This 'Enchanting' State Is One Of The Cheapest For US Tourists To Visit

Everything feels more fun on vacation — and at least three times as expensive. Worrying over how much of your income should be spent on a vacation and being wary of making major money mistakes while traveling, might even tempt would-be tourists to cut their trips short in the planning stages. However, travelers looking to save don't need to cut fun out of their adventures to save a buck. Frugal tourists simply need to plot their course for one of the most affordable tourist states in the United States: New Mexico.

Travel experts AAA recently ranked New Mexico in their top 10 cheapest states to visit, and it's no wonder. New Mexico boasts reasonable hotel rates, inexpensive dining options that range from enchiladas to cheeseburgers, and a wealth of tourist attractions that are easy on the wallet. New Mexico cities like Santa Fe, Albuquerque (home to the Balloon Fiesta every October), Las Cruces, and Carlsbad all provide a variety of attractive stays for surprisingly doable prices.

Desert adventures, neon and nightlife, and even family-friendly museum and educational experiences make up just some of New Mexico's diverse — and cheap — activities on offer. From the stunning natural beauty of New Mexico's national monuments and state parks to artist colonies, alien-themed novelties, and even tours of filming locations for hit TV shows like "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul", the Land of Enchantment has a little something for every tourist on a budget.

There's much to be said about the staggering beauty of the southwestern United States, including, it's pretty darn cheap to enjoy. For the cost of a camping trip and a tank of gas, some of the greatest natural wonders of America can be seen in all their glory. Many state and national parks offer tourists extremely inexpensive opportunities to take in the priceless beauty of New Mexico by hiking, camping, or viewing the state via scenic drives.

For example, Los Alamos is home to the Bandelier National Monument. Bandelier contains over 30,000 acres of mesas, wildlife, trails, ancestral Pueblo dwellings, and petroglyph carvings over 11,000 years old. The New Mexico park is located near affordable hotels, as well as campsites that cost just $20 a night, or even less for National Park Service pass holders.

Similarly inexpensive campgrounds and affordable hotels are available near Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Carlsbad. For a modest $15 admission fee, tourists can spend hours (or days) remembering the difference between stalactites and stalagmites while wandering millions-years-old limestone caves.

For the more claustrophobic tourists out there, check out the wide open spaces of White Sands National Park in New Mexico's Doña Ana County. There, white gypsum sand dunes stretch out as far as the eye can see. For a small entrance fee ($15-$25), tourists are free to hike, cycle, or horseback ride through the expanse of the 275-square-mile desert park.

In addition to natural beauty, New Mexico can offer plenty of unnatural beauty to tourists on a budget as well. For example, alien mania provides charming, cheap photo opportunities at roadside attractions all over Roswell, while Taos, New Mexico — the longtime inspiration for artists like Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams — offers a downtown full of galleries, which may contain pricey art, but which can be viewed for free. Santa Fe, meanwhile, is home to its own art scene, as well as the interactive wonderland known as the House of Eternal Return (by Meow Wolf), with admission priced at ~$45 per ticket. You could also visit the Georgia O'Keeffe home and museum in Santa Fe for $22.

In Taos, you can also see the legendary, 1000-year old Taos Pueblo (a UNESCO Heritage site) for a mere $25 (less for senior citizens and children). Tourists can also take in the stunning scenery of the Royal Gorge Bridge over the Rio Grande. If you wish to cross the bridge and fully enjoy the park, tickets can be purchased for $29 per adult, with some discounts on group pricing.

Lastly, if you feel like cruising, Route 66 snakes through the middle of New Mexico, winding through quirky Albuquerque and its many "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" filming locations. Grab a cheap hot dog at the famed Dog House Drive In and congratulate yourself on saving a ton while having fun in cheap, enchanted New Mexico.