🇺🇸 New Mexico | White Sands + El Paso: A Border City Escape

We took advantage of the Christmas break to explore New Mexico, and our first stop was the border city of El Paso! Just an hour's drive away lies the stunning White Sands National Park. 🏜️ Although El Paso is officially part of Texas, it’s extremely close to New Mexico—and just a river away from Mexico! 📍 shows the beautiful Overlook on the mountainside in the city, offering a panoramic view of El Paso. Across the river, you can see Mexico—the architectural styles on both sides look surprisingly similar. The staircase at the viewpoint is decorated with love locks, just like back home! 🔒❤️ The local food is another highlight—authentic Mexican flavors dominate, and even other cuisines come with a spicy twist. Since it was Christmas Day, many restaurants were closed. We ended up at a Japanese place and got a ramen loaded with chili peppers—surprisingly delicious! 🌶️🍜 Overall, it felt like Japanese ingredients, Mexican seasoning, and Chinese noodle textures. A true fusion experience! White Sands National Park is located in New Mexico. Entry is $25 per vehicle. It’s not very large—you can drive to the deepest point in about 10 minutes. A couple of hours is enough to fully enjoy it. You can rent sleds at the visitor center. Certain dates offer Sunset Stroll programs—check the official calendar ahead of time! We went at dusk. There was barely any wind, and the sand had a unique, fine texture—nothing like the dusty deserts I’ve been to back home. The sunset was breathtaking, though hard to fully capture on camera. 🌅📸 ⚠️ Pro tip: Bring your passport, I20, or any documents that prove your legal status! There are border checkpoints on the road, and officers may stop and question you. We got lucky—the officer seemed eager to get home for the holidays and let us go after just a few questions. The checkpoint on the way to Albuquerque was completely unmanned—lucky us, since we only had our driver’s licenses! 😅 #TravelUSA #WhiteSands #BorderCity #NewMexico #ElPaso #DesertVibes #RoadTrip