New Mexico is a hidden gem of the Southwest and a great place to take a road trip. Full of hiking, outdoor wonders, and Native American sacred sites, you can easily spend 7 days in New Mexico. This one week New Mexico itinerary will stop you at some of the best sites and cities in New Mexico.
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Table of Contents
History of New Mexico
The first known people who lived in New Mexico were the Paleo Indians and the Pueblo People. From 1540-1542, the Spanish began exploring the area. The capital of Santa Fe was founded in 1610. The Mexican War of Independence in 1821 brought about the independence of New Mexico and grew to a population of over 25,000 people.
In 1846, the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo brought New Mexico into the United States as a territory. However, New Mexico was not admitted into the United States as a state until 1912, when it became the 47th state.
Best Time to Visit New Mexico
The best time to spend 7 days in New Mexico is in October when the balloon fiesta takes place. The weather is also perfect then. Summers in New Mexico can be quite hot, so I would not visit during that time. Also keep in mind that winters can be a bit chilly, so do not visit in the winter months if you do not like the cold.
How to Get to New Mexico
Albuquerque contains the largest airport in New Mexico and is the most convenient to fly into. You can get flights into Albuquerque from many major cities all over the United States. Flights from Los Angeles can sometimes be found for under $200 round trip. You will need a rental car to get around when spending one week in New Mexico. Opt to rent a car from Autoslash to find the best price.
7 Day New Mexico Itinerary
Day 1: Home to Albuquerque to Alamogordo, New Mexico
Drive Time: 3 hours, 6 minutes
Costs: $10
Hotel: Hampton Inn Alamogordo
To start your 7 days in New Mexico, fly into Albuquerque and pick up your rental car. If possible, I recommend that you fly in the night before and spend the night in Albuquerque.This way, you can spend the morning exploring what Albuquerque has to offer before heading to Alamogordo.
If visiting in October, make sure to check out the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. This annual event will be the highlight of your 7 days in New Mexico. You will need to arrive at the fiesta grounds very early in the morning before dawn. Once sunrise begins, the sky will fill with balloons lifting off. There are usually about 500 balloons part of the fiesta each year. It costs $10 to attend this event.
Afterwards, head to Sandia Peak to take the tram up to the top of the peak (about 10,378 feet). If you are lucky, you will still see balloons flying over Albuquerque. Spend some time wandering around the top before heading back down.
Finally, depart Albuquerque for Alamorgordo. This is about a 3 hour drive. Along the way, make sure to take a rest stop at PistachioLand, home of the World’s Largest Pistachio.
Day 2: White Sands National Park to Carlsbad, New Mexico
Drive Time: 3 hours, 17 minutes
Costs: $25/car or free with the America the Beautiful Pass
Hotel: Home2Suites Carlsbad
Today, spend the day exploring White Sands National Park. It will take 17 minutes to drive from Alamogordo to White Sands. White Sands National Park is composed of 145,762 acres of white sand made of gypsum crystals, thus giving it its white appearance. It became a National Monument in 1933, and a National Park in 2019. You can’t miss a stop here when spending 7 days in New Mexico.
Start the day by hiking the Alkali Flats Trail, a 5-mile loop trail up and down the white sand dunes. Note that this is a very strenuous hike and it will be a workout! Make sure to bring plenty of water and dress appropriately. This is also the best place in the park for pictures.
If a 5 mile hike is not your jam, you can opt to hike the 1-mile Dune Life Nature Trail instead. In this hike, you only have to climb two sand dunes. You could also opt to take the 2-mile Backcountry Camping Trail as well.
After spending the morning hiking, grab a sled to sled down some of the infinite amount of sand dunes in the park. You can bring your own or buy one from the Visitor’s Center upon arrival.
Then, head out to the Interdune Boardwalk for some more glimpses of the sand dunes before heading on a 3-hour drive to Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Day 3: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Drive Time: 25 minutes each way
Costs: $15/person or free for 4 people with the America the Beautiful Pass.
Today, head to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, another unique National Park and a perfect addition to 7 days in New Mexico. These caverns were discovered in 1898 when a young teenager stumbled upon the caverns. It became a National Monument in 1923 and a National Park in 1930. About 400,000 people visit this park a year.
