About
Los Alamos is a city in northern New Mexico, in the United States. It sits on a mesa in the Jemez Mountains, and it is known above all for its role in the Manhattan Project, the wartime effort during World War II that developed the atomic bomb. The town was chosen as a secret site for that work, and it has kept that history at the centre of its identity ever since.
What a visit offers
For many travellers the appeal is historical. The town's story is one of a remote community built around a single, closely guarded purpose, and visitors come to understand how that shaped the place and its people. Because the city is compact, it is easy to take in the main points of interest on foot or by car in a single day.
Around the city
Los Alamos also sits within a landscape of mesas, canyons and mountain forest, so the surroundings are as much part of a trip as the town itself. Visitors who enjoy the outdoors often combine a stop in the city with time in the surrounding countryside, which feels quite different from the desert around Santa Fe further south.
Planning your trip
- Plan for a visit focused on history and scenery rather than a long city break.
- Allow time to explore the surrounding mountains and mesas as well as the town.
- Check ahead for current opening times and access, since these can change.
