White Sands is my favorite place in the world. Really! And I live near the beach in California!

White Sands National Monument is beautiful. It is miles and miles of pure white sand dunes, sandwiched between two mountain ranges. When you drive into the park, you will be tempted to stop right away to check out the gorgeous white sand with plants sprouting up. Keep going! Drive to the very end and you will find sand dunes without any plants at all! Make sure you wear your sunglasses because the combination of sun and sand whiter than snow can be blinding!

White Sands is a great place to relax, reflect and feel spiritual. When you go, make sure to stay until the sun sets. The New Mexico sky is awesome anywhere in the state, but when you are surrounded by the white dunes and the purple mountains and then you watch the sunset, well, you will see where Mr. Crayola came up with his colors!

During the day, you'll have plenty of fun hiking and climbing and sliding down the dunes. Put your hands deep in the dunes and the gypsum feels so smooth and cool - almost like lotion. Bury your friends. Take boogie boards and use them as sleds. Dig yourself a comfy seat and read a book in your luxury surroundings. Just be careful not to lose sight of your car and your companions. When you're deep in the dunes, it is very easy to get lost!

So, when you go, make sure you take drinks, food, sunglasses, sunscreen (put on before you get there so the sand doesn't stick to you), boogie boards, something to read and your camera. It can be hard to get a good picture there, but you'll cherish the ones you get. There are some restrooms at the very end of the drive, but no food or drink besides what is found at the gift shop at the entrance.

We've gone many, many times and there's only three times that aren't good: windy days (the sand gets in your eyes and mouth), hot summer afternoons, right after a rain (the sand was hard).

You can make a nice weekend of White Sands by staying at one of the motels in Alamogordo, just a few minutes away. Or, drive up to Ruidoso, another New Mexico gem!

I love White Sands and if you love sunshine, sand and the big beautiful southwestern sky, you will too!





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