Visit this small New Mexico town known for its vintage hotels, glowing neon signs

TUCUMCARI, N.M.(KRQE) — Between Santa Rosa and Amarillo, there’s a small town with a lot of history. Tucumcari is one of several spots in New Mexico along the Mother Road. It’s known for its neon signs and historic hotels, as well as being considered the “gateway to New Mexico.”

Tucumcari makes for an excellent day trip. Here’s a look at what you could check out during a visit.

Route 66 Monument

Courtesy: City of Tucumcari

Sitting right along, you guessed it, Route 66 lies a tribute to the Mother Road. The piece was created by sculptor Tom Coffin in 1997. “The base of the sculpture is a tire, road, and tread designed motif on a pyramid, topped off by a larger-than-life chrome tailfin, complete with tail lights lit at night,” the New Mexico Route 66 Museum shared on its website. “Its design is meant to evoke the 50s & 60s, the golden age of American automobiles, cross all cultural boundaries and capture the spirit of the automobile.”

TeePee Curios

Deaton Photos | AdobeStock

This “curio shop” offers pottery, jewelry, Route 66 items, t-shirts, and books, among other gifts. It sits directly along the Mother Road. The shop is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, then 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Museums

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If you’re a museum fan, Tucumcari has a few. Take a look below.

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Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum

Tucumcari Historical Museum

New Mexico Route 66 Museum

Tucumcari Railroad Museum

Blue Swallow Motel

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Built in 1939, the Blue Swallow is considered one of the longest, continuously running hotels along New Mexico’s portion of Route 66. It can be seen in “Back to the Future Part II,” and it’s also said to be the inspiration behind the “Cozy Cone Motel” in the Pixar movie “Cars.” Cut to today, the motel remains fully operational and open for reservations.

Historical Odeon Theatre

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This theatre has been around for nearly 90 years. It’s considered a “distinctiveArt Decolandmark” a few blocks from the town’s railroad depot. It found its place on the National Register of Historic Places in January of 2007. Showings can be found on the Facebook page.

Conchas Lake State Park

Courtesy: Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department of New Mexico

If you’re looking for something outdoorsy to do, this is just about 30 minutes from Tucumcari. Conchas Lake State Parkhas two areas – north and south, with five boat ramps in the north area and four in the south area.

Talking tour

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The Tucumcari Talking Tour provides visitors with a self-guided way to find out more about the town’s history. You can tune into frequency 1640 AM to hear recorded messages about various historic sites across the town. One exception to note is that Blue Swallow Motel uses frequency 1630 AM instead.

Murals

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For a town of its size, Tucumcari has a surprising amount of murals — about 100, according to Visit Tucumcari. Some murals are inside businesses, and some “micro-murals” can be found both inside and outside local shops. You can find a mural map checklist at this link.

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