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Ruidoso, New Mexico is a lot of things to many people. A ski resort, a thriving horse racing destination and, more than anything, a great place to spend time with your family. And where can you find a more fun mix of activities and events for the kids than in Southern New Mexico!

Ruidoso has a wonderful assortment of activities for children of all ages. Enjoy horse back riding with four stables in town and one on the nearby Mescalero Apache Reservation. If it’s fishing you’re after the hot spots are at the Grindstone Dam, Mescalero Reservation and the mighty Rio Ruidoso River, stocked with plenty of good sized trout. Just be sure and have a local fishing license, easily obtainable at the local WalMart and Western Auto. If you don’t catch anything there, head on past the racetrack to Seeping Springs Trout Pond. They furnish the gear, the fishin’ hole and you only pay 50 cents an inch for what you catch no license required. Here’s the very best part…they clean them for you! My daugther took the family and came back with 4 lovely 12+ inch trout all ready for the grill.

Naturally, being in the mountains of New Mexico there’s plenty of hiking and nature. The Lincoln National Forest is a start with plenty of other diverse scenery nearby. If you’re after more urban pursuits, Fun Trackers Amusements in Ruidoso has go karts, bumper boats and goofy golf. That’s just for starters. Add in the history of the region and you’ve got a plateful.

Ruidoso has it’s own historical spots. There’s Dowlin’s Mill where Billy the Kid stayed. Don’t forget a stop at the Hubbard Museum of the American West for an enchanting look at the past for all ages.

Capitan, a scant twenty minutes from Ruidoso is home to the only American figure with their own zip code…Smokey Bear. The Smokey Bear Historical Park is packed with tips on preventing wild fires with plenty of interactive display for the children. There’s a small theater with regular showings, an informative garden area with many types of indigenous flora and of course the final resting spot of old Smokey himself. Always a tear there it seems.

In Lincoln, only 30 minutes away you’ve got the hub of the Lincoln County Wars. Characters like John Tunstall, Sheriff Bob Ollenger and of course William Bonney who became better known as Billy the Kid. It’s the bloodiest street in America…in any era…with a nice selection of museums, shops and original buildings. The classic Wortley Hotel which still operates seasonally and the Ellis Store, now a splendid bed and breakfast are just examples.

An hour south of Ruidoso is Alamagordo. Pay a visit to their zoo. Perhaps the really big screen calls from the IMAX theater. Mystified by the stars? The Space Museum is bound to enthrall. Don’t forget the allure of the magical White Sands National Monument…all great reasons to make the 60 minute drive.

Only 75 minutes out is the infamous Roswell, home to UFO buffs from around the world. Is it a weather balloon or something else? The UFO Museum has their opinion on the matter. Check them out!

If it seems like there are a lot of things to keep the kids loving the area, well that’s because there are! Frequently concerned parents who come to enjoy the race track or casinos ask, “Is there anything for the kids to do?”. You bet!

Bob Huntington works in property management in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Visit his websites at http://www.casasderuidoso.com and http://www.ruidosocentralreservations.com Bob also authors the blog Visiting Ruidoso - The Ruidoso Blog at http://www.visitruidoso.blogspot.com

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Traveling to the Napa Valley? Here are some important travel tips to keep in mind as you prepare your trip.

The Napa Valley is Northeast of San Francisco and about the same distance from SFO airport, Oakland airport and Sacramento airport.

Speaking of distances, here are some travel times to other Northern California destinations:

Napa to San Francisco about an hour and a half to two hours.
Napa to Carmel/Monterey about three and a half hours.
Napa to Yosemite Valley about 4 hours.
Napa to Mendocino about 3 hours or so.
Napa to Reno about 4 hours but more in the Winter.
Napa to Los Angeles about 6 and a half hours.

Sacramento Airport - This is definitely your airport of choice if you are flying in AND your local airport has flights that go there. It is so much easier to exit the terminal, get a rental car, be on your way and drive to Napa (about one hour door to door).

If you arrive early on a weekday, you will encounter some commute traffic as you head toward Napa - so, your drive will take more than an hour.

If you are leaving Napa mid-afternoon on a weekday, ADD extra time to your travel plans to make sure you are able to get to the airport on time.

Can’t avoid San Francisco or Oakland airports?

Here are some travel tips.

These airports are on major commute corridors.

SFO - Unless you are arriving around noon or leaving about 3:00 PM or traveling after about 6:00 PM you will be DEEP in the middle of commute traffic. On a good day the trip will be about an hour and 15 minutes. On a bad day it can be over 3 hours of travel time. Plan according to your arrival time.

Oakland Airport - Unless you are arriving around noon or leaving about 3:00 PM or traveling after about 6:00 PM you will be DEEP in the middle of commute traffic. On a good day the trip will be about an hour and 15 minutes. On a bad day it can be over 3 hours of travel time.

No, that’s not a typo, both airports are about the same distance from the Napa Valley and use the same freeways. So, plan according to your arrival time. Or, better yet, use the Sacramento Airport.

Other considerations include whether a major sports game is being played on the day you are arriving or leaving or whether there is major earthquake retrofit work going on one of the bridges you are crossing.

Speaking of bridges, tolls are $5 on the Golden Gate, $3 on the Bay Bridge and the Carquinez Bridge. Both the Bay and Carquinez toll rates are currently under review and will likely go up.

Some freeways allow you to use a commute lane if you have two or more and sometimes three or more people in your vehicle. Watch for the sign to tell you if you have to have two or three total occupants in your vehicle. The ticket costs a minumum of $271 if you are pulled over by the Highway Patrol.

If you have more time or are already in San Francisco or neighboring towns, another beautiful drive is to travel over the Golden Gate bridge.

It is typical urban traffic in town, can be congested during weekday commute times, but is a nice scenic drive once you head East on Hwy 37 and turn North on to Hwy 121. This route is about 10 miles longer but can be about the same time or even less than the other routes because of less commute congestion.

The Napa Valley is a gorgeous international destination to visit.

With a little thought and preparation, you will have a wonderful visit.

Have a great trip.

Steve Sands
http://www.BestNapaValleyWineTours.com

Only the best wine tours, tastings, limos. 128 Pages of proven
information including 19 categories of tours covering hundreds
of wineries.

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