Scenic Drive to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Here’s the truth…It’s too darn hot to go anywhere without air conditioning.

Here’s the consequences…you’re going to take your air conditioned car on a really interesting scenic drive from your starting point at the Hacienda RV Resort.

Hop in the car – Let’s go!

Truth or Consequences

is 75 miles north of Las Cruces on I-25. Originally named Hot Springs, the town changed its name to Truth or Consequences as the result of a challenge by Ralph Edwards, emcee of a popular radio show by the same name. Ever since then, T or C (as it is known by the locals) has hosted a fiesta featuring the Miss Fiesta beauty contest, a parade, and a stage show. Also on hand is the Hatch Chile Queen. Hatch, conveniently enough, is right down the road on the way back to Las Cruces.

Hatch

A tiny village with a big name – The Chile Capital of the World! Every year Hatch celebrates its world-famous crop with the Chile Squeezie Raffle, a cornhole contest, the crowning of the Hatch Chile Queen, and the chile ristra competition (a ristra is a hand-crafted string of dried chiles). Take home some chile knowledge as a souvenir of Hatch…

• One fresh medium size chile pod has as much Vitamin C as 6 oranges.
• Hot chile peppers burn calories by speeding up your metabolism.
• The color extracted from very red chile pepper pods – oleoresin – is used In lipstick.

Is all this chile making you hot? Let’s get back in the car, turn on the AC, and return to Las Cruces and tour the Mesilla Valley.

In the shadow of the Organ Mountains lies the Mesilla Valley, a fertile region as old as time.

Formed by the annual flooding of the Rio Grande River, the Mesilla Valley boasts onions, cotton, corn, and pecan trees as staple crops. Even more importantly to tourists in cars are the vineyards and wineries in the Mesilla Valley. Head south on NM 28 to visit…

• La Vina Winery, the oldest winery in New Mexico
• Rio Grande Winery, try the Chardonnay, Viognier, and Dulce de Mesilla, ‘The Sweet Nectar of the Gods’
• Zin Valle Vineyards – 10 different wines produced on site

When you’ve had enough touring for one day, come on back to Hacienda RV Resort, sip the last of your wine under the vast Western skies, and thank your lucky stars you live in America.

Request your stay at the ideal Las Cruces mountain-view retreat… Hacienda RV Resort. Do it today!