Auto Body Shop Travel Tips: A New Mexico Road Trip

Summer has officially begun not too long ago, and with summer comes the desire for a great vacation. Unfortunately, summer break is only a concept enjoyed by students. People have to work, and that can be difficult to get around. Day trips around the great state of Colorado are always fulfilling, but that can become trite if done on a year-to-year basis. So why not change it up with a weekend trip to our neighbor to the South: New Mexico. All you have to do is stop by your local auto body shop to make sure your car is in tiptop shape, and you will be well on your way to an enjoyable road trip down I-25. There are many wonders to visit in New Mexico that can be done in a weekend or less. A drive from Denver to the border with Mexico is only a ten to eleven hour drive. So with that said, here are some great destinations to drive to in New Mexico this summer:

1- Santa Fe – The state’s capital, Santa Fe is an often overlooked capital in the United States that sports several charming characteristics. Buildings across the downtown area are heavily influenced by old Pueblo adobe and colonial Spanish architectures, making it a unique environment among other American cities. Things to see include The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, The Palace of Governors, the Inn at Loretto, and the New Mexico Museum of Art.

2- Carlsbad Caverns National Park – Located in the southern portion of the state, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a hidden wonder within New Mexico’s desert lands. An intricate network of crevices, stalagmites, and some of the largest caves in North America, exploring these caves is bound to make any spelunker blush. The park is completely open in the summer months, with guided tours into the caverns so you don’t have to worry about becoming forever lost in the 300 known caves within the system.

3- The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad – Don’t feel like doing all that driving for the weekend? Why not enjoy a scenic railway view instead then? The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad departs from Antonito, Colorado and arrives at Chama, New Mexico. Antonito is located south of Alamosa, which you can get to with a six hour drive from Denver. From there, just buy a round-trip ticket to Chama, and you can enjoy the picturesque scenes of the San Juan Mountains of Northern New Mexico.

4- Bandelier National Monument – Are you tired of Mesa Verde? Why not take a trip to a similar environment in Bandelier National Monument. Located in the northern mountains of the state, the national monument houses several astounding cliff dwellings and adobe houses throughout the area built by the many early inhabitants of the region. Because of the abundant water in the area, the dwellings remained inhabited well after even Mesa Verde was abandoned, all the way until the 16^th century.

5- White Sands National Monument – Sand so white it is often confused for snow, this geological wonder can be found in the southern portion of the state. The sand dunes cover miles and miles of the New Mexican desert, and sport unique wildlife and fascinating gypsum crystals sprouting from the ground. The area is unlike even Colorado’s very own sand dunes, and that alone should make it worth the trip down there.

How To Use This Information

New Mexico is a massive state with an abundance of great sights. While they all can be visited by car, you will want to make sure your vehicle is in the best shape it can be in before embarking to the south. While the state is filled with many natural beauties, it is also not very densely populated, and that can make spontaneously stopping in the middle of nowhere very problematic. So stop by Accurate Auto Body, Denver’s premier auto body shop, today, and begin planning a trip to the Land of Enchantment. To learn more, call us at 303-344-2212.

What trips have you taken to New Mexico?