As far as my family and I could gather, this was our fifth trip to Ruidoso, New Mexico; but this was the first time we ran into real problems (or at least what we considered problems).
Grindstone Lake is one of several lakes near Ruidoso
that are popular for fishing.
Because all of us children have different spring breaks (which is normally when we take our family vacation), this year, we decided to go to Ruidoso during Christmas break. Unfortunately, the snow fall was less than satisfactory for this time of year, so we knew snow skiing would not be nearly as fun. As it turned out, only half the mountain was open, and, consequently, the lift lines were fairly crowded. However, in the end, I was not completely disappointed in these unusual circumstances because instead of skiing the entire vacation, I took two days to discover Ruidoso for what it is besides a place to snow ski.
Besides snow skiing, Ruidoso is a wonderful place to shop if you enjoy various knick-knacks and the like. Stores selling herbal medicines, natural teas, souvenirs, and Native American handicrafts line downtown. What was even more interesting than the merchandise were the shops that had an extra room in the back with unique products. For example, one store, End of the Vine, had wine tasting every day in the back of its shop for a low price of $5, which included six wine samples and a souvenir wine glass. Another souvenir and t-shirt store served free cheese samples in the back and had some sort of a smoke-free hookah bar.
Not less delectable than the stores were the restaurants in town. Although the prices can be a bit expensive due to the tourist atmosphere, the quality is worth it. Great Wall of China offers a fantastic variety of Chinese food including original styled sushi. Even though Pasta Cafe was given bad reviews online, my entire family found the food and service to be absolutely fantastic. The town also has several delis to provide an affordable lunch, although almost none of these restaurants are open for dinner. The only advice I have about dining in Ruidoso is to not travel there during New Year's, and if you do, make reservations far in advance because the restaurants are small and cannot accommodate a large amount of walk ins. Most of the restaurants are owned by locals, who show no remorse in closing for their own vacation time. My family almost ended up eating another round of Lean Cuisines for New Year's Eve dinner because almost all the restaurants were booked with reservations, and for New Year's Day lunch, we were forced to settle for Subway due to the fact that our deli of choice was closed.
Finally, after all of these forms of entertainment, one might want to simply sit back and relax. So my advice is this. Rent a small cabin, which are normally a good deal more expensive than the Comfort Inn but very pleasant. Then, take one day to go to one of the local lakes (from which there are several to choice) and enjoy a peaceful meal. Of course, I would only recommend this if you are vacationing at a time other than winter. During the time my family and I traveled there, the wind combined with the temperature (which was cool but not cold at midday) was a bit too much. However, on a nice fall or spring afternoon, the atmosphere would be perfectly irresistible. And if these attractions are not enough, the White Sands lie only an hour away from Ruidoso and make a wonderful day trip.
One thing I learned during my time at Ruidoso was to sit back and relax. The people in the city are extremely relaxed. They do not run a tight schedule, nor do they allow the bustle of tourism to infringe on their seemingly peaceful lives. The shopkeepers are more than willing to talk with you and ask sincerely about where you are from and other such small talk. Even the ladies at the Subway in the Walmart appeared to have a different air about them. Although it took a while to complete our order, they took care and diligence in putting our sandwiches together. I observed that had they taken this kind of time in my city of San Antonio, they would quickly be replaced by other workers who could work at a faster pace. But here, in the city of Ruidoso, time is not a ticking clock. Instead, time is moments of life that must be relished and savored each and every day.
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