Every year, we typically travel somewhere for New Year's Eve. In the past, when we were rockstar partiers, we’ve gone to Vancouver, BC; Las Vegas, NV; Cabo San Lucas, MX; and Reykjavík, Iceland, staying up past midnight—whether we remembered it or not. These days, we still love to travel for the holiday, but it’s more about cozy vibes than epic hangovers.
This year, we had just bought a travel trailer before the holidays and decided it would whisk us away to White Sands National Park in New Mexico. The drive from Tucson to White Sands is just under five hours; always add time if you’re in or towing an RV. The drive itself? Meh. A couple of Sky Islands in Arizona, the giant boulders of Texas Canyon, and, of course, the giant recycled roadrunner sculpture outside Las Cruces to keep things interesting.
Alamogordo, NM
We stayed in Alamogordo, NM, just east of White Sands National Park, at 575 RV Park. It was pitch-black by the time we arrived, and our plans weren’t anything wild. Days before, I’d carefully picked out a restaurant—D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro—to order dinner from because, obviously, food is the priority. They happened to be offering a special prix fixe menu for New Year’s Eve, and we went all-in. We ordered everything to-go so we could hang out with Bob. Poor guy’s getting older, blinder, and crankier about new places, so we figured he deserved a quiet night in. We turned on the RV’s cozy little fireplace and set up our fancy dining experience on the trailer’s table. Also, I’m 100% going back to try their regular menu because it looks amazing.
For the past couple of years, Brad and I have embraced our inner life coaches and gotten super goal-oriented about how we want to live. So, after dinner, we busted out the notebooks and mapped out our individual and shared goals for the year. I know it sounds like boring adulting, but hey, this is where we are in life. And you know what? We like it. I think we were in bed by 11 p.m. and… no regrets.
New Year’s Day started with a bang—specifically, a bang in my stomach after eating “The Kevin Bacon” burrito and “The Captain Bill” breakfast sandwich at Bry’s Lunch Box. Shoutout to them for being open on New Year’s morning and for being so. damn. good. We wanted to go back for lunch, but breakfast was so huge it doubled as dinner. Respect.
Now, I’d never heard of Alamogordo until I started Googling RV parks near White Sands, but let me tell you, this place has some surprises. After breakfast, we hit the Museum of Space History. It wasn’t open (classic us), but outside, there was plenty to see: planes, missiles, and some pretty epic views of Alamogordo and White Sands in the distance. Then, we went to see the World’s Largest Pistachio. Because, honestly, how could you not? Naturally, I got pistachio ice cream, and it ruined all other pistachio ice creams for me forever.
That afternoon, we finally made it to White Sands National Park. “Otherworldly” is the only way to describe it. It looks like snow piled up on the sides of the road, and yes, people were sledding down the dunes. The sand is cold to the touch even on hot days because it’s made of gypsum, which doesn’t absorb heat (science!). Even better? White Sands is dog-friendly, so Bob got to explore his ninth national park—legally. We got a sled and gave it a go. Pro tip: use a bar of soap to “wax” your sled for extra speed. We didn’t, and let’s just say our sledding was… leisurely.
Here are a few things we wanted to do but couldn’t fit into our short two-night stay:
- Take a guided tour at McGinn’s PistachioLand.
- Do an overnight backpacking trip in White Sands. Campsites are currently closed with no timeline for reopening, but we’re keeping an eye on this one.
- Visit the inside of the Museum of Space History.
- Check out the Trinity Site.
- Visit the Toy Train Depot (because why not?).
- Explore the White Sands Missile Range Museum.
Overall, it was a fantastic way to kick off the new year. And while we might not be rockstar partiers anymore, we’re definitely still nailing the travel game—even if it’s with Bob snoring in the background.