Many students are crossing Mexico off their spring break destination list this year due to rampant violence. Don't worry - not all hope is lost, because New Mexico has a few vacation spots of its own, even ones that will fit the college budget.
Ten Thousand Waves - Santa Fe - (505) 992-5025
Ten Thousand Waves is affordable for students who want a spa treatment or a day in the hot tubs.
"We're internationally known, and we're in your backyard," spokeswoman Mary Johnson said.
The spa is offering a spring break special on treatments, along with pre-existing discounts for anyone who has a valid New Mexico driver's license.
"You can get one treatment per person, and the first treatment is 10 percent off. If you get a second treatment, that is 20 percent off, and when you get a third treatment or more, they are 30 percent off," Johnson said.
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The spring break special applies on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Johnson said.
Every Wednesday, anyone with a valid New Mexico license gets 25 percent off spas and treatments, Johnson said.
"We really appreciate being voted the best spa by (UNM students)," Johnson said. "I don't think we have seen lots of college kids. Every now and then, we will see a busload of kids come in who have heard about us and done their homework."
Johnson said the spa's relaxing Japanese-style environment has been described by Time magazine as a spiritual spa.
"You can go crazy, or you can spend $20 and stay in the communal spa as long as you want," Johnson said. "Some people bring their lunch and eat it out here, or bring a book and just enjoy the scenery."
Johnson said the tubs range from $18 per person to $50 per person per hour. Treatments include many different types of massages such as deep stone and Thai. Treatments start at $99 for a complete therapeutic massage.
Carlsbad Caverns - Carlsbad - (575) 785-2232
Paula Bauer, a manager at Carlsbad Caverns, said Carlsbad has wilderness spots and outdoor adventures where people can get away for spring break.
"The cave, of course, is quite spectacular, and there are a number of adventure tours we offer," she said. "There are also a number of guided tours. The most simple is the King's Palace, and it's not a paved trail."
Bauer said they offer a lantern light tour and the Lower Cave tour.
"It's a great beginners caving tour, because you go down by rope and you climb ladders and you get to scramble over some rocks," Bauer said. "There is an optional crawl, but it is still mostly walking through some wide passages and some narrow passages."
The caverns offer two weekend crawling tours in the Spider Cave.
"We provide the hard hats, knee pads; the adventurer would have to bring batteries," Bauer said. "They are great tours if you want to slither around on your belly and try out this thing called caving, and you get to know the rocks very closely."
Bauer said the caving tours are limited to eight people per group, and tickets should be bought in advance.
There are also self-guided and audio-guided tours in many parts of the cave.
"You are welcome to take photographs of the cave, and it is open most of the day, so you can go at your own pace," Bauer said.
Bauer said Carlsbad offers more than a day's adventure at the caves. The surrounding wilderness offers activities such as bird watching, she said.
"We still have 46,000 acres here. Our neighboring parks offer miles of mountains and back country trails because their main thing is wilderness hiking."
The entrance fee is $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-15. The audio guide is $4 per person on top of that.
Jemez Springs
Robert Borden, organizer of the Jemez Thunder, a bi-monthly newspaper, said Jemez Springs offers college students a cheap, close spring break trip on a budget.
"There are the San Antonio and Spence Hot Springs," he said. "The Jemez Springs bathhouse has a gift shop. You can go to this place called Giggling Springs. It is privately owned, but it is a natural spring."
Borden said there are low-cost motels where people can stay for an overnight adventure. There are also a few bed and breakfast places north of Jemez Springs such as La Cueva Lodge.
"Los Ojos has bands every so often," Borden said. "In Ponderosa, there is a winery where you can go out there and do a wine tasting."
Borden said walking around the Jemez offers hikers trails and sites to soak up the wilderness.
"The forest service has a lot of fishing access places and a lot of day use places you can go," he said. "We have a couple waterfalls here."
"All of these arroyos go someplace interesting, and there is no limit on that," Borden said.
