//
City in New Mexico, United States
Photo: user:Hajor, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Socorro is a town in the southwestern region of the state of New Mexico, in the United States of America.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
With a cute park, a fragment from Jumbo, the vessel built to contain the first ever atomic bomb which was detonated at the Trinity test site in 1945, and a few gift shops.
Is on the west side of town and has a mineralogical museum, some art, and a pleasant, if decidedly low-key, campus. Many of the cultural activities in town center on Tech. (Don't visit expecting intercollegiate sports; apart from rugby and soccer, there basically aren't any, although the college does have a decent golf course.)
Founded in 1598, San Miguel is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the country.
Held annually in mid-November to celebrate the return of the vast flocks of sandhill cranes to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (see under "Go next"). There are exhibits and activities in town, as well as guided tours to the refuge and other sites, some of which are not routinely open to visitors.
Mexican food with a "New Mexican" flavor; more of a diner-type place than fine dining, but you can't eat ambience. Their taco burgers are a drippy, juicy delight unlike any other.
"The Road," "Elcam," or simply "Camino" as it is sometimes called by locals, serves New Mexican and American food. All night greasy-spoon diner for the college students. Green-chile cheese fries are not to be missed and make a meal all their own, as long as you're not expecting haute cuisine.
About 10 miles (16 km) south of Socorro in the dinky town of San Antonio (on the way to the Bosque del Apache) is this locally famous burger joint, particularly noted for its green chili cheeseburgers.
The Cap
On the plaza is as good as it gets out here. "The Cap" is rumored to have been a favorite drinking stop for scientists of the Manhattan Project travelling between Los Alamos and the Trinity test site.
The nearest airport with commercial air service is in Albuquerque, about 70 mi north. The nearest train (Amtrak) station is also in Albuquerque. Buses run between Albuquerque and El Paso, Texas with a stop in Socorro.
Read in the guideThere's not much town to get around in, but the motels along California Avenue do sprawl somewhat and the stores there are some distance from Tech.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Albuquerque · International · ABQ
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Socorro and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
8 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.