I think Las Cruces, NM is one of the best cities in the southwest to raise a family.
Las Cruces has been recognized as a great place to start a small business and retire, but we love it because it offers families outdoor and indoor activities to help them spend time together and stay active. Here are a few of best ways for families to spend time in Las Cruces.
Las Cruces Ciclovias
Las Cruces starting holding ciclovias on the last Sunday of each month in March 2008. For those of you who do not know, Ciclovias are celebrations that were started in Colombia as a way to encourage people to be active. In Colombia, every Sunday streets are blocked off for runners, skaters and bicyclists. At the same time, stages are set up in city parks for aerobics, yoga and music.
In Las Cruces your family can attend ciclovias on the last Sunday of every month at Young Park. The activities, which start at 10am and end at 2pm, include bike riding, jogging, dancing, gymnastics, and more.
Las Cruces Ciclovias are put on by a partnership of the New Mexico Department of Health, New Mexico State University's Southern Area Health Education Center, the Cooperative Extension Service from NMSU's College of Agriculture and Home Economics, the City of Las Cruces, Southern New Mexico Diabetes Outreach, and the Doña Ana County Diabetes Action Coalition.
Las Cruces Aquatic Center
In 2010, the City of Las Cruces opened the Las Cruces Aquatic Center.
The indoor aquatic center is located in the Hadley Sports Complex. It is 35,000 square feet with 5,000 square feet of water surface at 82 degrees.
The waterslide, and other playful features like cascades, bubblers, dumping buckets and fan sprays, make it a great place for kids or to pretend you are a kid again. When your energy runs low there is a lazy river to float around in. A zero-depth entry for the recreational pool allows for everyone to easily enter the big pool.
For those interested in aquatic exercise, the 25-meter rectangular lap pool has year-round lap swimming, and an activity pool was designed with a built-in bench for swimming instruction for younger swimmers.
The center is open year-round and has swim lessons, lap swimming, water safety classes, exercise classes and private rentals. The costs are $5 for adults, $3 for youth ages 3-17, and $2 for children under 3 years
Las Cruces Museum of Natural History
The Las Cruces Museum of Natural History is located in the Mesilla Valley Mall. It offers a variety of exhibits that are of interest to people of all ages. The exhibits are changed periodically, but will often include live animal displays, educational programs, and events relating to the sciences and the natural environment of southern New Mexico. There are often interactive exhibits that children (and adults) of all ages just love to try. The museum is open Monday-Saturday at 10AM, Sunday at 1PM, and closes at 5PM every day except Friday, at 8PM. Admission is free but donations are requested. (Information compliments of City of Las Cruces Website).
Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum
This is an interactive museum with both indoor and outdoor activities. The history of farming and ranching in New Mexico is the overall theme of the museum, but varying exhibits in the main building offer glimpses into all aspects of southwestern culture. It is great fun to stroll the grounds to observe the livestock and gardens. There are live demonstrations, such as actual blacksmithing and cow milking, that are entertaining and interesting for the entire family. This is a fun-filled location that families can return to time and again.
The museum is part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is located at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces, N.M. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens (60 and over) and $2 for children ages 5 to 17. Children under 5 and museum members are admitted free of charge. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. (Information compliments of Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum Web Site).
These are just a sampling of many wonderful ways to enjoy leisure time in Las Cruces, NM. If you decide that you would like to relocate here with your family, please contact me. I would be happy to assist you with your relocation process.
