The Blue Hole was the stop my son requested to see while we were traveling. So happy we stopped by…read moreto see it. It's beautiful, I wouldn't get in there it's way to cold and deep for me. I do know it's a popular place to scuba diving. I do know my awesome friend and fellow yelper Gloria has scuba dived here and really enjoyed it. So if you get a chance passing through Santa Rosa stop by the Blue Hole.

This spot was one of the stops on my road trip and it ended up being one of the most peaceful ones…read more I arrived right after sunrise and the whole place was completely empty which made it even better. It was just me and the Blue Hole in total quiet and that moment alone was worth the detour. I thought about swimming but that early in the morning the water must have been freezing and I was not trying to risk the rest of my trip by starting the day shaking. Still the view and the atmosphere made it easy to enjoy without even touching the water. There is something almost unreal about finding a bright blue pool sitting in the middle of the desert. It feels unexpected and a little magical. Even though it is tucked away in the middle of nowhere it absolutely deserves a spot on any travel route. Calm quiet memorable. I am glad I made this stop.

Fascinating, someone I know was scuba certified here. That's the reality of life in the West and…read morelandlocked states. Amazing this geologic wonder exists in the middle of desert New Mexico.

I'll give the bbq restaurant a 1 out of 10. Only because I could eat it. Ribs were very dry. Baked…read morebeans were just canned pork and beans just warmed. Brisket was very chewy. Out of potato salad. Pulled pork definitely needed to add the sauce. Maybe a bad day but not for all the meats. I think they need to try some real bbq and then they will know. Hope this isn't the best New Mexico has to offer. It's pretty bad when you have ribs brisket and pork and the best things were the fry's and onion rings.

Still kind of dumbfounded and shocked what a nasty and unfriendly encounter we just had with a man…read morewho I think is named Chris. We arrived tired and super stressed after just driving through a horrific hail and tornado storm in North Texas. In addition to the storm and possible hail damage on our roof, our AC compressor gave out so we had no AC. I had called the park earlier because I wasn't sure we'd make it by closing and was assured (by Chris) there were "many spaces" available and to "come in in" and that he will "come around." We arrived, I checked the reserved spots on the board, grabbed the map and registration envelope and went to see what our choices were. Husband picked one and I immediately got out to go pay (I had paperwork in my hand) and this nasty, ill-tempered man rolled up on a golf cart and berated me for entering the park. This was after he earlier told me to "come on in" and that he will "come around." He then told us we had to move our RV and that no dogs are allowed in the front section of the park which seems odd as the rules do not indicate that at all. Due to his rude, nasty and unwelcoming temperament we decided to leave and then he got even nastier and more rude. Too bad because we wanted to check out the town, we left town due to his aggressive and bullying behavior. Unfortunate way to end our 4000 mile road trip.

This park was a good overnight stop for us when pulling our RV from South Dakota to Texas in…read moreSeptember. Yes it is desert, but I liked the dry breeze after dark, and the view of the stars was awesome! As was mentioned earlier, not the easiest place to find for out-of-towners, so pay attention. We plan to stay here again one night this October.

This was a fun area to spend a hot afternoon in Santa Rosa. They have a swimming area, a peddle…read moreboat area and a bounce house water challenge area. We didn't do the bounce house stuff, and I believe there is a fee to partake in that. There is a $5 fee to park, but this is good for both the Blue Hole and the Park Lake areas. We just enjoyed the beach and swimming area where you can dive off the dock at the diving board, or climb up and go down the tube water slide. There are life guards stationed around as well.

Golly, what a nice state park - and what an easy drive from either Albuquerque or Santa Fe…read more Nice campsites and impeccably well kept trails. Two moderate and reasonably short trails (up the canyon sides and around on top - both under 2 miles total) and one easy one (along. the river, an out-and-back just over half a mile long). Lovely views on every trail. Nice employees. $5/car for day use. You'll fill out a ticket, stick your fiver in an envelope and shove it into one of those posts with a slit (on pain of a citation). It's well worth it. Villanueva is easily accessed from either Albuquerque or Santa Fe. Beyond that, follow the state park signs that are easily visible on the road and not your Google Maps if you want the least adventurous last mile on your way in (Google will cut off some driving, but you'll be on a one-lane barely improved gravel road that sometimes washes out). Bear in mind, you're climbing over sandstone and you'll want boots with ankle support and good tread for safety. You'll want to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes at the appropriate times and places and I noted a bear track today so keep your kids and dogs close. People who are freaked out by heights might not dig the views or the climb up the canyon walls, but there's no place where you're in danger of falling off. However, you're most definitely in danger of turning an ankle if you're not paying attention, so pay attention! Bonus tips: Villanueva State Park is a great place for a picnic or to bring fit tourists on a half-day adventure. Starting in Albuquerque, you can easily go out I-40 and loop back on I-25, stopping in Santa Fe for lunch or supper. Villanueva is also pretty close to Las Vegas, NM, and there are definitely things there worth checking out (and good places to eat).

Plenty of riverside parking. Natural green grapes grow. However, this a very small overall sized…read morepark

Had an awesome day rafting the race course with Orlando! He was extremely knowledgeable about the…read moreriver, rocks and surrounding wildlife. Best of all he made the entire trip fun! The kids loved rafting, surfing and warming up on the Australia Rock! Thanks Orlando and New Wave! We will be back

Our guide, Socia, was on time, super friendly, and the perfect guide for our family of three (mom,…read moredad, and a nervous 5-year-old). Britt, the owner, met us before we headed out for our float, and we just casually conversed until it was time to go. Our outing coincided with a group of 25 Boy Scouts, so we could've been quickly lost in the shuffle, but Socia held us back and let the kids get way out ahead of us, so we felt like we were all by ourselves for the majority of the trip. She was so considerate and engaging and made it feel like we were on the river with an old friend. At the end of the trip, Britt met us again and hung out while we ate just casually conversing as if once more, we were catching up with an old friend. Thank you, Socia and Britt for the memory of a lifetime! Our little guy hasn't stopped talking about whitewater rafting on the Rio Grande.