30+ Things to Do Near Cannon AFB in Clovis, New Mexico

Cannon AFB sits on the high plains of eastern New Mexico, just outside Clovis and within easy reach of Portales and the Texas Panhandle. While the installation is best known for its Air Force Special Operations Command mission, there is more to the area than work and wide-open desert skies. Clovis has a surprisingly rich rock-and-roll history, local restaurants, family attractions, rodeos, parks, and community events, while the surrounding region opens the door to outdoor adventures and some uniquely New Mexico weekend trips.

Whether you are looking for an inexpensive family outing, somewhere to take visiting relatives, a date-night idea, or simply an excuse to get away from the house for a few hours, there are plenty of Cannon AFB things to do once you know where to look.

5 Places Near Cannon AFB That Are Military Friendly

A good military discount can make exploring a new duty station even better. Cannon and Clovis have a close relationship, and several local businesses and attractions offer military discounts, specials, or other connections to the military community.

Keep your military ID handy and add these stops to your eastern New Mexico bucket list.

North Plains Cinema 7

For a simple movie night close to Cannon, North Plains 7 - Allen Theatres is Clovis's local first-run movie theater, with seven screens, reserved seating, digital projection, and online ticketing.

Even better, the theater advertises a Thursday military special: show your military ID, and you can purchase admission at the senior ticket rate. That makes Thursday a good night to grab some popcorn, turn off the PCS brain for a couple of hours, and catch whatever is new on the big screen.

Hillcrest Park Zoo

Hillcrest Park Zoo is one of the easiest family outings in Clovis, with animals ranging from big cats and primates to birds and reptiles. The zoo sits inside the much larger Hillcrest Park, so you can turn the visit into a full afternoon with playgrounds, picnic areas, pickleball and basketball courts, a splash park, and a dog park nearby.

Military members receive half-price zoo admission on the second Saturday of every month, so mark that one on the calendar if you are looking for a budget-friendly family day.

Juanito's Mexican Restaurant

Exploring a new assignment should always involve food, and Juanito's Mexican Restaurant has been serving homemade Mexican and New Mexican favorites in Clovis since 1982.

The menu includes enchiladas, chile rellenos, fajitas, tamales, tacos, burritos, and plenty of red and green chile, because you are in New Mexico now, after all. Juanito's offers a 10% military discount every day, making it an easy local restaurant to add to your regular rotation while stationed at Cannon.

Roller World

Lace up your skates at Roller World, NM (Skating Rink), a longtime Clovis roller rink offering public skating sessions, rentals, games, parties, and family entertainment. Roller World has been part of the community since 1980, and its current owners have a particularly strong connection to Cannon: co-owner Michael is an Air Force veteran who continues to work at Cannon AFB as a contractor and instructor.

The rink also welcomes squadron functions and other group events, making it a genuinely military-connected local business even when you are not there for an official event.

Clovis Fun Center

A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, and Clovis Fun Center gives you plenty of ways to settle the score. The outdoor entertainment center has go-karts, miniature golf, bumper boats, batting cages, and paintball, along with multi-activity passes and group-event options.

It is close to Cannon and works equally well for families, couples, squadron outings, or a group of friends who cannot agree on just one activity. Ask about the current military rate before purchasing your passes so you know what is available that day.

5 Things to Do When You Want the Full New Mexico Experience

You are in New Mexico now, so it only feels right to experience a little of what makes this part of the Southwest unique. Around Cannon AFB, that means rodeos, ancient archaeology, rock-and-roll history, wide-open high-plains landscapes, and community traditions rooted in ranching and agriculture.

Here are five Cannon AFB things to do when you want an outing that feels distinctly eastern New Mexico.

Pioneer Days PRCA Rodeo

Cowboy culture is alive and well in Clovis, and the Pioneer Days PRCA Rodeo is one of the best places to experience it. The annual event traces its roots to the Curry County Mounted Patrol and brings professional rodeo competitors to Clovis for events like bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, roping, and more.

The celebration also traditionally includes a parade and military-appreciation programming, making it an especially fitting local tradition for Cannon families.

Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark

Long before Cannon AFB or even the city of Clovis existed, people were living and hunting on these plains.

The Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark and Museum preserves one of the most important Paleoindian archaeological sites in North America. Excavations here helped define what archaeologists now call the Clovis culture, and visitors can learn about stone tools, extinct megafauna, ancient hunting practices, and thousands of years of human activity in the region. This is one of those attractions that makes you realize just how much history is hiding beneath eastern New Mexico's wide-open landscape.

Norman Petty Recording Studio

Clovis has a rock-and-roll resume that is surprisingly impressive. The historic Norman Petty Recording Studio is where artists including Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and Waylon Jennings recorded music during the early days of rock and roll.

