I can not tell you how many times in my life I have driven through Farmington, New Mexico; cause that is what Farmington has always been. Just a stop on the way to get to where I want to go. Instead of Farmington just being a stop for gas, I wanted to make some memories in this town and discover what there is to do in Farmington, New Mexico.
To my surprise I have loved everything I have done in Farmington! I just expected this town to be a small, scrappy desert town, but it is a town full of surprises. Rich in native American culture and desert landmarks, Farmington is a great place for families to enjoy an assortment of activities.
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Things To Do:
Take a tour through the wild animals of the Bolack Museum of Fish And Wildlife
Farmington may not have a zoo, but its got a bigger variety of animals than what you will find in a zoo. The Bolack Museum of Fish and Wildlife is a museum that is filled with taxidermy animals from all over the world. We had no idea it was going to be this amazing!
There are elephants, giraffes, bears, tigers, hogs, bison, crocodiles, jaguars, and so much more! There is just so much to see. There are rooms of birds, cases of ostrich eggs, pelts from big cats and bears, walls of heads of all breeds of goats and antelope. There are hundreds of fish and sea creatures, including sharks hanging from walls. There are animals everywhere!
The animals are cool, but the tour is the best part! It is about an hour long tour, but it is a really fun one. The tour guide was filled with incredible facts and stories about the animals and Tom Bolack the one who created this museum. His family continues his legacy and shares it with the world.
Location: 3901 Bloomfield Hwy, Farmington, NM 87401
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, CLOSED SUNDAY
Admission: FREE, donation based
Tips: CALL BEFORE YOU GO! This is by appointment only so be sure to call. If you have kids be sure to let them know they shouldn’t touch anything before they go. That way it is fresh on their mind as soon as they arrive.
Swim At The Bitsi Bay Water Park
If you can’t make it over to the Bitsi Badlands, then Bitsi Bay in the next best thing! Well at least my kids thought so! Themed after the local Bitsi Badlands, this small water park has giant rock formations spewing water to copy the crazy rocks at Bitsi.
Not just rocks though! There are a couple of twisty slides, a splash area, a lazy river, and so much more. In the heat that Farmington gets in the summer there is no place else I would rather be. We learned the hard way though that water shoes are a must! That sun shows no mercy on the cement and your feet will get burned!
Location: 1701 N Dustin Ave, Farmington, NM 87401
Hours: CLOSED MON-FRI, Sat-Sun 12pm-6pm
Admission: $6, kids 2 and under FREE
Tips: Wear water shoes! The ground gets so hot, whenever you are not in the water it burns your feet.
Blake’s Lotaburger
You can not visit the state of New Mexico and not visit Blake’s Lotaburger. Just like In&Out in Utah or Whataburger in Texas, New Mexico is covered in Blake’s Lotaburger and it is delicious! I mean it just wouldn’t be a New Mexico vacation without chowing down on a green chile burger!
Locations: 2130 Bloomfield Hwy, Farmington, NM 87401, 2220 E 20th St, Farmington, NM 87401, 420 E Broadway Ave, Farmington, NM 87401, 5210 E Main St, Farmington, NM 87402, 1611 W Main St, Farmington, NM 87401
Hours: Mon-Sat 6am-10pm, Sun 7am-10pm
Go Birdwatching at Riverside Nature Center
Walk the trails at this nature center surrounding a wetlands area. This conservation area is home to many birds, deer, and other critters. This is the perfect place to learn about the local animals and experience watching them first hand. It is just a great way to see the nature side of Farmington, New Mexico.
Locations: N Browning Pkwy, Farmington, NM 87402
Hours: CLOSED MONDAY, Tues-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1pm-5pm
Admission: Free, donation based
Kokopelli Caves Bed and Breakfast
If you are planning on staying the night in Farmington, New Mexico then you HAVE to stay at the Kokopelli Caves. You literally are sleeping in a cave house built into 65 million year old sandstone. You have a very short hike to the cave that is a 260 ft overlook over the La Planta River Valley!
