As some one who live in NM for 9 years and now lives in WA I know that NM can be overwhelmingly brown in some seasons if you are from greener pastures and can seem dull if you are use to a more vibrant city life. But NM is full of beauty, hot springs, amazing art and culture, gorgeous mountains, the scent of green chili roasting, native dwellings like Bandolier and Chaco, and even a few killer cowboy-esque bars and Zen Monasteries. Wonderful funky little towns and of course the food!

It sounds like you were perhaps in Albuquerque only. You should give it another try, perhaps venturing outside of the city some.

Check out the lights of Albuquerque on a clear evening coming down the mountains from the East on I 40… It’s worth the trip!

Historic Route 66
Historic Route 666
Carlsbad Caverns
Area 51
Hot Air Balloon Festival
Land of Fire and Ice
City of Rocks
Gila National Monument

I’m sure there’s tons more.

Santa Fe is a center for art, plus there’s skiing and white water rafting nearby. Also, try a visit to Sandia Peak with Sandia National Labs. White Sands National Park is a great place to board down the dunes of sparkling white sand, and there’s nearby Alomogordo with an air and space museum featuring full size rockets. For a good workout you can always head up from there to Cloudcroft with the nation’s highest elevation outdoor track.

places appeal to people for different reasons. I love New Mexico.

stay open!