Hotels in Portales

Wander the Eastern New Mexico University campus, where the Roosevelt County Museum displays local artifacts with the earnest pride of a town that knows its place in history. Valencia peanuts grow here in quantities that would make Jimmy Carter blush – this modest town produces organic peanut butter on a national scale. The dairy industry thrives too, with 40 local operations churning out milk products worth millions. Take a short drive to Blackwater Draw Museum for archaeological treasures that predate written records. Oasis State Park offers respite from the high plains sun. For dinner, bypass chain restaurants in favor of family-owned spots where Tex-Mex recipes have been perfected over generations and the waitstaff might call you 'hon' without irony.