1. It Actually Wasn’t Named After Mexico
It is easy to see why you would think that New Mexico was named after Mexico. Truth be told, Nuevo México was given its name in 1563 by Spanish explorers way before Mexico ever existed.
Mexico was known as New Spain until 1821, and only got its snazzy new name when it won its independence.
2. New Mexicans Don’t Have An Opinion Of Arizonans, But They Definitely Don’t Care Much For Texans
Texans. These easily recognizable people with their accents and ten-gallon hats often take advantage of New Mexico’s natural beauty and visit a lot. Many Texans also move to New Mexico, prompting New Mexicans to say, “Why did you move here? You got enough of your own state to live in!”
3. New Mexicans Were Around Long Before You Were
With a rich history of Native Cultures and later with the Spanish colonization, this state has some of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the United States.
The Acoma Pueblo, also known as Sky City and Taos Pueblo have been inhabited since the year 1000. Santa Fe is the oldest continuously inhabited state capital, and even Albuquerque has a couple of hundred years on most other major cities—it’s been around since 1706.
4. New Mexico Had The First Las Vegas, Thank You Very Much
Established in 1835 by a group of settlers from Mexico, the original Las Vegas has about 70 years on the other more famous Las Vegas.
While the one here isn’t as flashy, New Mexico gets a lot of visitors every year. The difference is that in New Mexico, if you say “I went to Las Vegas,” you will be asked, “Which one?”
5. Despite What You Might Think, It’s Not All Desert
A large part of the state is forested mountains, high meadows and, on the eastern side, the grasslands of the great plains. It touches upon Oklahoma in the extreme Northeast Corner, Arizona and Mexico of course to the west and south, and Colorado.
If you stick around long enough for monsoon season, you’ll be in for a surprise!
6. “Red Or Green” Is The Official State Question
At restaurants, when you’re asked “red or green?” they want to know what kind of chile you want. They’ll ask it everywhere, even at the drive-thru fast food joints.
If you can’t decide if you want red or green, ask for Christmas. That means you want both.
7. New Mexicans Get Together To Burn Their Worries Away
Every year since 1924, 50,000 New Mexicans go to watch the burning of Zozobra or “Old Man Gloom” at the Fiestas De Santa Fe.
This 50 foot tall effigy represents the worries and troubles of the previous year. Anyone with an excess of gloom can write their troubles on a piece of paper to be burned. That’s some ritual right there!
8. It’s So Laid Back, You Gotta Wear Shades
Slow down there, firecracker! What’s the rush? New Mexicans get flak for being laid back, but with such affordable living, you can take time to enjoy life and savor your experiences.
You can get your work done, and still have time to meet with friends for dinner and drinks. Isn’t that what life’s all about?
9. And If You Don’t Have Any Shades, At Least Bring Sunscreen
With almost 300 days of sunshine a year, sunscreen is necessary for survival here. On top of that, it is notoriously dry.
You’re going to want to put it on when you go out hiking in the mountains… or just for a walk to your car, so slather it on, and don’t forget to bring some water with you too while you are at It.
10. New Mexicans Will Wrap Anything In A Tortilla
Need breakfast but in a hurry? Have some spare tortillas hanging around? Wrap it up for a quick snack on the go! Breakfast burritos are an art form here.
Want a PB&J but you’re out of bread? Flour tortillas to the rescue! You can’t go wrong with so many different types of tortillas to choose from, from flour to yellow corn to blue corn… you get the idea.
11. New Mexico Doesn’t Have A Major Sports League, But There’s Still One Heck Of A Rivalry
The University of New Mexico Lobos—that means “wolves” in Spanish—and the New Mexico State Aggies in Las Cruces have a rivalry that’s been going on since 1894. This face-off is known as the Rio Grande Rivalry or the Battle of I-25 since these schools are found along these major landmarks.
12. Move Over Christmas Cookies! Time For Biscochitos!
This usually star shaped anise cookie, popular during Christmas in New Mexico is the state’s official cookie. How many states had official cookies before New Mexico bestowed that honor? Answer: zero.
13. It’s Not A Festival, It’s A Fiesta
New Mexico is the land of fiestas. Fiesta De Santa Fe, which has been going on for over 300 years, includes a children’s pet parade and a historical/hysterical parade.
You can make noise at the Ruidoso Aspenfest and Motorcycle rally. Then you can check out the Whole Enchilada Fiesta in Las Cruces, where you can eat some of the world’s largest enchilada, taking part in the New Mexican tradition of eating a massive meal with a bunch of other people.
14. And The Roswell UFO Festival Is Out Of This World
No one really knows what exactly it was that crashed out in the desert outside of Roswell on that fateful day in 1947, but for fun-loving New Mexicans it makes a great excuse to party.
Every year UFO enthusiasts and anyone into the wild and wonderful converge on this small town to celebrate all things UFO, even if no one has really seen an alien set foot in Roswell.
15. Pancakes On The 4th Of July? Of Course!
In Santa Fe, the 4th of July means pancakes. That’s because 15,000 to 20,000 pancake eaters gather here every year for Pancakes On The Plaza, a tradition that benefits local nonprofits. If you’ve ever wanted to go to a pancake party, this is your chance.
