Socorro, New Mexico

Socorro is about 75 miles south of Albuquerque and the same distance north of Truth Or Consequences on Interstate 25. Some of the more important landmarks are Socorro Peak, a mountain just west of the town, and the Rio Grande river that runs to the east of it. The most important part of the town is New Mexico Tech, a 4 year college that features an 18 hole golf course, a small observatory, and houses the NRAO’s operational center for the VLA, a large set of radio telescopes seen in the movie Contact.

If you see the town, its two roles are obvious. It is both a college town and a highway town, with it’s assorted motels, fast food places, and banks. If you just drive down California Street, which is basically a loop off of Interstate 25, you would think that Socorro is a bustling town. However, once you leave that particular street, you see that it is just another sleepy New Mexico town.

There are a few things you can do in Socorro. El Camino is a good all-night restaurant that both students and townies (non-student Socorro residents) frequent. GameZone is a RPG store on California, too. NMT usually sponsors a Fine Arts series each year that features music, plays, and such. Never mind, there actually isn’t much to do in this small town.