Ever wondered what makes New Mexico unique? There are endless reasons why the Land of Enchantment is one of the coolest places in the country. Our culture, art, landscapes, and even the way we talk, are completely unique to our little corner of the nation. Whether you’ve lived here your whole life, or you’re just getting acquainted with our state, it’s not hard to see why we’re the most unique in the country. Here are eight ways New Mexico is unlike any other.

1. Chile is a food group here.
Alasam/Flickr
Whether it be red, green, or Christmas style, there’s no other place that embraces the pepper quite like we do. We put it on everything from pizza to eggs, and we still can’t get enough. If a meal doesn’t have chile, it’s not complete.
2. Chile is also a whole season.
miheco/Flickr
Speaking of our obsession with chile, there’s a whole season for it, and it’s the best time of year. You’ll find roasters and people fill parking lots to the brim. There’s simply nothing else like it.
3. Many TV shows and movies are shot here.
Albuquerque Studios/Facebook
Albuquerque Studios is the largest production facility in the country, and over 600 movies have been filmed in the Land of Enchantment over the past century. If you’re not a fan of the popular show, Breaking Bad, you might have a place in your heart for other New Mexico-filmed movies like Indiana Jones.
4. It’s summer all year long.
Simply_Happy/Flickr
Well, almost. New Mexico gets roughly 278 sunny days a year. Since there’s no humidity in the desert, even the less sunny days are comfortable too.

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5. The scenery never gets old.
Jim Kimmons/Flickr
From forests (including the country’s largest) to sand dunes, prairies, and dozens of mountains, New Mexico has some of the most diverse landscapes. With so much to explore, you’ll never get bored. Take a glimpse at all the unique scenery New Mexico has to offer when you watch this stunning drone footage:

6. We have alien sightings.
maxime raynal/Flickr
Most people are familiar with the Roswell incident, where a piece of metal fell from space. This alien encounter started a movement in Roswell, and now over 1,000 official UFO sightings are reported every year in New Mexico. Who knows, maybe you’ll see one!
7. You can see the sky clearer than anywhere else, too.
John Fowler/Flickr
While you’re looking to the sky for UFOs, you’ll be able to see them clearly because New Mexico is home to some of the country’s best dark sky parks. This is an area where there’s little light pollution, so you can see the sky more clearly. It’s perfect for stargazing. In fact, New Mexico was one of the first states to put laws into place protecting dark skies. How great is that?

8. The World’s Largest Hot Air Balloon Festival is here.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta/Facebook
Every October, Albuquerque’s skies are filled with hundreds of hot air balloons for the International Balloon Fiesta. This is the world’s largest hot air balloon launch, and there’s simply nothing else like the sky being completely overtaken with the beautiful balloons. Take a glimpse of the Hot Air Balloon festival in action when you watch the brief drone footage below:

New Mexico is seriously unlike anywhere else. What would you add to the list? What makes us most unique? We’d love your input in the comments!

To see just why New Mexico is so unique, you can take this tram high above it all, and see the Land of Enchantment in a whole new way.

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More to Explore

living in New Mexico

Beth C. | May 02, 2023

Is New Mexico a good place to live?

Absolutely! New Mexico has so much to offer in the way of culture, history, heritage, small towns, big cities, dining, hiking, natural wonders, and, of course, the people. Below you'll find a list of reasons why New Mexico is a wonderful place to live:

  • Amazing national parks and monuments
  • Relatively low cost of living and home prices
  • A gorgeous, diverse landscape
  • New Mexico's history and culture
  • New Mexican cuisine

 

Learn more about what makes living in New Mexico such a special and incredible experience.

What are the most popular landmarks and natural wonders in New Mexico?

New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment, and it lives up to its name in every way. This is especially true when it comes to natural wonders and landmarks. Below you'll find a list of some of the most stunning places to visit in New Mexico:

  • Clayton Lake State Park
  • Four Corners National Monument
  • Fort Union National Monument
  • Laval Flow at El Malpais
  • Aztec Ruins near Farmington
  • Earthships near Taos
  • Old Town Albuquerque
  • San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe
  • Rio Grande Gorge near Taos
  • Santa Fe Plaza
  • Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in the Mogollon Mountains
  • UFO Museum in Roswell
  • Sandia Peak
  • Chaco Culture National Historical Park near Nageezi
  • Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks near Cochiti
  • Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
  • Carlsbad Caverns
  • White Sands near Alamogordo

 

How many of these special places have you visited? Learn more about each of the above destinations when you check out our New Mexico bucket list!

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