An Extra-Terrestrial time in dog-friendly Roswell

The infamous ‘Roswell Incident’ is the stuff legends are made of and the ongoing mystery and intrigue from a UFO crash in 1947 has certainly put Roswell on the map. For such a small town its certainly well known and its role in history has even inspired TV shows and movies.

Weather you believe the story is real, fake or a cover-up, if you’re heading through New Mexico - then Roswell should be on your list of places to visit. The town has totally embraced its folklore and slightly kitschy status and you’ll find everything from fun murals to clever alien-shaped street lamps!

There are also a lot of fun things you can do with your dog in Roswell as you investigate the story and use the evidence you find around town to make up your own mind…

THINGS TO DO

Welcome to Roswell Sign

As you enter Roswell you’ll spot this welcome sign with a spaceship abducting some cows… There is space to pull over and its a good opportunity to get a photo with the famous sign before heading into town, where you’ll find more signs to get pix with.

Visitor Centre and surrounds

A good place to start your Roswell adventure is at the Roswell Visitor’s Centre (at 912 N Main Street) which allows well behaved dogs inside.

Outside the Visitor’s Centre

You’ll find some cute photo ops here - both against the outside of the building, as well as inside.

Inside the Visitor’s Centre - even aliens like Halloween!

The staff are really friendly and provided us with a map of the key attractions and also helped us pick out some cute souveniers.

There is parking at the Visitor’s Centre and right next to it is a small grassy area called Roswell Pioneer Plaza where Beats was able to stretch her legs.

Across the road from the Visitor’s centre is the impressive looking Chaves County Courthouse, a large building with a green domed roof.

The County Courthouse

Heading South towards the shopping district of town (on Main Street) you’ll also come across lots of small stores, many of which have themed window displays and its fun to have a look at these and buy local if you’re after any keepsakes.

UFO / Alien themed attractions

After leaving the Visitor’s Centre we walked around Main Street to see some of the attractions, but you can also drive if its too hot or you have mobility issues.

You won’t ever hear Beatle complain about heading to a nugget place… but in Roswell McDonalds is more than a place to get a quick snack, as the building is shaped like a UFO! Its only a four min walk from the Visitor’s centre and is definitely worth a photo op from the front (and it also lights up in neon at night). But make sure you also head out to the back carpark to see the huge, colourful mural which makes for a great picture.

In between the Visitor’s centre and McD’s you there is no way you’ll miss seeing the giant alien holding his ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ sign.

Or the very on theme ‘Invasion Station’ gift store with its interesting roofline.

As you wander around and explore this area you’ll come across numerous UFO / Alien themed cut outs and murals so plenty to explore and take photos with.

While these area all lots of fun, don’t forget to support the local businesses who work hard to keep all of these attractions by purchasing food or gifts.

UFO Museum & Research Center

This Museum is a must see, as not only is it one of the town’s main attractions - but its also dog friendly!

Its full of exhibits and information about the infamous ‘Roswell Incident’ and is a fun way to spend anywhere from 30 mins to a couple of hours depending on your level of interest.

There are lots of great photo ops in the Museum and on the day we visited it wasn’t too busy (look out for tour buses to gauge how crowded it might be!) There is also a fun gift store on site.

The Museum is about a ten min walk from the Visitor’s Centre or a two min drive.

Next to the Museum is a small park and here you’ll find the very cool, ‘We Believe’ mural - which is another great attraction.

Historical Walking Tour

If you have a bit more time to spend exploring Roswell and enjoy history, then you can pick up a brochure at the Visitor’s Centre or see the list online here that will take you on an interesting walk around some of Roswell’s most historic properties. There are a large number to see and they cover a range of architectural styles.

IN SUMMARY

Roswell is a fun place to spend a full or half day and there is plenty here to keep kids, adults and dogs entertained. For such a small place its name is one of the most instantly recognisable in the USA. I also love how much the town has embraced their reputation as the UFO capital and capitalised on this to make visiting such a fun experience.

For a map of the town’s main attractions click here.