The Old Apple Barn is just outside of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, on one's way towards Alamogordo…read more It's on the right-hand side so even at peak times it's easy to pass by to see any available free parking spots right in front since you may enter the lot only after passing the barn. I hadn't been here in years. Because I had my 11 and 9-year-olds, I thought it was time to let them try some homemade cider. It was July 28, 2024. A bit on the warm side even with a mid-morning rain shower. So we opted for a cherry-apple & 2 plain apple cider ices (medium = $3.50) which has the consistency of a slushie. My neighbor took care of a package that was delivered to my house while we were gone that weekend, so we also picked up some homemade fudge. It was $4.95 per 1/4 pound (which was equal to three squares). There are separate lines for the fudge & cider and one just for the pies, etc. The wait was incredibly long that morning, but service was friendly and apologetic. There is a gift shop with some cool items then some really junky expensive items. Here's the link to their online store: https://oldapplebarn.com/

Drove a long way to this place that proudly boasts that it's open every day. They could at the…read morevery least update their website. We arrived at 2:45 - a perfect time for pie but sadly they are Closed.

Tucked away on a street that reminds me of big bear. Tiny little shops and woodsy feeling. It is in…read morethe mountains. It's beautiful out here. Had a tea tasting and ended up buys some tea and their Mexican vanilla bean paste. It was so good! Expensive but good. I wouldn't normally buy things like that but I'm visiting and wanted to support a small business.

Their teas are my favorite! I love to mix them and try new ones. They also always have great…read morecustomer service. You should also check out their seasonal tea subscription online, it'll help you try some of the flavors without having to buy a big tin.

Blue Bell sea salt caramel espresso (with chocolate chips) - best ice cream ever, bar none! Treat…read moreyourself!!

For the last 2-3 years, the extended family gets a cabin for MLK weekend in Ruidoso. And, every…read moreyear the kids want ice cream and the adults want candy apples at Sweet Retreat. We always love it! They have this amazing flavor it's like a blue rocky road; it made a lasting blue impression!

The ice cream was great, service was on point and very dog friendly! Ask for a pup cup!…read more Highly recommend!

Great place but went for apple nachos and they said they dont do during the week been in before on…read moreand they had them Carmel apple not near as good

We came in from Georgetown, TX and tried the delicious treats! Owners were great as were the…read moretreats. Great atmosphere and sweets! Couldn't have asked for a better experience!

My husband and I make it to Ruidoso about once a year, we went in last week to see that the…read moremerchandise that they're carrying has been significantly scaled back. Still had all the bulk tea & coffee, but fewer jars, samples, and even candies. Disappointing. The young girl that helped us was nice, but the 2 other people behind the counter were not interested in being bothered.

On a drive through the outside edge of the mountain range on our way back to Texas, we came across…read morethis roadside gem where there is nothing else around expect a few houses spread apart, hills, lots of dirt and desert brush, and a ravine behind the buildings were a small creek was running. Very serene and peaceful, mind you the rooster on side was being plenty loud. We stopped as we saw signs for "mountain apples", so curiosity got the best of us and we stopped. It's a run down barn building, wider than deep, and to the left... cages. With goats, chickens, roosters, a donkey, and a camel. If there were others, they were hiding. The camel was funny, as he/she was very vocal. Trying to compete with the rooster, maybe. The barn store had a lot of canned items, jams, beets, sauces, salsas, random veggies. It housed various souvenirs as well. The young lady there was super nice, a Texas Tech student that was home for the holidays. Very neat place. If you're in this area of nowhere, it's a fun place to stop and stretch the legs, get some actual apples that are grown in the area, and pet the camel.

This place has been on my list after a little roadtrip through my homestate. Staying in Ruidoso,…read morethought this would be the perfect opportunity to stop by. 70 miles later, we didn't realize how far away it was. The place was packed! I was surprised at how many unique animals they have here- water buffalo, goats, turkeys, camel, zebra, capybara, kangaroo, donkeys, alpacas, pigs, emus, ostrich, bunnies, etc. We ending up spending a little less than an hour here. I asked them how business had been and they said they had been blessed during this time. We bought 2 pints of cider (one apple and one cherry for $2 each) and a pound of tart apples for $3. They had honeys and jams, nuts and mini pies. It's about $2 to feed the animals and admission costs are all covered by donation. The journey back was a lot quicker and we left happy and full of cider. 2020 #23

This roadside largest pistachio is just north of Alamagordo in New Mexico…read more There is also a large store that has many New Mexico souvenirs including keychains, tshirts , seasonings , candies , toys, homemade fudge and unique pistachio flavors to sample . There's an attendant standing nearby that keeps the pistachio sample area clean and helps with suggestions . The nuts are packaged with and without the shells . We liked the spicy dill flavor the best. There's also an ice cream shop too! They offer shakes , ice cream , shakes and floats . Too good to pass up. I got a root beer pistachio ice cream float that hit the right spot on a warm day. Happy to have driven here for a pic opportunity and get some cool souvenirs .

A gem on our way to White Sands NP! We did the tour which was very reasonable and educational! It…read morewas 30min around the property and learned about the history, growing and harvesting process. The tour guide was awesome! We enjoyed ice cream after which was very tasty! The store is extensive with samples of different flavors of pistachios which is nice to try and then lots of options to buy. Some of the counters had a bit of a wait or personnel was not available, it appeared certain staff are trained in certain areas only.