Visitors can opt to take an elevator into the caverns, or hike the 1.25 mile Natural Entrance inside. I highly recommend hiking the Natural Entrance as you will see more of the caverns this way as well as walk into the cool entrance.
A series of switchbacks takes you 750 feet into the cave known as Devil’s Den. From there, you will pass by a series of features such as Devil’s Spring, Green Lake Overlook, the Boneyard, and Iceberg Rock. Finally, you will arrive in the Big Room, the main feature of the Caverns.
The Big Room is a 8.2 acre room with tons of natural features and the largest room of the caverns. The 1.25-mile Big Room Route loop takes you past features such as the Bottomless Pit, Giant Dome, Rock of Ages, and the Painted Grotto.
In the evenings from mid-May to October, make sure to catch the Bat Flight program where you can watch the bats fly into the night out of the cave.
If you have extra time after the caverns or want to spend another day in Carlsbad, you can head to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This park is located about 30 minutes from Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Western Texas and is a great addition to 7 days in New Mexico.
Day 4: Carlsbad to Roswell to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Drive Time: 4.5 hours
Costs: $15 for museums
Hotel: Hampton Inn, Santa Fe South
Today, head from Carlsbad to Santa Fe. Along the way stop in the kitchy alien town of Roswell, a unique stop when spending 7 days in New Mexico. It will take about an hour and 15 minutes to get to Roswell from Carlsbad. Start the day by stopping at the “Welcome to Roswell” sign as you drive into the city. This will be your first sign of alien life.
Next, grab some coffee from Stellar Coffee Company to kick start your morning. Take a stroll around downtown as you enjoy your beverage. Keep an eye out for aliens! Then, head to the UFO museum to learn about the history of aliens. This museum costs $5 and will take you about an hour to walk through.
After the UFO museum, head to Pecos Flavors Winery and Bistro for lunch. Here you can try some local wines or brews while grabbing a delicious and inexpensive meal. Then stop at the “Flying Saucer” McDonalds to check out a McDonalds that is like a spaceship.
This afternoon, opt to visit one of the local art museums. The Roswell Museum and Art Center focuses on Southwest art and history. It costs $10 to get in and you will spend an hour or two wandering through the exhibits. The other option in the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. This museum is free to get into. It contains 12 galleries and 500 pieces of art.
If you have time, you can also opt to visit the Roswell Spacewalk, an immersive art exhibit that makes you feel as if you are walking through space. Nearby is also the Bottomless Lakes State Park where you can hike, kayak, canoe, swim, or just relax on the shores of the lake.
Once you have spent the day in Roswell, continue driving to Santa Fe. It will take about three hours to drive from Roswell to Santa Fe.
Day 5: Santa Fe
Drive Time: Local Driving
Costs: $17-$25 and up
Today, spend the day exploring Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. This city is a must add to a 7 day New Mexico itinerary. Although not as large as Albuquerque, there are still plenty of things to keep you busy for the day or more. Start your morning with a visit to the Loretto Chapel ($5 admission). This chapel is known for its infamous helix spiral staircase.
Then, head over to Santa Fe Plaza to grab some lunch at one of the multitude of restaurants in the area. The Shed is a popular place to grab New Mexican style food. The Santa Fe Plaza is also popular for its historical and traditional-style buildings. It was once the gathering place of town and known as the “heart of Santa Fe.”
After lunch, opt to visit one of the many museums in Santa Fe. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and the Museum of International Folk Art are two of the more popular choices. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum ($20 admission) is dedicated to the life of Georgia O’Keeffe and showcases some of her works. The Museum of International Folk Art ($12 admission) showcases various textiles, ceramics, and carvings from all over the world. You can also check out the original Meow Wolf, an interactive art exhibit.
Later, head to Canyon Road to check out the various architectural features and art galleries. This area is known as the arts district of Santa Fe. There are also a ton of dinner options in this area as well. I recommend eating dinner at Sazon, which has a variety of moles for you to try out.
