Top 8 Things To Do In & Near White Sands, New Mexico

1. Swim some laps at White Sands Aquatic Center

White Sands Aquatic Center is located at the White Sand Missile Range and it features a 25-meter (82 ft), 8-lane pool and a 7.3-m (24-ft) children’s pool. The water temperature is maintained at 80-82° which makes the pool ideal for recreational and training swimming. A water slide, diving board, water basketball and inner tubes are available and there is also equipment for water polo and a rock-climbing wall. Two furnished sun decks are available for relaxation. Please note that members of the general public require to be sponsored and accompanied by a DoD cardholder.

White Sands Aquatic Center

Address: 505 Hof St, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA

Website: White Sands Aquatic Center

Opening hours: Wed - Thu: 6am - 6pm; Fri: 11am - 6 pm; Sat - Sun: 11am - 5pm (Closed on Mon & Tue)

Price: 2 USD

2. Drive through the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) - Las Cruces Gate

When driving from Las Cruces or on Interstate 25 in the west, the road heads through the White Sands Missile Range. The range has two Visitor Control Centers. One is the El Paso Gate and the other is the Las Cruces Gate, located south of US-70. While the gates are both open throughout the day, missile tests are often run here, which then closes the road to traffic for anything up to three hours. This also means the White Sands National Monument is closed during that time. Check with the US Army White Sands Missile Range Facebook page to find out the current status before traveling.

White Sands Missile Range (WSMR)

Address: Near Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA

Website: White Sands Missile Range (WSMR)

Opening hours: 24/7 when no missiles are being fired

3. Have fun bowling at Roadrunner Lanes

This modern, 10-lane bowling center offers automatic scorers and bumps and it is open for all age groups. The bowling alley also hosts leagues, birthday parties, cosmic bowling and tournaments. Visitors can enjoy a snack at the snack bar on-site and free Wi-Fi is available to patrons.

Roadrunner Lanes

Address: 234 Dyer St, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, USA

Website: Roadrunner Lanes

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 11am - 8:30pm; Sun: 11am - 6pm

Price: From 2.25 USD

4. Hike on the Playa Trail

The playa at White Sands National Monument is a shallow depression which is temporarily filled with rainwater when there is a storm. Normally, however, it is a dry lakebed. Visitors are urged to stay on the trail when visiting, as their footprints can destroy the biological soil crust. The trail is family-friendly and visitors are also urged to drink water before heading out on the trail and to carry plenty of water with them during their hike. Also, ensure that at least one in the party has a fully-charged cell phone in case of emergencies. The distance from the Visitor Center is 4 km (2.5 mi) and there is no restroom facility available.

Playa Trail

Address: Tularosa, New Mexico, USA

Website: Playa Trail

5. Go sledding on Dunes Drive

Head out from the Visitor’s Center in White Sands National Monument to enjoy the Dunes Drive. This 13 km (8-mi) scenic drive takes you into the heart of the gypsum dune field. There is also a 26 km (16 mi) round-trip drive to enjoy, which takes around 45 minutes. Along the way, visitors can enjoy sledding, although it takes some practice as it is not as easy as sledding on snow. Waxed plastic snow saucers can be purchased at the gift shop and the activity is fun for adults and children.

Dunes Drive

Address: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

Website: Dunes Drive

6. Learn about the plants on the Native Plant Garden Tour

Even though the White Sands National Monument is in the Chihuahuan Desert, there is also an amazing range of life in the area. This walking tour takes you through the native plant garden, which is in front of the Visitor Center. The tour can be enjoyed at no charge and an audio tour is available to learn about the individual plants. The best time to visit in between mid-March to late November, as many of the plants are dormant in winter.

Native Plant Garden Tour

Address: Visitor Center, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

Website: Native Plant Garden Tour

7. Enjoy a meal at Pizza Palazzo

When visiting Las Cruces, this pizza restaurant is a must. Pizza Palazzo cooks up a range of delicious pizzas, as well as a range of fresh salads, calzones and chicken wings with a variety of dressings. Although there is one long table in the restaurant, Pizza Palazzo is a counter-service pick-up or delivery service.

Pizza Palazzo

Address: 5702 Bataan Memorial E, Ste C-1, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA

Website: Pizza Palazzo

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm

8. Get some retail therapy at White Sands Trading Company

White Sands Trading Company is a cultural gift store where visitors can buy a range of handcrafted items. These include fetishes, which are small, carved stone animals used by the Native American tribes. There is a range of tee-shirts available in 100 percent cotton with artistic designs. The store also stocks beautiful Pueblo Pottery, based on the elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The pieces of pottery on offer are made using the original methods and are attractively decorated. This is where visitors can also buy the waxed plastic snow saucers for sledding, mentioned above. There is also a range of attractive Zuni, Hopi, Santo Domingo and Navajo jewelry on sale as well as Navajo weavings. Visitors can also buy a variety of snacks and cold drinks.

White Sands Trading Company

Address: 19955 US-70, Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA

Website: White Sands Trading Company

Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)

Have fun exploring White Sands

Enjoy driving or hiking through the desert, having fun sledding or going bowling, do laps at the aquatic center, learning about the native plants in the area or buying a range of beautiful cultural gifts to take home with you. Make sure you enjoy all the many things to do in and near White Sands, New Mexico, USA.