New Mexico is the birthplace of the Atomic age, a story told at its nuclear bomb sites. In this story, we open our TOP SECRET folder and tell you the best places to visit on your next trip to New Mexico.
The backbone of New Mexico’s economy is defense and weaponry. Rumors abound of buried arsenals in mountains around the state — also buried remains of the Roswell UFO if you must know. People talk about bunkers filled with decaying tactical warheads oozing toxic sludge into the water table, and the potential of nuclear contamination in case of a WIPP shipment mishap. But those are only rumors.
A Brief History Of New Mexico’s Atomic Bomb
In truth, the first atomic bomb was developed in Los Alamos, fueled by uranium from Grants. The earliest nuclear bomb was assembled in Alamogordo. This thermonuclear blast was detonated with technology invented in Albuquerque at Kirtland Air Force base.
The Nuclear Age is pretty much a New Mexico export. To fully appreciate the state’s connections to atomic energy and its impact on this century, you can take the whole family on a tour of New Mexico’s most “nuclear bomb” sites, starting in Albuquerque.
Albuquerque, First Stop On New Mexico Nuclear Attractions Tour
Make the National Museum of Nuclear Science and Histor in Albuquerque your ground zero for history and science lessons. It’s conveniently located at 601 Eubank Blvd SE, in the Sandia Science and Technology Park east of Kirtland Air Force Base. View nuclear artifacts like bombs, bombers, and the gear needed to get them to where they are going. There’s much more than vintage atomic weapons, although (replicas of) Little Boy (the bomb dropped on Nagasaki) and Fat Man (the bomb dropped on Hiroshima) are must-sees.
Families discover constantly changing exhibits that chronicle stories of the movers and shakers of the Atomic Age. Kids will be fascinated by classic fission weapons, tactical and strategic bombs, fleet ballistic missiles, warheads and artillery rounds. Keep exploring for the latest in atomic energy, nuclear medicine and the many other fields impacted by this milestone scientific achievement.
The popular outdoors exhibits in the 9-acre Heritage Park include planes and missiles such as Atomic Annie (a 280 MM Atomic cannon), an F-16 Fighting Falcon, B-52B Statofortress, Nike Hercules Air Defense Missile, and a Trinity Tower Replica. Open daily; check their schedule for virtual lectures and movies sometimes shown there.
Abo Elementary School: Where Students Used To “Duck and Cover”
New Mexico also has the only elementary school in the U.S. built underground as a bomb shelter — Abo Elementary in Artesia. The Abo Elementary School and Fallout Shelter is currently on the List of National Historic Places, although not open to the public. It’s 240 miles south of Albuquerque, so you’ll want to break up the drive with an overnight stop in Roswell, the state’s homebase for alien science.
When Aboopened in 1962, it was an unusual tourist attraction. During the 1960s, for example, scholars and others arrived for guided tours. Students entered through two buildings at the south end of the complex and descended stairs to three levels of classrooms. The northernmost building at the site provided entry to the teachers and staff who had, according to the NPS, a decontamination shower if adults arrived contaminated by radiation. The exterior of Abo Elementary, closed in 1995 when a new, aboveground school was built, is still maintained as a historic site.
Birthplace Of The Original New Mexico Nuclear Bomb: Trinity Test Site
On the morning of July 16, 1945, the world shook from the first Trinity Site atomic bomb test blast. The nuclear detonation test of “The Gadget” as it was known, was done in the Tularosa Basin north of Alamogordo. Scientists from Los Alamos labs weren’t quite sure if the atmosphere would catch fire or not, and that would be the end of THAT!
The atomic bomb flash could be seen as far away as Gallup, Los Alamos and Las Cruces. The Trinity Site, now on the White Sands Missile Range, offers tours at the beginning of every April and October. The government says it’s safe, even though the radiation levels are 10 times higher than your home or mine.
For information you can contact the National Museum of Nuclear Science and Histor or the National Park Service. The U.S. Army runs the White Sands Missile Range and provides more information about opportunities for public visits.
Nuclear New Mexico’s Heart At Los Alamos
New Mexico’s science and research center at Los Alamos, is about 100 miles north of Albuquerque. Stop in Santa Fe to enjoy the state’s cultural hub with its many family attractions. At Los Alamos, start your education at the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, where the atomic bomb was developed. The park’s rangers and visitor center provide insights into World War II, atomic science, and the people behind the bomb. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer was the best known among the scientists. (Watch the 2024 Academy Award-winning film, “Oppenheimer” with tweens and older before you go.) Other luminaries included Norris Bradbury, Richard Feynman, Hans Bethe, and many others.
