Roswell, New Mexico: Things to Do and See
Roswell NM is a small town famous for an alleged 1947 UFO crash. While the town fully embraces this phenomenon, it also offers plenty of other things to do and see.
Explore the district to see the Hipped Boxes and Queen Anne houses, and the beautiful Chaves County Courthouse located on Main Street. For art lovers, the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art shows work from its Roswell Artist-in-Residence Program.
Cielo Grande Park
Cielo Grande Park, a regional park, has a soccer complex, specialized event area, multisport practice areas and playgrounds. This is a great place to take a family or group vacation. It has beautiful mountain views and is known for its fireworks display on the 4th of July.
The regal Sangre de Cristo Mountains are visible from this two-bedroom condo, which is less than 10 minutes from Santa Fe Plaza and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. The local shops, restaurants and dog park are all within walking distance. It is a great option for families and couples who want to enjoy everything that Santa Fe has to offer.
Enchanted Lands Park
At its peak, the park welcomed 300,000 children to its enchanted grounds each summer. But as time passed, Enchanted Lands started to lose its appeal as families shifted their attention from the park to television and video arcades.
More than 20 Old English-style sculpted buildings were located in the park. They resembled Old English structures and made visitors feel like they were on a raft to Robinson Crusoe’s Island, or taking a teacup to Alice and Wonderland. Roger’s beautiful hand cement work is still evident throughout the park. The theme park, unlike other family fun parks of its time, was also one of the very first to accept all races.
Pecos Flavors Winery
Visit the Roswell Visitors Centre to learn more about Roswell’s history. The staff are friendly and will give you recommendations on what to do and see in the city. You can also purchase souvenirs from the gift shop.
Roswell UFO Tours offers tours of Area 51 to those who want to know more about Roswell’s UFO history. This is an educational and fun experience for the entire family.
You can also check out the Roswell Miniatures and Curious Collections Museum. This museum features a vast collection of miniatures including dollhouses, box houses, antiques, and themed vignettes.
Walker Aviation Museum
Walker Aviation Museum explores the rich history of Roswell’s renowned military air base. Indoor and outdoor displays feature an abundance of aircraft models and photographs, as well as artifacts.
The museum also offers tours of the former airfield and its many buildings. Visitors can view retired military aircraft such as B-52 bombers, KC-135 tanks and more.
While UFOs are a major attraction at the museum, the area offers so much more. The historic district of the city is covered with murals depicting UFOs. These range from tiny aliens placed on street corners, to large spaceships. The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art also features southwestern art. The Spring River Park and Zoo features native animals.
Bottomless Lakes State Park
The history of Roswell and UFOs are a big draw but the town has plenty more to offer than that. Head to Bottomless Lakes State Park for a fun day of swimming, camping, hiking and fishing.
The park lies along the eastern bluffs on the Pecos river. The park contains nine lakes: Lazy Lagoon (also known as Cottonwood Lake), Mirror Lake (also known as Figure-Eight Lake), Lost Lake and Devil’s Inkwell. The lakes are not fed by streams, but rather by underground water. They become brackish due to their high evaporation rates, which makes them more salty than freshwater but less salty that seawater. Four endangered species also live in the park.
Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art
Roswell is home to many attractions that are inspired by the UFO history of the town. It’s worth a visit, whether you’re an avid fan or skeptic. Start at the International UFO Museum & Research Center, where you’ll be able to learn more about the 1947 alien crash and other sightings that have taken place.
Visit Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge after the museum to see over 50 species of birds and mammals. You can also head over to Bottomless Lakes State Park, a beautiful spot where you can kayak, fish and swim in its deep blue-green waters.