The preserved studio still contains original equipment and memorabilia tied to the legendary “Clovis Sound.” Tours are available by appointment, so plan ahead if you want to stand in the same studio where some genuinely iconic music was made.

Curry County Fair

If you want eastern New Mexico all in one place, the Curry County Fair makes a pretty strong case. Held annually in Clovis, the fair combines livestock exhibitions, rodeo events, carnival rides, live music, fair food, youth activities, and plenty of agricultural tradition.

It is the kind of event where you can watch mutton bustin', wander through livestock barns, grab something fried on a stick, and finish the evening with live entertainment. Military admission is also offered at a reduced rate.

Oasis State Park

Yes, there really is an oasis on the eastern New Mexico plains. Oasis State Park sits just north of Portales among cottonwood trees and sand dunes, with a small lake that is popular for fishing.

The park also offers hiking and mountain-biking trails, camping, picnicking, birdwatching, and wildlife viewing. Pack a picnic, stay for a New Mexico sunset, or make a weekend of it at the campground when you need a little space beyond the Clovis city limits.

5 Restaurants Near Cannon AFB That Are Sure to Please

One of the easiest ways to start liking a new duty station is to figure out where you want to eat. Clovis may be a smaller city, but its food scene reflects its location right where New Mexico and West Texas influences meet. That means Hatch green chile, steaks, wood-fired pizza, international flavors, and plenty of locally owned spots worth trying.

Come hungry and add these restaurants to your Cannon AFB things-to-do list.

The Rails

The Rails combines dinner with a little Clovis history. Located in a restored railroad building dating to the early 1900s, the restaurant pays tribute to the city's railway heritage while offering a more elevated menu of steaks, seafood, pasta, international dishes, cocktails, and weekend brunch.

You can even keep the New Mexico theme going with dishes like the Hatch green chile cheeseburger or Hatch green chile breakfast burrito. This is an especially good pick for date night, celebrations, or when visiting family deserves something nicer than another chain restaurant.

Roma's Italian Restaurant

When the craving is pasta instead of green chile, Roma's Italian Restaurant brings Italian comfort food to Clovis. The menu includes hand-tossed brick-oven pizza, pasta, seafood, salads, Italian sausage, calamari, and other familiar favorites.

Their pizzas are made to order and baked in a brick oven, making Roma's an easy choice for family dinner, takeout night, or one of those evenings when nobody wants to cook.

Red Door on Main

For a casual downtown evening, Red Door on Main combines food and drinks in the heart of Main Street. The Clovis-Curry County Chamber describes it as a local “drinkery and eatery,” making it a convenient stop when you want to grab dinner, meet friends, or spend a little more time exploring downtown Clovis.

Check their current social pages and event calendar before you go, because local breweries and downtown venues often rotate specials and entertainment.

Siam Bistro Thai Fine Dining

If you need a break from burgers, barbecue, and enchiladas, Siam Bistro Thai Fine Dining adds something completely different to the Clovis restaurant lineup.

The locally listed Thai restaurant is a good option for curries, noodles, stir-fries, and other Thai favorites, and it gives you another cuisine to work into the rotation when you are trying to eat your way through your new duty station.

Red Stone Pizza

Red Stone Pizza is not messing around when it calls itself wood-fired: its pizzas cook in a 900-degree brick oven. Along with classics like cheese and pepperoni, the local pizza shop offers specialty combinations including green chile chicken, buffalo chicken ranch, and jalapeño popper pizza.

It is casual, locally owned, and New Mexico enough that even pizza can apparently find a way to involve green chile.

What Are Some Pet-Friendly Places Near Cannon AFB?

Our pets PCS right along with us, which means they deserve to explore the new duty station too. Around Cannon AFB and Clovis, you can find places for off-leash play, long walks, outdoor adventures, and even a meal or coffee stop where your four-legged family member can tag along. Pack the leash, water, and waste bags and add a few of these pet-friendly Cannon AFB things to do to your weekend list.

Outdoor Spaces

Hillcrest Dog Park

After spending hours in the car during a PCS, your dog has definitely earned some room to run. Hillcrest Dog Park is a free, fenced off-leash park in Clovis with separate areas for large and small dogs. The park also provides watering stations, waste-disposal stations, seating, and shade for owners, making it an easy place for pups to burn off some energy and make a few new friends.

The dog park sits within the larger Hillcrest Park complex, where you will also find a walking trail, picnic areas, sports facilities, and plenty of open space. Just remember to leash your dog before leaving the designated off-leash area.

Ned Houk Memorial Park

For dogs who prefer an actual adventure, Ned Houk Memorial Park offers thousands of acres of outdoor space north of Clovis. The regional park includes hiking trails, lakes, picnic areas, disc golf, playgrounds, and wide-open scenery, and it is listed as a pet-friendly recreation area. It is a great place to trade neighborhood sidewalks for a longer walk and let your dog experience a little of eastern New Mexico's high-plains landscape.