School-age and older kids should join the self-guided walking tour. Go through the History Museum campus and down the legendary Bathtub Row. Bathtubs, quite a luxury at that time, were only in the homes of the highest-ranking Manhattan Project scientists and Nobel Prize winners. Several other sites protected by the Historical Park are only open a few times a year, by appointment, for guided tours. If you’re really into New Mexico’s nuclear bomb legacy, plan ahead.
Bradbury Science Musem At Los Alamos
To take care of your science project needs for the next century or so, visit the Bradbury Science Museum on the main drag in Los Alamos at 15th and Central. At this fun museum you will find two 16-minute films. “Racing Toward Dawn” is about nuclear history and “Mission: Stockpile Stewardship” covers development of the technology and nuclear deterrents today. Open daily; free admission.
Displays on nuclear defense, disarmament and its consequences, nuclear energy (especially on its safety) and lots more you probably didn’t learn about in school fascinate all ages. Same for the TechLab, where you can gets your hands dirty testing the scientific and technical concepts behind atomic energy and its use in space, supercomputing and energy.
If you saw the full-scale models of Fat Man and Little Boy in Albuquerque, skip them here. Other exhibits include information on the Laboratory’s research on life sciences, achievements in space, supercomputing, energy and the environment. Kids feeling inspired? The Los Alamos Science Fest shows off STEAM projects each July so stop in if you’re in town.
The WIPP Nuclear Storage Site
To complete your Nuclear New Mexico tour, you’ll surely enjoy a visit to the WIPP site. It is the country’s only deep geologic respository for nuclear waste. Since it’s located about 300 miles south of Albuquerque, you may want to pair this with a stop at the Abo Elementary School.
According to the WIPP website, 2024 is their 25th anniversary of disposing of legacy transuranic (TRU) waste. Since 1999, they note, “WIPP has safely traveled over 16.5 million loaded miles (this would equate to approximately 34 round trips to the moon).” More than 285,000 waste containers, mostly from 22 Dept. of Energy generator sites, are safely in the WIPP underground.
Tours are no longer offered of the actual WIPP site. Instead, view “The WIPP Experience Exhibit” at the U.S. Department of Energy office in Carlsbad. Watch a documentary, check out their displays and talk with the knowledgeable staff; open Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 3:30pm.
This is the place to learn about the underground storage of nuclear waste, with an emphasis on how safe it will be, buried beneath the salt flats south of Carlsbad for all eternity.
This article, originally by New Mexico author Gwynne Spencer, was updated by the FTF staff in 2024.
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People who choose to book trips for summer or further out should do so with caution; the coronavirus pandemic is unpredictable. And many reservations may claim flexibility. Amid so much unknown, there will be one certainty: the headaches of rescheduling and canceling.
With a rugged interior featuring 286 peaks topping 3,000 meters Taiwan’s railway system is shoehorned onto the coastal margins where most of Taiwan’s cultural life is concentrated. Whether you ride the high-speed service from Taipei City to the second city of Kaohsiung or spend a week slowly circumnavigating the island by local train, all journeys are within eyeshot of either the cobalt-blue Pacific Ocean, flatlands of verdant rice-paddies, or towering mountainsides
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There’s one street in Baltimore that’s more festive than the rest. Every holiday season, the neighborhood of Maryland’s miracle on h Street is decked out in Christmas lights and festive displays. From a tree made of hubcaps to classic candy cane fixtures, each house is uniquely decorated.
Considering Northeast Ohio has plenty of breweries, as well, Thomann was asked if it’s more likely we’ll find the members of Dorfrocker touring different venues tasting beers or visiting the Rock Roll Hall of Fame?
Covid-19 certainly affects travels plan…Not long ago my friends were among passengers of the British cruise ship Braemar. And how could the US refuse to help the ship and close the borders?? Unlike the US, Cuba showed its humanity and friendship! Thank you Cuba
Would you like to stay in the gorgeous area around Keukenhof? You can! We have a broad range of great hotels and bed and breakfasts for you. Accommodations in Haarlem, Leiden or Amsterdam are also good options.
I will reach Amsterdam only on 19 May morning, the last day of the flower exhibit. Is it still worthwhile to go Keukenhof Gardens? Will there still be many flowers to be seen?
Tulips and other flowers mainly bloom during spring. March through May is therefore the best time to visit the Netherlands if you want to watch them in bloom. The world’s most beautiful spring park, the Keukenhof, is open during this time.
If a court order states that one parent can travel abroad with the child without the consent of the other parent, what documentation is required? We recommend carrying a copy of the court order stating that the other parent’s consent is not needed to travel abroad with the child. Any questions about the wording of the court order should be directed to a family lawyer.
