Carlsbad, NM ~
Carlsbad is a neat place, but somewhat out of the way. If planning to visit, it would be best to anticipate spending the entire day, or more, here. The cavern tours can take hours depending on how far you’d like to walk. You certainly wouldn’t want to rush that, not that you could – them caves are slippery!
I also enjoyed walking around outside. There are many interesting exhibits about the history of the land, the local plant/animal life, and natural rock formations. Experienced hikers have been known to spend days exploring.