway, Acoma, this is start.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by johnastovall

Fly and go north. Santa Fe, Taos, Truchas, Bandalier National Monument, Chimayo, Sandia Peak Tramway, Acoma, this is start.

That's what I said. I think Albuquerque may have more affordable accommodations. Budget permitting, Santa Fe or Taos would be better places to stay.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by Imagebuffet

Well, I think I might be able to help you...

My Mom and step-dad live in Deming, New Mexico, so I've driven between Dallas area and Deming a few times. Of course, I'm from New Mexico and Mom used to live in Albuquerque, so I've driven between Dallas and Albuquerque, too. In fact, I've covered most of Texas and New Mexico by car, at least along the Interstates. About the only place I haven't explored much is around Houston.

Now, I'm a big fan of state parks, camping and nature, so that's the sorts of places I visit. Some of these are more suited for small children than are others.

I recently visited the Caverns of Sonora outside of Sonora, Texas, located on I-10.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagebu...7621361774797/

http://www.cavernsofsonora.com/

The Caverns is a fairly common stop for families with small children. At least, there were several small children on the grounds when I visited. In fact, a busload of school kids was there, though they were leaving about the time I arrived. The Caverns have decent facilities above ground for waiting around until your tour starts. It is one of the most significant show caves in the world, never mind in Texas.

You might consider a jog through Balmorhea State Park, which contains the world's biggest natural spring-fed swimming pool. I absolutely loved my trips through there, more so the day after their annual cleaning (when hardly anyone was there).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagebu...7620729778610/

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f...rks/balmorhea/

You could swing by Monahans Sandhills State Park in Monahans, too.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/f...ans_sandhills/

Around El Paso, there are several other state parks, including the only Texas State Park with a tramway, the Wyler Aerial Tramway.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...n_bb_003.phtml

In fact, if you enjoy State Parks, you should check through the official State webpage for that area:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...n_bb_map.phtml

I can tell you what is around New Mexico, too, but I would prefer to know the sort of destination or attractions that might interest you. Would a small camping trip be good for you? New Mexico generally is sparsely populated. It has lots of ranchers and government facilities. Alamogordo has a space museum (like Houston doesn't, right). I've been to Roswell, Artesia, Cloudcroft, White Sands, Valley of Fire, Silver City, the Very Large Array (think Jodie Foster in "Contact"), Carlsbad Caverns and many other places. There is more in Northern New Mexico (and it generally looks better) than in Southern New Mexico. I've been through Marfa (looked for the Mystery Lights and saw some nice hotels), Alpine and Fort Davis. These are all good places to explore and enjoy nature. Also, the McDonald Observatory is out there by Fort Davis, and they have tours and a museum with good facilities for children.

One thing; if you do go to Balmorhea, get a full tank of gas while you are still near I-10. The only open gas station in Balmorhea charges about double what anyone else in Texas does, and the next available gas station is about 50 miles away.

Edit: Also, what kind of budget do you have? I mean, you could, in theory, fly to Hawaii for a day or two, then fly back. That means that you *could* go just about anywhere in North America, for a day or two. But, if I were him, I'd probably get my best value by heading up around Cloudcroft and either get a hotel room or camp, especially where he is going.

Edit: BTW, after you pass through Sonora, you would pass through Ozona. I camped out at an RV park located just off the Interstate. They have a very small museum for cars (maybe a half-dozen cars). That's all I saw there, before I continued on to Sonora.

Budget - under 2K. Nothing extravagant. I checked last night - and Sarah and I can fly from Houston to El Paso for around $550 round trip. That would cut the travel time down - SIGNIFICANTLY!!

I had seen Cloudcroft during my search - Brad grew up in Colorado and Alaska - so he likes snow/likes to ski, etc.

I've never seen snow that was more than 1/2 an inch thick... in anything other than photos.

Plus - he's going somewhere it's going to be hot as hades at... so he liked the idea of a cabin/skiing/sledding for Sarah kind of thing.

Are you familiar with Ruidoso? I found a place called Hombregordito tha looked like a possibility.

[XoZe]

I would pay anything to not have to drive to El Paso. I've done it once when I moved to DFW...the longest drive of my life, nothing to see. It actually seemed quicker when I drove to Chicago and back, twice within 3 weeks.

Ruidoso is fairly inexpensive and Ski is OK. Growing up in El Paso, I can recommend anywhere in New Mexico is pretty nice this time of the year. Never stayed at Hombregordito, but it always comes up on google searches and it looks pretty good.

I've stayed at Dan Dee Cabins and they are pretty good too. Stayed at Village Lodge & it's nice as well.

www.dandeecabins.com/
www.villagelodge.com/

BTW, if planning on skiing, the mountain doesn't open until Thanksgiving weekend, so take that into consideration.

[Brains]

I've heard Santa Fe is beautiful, although I've never been. But if you decide to head up that way, let me know - a friend of mine manages a resort hotel there ;)

[venchka]

Red River & Angel Fire NM are far enough north to probably have some snow. It really is early, although you're going next month. There may be snow to look at. It should be off season too, rate wise.

