Deming, NM

Little Vineyards RV Park (22-26 Apr 23)

We arrived at our final stop in New Mexico, and I have a confession!  I am starting this episode by discussing a couple of stops we made on the drive to Deming because in our research, we did not see a whole lot to do there!   We were wrong!   As you will read, we managed to see and do some fun things and are quite happy with our stay.  

With that said, we were not able to resist the temptation of cramming as much as we could into our adventures, so we stopped just outside of Alamogordo at Pistachio Land and took the opportunity to drive through the White Sands National Park.  Both were literally on the way, and it was a “no-brainer” to stop and enjoy the sights and tastes!

Our first stop was at a roadside store known as McGinn’s “Pistachio Land” located just outside of Alamogordo and home of the world’s largest pistachio!  We were fortunate to meet the owner, Tim McGinn and get a quick history of the business.  The original orchard was established in 1980 by Tim’s Dad.  It is still a family run operation that has expanded to a small vineyard/winery and pistachio ice cream production!  We passed on the wine – shocker, I know, but we did enjoy the ice cream!  It was delicious… if you are a fan of pistachios!  The General Store offered the standard array of souvenirs and several options in the flavors of pistachios!  We most enjoyed – and purchased – bags of the ‘Spicy’, ‘Roasted and Salted’, ‘Green Chili’ and some of their ‘Ultimate Pistachio Brittle’.  It was quite the tasty stop and worth the time if you are in the area!  

Only a few more miles down the road, was the entrance to the “White Sands National Park.”  The park drive is essentially one big loop with several pull-out parking areas where one can picnic, play in the sand, or go sledding down the dunes.  It is an incredible sight to behold with miles and miles of white gypsum sand!  Again, I doubt if the pictures will do this natural wonder justice, but I tried to capture the expanse of the park with sand as far as the eye can see!   We made one lap around the track with the requisite stops for photos, and then continued west. 

On our first night of any camp, we typically try to find a local place to eat (ok… or drink) because we just don’t feel like cooking on travel days.  Our very knowledgeable check-in clerk, Shawna, told us about the “Happy Camper” only a short walk away.  Offering a great menu and craft beer, the decision was not difficult.  We were not disappointed!  The beer selection was predominantly NM craft brews and we both went with the Santa Fe Brewery’s ‘Social Hour’ discovered earlier in Roswell.  Being so close to camp, I am sure we will revisit (We did! 😊) as I want to check out the Pilsner and Amber on tap!  The food was great also!  Some of the best wings I have had, and Tina was very happy with her ‘green chili, pepperoni, and onion’ pizza!  The staff was great and the atmosphere very friendly!   

Continuing our exploration of Deming, we decided to have lunch at a recommended Mexican cuisine restaurant in town.  The “Si Senor” restaurant was a great choice!  It is always a good indicator when a good-sized restaurant is full.  We intentionally (we thought) waited out the lunch rush and were (pleasantly) surprised that there were only two open tables at 1:30 in the afternoon.  We took a full restaurant as a good sign and were not disappointed.  My next comments rarely make print, but I was impressed with the décor and colors for the restaurant.  Reflecting the local Southwest influences, the restaurant was very updated and vibrant.  The staff was great and prices very affordable.  I opted for the #1 – the Deluxe Combination!  Essentially a sampler platter, it included a chili relleno, a tamale, an enchilada, a taco, and beans and rice covered in green chili sauce. It was quite the meal!  Tina built her own small combo off the ala carte menu.  Small was intentional because we knew the deluxe combo would be enough for both of us!  We did well on our choices and we ate well!  I was derelict on my photo duties, however, and failed to get a picture of the deluxe plate.  I guess it looked so good and we were so hungry we couldn’t wait!  Despite the picture, Si Senor was a great recommendation!  

To walk off our substantial lunch, we visited the “Luna Mimbres Museum.”  Initially described to us as the ‘Smithsonian of the West’, it is an incredible repository for historical documents, photos, memorabilia, etc., for the town and region.  While not the Smithsonian in size, it is a scale version for the region and worth the visit.  Not that we tried, but Mike, the docent volunteer, could not be stumped!  Every question was answered in-depth with obviously well researched information.  We were also privileged to meet and chat briefly with Peggy, the museum director.  Both were great and only added to an already interesting and satisfying visit to this museum.  We were there for a couple of hours and only left because they kicked us out to close for the day!  

We rounded out our day with a visit to the “Lescombes Winery” only a few miles from the campground.  The first discovery was to learn that the winery is a “Harvest Host” location.  Naturally, we happened to run into some campers and had great conversations with Bob and Pat who are currently serving as officers with the “Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA)” and are on their own full-time adventure!  We also met Terry and were enlightened with information on some sites to see during our upcoming stops.  I am sure you will be reading about them in the near future! 

Sorry . . . I digressed . . .back to the winery!  It was a very nice venue and offered some great wines!  We both tried different flights to cover as many of their wines as possible!  Chrissy was the best hostess imaginable and accommodated us with not only the wine, but a charcuterie board and information on all the wines we tasted.  We did settle on our favorites – one white, a Pinot Gris, and one red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.  Yes, we bought some bottles to re-stock the trailer! 

We stayed at the “Little Vineyard RV Resort” during our short stay in Deming, NM. The staff was more than friendly and provided some great local venue recommendations.  I already mentioned Shawna, our check-in clerk, who pointed us to the Happy Camper on night one.  Pat guided us to our spot and ensured we were perfectly parked and had what we needed for our stay.  The campground is level gravel and easy to get around.  I would say the sites are adequate, but not overly roomy.  Shade is sparse and there is permanent housing area there.  I have noticed this camp appears to be a predominantly transient stop as our neighbors changed every day we were there.  No cable, but there is a club house, a nice laundromat, trash pick-up, and clean bathrooms.  It is a no-frills campground, but more than adequate and appropriately priced for a short stop if you are passing through Deming!