Keep pets leashed while exploring and bring plenty of water, especially during warmer months when shade can be limited.

Clovis Point RV Park

If your family enjoys RV trips, or your PCS itself involves one, Clovis Point RV Park is especially welcoming to four-legged travelers. The campground offers spacious pull-through RV sites, full hookups, Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, a playground, horse stalls, and its own fenced dog park. Monthly guests are even permitted to use an RV fence at their site under the park's current pet policy.

The park is located on the outskirts of Clovis, making it useful for a short getaway, temporary RV lodging, or visitors bringing both pets and horses to the area. It also currently advertises a military discount, so ask about the rate when booking.

Fur-Family Friendly Restaurants

Coffee Bistro

Coffee tastes a little better when your dog gets to come along. Coffee Bistro is a casual Clovis breakfast-and-lunch spot serving coffee, smoothies, breakfast dishes, sandwiches, burgers, desserts, and other café favorites. The restaurant has dog-friendly outdoor tables where your pup can relax beside you while you grab breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon caffeine boost.

RibCrib BBQ

Barbecue night does not necessarily mean your dog has to stay home. RibCrib on North Prince Street has pet-friendly outdoor seating, including several tables where dogs are welcome to join their owners. The menu covers barbecue favorites like ribs, brisket, pulled pork, sausage, chicken, sandwiches, combination platters, and Southern-style sides.

5 Things for Couples to Do Near Cannon AFB

Military life can turn date night into one more thing that has to be scheduled between work, appointments, PCS paperwork, and everyday responsibilities, which is exactly why making time to reconnect matters. Fortunately, a date near Cannon doesn’t have to mean driving hours to a bigger city.

From golf and live performances to escape rooms, pottery, and a surprisingly adorable alpaca date, here are five Cannon AFB things to do when you want some quality time together.

Colonial Park Golf Course

The couple that golfs together gets plenty of uninterrupted time to talk, or at least plenty of time to debate whose ball disappeared into the rough.

Colonial Park Golf Course is Clovis's public 18-hole, par-72 course, with tree-lined fairways, water features, a driving range, putting green, and an on-site bar and restaurant. Whether you play a full round or just spend some time practicing before grabbing a meal, it is an easy outdoor date close to Cannon.

Just Kiln Me Now

If you want a date where you actually make something together, Just Kiln Me Now is Clovis's all-inclusive art studio with pottery painting, canvas art, wheel throwing, hand-built clay, mosaics, and glass fusion.

Walk-ins are welcome during regular open hours, and no artistic talent is required. Pick projects for each other, paint something for your new home, or find out which one of you should absolutely not pursue a second career in ceramics.

Under Lock and Key

Nothing tests teamwork quite like voluntarily locking yourselves in a room and trying to escape. Under Lock and Key offers themed escape-room experiences where players search for hidden objects, decipher codes, solve puzzles, and work against the clock.

It is a fun change from the usual dinner date, and possibly an excellent way to determine which person in the relationship stays calm when absolutely nothing makes sense.

Clovis Community College Cultural Arts Series

For a date night that feels a little more dressed-up, check the schedule for the Clovis Community College Cultural Arts Series. The long-running series brings professional touring entertainment to Clovis, with past seasons featuring live music, theater, dance, tribute performances, comedy, and other specialty acts.

Shows are held at local venues such as Marshall Auditorium, giving couples a chance to catch live entertainment without making the drive to Albuquerque or Lubbock. Check the current season before planning your night because performances change throughout the year.

Windrush Alpacas

Dinner and a movie is nice, but have you tried date night with alpacas? Windrush Alpacas is a family-run farm outside Clovis offering scheduled farm tours, seasonal events, and opportunities to meet and feed the alpacas.

They have even hosted Full Moon Alpaca Yoga, an adults-only evening event that combines a gentle yoga session with alpacas and sunset views. Visits and events generally require reservations, so check the farm's calendar before heading out. It may be one of the more unexpected dates you have during your Cannon assignment and definitely one of the fluffiest.

Check Out These Nearby Day Trips Perfect for a Quick Getaway

There are plenty of Cannon AFB things to do close to home, but sometimes you just need to get out of town for the day. One advantage of being stationed in eastern New Mexico is that you can head in almost any direction and find something completely different within a couple of hours.

From West Texas music and ranching history to UFOs, desert lakes, Route 66, and one seriously impressive canyon, these nearby destinations are perfect for a day trip or easy weekend getaway.

Lubbock, Texas

Lubbock, Texas is one of the easiest bigger-city escapes from Cannon AFB. Known as the Hub City, Lubbock offers shopping, restaurants, Texas Tech sports, live entertainment, museums, ranching history, and a music scene forever connected to Buddy Holly. The drive from Cannon is roughly two hours, making it feasible to spend a full day out without needing to book a hotel.

