Nickname: Land of Enchantment Population: 1,713,800 (36th) Area: 121,598 (5th) Birthplace: Smokey the Bear & the 1st A-bomb Tourism: 800.545.2040 Road Conditions: 800.432.4269 A says: Hold on...a ski resort in New Mexico? Gorgeous forest and farm land? Yep. Besides the incredible White Sands (like snow without the salt, road mud, and cold parts) and the unreal Carlsbad Caverns, our jaunt through NM revealed green spots to rival anywhere in the Rockies. Who'd a thunk it? B says: Definitely the land of enchantment. No wonder aliens decided to land at Roswell, NM. Among the beautiful desert scenery I always felt as if a magical spirit was follwoing and watching us. The strangest thing is immediately after crossing the border into Texas the sensation vanished (I sound crazy, huh?). The food, architecture, and surrounding all have a distinctive flavor that cooks and architects abroad fail to imitate. New Mexico is the southwest.