Las Cruces – Things to do with your Team
Las Cruces, also known as “The City of the Crosses” is important for a lot of reasons. First, it’s the second-largest city in the state of New Mexico, the economic and geographic center of the Mesilla Valley, the home of New Mexico State University, and more. Most importantly however, it’s a great place to visit with your team.
There you’ll all be treated to fantastic southwestern scenery, legendary historical sites, and fun, kid-friendly activities.
Dripping Springs Natural Area is a must-see attraction if you’re looking to admire some of the best natural beauty New Mexico has to offer. If you and your team are interested in stepping into Las Cruces’ past, pay a visit to Old Mesilla Village and the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. Or, if you all prefer your fun to be a bit more modern, check out Cluenundrum for a uniquely-themed Las Cruces escape room experience.
Dripping Springs Natural Area
If there’s one thing the state of New Mexico is known for, it’s their breathtaking desert landscapes. One of the best places to experience the natural beauty of New Mexico while in Las Cruces is Dripping Springs Natural Area, located in the Organ Mountains.
Named for their steep, needle-like spires that resemble the pipes of an organ, the Organ Mountains rise over 9,000 feet in elevation and are a haven for anyone looking for a chance of scenery that can’t be found anywhere else.
Dripping Springs Natural Area, named for its weeping walls, features over four miles of hiking trails that will bring you and your team through landscapes containing astounding biological diversity. On the Dripping Springs Trail, for example, your group will be able to observe desert scrub as well as low elevation pinion-juniper and oak woodlands.
The area also boasts excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, making it an absolute must-see if you’re visiting Las Cruces with any animal lovers. Some of the wildlife that call Dripping Springs Natural Area home include red-tailed hawks, coyotes, golden eagles, black-throated sparrows, and more. There are even occasional mountain lion sightings from time-to-time! Dripping Springs Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88005
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum
Working the land has been a key ingredient in the cultural mosaic of New Mexico for more than 1,000 years, blending together the farming and ranching methods used by the Native American, Spanish, and Anglo peoples.
The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces serves to chronicle and celebrate the state’s storied agricultural history. While there, you and your team can explore more than 40 acres of interactive indoor and outdoor exhibits featuring corrals filled with livestock, lush gardens comprised of native foliage, and educational programs and demonstrations about topics such as blacksmithing.
Many of the museum’s attractions are located outdoors, so make sure that everyone in your group dresses appropriately before visiting. Guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more and must be reserved at least two weeks in advance.
If you or anyone on your team still hasn’t found the perfect New Mexico keepsake, it can probably be found at the museum’s Heart of the Desert Gift Shop. The Heart of the Desert Gift Shop offers a variety of southwestern-themed gifts, food products, books, jewelry, and other unique souvenirs. The Heart of the Desert Gift Shop also features a snack bar that serves up lights lunch favorites like hot dogs and sandwiches, as well as ice cream and other fun treats. 4100 Dripping Springs Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88011
Old Mesilla Village
Take a stroll with your team through the eclectic history of New Mexico at Old Mesilla Village, one of the most well-known and most-visited historical communities in the state. This unique settlement is nestled in the Mesilla Valley on the banks of the Rio Grande and has been a part of the Kingdom of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy, and most recently, the United States.
Mesilla has served as the backdrop to many notable moments throughout history, including the Civil War and the trial of Billy the Kid. Since great care has been given to preserve the original adobe buildings and beautiful plaza area in Mesilla it makes it feel as if these events could’ve very well have taken place yesterday.
Old Mesilla Village is home to more than just historical sites however. There you and your team can also browse over more than 40 stores, including ones that can’t be found anywhere else like the Billy the Kid Gift Shop, and grab a bite to eat at one of their many great dining options. 2385 Calle de Guadalupe, Las Cruces, NM 88046
Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science
The mission of the Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science is to inspire curiosity about the sciences, facilitate life-long learning, and most of all, promote stewardship of the natural environment of the Chihuahuan Desert and southern New Mexico. There are three permanent exhibits at the museum for you and your team to explore: Desert Life, Permian Trackways, and Light & Space.
Free admission makes this outstanding Las Cruces attraction a must-see if you’re visiting on a tight budget. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. 411 N Main St, Mesilla Valley Mall, Las Cruces, NM 88001
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Zuhl Museum
Part natural history museum, part art gallery, the Zuhl Museum at New Mexico State University is home to a collection containing over 1,800 beautiful specimens of petrified wood, fossils, and minerals.
Additional items from the collection are displayed in the Zuhl Library, located four blocks east near the center of the New Mexico State University State University campus, and at Gardiner Hall, home to the university’s Department of Geological Sciences. A trip to the Zuhl Museum is as cost-effective as it is educational since admission is free. 775 College Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88003
La Union Maze
If you’re visiting Las Cruces in the fall, take the team to La Union Maze for some authentic New Mexico fun. From late September to early November, this quaint local attraction invites locals and tourists alike to come and get lost in a daunting maze that’s guaranteed to make you lose all sense of direction.
La Union Maze also features a pumpkin patch and petting zoo. Discounted group rates are available for groups of 20 or more. 1101 Highway 28, Las Cruces, NM 88021
Unidad Park
If you’re visiting Las Cruces with a team of younger children and a looking for a fun and free way for them to spend a couple of hours outdoors, head over to Unidad Park. This public park features a variety of things to do, including forts for your team to run around and explore, as well as slides, swings, and more.
Once everyone’s gotten tuckered out from having so much fun you can all sit down and enjoy lunch or just a quick snack outside on one of the park’s many picnic tables. 1500 E Hadley, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Cluenundrum
As one of the most notorious historical figures of the Wild West, Billy the Kid has deep ties to Mesilla, a storied town in the suburbs of modern-day Las Cruces. It is there that he was tried and convicted for the murder of Sheriff William J. Brady. It is also the one jail he did not escape from.
Now while you’re in Las Cruces you and your team can match wits with the jail that is “inescapable” at Cluenundrum. You must find the clues that enable you to escape such as sending a Morse code message, receiving a message in reply on a ticker tape machine, opening an ammunition box by “shooting” the lock off, and setting off a dynamite bundle in order to escape.
These are just a few of the interactive activities that make this escape room so entertaining, intellectually stimulating, and rewarding. You only have 60 minutes to free yourselves; does your team have what it takes to one-up Billy the Kid? 580 S Valley Dr, Las Cruces, NM 88005
The exact origin of the city’s name “Las Cruces” is unknown. Some say that it was named after three crosses were found on a hillside marking the graves of bandits. Others believe it has to do with Las Cruces being a “crossroads” of sorts in the region. One thing is for certain however. This southwestern city makes for a terrific team travel destination.