As if the thought of sleeping in a cave isn’t cool enough, there is a kiva inside the cave! Can you get more of a New Mexico vibe than that! The whole theme of this cave is decorated with native American décor, and the bathroom literally has a waterfall into the bathtub. Yep, why would you consider staying anywhere else!?
Location: 87 Rd 1980, Farmington, NM 87401
Price: around $340 a night
Put on a puppet show at E3 Children’s Museum & Science Center
One thing I love so much about Farmington, New Mexico is that the majority of the stuff to do is free or donation based! This E3 Children’s Museum is one of those places! This little museum is half science museum, half children’s museum. It is super interactive! Like literally everything you can play with.
On one side of the museum is a toddler/baby section. This area is covered in mats for little ones to play in a safe environment. The other side of the museum is the science center. There are several stations with science projects and experiments. My kids personally loved the music area. They had an open piano that you could watch the keys work from the inside of the piano. It was pretty cool.
There is also a small children’s center for kids to have some interactive play. There is the cutest puppet show area and a small play farmhouse; complete with a kitchen set, fields to harvest, and a tractor. It isn’t a big museum by any means, but it is a cute one.
Location: 302 N Orchard Ave, Farmington, NM 87401
Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, CLOSED SUN-MON
Admission: FREE, donation based
Farmington Museum
Honestly all you have to say is dinosaurs are we are so in to what ever activity it is. That is why the Farmington Museum is a no brainer to visit! Dinosaurs, art, history, and more at the Farmington Museum. Everything that has made Farmington into Farmington all in one place.
Location: 3041 E Main St, Farmington, NM 87402
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm
Admission: Free, donation based
Smell the roses as you walk Pigford Rose Garden Walking Trail
On a trail alongside the road is a small area covered in roses! I have always thought Farmington to be a run down city, but seeing gardens like this rose garden really spruces up the place. Farmington you surprise me! This is a very small garden and not really much to it, but it is a beautiful little walk through some of the most beautiful flowers in Farmington, New Mexico.
Location: 20th Street between Chaco Avenue and Cochiti Avenue
Hours: 24 hours, everyday
Admission: FREE
Trail Distance: 0.42 miles
Fly High Farmington Trampoline Park
Trampoline parks are a heaven-send to anyone who calls themselves a parent! Let me tell you why; one every kid loves them and two every kid will leave completely exhausted! If you want to wear out your kid, then this is where you need to bring them!
This is a place for all ages! My toddlers love jumping on the trampolines, my older kids love jumping into the foam pits, my teenager nieces and nephews could spend forever doing tricks and playing dodgeball, and even my grown husband loves slam dunking the basketball hoop.
Location: 1700 E 20th St, Farmington, NM 87401
Hours: Mon 10am-9pm, Tues-Thurs 12pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 10am-8pm
Admission: socks $3, $16 ages 6+ for 1 hr, $10 ages 3-5 for 1 hr, $10 parents for 1 hr (1 per full priced kid, socks still required even when not jumping)
Salmon Ruins
It wouldn’t even feel like you were in New Mexico if you didn’t see any native American ruins! Farmington, New Mexico has several surrounding ruins, but the best are the Salmon Ruins.
My Final Thoughts On Farmington, New Mexico:
Farmington isn’t a place you would ever think to stay at, but it is one you should! Every time I have stopped to explore this desert town, I have left with a camera full of pictures of smiles and good times. Now I am not saying I would ever want to live here, mainly because I am not a desert gal, but I have been surprised by all that Farmington has to offer.
It has an assortment of indoor activities from plenty of museums, good food, and kids play areas, which is nice for those extremely hot days. It also has many hikes, water activities, playgrounds, and other fun outdoor activities for those who love being outside.
It isn’t much of a place beauty wise, but it is still a fun place to explore. Farmington is the perfect stop on your road trip, a great place to spend a weekend, or the perfect place to stay while exploring the nearby Bitsi Badlands or Aztec.
Day Trips From Farmington, New Mexico:
Hike to Cox Canyon Arch north of Aztec, New Mexico
Walk through the Aztec Ruins National Monument in Aztec, New Mexico
Pet a snake at the Powerhouse Science Museum in Durango, Colorado
Soak in the warm water of Pinkerton Hot Springs in Durango, Colorado
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