Welcome to Las Cruces
Click to view a list of gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses in Las Cruces
Nestled in the fertile Mesilla Valley, our small city spans the distance from the base of the jagged peaks of the Organ Mountains to the meandering Rio Grande River. While quickly becoming a popular southwestern destination, Las Cruces manages to retain its small town feel, friendly, unique and easy to navigate.
Whether you’re traversing Interstate 10, traveling down I-25 from Albuquerque or land in El Paso, we’re glad you found us. Our accessible location will bring you into contact with 72 holes of spectacular year-round golf, unique special events, historic attractions such as Old Mesilla and not to mention, world-class Mexican food!
Events
Once part of Mexico, today Las Cruces is a vibrant blend of cultures where everyone can feel at home. There’s no better place to experience the colorful customs of our past than at our myriad of local festivals: Cowboy Days, Cinco de Mayo and the Renaissance ArtsFaire. We celebrate our country’s oldest wine growing region and pay homage to the chiles for which we are famous. If that’s not enough, we’ll throw in The Whole Enchilada Fiesta too, one of our favorite fiestas with the world’s largest example of our favorite food.
Performing Arts
Our evenings are entertaining too. With half a dozen theatres, there’s almost always something see. The renovated Rio Grande Theatre is the country’s oldest two-story adobe theatre and offers a variety of eclectic performances. Also on our Downtown Mall, you will find the Las Cruces Community Theatre and the Black Box Theatre, home of the No Strings Theatre Company. Before the show, dine on fresh, light fare at Zeffiro Pizzeria Napoletana or drink a cool Longboard Ale at New Mexico’s only Hawaiian restaurant, Ono Grindz. The first Friday of every month, our downtown shops, galleries and our City museums open their doors for the Downtown Ramble where you will find refreshments, music and new friends.
Attractions
Mesilla
No trip to Las Cruces is complete without a pilgrimage to Historic Mesilla. Site of the Gadsden Purchase and home of the jail that once held Billy the Kid, no matter whether you prefer the history of yesterday or the boutiques, restaurants and entertainment of today, Mesilla suits all. Hunt for souvenirs for friends and family, find upscale gifts at Nambé and Silver Assets, taste salsa galore at Solamente, and finally relax with a glass of wine on the patio of Vintage Wines, serving flavors from their own Black Range Vineyards in Hillsboro, New Mexico.
White Sands National Monument
Visit 275 square miles of glistening wave-like gypsum dunes that rise from the heart of the Tularosa Basin at White Sands National Monument, one of the world’s great natural wonders. Take a self- or ranger-guided hike, sunset stroll, participate in one of their monthly tours to Lake Lucero, where you will learn about the formation of the sands and the special plants and animals that live in and around the dunes or semi-annually, take a leisurely full moon bike ride with your friends and family through the monument. For these rides, the Dunes Drive is re-opened for three hours after dark for bicycles only.
Spaceport America
See the future under construction at Spaceport America. Journey through time on a hardhat tour, one that reveals the history of transportation and trade in America to the evolution of air and space pioneers of the future. Your tour will venture inside the spaceport perimeter to see infrastructure that will support the future home of the personal and commercial spaceflight industry before traversing the site to see the vertical launch area and mission control building on the eastern range.
Where to Stay
When you’re ready for a rest, Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, a TAG approved accommodation, will provide comfortable rooms in a setting that pairs cultural heritage with modern conveniences.
Taking a Break
Once refreshed, find fuel in the form of hot drinks, baked goods and breakfast treats at one of our kind coffeehouses like Boba Café, Spirit Winds or The Bean. You’ll need the energy as you explore more of Las Cruces: its museums, galleries and antique shops; extensive outdoor activities like golf, tennis, hiking and biking or adventure beyond the city limits.
Day Trips
Southern New Mexico is filled with a number of gems, all within a day’s exploration. We have the ghost towns of Kingston and Hillsboro, geologic sites like Rockhound State Park and City of Rocks. The mountain communities of Silver City and Ruidoso offer museums, theatre and the Downs Casino and Racetrack. And believe it or not, we boast the largest and most popular lake in New Mexico at Elephant Butte Lake State Park, providing camping, boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, hiking and bird watching.
No matter what you decide to do in and around Las Cruces, we know you will find our people friendly, our land beautiful, and your time well-spent. We look forward to seeing you now and on all your future visits because once you have experienced the Land of Enchantment, you’re destined to return.
