Retro New Mexico RV Road Trip: UFOs, Route 66, & Tinkertown

Fort Sumner's Billy The Kid Museum is dedicated to the famous outlaw, but you might be surprised to discover that it's so much more than a memorial.

The museum, family-owned since the 50s, houses tons of great artifacts like Billy the Kid's actual rifle, but it's also home to more than 60,000 historical items from the local area. You'll find fossils, old horse-drawn wagons, antique kitchenware, and even a big collection of classic cars!

To top it off, just outside of the museum sits Billy the Kid's grave, fittingly, covered in steel bars.

The best part? All of this only costs a measly five bucks!

For an authentic Route 66 diner experience, pull into KIX on 66, where the chrome tables, jukebox full of 50s hits, and classic diner grub will transport you back in time.

This place is so authentically 50s, that it's regularly used as the setting for pin-up photo shoots!

The stunning azure waters of Santa Rosa's Blue Hole might make you question your vision, but don't worry, you're seeing straight. The water really is that blue!

The swimming hole's eye-popping hue has attracted visitors for hundreds of years and comes courtesy of a natural phenomenon called the Santa Rosa sink. Today, the Blue Hole is home to a conference center that dedicates considerable time and effort to keeping it just as pristine as it was the day it was discovered.

The crystal-clear water has a visibility of a hundred feet, and its constant 62-degree temperature makes it the perfect place to get out of the RV and cool off on a hot day.

Fun fact: The Blue Hole offers more than just swimming! If you have a SCUBA certification, you can dive in and reach a depth of 82 feet!

If there's one common remark about the charmingly weird Tinkertown Museum, it's usually something along the lines of, "I don't know what I'm looking at, but I love it!"

An amazing attraction for people of all ages, the Tinkertown Museum is the result of one man's obsession. Throughout the museum are hundreds of intricate carvings, painstakingly crafted mechanical doodads, and tons of funky coin-operated machines that will put a smile on anyone's face.

While you might have a hard time describing this hidden gem, one thing is for certain: You'll never see anything else like it.

Tip: Be sure to bring a few quarters! Admission to the amazing Tinkertown Museum is only $3, but many of the coolest pieces are coin operated and well worth the scratch.

The Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is a must-visit destination for history lovers. Covering three pueblo ruins, the monument stands as a reminder of the Pueblo people who have occupied the New Mexico desert since the ninth century.

The self-guided tour only takes about half an hour, and will lead you through the ruins while educating you on the cultures that build the impressive structures.

Tip: Be sure to stop by the visitor center in Mountainair first. They'll give you the scoop on how to best experience the three separate sites that make up the monument.

Perhaps the most legendary dive in San Antonio, the Owl Bar & Cafe has earned a reputation for one thing: its famous Green Chile Cheeseburger. One bite, and you'll understand why.

Cheap prices, friendly staff, and a quirky atmosphere have further cemented the Owl Bar & Cafe as a must-visit staple of the San Antonio area, among visitors and locals alike. The Cafe's 25 years in business attest to that.

After your meal, be sure to add to the thousands of dollar bills pinned to the wall. At the end of the year, they donate the cash to charity!

Escape the desert heat at the Alamogordo / White Sands KOA! With a pool where you can cool off, a shady covered patio, and a sweet rec room, and pedal go-karts for rent, there are plenty of ways to find enjoyment here when you're not relaxing in your tent, RV or cabin.

Pro tip: they'll rent you some sleds to take with you if you decide to visit White Sands National Monument-- speeding down the pure white gypsum dunes will put your childhood sledding hill to shame!

You've been to a forest before, but how about a forest where the trees are made of missiles?

The White Sands Missile Range Museum is an incredible museum that celebrates "rocket science" in its purest form. In fact, it's thanks to the experiments that took place at the White Sands Missile Range that we ended up putting men on the moon.

The museum houses loads of interesting artifacts, well-designed exhibits on rocket history, and the aforementioned "missile forest," where you can walk among dozens of actual rockets!

This museum is located on the military base, so you'll have to pass a security check to get in. Make sure you've taken care of those warrants before you visit.

Not only does the Las Cruces KOA location come with the well-maintained campsites, friendly staff, and great amenities that are standard to each location, but this KOA campground also has something extra special: a stunning view.

When the sun goes down, cozy up to your campfire and take in the twinkling lights of the nearby city. We guarantee you've never had a campsite with scenery like this. Ask for an RV site with a view, and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets!

In Truth or Consequences, you come for the crazy name and stay for the natural hot springs.

A small resort town with a year-round population of nearly 6,000 people, Truth or Consequences is home to ancient hot springs that have been soothing aching joints for centuries. Today, you can walk into the charmingly restored bath houses and soak for an hour or two in the natural mineral water.

So just how did it get that crazy name, anyway? Way back in 1950, Ralph Edwards, the host of the radio quiz show "Truth or Consequences," announced that he would air the program from the first town that renamed itself after the show. Hot Springs, New Mexico, jumped at the chance, and the rest is history!