For my time and my money, New Mexico, and especially the mountains, starts north of I-40. YMMV.

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by venchka

Red River & Angel Fire NM are far enough north to probably have some snow. It really is early, although you're going next month. There may be snow to look at. It should be off season too, rate wise.

For my time and my money, New Mexico, and especially the mountains, starts north of I-40. YMMV.

Wayne - Angelfire is $569.11 for a Condo for 4 nights - for a deluxe hotel - $454.28. Awesome prices.

Good prices. But it's a 7 hour drive from El Paso. The possibility of more snow might appeal to Brad - so I'll throw that to him to review as well.
Thanks!

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Budget - under 2K. Nothing extravagant. I checked last night - and Sarah and I can fly from Houston to El Paso for around $550 round trip. That would cut the travel time down - SIGNIFICANTLY!!

I had seen Cloudcroft during my search - Brad grew up in Colorado and Alaska - so he likes snow/likes to ski, etc.

I've never seen snow that was more than 1/2 an inch thick... in anything other than photos.

Plus - he's going somewhere it's going to be hot as hades at... so he liked the idea of a cabin/skiing/sledding for Sarah kind of thing.

Are you familiar with Ruidoso? I found a place called Hombregordito tha looked like a possibility.

Cloudcroft is near the Northern edge of the Lincoln National Forest. I've spent the night in Roswell a few times, and I've driven through Capitan and Carrizozo. I might have driven through Ruidoso, too, though I'm not certain. I know that area is hilly, rugged terrain. The original Smokey Bear cub was discovered in the Forest North of this area. The scenery is beautiful, some of the best in New Mexico.

My Mom says that higher elevations in Southern New Mexico may have snow this week. She just came back from a day trip through Mimbres. She and her husband have been looking for a house to move into around the Eastern part of the State. I haven't been to Mimbres, but I have been through the Gila National Forest. Some of that area back there is over 6k feet, and probably will have snow, soon. Eastern New Mexico has a bit more precipitation and more greenery, especially in the mountains.

Southern New Mexico is within easy reach of El Paso; much of it is within 2 hours' drive. However, Northern New Mexico is also beautiful, and the most popular area in New Mexico for people who like mountains and skiing. Don't stay in Santa Fe; the prices are ridiculous! When I lived in the area, the joke was, "Yes, Santa Fe has affordable housing; it's called, 'Albuquerque.'" Santa Fe is an hour's drive North of Albuquerque.

The State has started up a commuter train service that connects several cities, especially Albuquerque and Santa Fe. The Rail Runner Express looks sharp, and I've seen its trains around Santa Fe, but I've never ridden.

http://www.nmrailrunner.com/

My favorite spot in all of New Mexico is along Highway 4 in Northern New Mexico. This road connects Los Alamos National Laboratories with San Ysidro. I visited several hot springs up there. In fact, I posed in one of them. There are several campgrounds along this stretch of road, though gas stations are available only at either end, not in the middle, and the campgrounds don't have showers. There are hotels along the way, and Jemez Springs is a nice town. Or, you might try La Cueva Lodge, a few miles up the road from Jemez Springs. Elevation here starts about 6k feet and goes up to 7500 feet. They had some snow on Veteran's Day (next month) this time last year.

http://www.lacuevalodge.com/

I've camped at a nice campground (with showers) in the town of Bernalillo, just North of Albuquerque, along the Rio Grande. The view of Sandia Mountains is wonderful! The Tram that johnastovall mentioned is the world's longest aerial tramway. It only runs when weather is good, during daylight hours. There is also a road up the other side of Sandia Mountain. Keep in mind that the temperature at the Crest is often cold, even in Summer. I was up there one 4th of July, and it was really chilly! The area has skiing, too. Be careful about walking off the trails around the top of the Tramway, as there are dangerous cliffs without warning or guardrails. There are also bears, who at night, after just about everyone has gone home, sometime come up to the Tram station and push against the glass doors (as the guys who spend the night inside testify).

[L Stegall]

Las Cruces is about 40 miles from El Paso and White Sands National Monument is about 70 or so from El Paso. You could make a long weekend - without huge long drives - just sticking around that area. Las Cruces may not be the most interesting kid-wise, but White Sands could be fun for them and it's a photographer's paradise if you are there at the right time of day!

[Cajungaltx]

Originally Posted by L Stegall

Las Cruces is about 40 miles from El Paso and White Sands National Monument is about 70 or so from El Paso. You could make a long weekend - without huge long drives - just sticking around that area. Las Cruces may not be the most interesting kid-wise, but White Sands could be fun for them and it's a photographer's paradise if you are there at the right time of day!

I thought about White Sands... but wasn't sure it'd be much fun for Sarah... and while the photography opportunities might be AMAZING... lol... thought I'd be nice to him and head somewhere COLDER...