Also, while you are driving through White Sands Missile Range, keep an eye out for oryx. They are not a native species, but they are still cool.
I passed this at lunch, and noted that name on the building is actually “The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History.” Which might help you find it.
I’ve long had a fascination with The Lightning Field outside of Quemado, though I haven’t seen it. It’s basically a huge array of lightning rods and if you happen to be there in a storm, it can be utterly spectacular. But if there is no storm, it seems as it would be spectacularly dull.
Highway 54, from Alamogordo to Artesia (on your way to Carlsbad), goes through some very scenic mountainous country. If you have time, stop at the National Solar Observatory along the way. It’s south of Cloudcroft.
Thanks for mentioning this- I’ve never been there. Always meant to; maybe I’ll drive down next weekend.
If you want scenic beauty and are willing to set foot in Texas, I can recommend Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is only about half an hour from the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns park*. Being a couple thousand feet higher up means that it is cooler in the summer than at Carlsbad (aboveground that is :)), and it contains absolutely spectacular mountains that you can appreciate whether you’re hiking, or inside the park sitting, or even just driving by. Climbing through the foothills leading to the park is amazing as the mountains are the only things around and you can see what you are approaching from far away as it slowly gets bigger.
I’m not sure if there are hikes there that your whole family would enjoy (never had reason to look) but for sheer grandeur and scenic beauty in the Carlsbad area, Guadalupe gets my vote.
*With no services at all along the way except for some picnic sites without bathrooms, which is bad because of lack of gas but good because it gives you a sense of how remote it is.
General practical info: pack sunscreen and use it often. The sun at White Sands will fry you, as it also will up in the mountains in northern NM. Drink lots of water - it’s really easy to get dehydrated in the summer there. Keep in mind that, while it’s the desert, August in northern NM is also monsoon season: expect some significant rain/thunderstorms in the afternoons. It also gets surprisingly cool at night - in Albuquerque you’re probably looking at daily temps ranging from 90/65; it gets cooler the higher you go.
New Mexico is big and mostly empty. The drive from, say, Albuquerque to Carlsbad or White Sands is both absolutely beautiful and stunningly desolate - mile after mile after mile of fairly hostile terrain. Obviously I have no idea how your kids handle long car rides, but keep in mind that you can’t just pull off at a McDonalds within the next ten minutes.
Definitely check out Old Town ABQ. The Natural History Museum is pretty good, and the zoo and botanic garden are both great for kids of all ages. I never actually rode the Sandia peak tram, but have heard it’s a lovely experience. Or consider looking into a balloon ride (shame you’ll miss the Balloon Fiesta!) - ballooning is big in Albuquerque.
If anyone in your family has any interest in visual art, check out Madrid (between Santa Fe and ABQ) - it’s a repopulated ghost town sort of overtaken by artists. Consider a stop in Santa Fe as well - it’s not the most kid-friendly town but there are some fantastic galleries and hiking right nearby town (try the Dale Ball towns for an easy day hike, or my all-time favorite hike, the Atalaya trail). If you time it right you might be in Santa Fe for the Indian Market, which is a great, huge outdoor art market, with lots of food vendors and almost a street-festival type feel.
Consider heading a bit further north up to Los Alamos - the drive can be really pretty, the Bradbury Science Museum is top-notch. And you can stop by The Black Hole, which is a sort of sci/tech/industrial surplus store full of…everything. It’s a neat diversion.
Taos also has a nice artsy vibe, and you can visit Taos pueblo (I don’t know for sure but I think they charge an extra fee to take pictures there). Also some good white-water rafting in the area. If you do head up there, definitely check out the Rio Grand Gorge bridge.
Now I’m feeling homesick, and changing my lunch plans so I can slather green chile onto something.
Well, it’s still easier to find now than it was, say 20 years ago, when it was on the base. What’s the parking like for that museum? Best to park in the city lot next to the Albuquerque Museum and cross the street?
As a helpful tip, that parking lot is probably the best place to park to see Old Town. It’s crowded and parking is limited around the plaza, and the area is pretty small and meant to be walked anyway.
One other driving tip: There is literally nothing between Las Cruces and Alamogordo on US-70 going across White Sands Missile Range except for the Border Control checkpoint and White Sands National Monument. It’s also a shorter drive, I think, from the Alamogordo side. So make sure you stop beforehand, check that the gas is full, and be aware that there is a chance the road will be closed for part of the day for scheduled missile testing. The NPR station in Las Cruces announces this every day in the morning, but I don’t know how often or where else you can get a warning.
Also, if you’re driving from Albuquerque to Carlsbad, you will go right through Roswell and right past the UFO Museum. Seriously, it’s right on US-285 on your right, you can’t miss it. It’ll be on your right. I always thought it was silly and didn’t care for it, but your kids might be the perfect age. You can see it all in about an hour.
WSMR has a phone number for roadblock information. It’s in the Las Cruces and Alamogordo phone books. Government agencies are listed in the blue-edged pages. Look under: U.S. Government . . . Army, Dept of . . . White Sands Missile Range . . . Road Block Information. (And, checking my own phone book, the number is 575-678-1178.)
A good rule of thumb for cross-country driving anywhere in the Southwest: Keep an eye on your gas gauge. The moment it hits half-full, stop at the next town and fill up. Don’t fuss about the price. A little gouging is better than getting stranded in the middle of the desert. Make sure your tires are in good shape, and you have a good spare in the trunk. (My dad always used to keep a gallon of water, two quarts of oil, and a spare set of fanbelts in the trunk, but then, his business required him to do a whole lot of long-distance driving.)
They moved out of the Oldtown location (former REI store) about three years ago. It is now on South Eubank kitty-corner from the Costco. They have an ample parking lot.