If transporting your pet by air is the only option, find out whether they can travel in the cabin with you. Most airlines will allow you to take a cat or small dog in the cabin for an additional fee. But you must call the airline well in advance; there are limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin. If you are transporting your dog, make sure they meet the size requirements. If you get overwhelmed by all the regulations, there are companies that can help you navigate through the process of flying with a pet.
Is a consent letter mandatory? There is no Canadian legal requirement for children to carry a consent letter. However, a consent letter may be requested by immigration authorities when entering or leaving a foreign country, airline agents or Canadian officials when re-entering Canada. Failure to produce a letter upon request may result in delays or refusal to enter or exit a country.
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2 adults available to drive your car from New Orleans to north suburb of Chicago mid October. Need 3 or four nights. Split the gas,
Dogs and cats should always be kept safely inside the car. Pets who are allowed to stick their heads out the window can be injured by particles of debris or made sick by having cold air forced into their lungs. Never transport a pet in the back of an open pickup truck.
Ever dreamed of driving along the cliffs that overlook the Pacific with the windows down? Or wanted to travel the historic Oregon Trail in a car instead of on a computer? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.
Rhonda, from a railman who started his train travel when he was 16, I would strongly suggest a Canadian Train Ride! Via Rail Canada offers four significant rides through wilderness and coastal areas with deluxe, overnight trains from Toronto to Vancouver ( 4 nights), and Montreal to Halifax, Nova Scotia (one night). Both offer a chance to have decent meals enroute, and sleeping car accommodations. Train crews tend to be a bit friendlier than south of the border, Canada, largely uninhabited, offers many scenic vistas with little hamlets few and far between, certainly a wonderful way for both of you to enjoy these new experiences.
Via Rail Canada also offers Railpasses, which enable you to travel on other routes as well for a bit of a price reduction. It’s all up to you!
Their website is http://www.viarail.ca for further information.
My son is a rail fan and we have traveled only in the US but I would love to surprise him with an excursion where he could talk to the train staff and railroad personnel. I would also like to include beautiful scenery as well for Both of us. My son is 16 and I am 59. We love to explore and don’t mind walking and roughing it!! any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Get your pet geared up for a long trip by taking him on a series of short drives first, gradually lengthening time spent in the car. And please be sure to always secure the crate so it won??™t slide or shift in the event of a quick stop.
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This driving route of the Appalachian Trail parallels the epic hike. From the top of New England to the heart of Dixie, it takes you through continuous natural beauty—without the sweat, bugs, or blisters.
7 memorable Tips for Traveling to Mexico
Don stress if you don Mexico is agreeable to English speaking travelers, And there a ton of tips to get to know the country landscapes, terms, And younger culture.
yet still, If you new to traveling or have never been out of the us, A trip to Mexico may be somewhat frightening.
If you interested in learning some tips for traveling to Mexico, Take a look at our 7 easy to remember tips for your journey. We outlined some of the basics that you’d like to learn for your own aventura!
1. Choose the Right Transportation If you traveling to Mexico, You need to decide you might arrive by car, aeroplane, Or liner. It important to know how you want to arrive because it will searching,an extravagance,good to have city you arrive in, How much luggage you results, and so forth.
an individual can find international flights if you prefer to travel by air. instead, There are plenty of cruises to Mexico that you can enjoy if you like the amenities and beautiful views that are included in ship travel!
If you live nearby the border, Or just need to take a bit of a road trip, going down the road by car is always an option as well.
2. Use Pesos When You Can It best if you use the local currency pesos when you can. while touristy areas accept USD, They choose the rate at that they accept it, So it is possible to get a better deal if you just use pesos.
Consider exchanging USD for pesos somewhere in the usa before your trip and dividing up your cash between USD and pesos during your trip.
3. Know bathing room Etiquette In Mexico, The sewage pipes just aren built to handle a lot. this means that people rarely flush their toilet paper. rather than, There will often be a trash bin near the toilet for you to put your used toilet paper in.
further, Men may make of entering a bathroom labeled with an M, let’s assume that it stands for However, The M actually can stand for mujeres, Which is the word for in Spanish. Men needs to look for doors labeled H, Which stands for the Spanish word for men, Hombres.
4. Practice Some Spanish One of the most basic tips for traveling to Mexico is to learn a few Spanish phrases before your trip.
once you know basic things, Like how to ask where the bathroom is or how to order food, Will make your trip to Mexico a lot smoother. sometimes, The locals will appreciate the effort, Even if they undoubtedly speak English as well!
