Roswell, New Mexico is known for its tie to aliens and aerospace. It is a fun stop along a New Mexico road trip, especially when heading from Albuquerque to Carlsbad. One day in Roswell is the perfect amount of time to spend and will enable you to visit all of the main sites and attractions.
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History of Roswell
The area of Roswell, New Mexico was first settled by indigenous people. Later in the 1800s, a group of settlers from Missouri came to the area but quickly abandoned it due to lack of water. In 1869, the area grew in popularity and became a town with a general store and sleeping quarters. During World War II, the area became a prisoner of war camp, where German prisoners did a lot of work on the infrastructure in the area.
After the war, the area became an air force base. Rosewell grew in popularity due to the UFO Incident of 1947 where a UFO supposedly crashed near the town. It is said the government covered this incident up. Present-day, Roswell is now a kitschy town that thrives on its tie with aliens.
Best Time to Visit
Any time of the year is a good time to spend one day in Roswell. Keep in mind that during the summer months, temperatures can get well into the 100s. However, since many of the activities are indoors, you can plan accordingly.
How to Get to Roswell
Roswell is located in the south eastern part of New Mexico between Albuquerque and Carlsbad. You will need a car in order to get to Roswell. I recommend using Autoslash to book a rental car as I always find the best prices through them.
From Albuquerque, take the 40 east to the 285 south. It will take you about 3 hours to get to Roswell.
From Carlsbad, take the 295 north for about an hour and a half.
Transportation Around Roswell
Although you can walk around the main part of town, you will need a car to get to some of the places on the outskirts of town during your one day in Roswell. It is also just easier to get around if you have a car.
Where to Stay in Roswell
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Rosewell hotels here!
Although I would recommend using Roswell as a rest stop, you can also opt to spend the night in Roswell. There are several decent hotels and a typical 4 star hotel will run around $100/night. I recommend the Hampton Inn & Suites Roswell.
What to See During a Day in Roswell
Roswell may be a small town, but there are a few sites to keep you busy enough to spend one day in Roswell.
Welcome to Roswell Sign
When entering Roswell, you will see the iconic Welcome to Roswell sign with aliens on it. If headed south towards Carlsbad, there is also an alien display you can stop to take a picture with. It is a great photo opportunity!
Grab Coffee at Stellar Coffee Co
Cost: $
Hours: Mon-Sat: 7am-5:30pm, Sun: 8am-5:30pm
For a morning pick me up, stop at Stellar Coffee Co for some delicious coffee. This coffee shop has coffees from all around the world, as well as a huge tea selection. They also have some light bites to eat if you want breakfast or a snack as well. It is the perfect way to begin your one day in Roswell.
UFO Museum
Cost: $5
Hours: 9am-5pm
Address: 114 N. Main Street
Start off your one day in Roswell with a visit to the UFO Museum: Roswell’s main attraction. This museum is dedicated to the history of aliens in the area. It is worth the $5 admission price to learn about the history of aliens in the United States. Plan to spend not more than an hour at the museum.
Stroll around Downtown
Cost: Free
The downtown area of Roswell has a bunch of cute boutique shops and alien souvenir themed shops. Spend a little bit of time wandering around the area looking in the shops. There are also a couple of art galleries and a small park to relax in.
Eat Lunch at Pecos Flavors Winery and Bistro
Cost: $$
Hours: Tues-Thurs: 11am-2pm, 4-8pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-8pm, Closed Sun and Mon
Grab lunch during your one day in Roswell at Pecos Flavors Winery and Bistro. While they do have wine that they produce, they also have an extensive local beer list as well. The food is delicious, inexpensive, and will be the perfect stop for lunch.
Flying Saucer McDonalds
Cost: Free
Hours: 5am-12am
This McDonalds is unique as the front of the McDonalds has a huge flying saucer attached to it. You can even opt to eat inside of it, but we opted to just snap a picture and move one.
Visit One of the Art Museums
Roswell actually has several pretty awesome art museums. Choose one or more to spend the rest of your afternoon as it is the perfect way to end one day in Roswell.
Roswell Museum and Art Center
Cost: $10
Hours: Tues-Fri: 1-5pm, Some Saturdays 10am-3pm
Address: 1011 N. Richardson Ave
The Roswell Museum and Art Center is small, but it is the perfect way to end your day in Roswell. This museum focuses on Southwest art and history. It has a few rotating exhibits as well as some permanent ones. Plan to spend a little over an hour wandering through the artwork.
The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art
Cost: Free
Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-4pm, Sat-Sun: 1-5pm
Address: 409 E. College Boulevard
The other popular art museum in the area is the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. It opened in 1994 and contains 12 galleries and over 500 pieces of work. The museum often hosts special events such as mini concerts. Plan on spending an hour or two exploring the galleries.
Other Roswell Attractions
If you want to cram a bit more into your day or have another day in Roswell, opt to add in these activities.
Roswell Spacewalk
Cost: $5
Hours: 10am-6pm
The Roswell Spacewalk is an immersive art exhibit where it feels like you are walking through space. It was created by a local artist, Larry Welz. This is a quick walk through exhibit that will not take that long to visit.
Bottomless Lakes State Park
Cost: $5/car
Hours: 6am-9pm
Bottomless Lakes State Park is located southeast of Roswell. It is a great place to spend a day or a few hours. You can kayak, canoe, swim, hike, have a picnic, or just relax on the shores of the lake. This lake is so unique due to the location of several sinkholes within the lake.
One day in Roswell is a perfect stop along a New Mexico road trip. After Roswell head to Albuquerque, Carlsbad, or to White Sands National Park. If you have more time, opt to head to Arizona or Texas for some other fun road trip options. You could easily spend a week in Arizona.
2 thoughts on “One Day in Roswell, New Mexico: A Kitschy Fun Alien Town”
I’m planning a trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park with my brothers and want to make a stop in Roswell, NM. Your guide is great and I’m bookmarking it for reference later.
Thank you so much! I hope you have an amazing trip.