16. It’s A Haven For Artists Who Like To Live On The Wild Side
Have you ever had the idea that you wanted to take over a ghost town and create something extraordinary there? That’s exactly what people have been doing in New Mexico for years.
Towns like Silver City and Madrid, a small town outside of Santa Fe, had been long forgotten by civilization until the 70s when hippies and artists began moving in and taking advantage of the great bargains on houses and land.
17. Neil Patrick Harris, Val Kilmer, and Demi Moore Probably Climbed Those Mountains Once Or Twice As Kids
New Mexico has proudly produced some of the most famous actors in Hollywood. On top of that, Albuquerque is fast becoming a hotspot for filmmakers because…
18. It’s The Hollywood Of The Southwest
Especially after the popularity of “Breaking Bad,” New Mexico has become a hot spot for filming TV shows and movies.
The government has even gone so far as to make new laws to draw filmmakers to the state. Any aspiring filmmakers reading this right now?
19. Look Out Wile E. Coyote! The Roadrunner Is The State Bird
This comical bird can be found running along roads, and yes, they will stop and clack their beak at you just like the cartoon bird before running off again.
They can fly, but prefer to run. Hopefully you won’t come across one bashing its dinner against a rock, because that’s truly disturbing.
20. If Adobe Isn’t Your Thing, Go Futuristic And Live In An Earthship
These super modern recycled houses started out as an affordable option for people who wanted to live off the grid in the ’70s.
Since New Mexico gets so many days of sunshine a year, they were designed to harness the sun’s energy in the winter to warm the house, as well as to provide a solar greenhouse for veggies. Living off the grid can be fun!
21. There’s A Town Named After A Radio Show
You’ve heard about Halfway, Oregon, that became Half.com, and Topeka, Kansas that became Google for a hot minute, but Truth Or Consequences has them all beat.
This town, formerly with the boring name of “Hot Springs” changed its name in the 1950s as a publicity stunt for a popular radio show. They’ve had the opportunity to change it back, but they liked it so much that they kept it.
22. Albuquerque Is So Much More Than The Place Where Bugs Bunny Took That Wrong Turn
Albuquerque has a combination of factors that make it ideal for young people to start out, especially in the current economy.
It’s under the radar as far as hipster destinations go, but it definitely has its cred. Overall it is truly a livable city. Property is cheap, the weather is great, the nightlife is happening, and the landscape is beautiful. In fact, it is such a nice combo that…
23. Experience Outer Space, Or Just Look At It From Here
With clear skies and little light pollution, it is no surprise that New Mexico is home to 15 observatories. From the kind with telescopes you look through to the ones that detect radio waves. No doubt about it, the Land Of Enchantment’s skies are dark at night!
24. Summer Is About Hiking And Biking, And Winter Is For Skiing
It’s no secret that New Mexico has fantastic skiing, but in the summer, these places have totally awesome hiking and bicycle trails.
With the Paseo Del Bosque near Albuquerque and the Santa Fe Rail Trail, there are more trails than you can shake a stick at. Don’t want to drive? Put your bike on the Rail Runner train and bike to the trail from the train station.
25. Get Your Folk On At The ABQ Folk Fest
Did I mention that Albuquerque is known for its earthy laid back atmosphere? So it should come as no surprise that they have a whole weekend dedicated to folk music and dance. You can attend workshops, play in jam sessions and go to storytelling parties. If you can’t get enough of the festival, you can camp in the park the whole weekend.
26. Go To Monroe’s For Some Famous New Mexican Food
Serving more than 150,000 pounds of chile a year, Monroe’s in Albuquerque is a favorite for locals and tourists alike. Admittedly there is an American cuisine element with cheeseburgers, but you can add the New Mexican flavor to it in the form of green chile. Try their enchiladas some time too. You can’t get more New Mexican than that.
27. The Faithful Make A Walking Pilgrimage Every Year
Each year, 30,000 people from all over the world gather to walk to El Santuario de Chimayó, a church nestled in the mountains up north. Some people trek the whole 90-mile journey. If 90-mile walks aren’t your thing, you can do the shorter Pilgrimage to Tome Hill near Albuquerque.
28. New Mexicans Have Their Own Version Of Christmas Lights
A tradition since the Spanish Colonial Days, the farolito is a small lantern made from a paper bag with sand and a candle inside. These are placed in rows outside the house and along pathways, especially on Christmas eve. Who needs LED Christmas lights when you have the real deal?
29. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Is Nothing Short Of Uplifting
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta happens every October for nine days! It’s the largest balloon event in the world, and it’s basically synonymous with New Mexico Culture.
30. You Don’t Choose New Mexico. It Chooses You.
They aren’t kidding when they say New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment. This state has a magnetism all its own.
Maybe it is the clear sunlight, or the crisp dry air, or the way that people are friendly here. But people have a romantic attachment to this special place and they are reminded of it every day.
What do you love about living in New Mexico? Tell us in the comments below!
