Grants: Route 66, Museums and Hotels

Grants can be explored through a range of themes: early aviation, mining, Route 66 and local history, alongside opportunities to spend time outdoors. To plan your visit, you can first consider whether you are more interested in historical exhibits, art and memorabilia, or outdoor activities. Each of the places mentioned has its own focus, offering different ways to shape a stay in Grants.

Museums with Different Focuses

The Western New Mexico Airways Heritage Museum tells the story of early aviation, navigation and the people who made it possible. This means the focus is not only on aviation itself, but also on navigation and the people who contributed to its development. The museum offers a distinct perspective on this subject, different from the exhibits on mining and local history.

The New Mexico Mining Museum features historical artifacts associated with the uranium miners who helped shape the history of Grants. The museum also offers a tour through a simulated mine. It therefore combines historical objects with a tour that explores mining as a subject. If you are interested in the history of Grants, you can consider this focus alongside the broader exhibits on local history.

The Cibola County History Museum presents exhibits on early pioneer life, Indigenous cultures, ranching and mining. It is located in the historic Grants library. These four subject areas offer a broad look at different aspects of the county’s history; mining is a shared point of reference with the New Mexico Mining Museum, while the other exhibit themes offer additional perspectives.

Route 66: Exhibits and a Photo Opportunity

The Route 66 Vintage Museum displays historic artworks, postcards, photographs and other antiques from Route 66’s heyday. The collection brings together different kinds of memorabilia related to the history of the road. When planning your visit, it is helpful to distinguish this focus from the exhibits on aviation and mining: here, objects from the history of Route 66 are at the center.

The Double Six Gallery and Museum features local art, photography and creative exhibits along historic Route 66. This gives local art and creative exhibits their own place alongside the historic artworks, postcards and photographs at the Route 66 Vintage Museum. If you would like to explore different cultural themes in Grants, these two stops differ both in their content and in their focus.

Another attraction along historic Route 66 is the Route 66 Neon Drive-Thru Arch in Grants. This 18-foot-tall landmark features neon lighting, painted flames and a classic sign design. It offers a photo opportunity as you drive through. When planning your visit, you can choose between Route 66 exhibits and a distinctive photo spot along the historic highway.

Parks and Outdoor Activities

Riverwalk Park features ponds, an amphitheater, a playground and picnic tables. The grounds bring together a range of facilities at one park. This information can help you consider Riverwalk Park as a separate option for spending time outdoors, apart from the museums and Route 66 stops.

Bluewater Lake State Park is located 25 miles west of Grants. Activities offered there include camping, hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding and fishing. Compared with the facilities at Riverwalk Park, a variety of outdoor activities take center stage here. If you would like to include Bluewater Lake in your plans, take the distance into account and check current park conditions before setting out.

Grants offers everything from exhibits on specific historical themes and local art to parks and outdoor activities. You can prioritize these options according to the subjects that interest you most during your stay and whether you would also like to plan a visit to a place outside Grants.

Discover more destinations: Mesita, Pueblo Of Acoma.

For the broader travel overview: Cibola County.