Ruidoso is a great place to visit! I’ve been visiting since I was born. There are a lot of things to do, a lot of things to see, and a lot of wildlife. Ruidoso is very laid-back. It’s a sleepy little mountain town that comes alive in the summer months.
Places to stay in Ruidoso:
- Look at Airbnb or VRBO and you will find lots of cabins to rent.
- The Inn of the Mountain Gods is my favorite hotel.
- There are quite a few hotels in the main area if you want to stay in town. Look for hotels located on or near Sudderth (the main street in Ruidoso).
Here are some things that are best done in the summer:
- Horse Races: The horse races run from Memorial weekend to Labor Day weekend….So basically all summer. Right now they are only allowing a limited number of people to watch the races due to Covid 19; however, when you’re able to go again, you should! It is a great activity to do while you’re there. You can bet on which horse you think will win. There are actually a variety of bets you can place on the horses. You can bet as little as a dollar or up to thousands of dollars.
It makes it fun when you bet on them just because you have something to root for. I’m more likely to cheer for a horse when I’ve got money on the line. I do encourage you to place a bet even if it’s just a dollar. I know nothing about horse racing so I tend to pick horses based on names I like. It’s just for fun! The horses really get into it and enjoy it. They’re very competitive and they are so beautiful. It’s thrilling to watch! - Casinos
- My favorite casino in Ruidoso is at the Inn of the Mountain Gods. I think this casino is a good size and it’s attached to a hotel. The hotel and casino are beautifully done! The casino has slot machines, card games, and sports betting. There’s also some restaurants there. One of the best features of the hotel is the lake. You want to get a room with a view of the lake. It’s worth it! This casino and hotel are tucked back in the mountains but it’s easy to find.
- There’s also a casino at the horse races which is kind of fun because if you’re waiting on a certain horse to run you can go to the casino and gamble for a little bit. This one is called the Billy the Kid casino.
- Shopping:
- I love to shop while I’m in Ruidoso. There are certain stores that I go to EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I’m there. The main shopping area is easy to find. It’s on Mechem street. My favorite clothing stores are 25th and Mid and J. Roberts. The other stores that I always go to when I’m shopping are The Olive Branch, Noisy Water Winery, Cork and Kettle, The Hot Spot, and No Bones About It.
- The Hotspot has all kinds of stuff to cook with, all kinds of salsa, and pickled veggies. Check with the clerk to find out about how hot something is. The staff are super friendly.
- Cork and Kettle – slightly away from the main shopping area but definitely worth the walk or drive. They have lots of really good wines. My two personal favorites are the Pistachio Rosé and the Chardonnay. They sell all kinds of kitchen gadgets, teas, and home decor. It’s an eclectic store and I love it!
- There’s an olive oil place I really like called The Olive Branch. Go in there and get you some samples. Find you one that you like and you will never go back to regular, store-bought olive oil. This olive oil is really, really good.
- Noisy Water Winery – they also have a few olive oils that they sell them there. They have lots of wines that you can sample and buy. They also have a lot of cheese that you can sample and buy. You cann actually buy a cheese platter with a variety of cheeses on it.
- Food and Sweet treats while shopping:
- Food –
- Hall of Fame burgers is a great place to grab some lunch. They have other things besides just burgers. Get the green Chile cheese fries!
- You can also grab a pizza from Cafe Rio. My favorite thing there is the spicy cheese bread and the classic pizza.
- Alto Café – it’s definitely comfort food. They have everything from barbecue to catfish to breakfast. They have pancakes, biscuits, hamburgers, and everything in between. My favorite thing to order there is the Bonita Biscuit. It’s outside of Ruidoso in Alto but it’s worth the drive.
- Michael J’s – it is an Italian food restaurant. My favorite things to order there are going to be their bruschetta and ravioli. The ravioli is made in-house and it changes pretty much every night. I prefer their alfredo sauce but I’m sure all of their sauce is good. Make sure you save room for dessert and get their homemade tiramisu! Oh and make a reservation.
- Texas Club – we’ve been eating at this restaurant for about 14 years. It’s always good. It’s just good ole’ home-style cooking. Be sure to get a reservation here as well.
- Sweet Treats – there are two places that I like to get something sweet from: 1. Sabor – My favorite thing at Sabor is the s’mores. They’re really soft and the marshmallow on the inside is really so decadent. The chocolate on the outside just melts in your mouth.. They are really big so there’s plenty to share. They also have lots of flavors of ice cream. Also,one unique thing they have is chocolate covered JALAPEÑOS. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it. 2. Sweet Retreat – they have all flavors of ice cream as well. But, go for chocolate covered marshmallows. It’s my favorite thing there! It’s a marshmallow that has been dipped in caramel and then dipped in chocolate. I prefer the white chocolate. It’s really, really good. You should definitely buy more than one!
- Food –
- Coffee – my favorite local spot to get coffee is Zocca Coffee. They make an amazing dirty Chai tea latte!
- Hiking – there are tons of really beautiful places to hike around Ruidoso. My favorite is trail #19 in the Lincoln National Forest. It’s kind of hard to find so I would suggest googling South Fork Campground and starting there. The trail starts at this campground. You will drive past the remains of Lake Bonita. This area was devastated by a wildfire back in 2012. They have had to drain the lake to clear out soot, dead fish, etc. Trail #19 is not what it used to be but it’s still beautiful. Most of the trees were burned but it’s slowly coming back to life. There are quite a few waterfalls. There used to be one that could be slid down but it’s blocked by a fallen tree now. I’ve been hiking this trail and sliding down this waterfall since I was 5 or 6…..definitely as far back as I can remember. Go check it out!
- Wildlife – things that I have seen in Ruidoso: wild turkey, wild horses, antelope, elk, deer, birds, bats, and snakes, Lots of wildlife to see!
- Wintertime – Ruidoso has all of the traditional stuff in the winter. There’s skiing, snowboarding, tubing, etc. I like it in the winter but I LOVE it there during the summer.
My Traveling Appetite 