RV Lifestyle Las Cruces, the second-largest city in New Mexico, is home tomore than 100,000 people and offers museums, theatres, historical sites, wonderful food, golf courses, birdwatching, hiking, festivals and gracious hospitality. Located in southern New Mexico less than an hour from the Texas border, Las Cruces enjoys warm weather and 320 days of sunshine per year. Centuries ago, Spanish explorers brought their faith, culture, language and way of life to this land. Today, more than 400 years later, the past is a great treasure that can be found in traditional architecture, spicy cuisine and unique art. However, the surrounding area offers numerous popular attractions, all within easy driving distance. A national park and two national monuments are less than an hour’s drive: White Sands National Park, Organ Mountain-Desert Peaks National Monument, and the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. All three offer outdoor recreation opportunities from a simple hike to sand-dune surfing and backcountry camping. Las Cruces has a rich history, with American Indian tribes and Spanish conquistadors claiming the area as their own. Step back in time and visit Old Mesilla, one of the oldest and most unique settlements of southern New Mexico. Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid walked the streets. The famous trial of Billy the Kid was held here. Today, Mesilla is a part of living history. Great care has been taken to preserve the original adobe buildings and the beautiful plaza. People from all over the world stop to experience the history, art, architecture, quaint shopping and unique dining that Mesilla has to offer. The town square is the site of the very last stop on the Butterfield stagecoach line. In fact, the building that served weary travellers back then is still standing. Today, La Posta de Mesilla is a 930-square-metre restaurant that serves authentic Mexican food. Diners will find unexpectedly talkative “greeters” at the much-loved restaurant. Colourful parrots welcome guests in the lobby of the colourful 200-year-old adobe. Legend has it that quite a few buildings in Mesilla are haunted. Begin your search for the paranormal at La Posta, where many have claimed to see chairs moving, heard glasses smashed to the floor and experienced strange smells. Then head to the Double Eagle restaurant in Mesilla, with resident spirits in the building (which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places!). If paranormal activity doesn’t call to you, theWorld’s Largest Green Chile Cheeseburger just might. Worth Pondering… If you ever go to New Mexico, it will itch you for the rest of your life. − Georgia O’Keeffe CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 23
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