5. Adjust to the Time Whether you are changing time zones while having trip or staying in the same one, You find that Mexico runs on a lot more fluid schedule. Punctuality is less of a concern, So you take pleasure in it a lot more if you can relax and don push a strict schedule.
furthermore, Meals are spaced out a bit distinct in Mexico. You will usually have a large breakfast, associated with the main meal of the day between 2:00 together with 4:00 pm hours. then finally, You will enjoy a smaller meal at dusk.
6. Drink Bottled Water Bottled water can be found on just about any street corner for purchase. Why exactly do you wish to buy bottled water?
let me tell you, Most of Mexico plain faucet water is unpurified. Some hotels may have filtered water, But be sure to go shopping for a sign above your sinks before you test it out!
If you be residing in Mexico for a lengthier trip, Consider buying or bring a water filter with you to purify the tap water and avoid buying so much bottled water. You be decreasing costs and plastic consumption!
7. Stray off the Beaten Path While sightseeing attractions and famous beaches are always fun to see, Traveling to lesser known places will offer you a more authentic taste of Mexico.
of which this isn an excuse to be reckless or oblivious to your surroundings. Be mindful of the areas you visiting and research where you will make sure it a safe area.
Now You Armed with all very reputable Tips for Traveling to Mexico Mexico is a diverse country with so much to see and offer.
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Many parents of individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder dread traveling or often avoid it altogether. Most people with ASD do better with routine and structure and a break from that (vacation) can often lead to stress and even meltdowns. Additionally, traveling by air can include having to navigate a multitude of unpleasant experiences from airport security procedures, moving sidewalks, and boarding tunnels to cramped seats, unfamiliar noises, and lots of strangers. Experts indicate that preparation and practice is the key to a successful flight and travel. Before your trip, talk with your child about what to expect. Go over the details of the travel: how you’ll get to the airport, wait in line, go through security, find your departure gate, get on the plane, buckle seatbelts, and spend time onboard. Flying to See Janet: A Fun Guide to the Airport Experience is a book you can use to prepare children for the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the airport experience. You can also write your own social story.
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Emily, my coming of age years were the late 1970s, early 1980s at the YMCA. I agree with you about the open showers versus the individual shower stalls. From a guys perspective, I spent many nights and weekends swimming or playing basketball at my local YMCA. Showering with not only my friends, but over the years, dads, neighbors and guys from church. It really makes one comfortable, not in a sexual way, with one self and others. Never had the nude swimming, I think that ended in the 1960s as women/girls joined the YMCA, forcing may YWCAs to close their doors.
Amelie, here in the US a number of Korean Spas have opened. As with Japanese, Korean families bath together (grandmother, daughter, grand-daughter), (dad, son) separated by gender. They are starting to attract a diverse clientele (age, race, etc). So who knows, maybe the nude swimming will return to the Y someday.
The Ski and Snow Vacations for Families article is one of the best I have ever read!
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Note that Global Affairs Canada cannot provide you with advice about the Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad beyond what is offered on this website.
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Chicago is a famous place that has many impressive landscapes.
Most visitors like traveling there.
I am always looking online for tips that can facilitate me. Thx!
helo, do you happent allow drive passengers to another state?
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I’m so happy that you enjoyed your experience at the Onsen!
I’ve never been to an Onsen, but I would love to get to visit one some day.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s my mom was the head supervisor at a YWCA in Ohio. I practically lived in the YWCA (not literally, of course) for the 19 years that my mom worked there. I had a part time job at the YWCA for a few years in the 1990s.
One of the great things about spending so much time at the YWCA was that I grew up using the locker room all of the way from a young child to a young woman and being 100% comfortable with both my own nudity and the nudity of all other females.
I feel that it was so much better back then when the Y had one big room full of shower heads on the walls than it is with stalls these days. The group shower setting was great from a bonding experience. I feel that it’s much healthier psychologically speaking that females are exposed to other women’s and girl’s bodies, as opposed to feeling that we need to hide from each other and change clothes in toilet stalls or under towels.
One of the benefits of having a mom who was a supervisor of the Y was that after hours my mom and my sisters and myself could just skinny dip in the pool, and my sisters and I were allowed to have our female friends with us for a skinny dipping session on Friday and Saturday nights.
Also, my aunt and a few of my female cousins would skinny dip with my mom, my sisters and I every once in a while.
My mom said that she had heard that the YWCA used to have one night a week that was for nude swimming back in the 1960s and most of the 1970s. Obviously it was a female only facility at the time.
Dubbed the Great Northern in memory of the pioneer railroad that parallels the western half of the route, US-2 is truly the most stunning and unforgettable, not to mention longest, of all the great transcontinental road trips.
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Oh man. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I certainly appreciate your take on this though, a little humor goes a long way. I’m headed to Barcelona in a few days, so I’ll be sure to keep my valuables close. Thanks for sharing.