Highest-rated free things to do in New Mexico by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in New Mexico.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in New Mexico using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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Tripadvisor

1 / 30

#30. El Santuario de Chimayo

- Rating: 4.6/5 (663 reviews)
- City: Chimayo New
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2 / 30

#29. Sandia Resort & Casino

- Rating: 3.9/5 (445 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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3 / 30

#28. Russell's Truck and Travel Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (250 reviews)
- City: Glenrio New
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4 / 30

#27. New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society

- Rating: 4.9/5 (207 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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5 / 30

#26. Trinity Site

- Rating: 4.3/5 (193 reviews)
- City: Alamogordo New
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6 / 30

#25. White Rock Overlook Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (324 reviews)
- City: Los Alamos New
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7 / 30

#24. Shiprock Rock Formation

- Rating: 4.4/5 (184 reviews)
- City: Shiprock New
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8 / 30

#23. Williams Lake

- Rating: 4.7/5 (194 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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9 / 30

#22. Bat Flight Program in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (603 reviews)
- City: Carlsbad Caverns National Pa
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10 / 30

#21. New Mexico State Capitol (Roundhouse)

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,070 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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11 / 30

#20. Taos Plaza

- Rating: 3.9/5 (1,014 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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12 / 30

#19. Santuario De Chimayo

- Rating: 4.6/5 (287 reviews)
- City: Chimayo New
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13 / 30

#18. San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church

- Rating: 4.5/5 (823 reviews)
- City: Ranchos De Taos Taos Taos County New
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14 / 30

#17. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness

- Rating: 4.6/5 (319 reviews)
- City: Bloomfield New
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15 / 30

#16. Lincoln National Forest

- Rating: 4.7/5 (362 reviews)
- City: Ruidoso New
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Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Plaza Blanca

- Rating: 4.8/5 (230 reviews)
- City: Abiquiu New
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17 / 30

#14. Bradbury Science Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (931 reviews)
- City: Los Alamos New
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18 / 30

#13. La Luz Trail

- Rating: 4.7/5 (251 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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19 / 30

#12. Nedra Matteucci Galleries

- Rating: 4.8/5 (369 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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20 / 30

#11. Old Mesilla Village

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,007 reviews)
- City: Las Cruces New
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21 / 30

#10. Enchanted Circle Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (629 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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22 / 30

#9. Santa Fe Farmers Market

- Rating: 4.4/5 (378 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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23 / 30

#8. High Road to Taos

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,309 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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24 / 30

#7. Petroglyph National Monument

- Rating: 4.3/5 (2,022 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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25 / 30

#6. McGinn's PistachioLand

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,921 reviews)
- City: Alamogordo New
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26 / 30

#5. Santa Fe Plaza

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3,272 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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27 / 30

#4. Canyon Road

- Rating: 4.5/5 (4,084 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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28 / 30

#3. Albuquerque Old Town

- Rating: 4.2/5 (5,407 reviews)
- City: Albuquerque New
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29 / 30

#2. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

- Rating: 4.6/5 (4,021 reviews)
- City: Santa Fe New
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30 / 30

#1. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,725 reviews)
- City: Taos Taos County New
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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