As millions of Americans gear up to hit the road this summer, a new report from WalletHub has dealt a blow to New Mexico’s tourism outlook. The personal finance website ranked the Land of Enchantment a disappointing 43rd out of 50 states in its 2025 report on the Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips.
The ranking, released this week, compared all 50 states across 32 metrics, including the number of attractions, gas prices, road safety, car theft rates, and travel-related costs. Despite its rich cultural history and natural beauty, New Mexico performed poorly in several key categories that influence road trip experiences.
According to the data, New Mexico ranked:
- 27th in number of attractions,
- 20th for average gas prices,
- But a dismal 46th in nightlife options per capita,
- 44th in vehicle miles traveled per capita,
- 46th in car thefts per capita,
- 34th in lowest camping prices,
- And a concerning 48th in road fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
“Taking a summer road trip can be a very exciting way to experience a new place, but with the prices of gas, food and accommodations still impacted by inflation, you’ll want to be in a state that makes this type of vacation affordable,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “Safe roads are also key, and so is having plenty of worthwhile attractions to stop at along the road.”
New Mexico’s high rate of vehicle fatalities and car thefts contributed significantly to its low overall score, raising concerns about traveler safety during peak tourism months.
WalletHub’s top-ranking state for summer road trips in 2025 was Minnesota, thanks to its strong investment in parks and recreation, numerous summer festivals, and low accident rates.
Experts consulted in the report say the appeal of road trips is rising, in part due to frustrations with air travel.
“With lower gas prices this year, road trips are increasingly attractive,” said Ira L. Rosen, President of Ira L. Rosen LLC and adjunct professor at Temple University. “Also, airlines, airports, and air traffic safety have taken some high-visibility hits this season.”
Ball State University associate professor Craig Webster agreed. “Road trips should become more popular,” he said. “The recent stories about the poor quality of airline customer service and high prices should encourage people to stay with their cars.”
As for how states like New Mexico can improve their standing, experts say it comes down to both safety and smart promotion.
“Local officials should ensure safe driving through law enforcement and better communication of safety risks,” Webster said. “Tourists are more vulnerable than locals — they lack the local knowledge, security networks, and resources.”
Andrei P. Kirilenko of the University of Florida warned that mishandling public safety or crime can have long-lasting consequences. “Mismanaged natural disasters or crime towards tourists create long-lasting ‘mental risk maps,’ which cover an entire region well beyond the original impact,” he said.
While New Mexico remains a visually stunning and culturally rich destination, WalletHub’s data suggests state leaders have work to do in improving road safety, protecting travelers’ vehicles, and investing in tourism infrastructure that can make summer road trips safer and more enjoyable.
The full report is available at: WalletHub’s 2025 Summer Road Trip Rankings.
Oh but remember we have the best “elected” officials in our state. The officials in this state have accomplished their goals in making this the worst state ever.
Don’t be so positive, LOL.
No doubt our Queen will more than cover this travel deficit by having birthing persons from other states travel here for a medicaid provided abortion.
birthing persons exercising reproductive rights BECAUSE OUR VALUES. its HEALTHCARE . isnt that what the libs say ? yet my goodness, protect the children that crossed our border , they are so precious, free everything for them. but make sure your children are eliminated with extreme prejudice at one of MLG’s state tax funded abortion gulags. what a disgrace the un-leadership of this state is.
Yes Sir
Looks like the main tourists in the state this summer will be ICE and DHS.
Good.
Im a 4th generation New Mexican. We normally travel up north Red River , Chama, Taos. Not this 4th . We’re staying home and enjoying our backyard. It’s safer.🇺🇸
seems like shyster lawyers and criminals are flocking to NM because the pickings are easy here. Plus any carpet bagger loser that cant win political office in another state – they come here as a DEM and get voted right in.
My grandson took a road trip to Kansas last summer with his Dad and Dad’s mom. They stopped at the state welcome signs as they entered Texas and Kansas to take photographs of my grandson. The signs welcoming visitors into Texas and Kansas were perfectly maintained and beautiful. Driving back, the signs welcoming visitors driving into New Mexico were covered in graffiti including foul language and bullet holes. If I knew how to upload photos from my phone onto my computer, I could provide an example that speaks louder than words illustrating what the brain-dead voters and the “leaders” they continue to vote for have accomplished.
(Somehow I suspect that this is yet another category in which NM is first in everything bad and last in anything good. So much potential here but no chance to achieve it thanks to voter ignorance promoted by the democrat regime and, of course, fraud).
NM spends millions of taxpayer and oil severance money to lure visitors to Santa Fe and to a certain extent Albuquerque. This enriches those businesses, ad agencies and politicians. Who is given the shaft,
the guests, the visitors, the non metropolitan residents of the state that are the NEW MEXICO TRUE, true blood nd culture of this state The bathrooms public and otherwise are the metaphor for the sepsis of 150 years of political corruption, administrative bloat, and graft. So, let’s see if all those Hispanics (hyphenated and otherwise) can get their Cultural Cetner open again, see if they can make highway rest areas safe , make the restrooms better than the 17th century crappers that they are designed as and maintained as. Lets stop locking up the toothpaste and fingernail clippers at Walmart and start
locking up the the thugs, thieves, and grifters that rob residents , visitors and each other of their safety, their posessions, their limbs and their life.
Related sports are the most popular in our state
While car number two, the most popular driving sport in New Mexico is Driving While Intoxicated .
It is the #1 official sport of New Mexico so this should surprise no one.
Good lord I hate this GD IPhone . Every time.. it waits till you press send to decide to change what you’ve posted.
Let’s try again.
Automobile related sports are the most popular in our state.
While car theft is number two, the most popular driving sport in New Mexico is Driving While Intoxicated .
It is the #1 official sport of New Mexico so this should surprise no one.
NM is basically a 3rd world type state thanks to the ignorant, incapable, demo leadership. The education system produces disrespectful, lazy, incompetent voters and it is evident in the quality of the people in power. Marijuana along with alcohol use may also be a contributing factor in motor vehicle death counts.