Some of the people who call New Mexico home have ancestors who’ve lived here for hundreds of years. Others are newer arrivals who visited the Land of Enchantment and got hooked. Whether you’ve been here forever or are a more recent transplant, there are certain experiences that you’re likely to have if you spend enough time in New Mexico. This list is just for fun because, of course, we’re a state full of diverse individuals. However, if you’re looking to cement your identity as a New Mexican, here are some ideas to get you started. These are 14 things people do in New Mexico:

1. Buy something from a roadside vendor.
Flickr/Jeff Youngstrom
Firewood, tamales, corn, jelly, fry bread. If it's sold from the back of a truck or a structurally unsound shack then we want it. Think of this phenomenon as reverse advertising.
2. Eat at the sketchiest looking restaurant you can find. Like a steakhouse slash liquor store.
Yelp/Stu T.
Seriously, the more questionable something appears, the better the food.
3. Buy chile by the bushel...
Flickr/miheco
...And dedicate a section of your freezer to storing your crop.
4. Order your food Christmas-style.
Yelp/Eric N.
The more chile, the better. Plus, it really does look festive.
5. Give green chile stew to someone who is sick...
Yelp/Lillie C.
...Or receive it from a well-wisher. Recipes may vary but, if it's made with love, this New Mexican stew will get you back on your feet.
6. Put on and then take off three layers of clothing in the space of a few hours.
Flickr/Christopher Holden
In New Mexico, temperatures vary widely over the course of the day.
7. Do a mental (or literal) raindance.
Flickr/Tom Jensen
We eagerly anticipate monsoon season.

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8. Cross the Rio Grande.
Flickr/OpenThreads
No need to rent a kayak. A bridge totally counts.
9. Go hiking in a national forest.
Flickr/U.S. Department of Agriculture
We are blessed with so many acres of forests and wilderness to explore.
10. Spend time somewhere so remote that you’ve contemplated your survival skills (or lack thereof).
Flickr/John Fowler
It's easy to go off grid in New Mexico.
11. Drive along a road so remote that, in the event of car trouble, you know you're on your own.
Flickr/Pierce Martin
There are swaths of our state without cell reception - or other people - for miles.
12. Gaze at the night sky without interference from any light pollution.
Flickr/John Fowler
There are plenty of official and unofficial dark sky sites here.
13. Visit a ghost town.
Flickr/Images By Lane
These abandoned places are time capsules of our state's history.
14. Explain to someone that New Mexico is indeed part of the United States.
Flickr/Dave Winer
No, you don't need a passport to visit and people here do understand English. Bonus points if you can say all that without rolling your eyes!

What other rites of passage belong on this list? Even if you haven’t done all of these things, perhaps you can identify these iconic images of New Mexico.

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Things People Do In New Mexico

Leah | October 23, 2020

Is New Mexico a great place to live?

If you're considering moving to New Mexico, you'll be happy to know that many consider this state to be a wonderful place to settle down. New Mexico has a lot of reasons to love living here, from endless sunny days to a variety of ways to live. Cities like Albuquerque and Santa Fe are perfect for the urbanites out there, while it doesn't take much of a drive to get out into the quiet, sparsely populated areas if you're more of a loner. There is easy access to beautiful natural areas and a lot of great culture, food, and more to enjoy.

What are the best things about living in New Mexico?

Life in New Mexico is full of many great perks. For example, this state enjoys nearly 300 sunny days each year on average. Despite this, the state still gets rain and even snow in some areas, making its landscapes diverse. Another plus of NM life is the amazing food. New Mexican cuisine is certainly something worth experiencing, especially if you love chile (and if you're a New Mexican, you're kind of obligated to). New Mexico is also full of amazing places to visit. You can easily fill up a bucket list with vacation ideas without ever leaving the state.

What is New Mexico known for?

The Land of Enchantment is known for many things. When people think of New Mexico, an image of hot air balloons drifting over the desert often comes to mind. This state is also known for its wild-west history - it's not hard to find a small town where people like Billy the Kid were said to have passed through. The state is also known for its rich culture and love of things like turquoise, especially on the Turquoise Trail. It's not a heavily populated state, making it ideal for people who want to get out and explore natural landscapes or enjoy spectacularly starry skies.

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