Out of this world

About a three-hour drive (or one-ish hour general aviation flight) from Albuquerque, Roswell is a small city of about 50,000 people. The main street sports a variety of welcome signs and posters for air race fans. Roswell is most known for its association with the 1947 supposed UFO incidents that occurred about 75 miles north of the city, and the town has embraced what is an urban legend to some and a conspiracy theory to others, wholeheartedly. Little green men line the main street, welcoming motorists to everything from Dunkin’ donut shops to the Days Inn and the International UFO Museum. The streetlights have alien eyes, and nearly every shop has something alien-related. A lesser-known fact is that rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard lived in Roswell for some time, and it was there that he conducted extensive research and experiments that helped propel the Space Age.

Roswell is most known for its association with the 1947 supposed UFO incidents that occurred 75 miles north of the city.

A small town does have a few drawbacks—and one of the National Championship Air Races’ main challenges will be both communicating and overcoming this. As of now, there are fewer than 500 hotel rooms in Roswell—a big difference from the thousands available in Reno. For this year, most of Roswell’s hotel rooms are already booked. The few rooms in town that aren’t sold out for this year’s races are more than $300 a night—not ideal if you’re trying to stay for the entire week, or volunteering. A happy difference about Roswell, though, is that you can fly in and out each day, meaning that staying nearby and commuting to the races is a possibility for those who aren’t able to get a room in Roswell.

Roswell Visitor Center

For an overview of the town, step into the Roswell Visitor Center near the main square. The friendly folks inside can help you out with a map, some recommendations, and when we were there, a fun photo with some locals.

Invasion Station

This kitschy souvenir store will have all your Roswell gift needs. With unique designs (including at least one that was air race-related) and some handmade gifts, this is a shop worth stopping into even if you’re just browsing. Alien T-shirts, hats, sunglasses, earrings, dirt from the actual supposed crash site, and even toilet paper line the walls here. Outside the shop, pose with a UFO cutout and pretend you’re being abducted, or perhaps flying the UFO.

UFO McDonald’s

Yes, this nonstandard McDonald’s is worth stopping into. The famed UFO McDonald’s serves your standard fare but is one of the unique franchises in a world full of cookie-cutter sameness. Embracing the alien lore with some salty fries and an ice-cold Diet Coke is an out of this world experience, especially after a hot day on the flight line.

Hangar 209

If kitsch isn’t so much your thing and you’d like a souvenir that follows streetwear vibes, check out Hangar 209 on the main strip. With cool and more subtle designs than some of the other shops, this is a great place for an unironic gift that you’ll actually use.

Not in Reno, anymore

The area surrounding Roswell is inviting as well. From Roswell you can visit Carlsbad Caverns, Bottomless Lakes State Park, White Sands, and the Trinity Site with relative ease. If you’re up for more of an adventure, fly to Santa Fe or visit Los Alamos, although be cautious of the high density altitude, gusty winds, and mountain flying conditions.

While it’s not in Reno anymore, Roswell is excited to be the National Championship Air Races’ new host city. Why not make the races part of your late summer plans? It’ll be a memorable trip, and you’ll be able to say you were at the inaugural Roswell Air Races. While an alien sighting is unlikely, nothing is impossible.

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