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Rocket sleds, a space museum in a gold glass cube and a chimpanzee astronaut's grave give Alamogordo its unusual claim to fame. The town was laid out in 1898 by the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad at the foot of the Sacramento Mountains, and nearby Holloman Air Force Base later made it a center of high-speed flight and space research.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History, perched on the mountainside, tells that story with rockets, a planetarium and the International Space Hall of Fame. Down in town, the Alameda Park Zoo dates from the railroad era, New York Avenue keeps a small downtown of shops and theaters, and pistachio orchards along the highway sell nuts and wine.
The biggest draw lies just southwest: the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, the Three Rivers petroglyphs and the cool mountain village of Cloudcroft are all within an hour.
Founded in 1898 as a railroad park attraction, this small zoo is often called the oldest in the Southwest. Shaded paths pass Mexican gray wolves, birds of prey and other animals from around the world. Admission is low and a full loop takes about an hour, making it an easy stop with children.
Railroad museum in a historic depot beside Alameda Park, packed with model trains, layouts and railway memorabilia. On open days a miniature train carries riders on a track loop around the park. Hours are limited to a few days a week, so check before you go.
Downtown museum covering the people and events of the Tularosa Basin, from Mescalero Apache history and early ranching to the railroad, Holloman Air Force Base and the Trinity test. Exhibits include photographs and objects from local families. It is a compact visit of under an hour.
Downtown theater on New York Avenue, run by a nonprofit, that hosts touring concerts, community theater, dance recitals and film screenings throughout the year. It is the main performing arts venue for the Tularosa Basin. Check the season calendar online and pair a show with dinner downtown.
Pistachio farm and shop on the highway north of town, famous for a 30-foot pistachio sculpture out front. Inside you can taste flavored nuts, pistachio brittle and wines from the family vineyard, and farm tours run through the orchard. It makes a good break on the drive to Tularosa or Cloudcroft.
Family pistachio orchard and winery on Eagle Ranch north of town, with a shop selling roasted and flavored pistachios, a wine tasting room and a cafe. Orchard tours explain how the trees are grown and harvested in the desert. It pairs well with a stop at the other pistachio farms on the same highway.
The heart of old downtown Alamogordo, a few blocks of low storefronts with antique shops, cafes, galleries and murals near the Flickinger Center. It is quiet compared with the highway strip and easy to walk in half an hour. Look for the historic buildings from the early railroad years.
Outdoor display at the New Mexico Museum of Space History with a rocket sled used in John Paul Stapp's high-speed tests, missiles and engines on the lawn, and the grave of Ham, the first chimpanzee in space. It sits beside the gold glass museum building, with wide views over the Tularosa Basin.
Large-format dome theater and planetarium in the space history complex on the hillside above town, showing space, nature and astronomy films plus star shows on the wraparound screen. Showtimes are set through the day, so buy a combination ticket with the museum and plan your visit around a screening.
Shallow wetland on the flat basin floor along US 70 between Alamogordo and the White Sands dunes, where open water in the desert draws ducks, shorebirds and other migrants. A pull-off makes it an easy roadside stop. Bring binoculars and visit in the cooler morning hours, especially in spring and fall.
Summer festival in the orchard village of High Rolls, a short climb up US 82 into the Sacramento Mountains east of Alamogordo, with cherry pies, local crafts, food stalls and live music. The village is noticeably cooler than the basin. Check the date each year and arrive early for parking.
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