Day 6: Santa Fe to Albuquerque, New Mexico
Drive Time: 2-3 hours
Costs: $16-$25
Hotel: Hampton Inn Albuquerque Airport
A must when spending 7 days in New Mexico is a visit to a pueblo town. Today, opt to visit Taos or Acoma Pueblo.
If you opt to visit Taos Pueblo ($16/person), it is an hour and a half drive north of Santa Fe. Taos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited pueblos in the United States. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site. The Taos pueblo consists of 95,000 acres of tribal land and most of the area is kept pretty private. It is considered a very sacred and spiritual area to the Tiwa Native Americans.
Acoma Pueblo is a 2 hour drive west of Santa Fe. It costs $25 to visit. This pueblo is made up of four villages: Sky City, Acomita, Anzac, and McCarthy. Visitors are able to wander around the pueblo area and see the various types of dwellings. There are also little shops with handcrafted goods. After your visit, you can also opt to walk down the cliffside.
When visiting the pueblos, please remember to be respectful to the local residents and follow any rules. These areas are considered very special and sacred areas to the Native American groups.
Alternatively, you can check out some of the National Park sites in the area. You can read more about them in this post.
If you have more time, you can also opt to add in a trip to Mesa Verde National Park and the Four Corners monument. It is a 4-4.5 hour drive to Mesa Verde, so plan on having to add in a day or two to your trip.
Day 7: Albuquerque
Drive Time: Local driving
Costs: $10
Today, spend another day exploring the cheap things to do in Albuquerque. Start your day with breakfast at The Shop. This delicious American breakfast palace will keep you full and ensure you are fueled for the morning. Then head to Petroglyph National Monument.
Petroglyph National Monument is the perfect place to spend a morning. This park is popular due to its 24,000 preserved petroglyphs carved by the Pueblo people. There are four sites you can visit: Boca Negra Canyon, Rinconada Canyon, Piedras Marcadas Canyon, and the Volcanic Day Use trails. I recommend the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail. This 1.5-mile trail takes you past a ton of Petroglyphs and it is a relatively flat and easy hike.
After viewing the Petroglyphs, head to Old Town Albuquerque. This is a great area to explore and grab a bite to eat. The main plaza has a ton of shops and restaurants. Then, head to one of the local wineries for wine tasting! I recommend Casa Rodena as it only costs $10 for a tasting and they have delicious wines.
Finally, end your 7 days in New Mexico with dinner at Campo. Although a bit pricey, it is worth the splurge. It is located on a farm and many of the ingredients come from the farm or other local sources. They have a nice bar at the restaurant with tons of great cocktails. Make sure not to miss the charcuterie board.
Day 8: Fly home from Albuquerque
Today, fly home from Albuquerque, or you can opt to fly home the evening of day 7. If you have more than 7 days in New Mexico, you should spend more time in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. You can also opt to pair it with one week in Arizona or head to Colorado. Mesa Verde National Park is only a 4 hour drive from Albuquerque.
Shaka Guide
Shaka Guide is a GPS self-guided audio tour that you can download to your phone. Currently, they have one for several of the National Parks. They provide great background information about the area. The best part is you do not need the internet to use them.
Interested in other road trip ideas?
Head to Arizona for some other amazing road trips. If you have even more time than 7 days in New Mexico, opt to head to California for a week or head to Utah to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.
6 thoughts on “7 Days in New Mexico: A Perfect One Week Itinerary”
We have yet to explore New Mexico, but it looks like there is so much to do! The balloon fest is on our “list,” though I would love to visit the sand dunes as well!
Hi Francesca! We followed your route in New Mexico and had an amazing time. You pin pointed the most exciting places! We added a day in Taos and visited the historical plaza, the Earthships, and the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Thank you!
Yay! So glad you were able to use it and had the best time. Taos sounds like a great addition!
This looks like a fascinating trip! If you start with the balloon festival, do they send up balloons every day of the week, or only on certain days? Thank you.
During the fiesta time they have the balloons up every day! They will list it on the website which days you can buy tickets.
Thanks for all your tips. My husband and I returned from New Mexico and based our trip on many of your suggestions. It really helped us plan our stay and New Mexico was so much fun to visit. Filled with lots of hidden gems.