Drive time: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes–2 hours

• Buddy Holly Center: Rock-and-roll fans should start at the Buddy Holly Center, which celebrates Lubbock native Buddy Holly through memorabilia, exhibits, music history, and visual arts. If you have already learned about Clovis's Norman Petty connection, this is a fun way to follow the Buddy Holly story into West Texas.
• National Ranching Heritage Center: Get the full West Texas experience at the National Ranching Heritage Center, a 27-acre museum and outdoor historical park at Texas Tech University. More than 50 historic ranching structures help tell the story of ranch life and settlement across the region, and admission is currently free.
• Silent Wings Museum: This one feels especially appropriate for an Air Force family. The Silent Wings Museum preserves the history of the World War II Military Glider Program and includes a restored CG-4A glider, military artifacts, and exhibits about the pilots who flew unpowered aircraft into combat zones. Active-duty military members and veterans currently receive free admission.

Roswell, New Mexico

Yes, that Roswell, New Mexico. About two hours south of Cannon, Roswell fully embraces its extraterrestrial reputation, so expect alien murals, UFO-themed shops, unusual photo ops, and plenty of little green men downtown. But there is more to Roswell than UFOs; the surrounding area also has state parks, wetlands, wildlife, and some beautiful desert scenery.

Drive time: Approximately 2–2.5 hours

• International UFO Museum & Research Center: If you drove all the way to Roswell and skipped the aliens, did you really go to Roswell? The International UFO Museum & Research Center explores the famous 1947 Roswell Incident, UFO history, eyewitness accounts, and other unexplained phenomena. Military admission is currently discounted, too.
• Bottomless Lakes State Park: Trade spaceships for swimming at Bottomless Lakes State Park, about 15 miles southeast of Roswell. Despite the name, the lakes are not actually bottomless; they are a series of deep sinkholes, some reaching about 90 feet. Visitors can hike, swim, paddle, camp, picnic, birdwatch, and even scuba dive in designated areas.
• Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge: For a quieter Roswell day trip, head to Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge sits where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Southern Plains and protects wetlands that attract sandhill cranes, waterfowl, and an incredible diversity of dragonflies and damselflies. Visitors can explore hiking trails, wildlife-viewing areas, and a scenic auto-tour route.

Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo, Texas is another easy escape from Cannon, especially when you want roadside Americana, Texas-sized food, outdoor adventure, and Route 66 nostalgia. Located about two hours northeast of the base, Amarillo is big enough for shopping, entertainment, restaurants, and museums but still feels very much like the Texas Panhandle.

Drive time: Approximately 2 hours

• Palo Duro Canyon State Park: The Palo Duro Canyon State Park is worth the drive all by itself. Known as the Grand Canyon of Texas, it is the second-largest canyon in the country and offers more than 30 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can also camp, explore by car, geocache, or catch the outdoor musical TEXAS during its summer season. Reservations are strongly recommended because the park can reach capacity.
• Cadillac Ranch: Few roadside attractions are as recognizable as Cadillac Ranch. Ten vintage Cadillacs are buried nose-first in a field along I-40, and visitors have been adding layers of spray-painted artwork to them for decades. It is free, open around the clock, and exactly the kind of wonderfully strange roadside photo stop that belongs on a duty-station bucket list.
• Amarillo Route 66 Historic District: Get your kicks on Route 66 by wandering through the Amarillo Route 66 Historic District. The mile-long stretch of historic Sixth Avenue is packed with antique shops, boutiques, galleries, murals, restaurants, bars, and buildings that still reflect the character of the Mother Road. Since Route 66 celebrates its centennial in 2026, this is an especially fun time to explore it.

5 Things for Kids to Do Near Cannon AFB

Still surrounded by PCS boxes? Or maybe you have finally unpacked enough that the kids have started asking, “What are we doing today?” Whether you need somewhere to burn energy, sneak a little learning into the weekend, or simply get everyone out of the house, the Clovis and Portales area has some surprisingly fun family options. Here are five Cannon AFB things to do with kids when boredom starts creeping in.

Clovis-Carver Public Library

The library might become one of your secret weapons during a Cannon assignment. Clovis-Carver Public Library Kids & Teens Services offers programming for several age groups, including Tiny Tots Storytime, preschool storytimes, elementary programs, craft activities, Magic: The Gathering, and seasonal events.

The library also runs a free summer reading program with activities and prizes, making this an especially useful rainy-day, hot-day, or “we need something free to do” option.

One especially useful perk for military families who like to explore New Mexico: the library participates in the New Mexico FamilyPass, which lets patrons check out a pass providing free admission for up to six people at participating state museums and historic sites.

Clovis Community College Interactive Science Museum

If your kids are the type who need to touch everything in a museum, this one was basically made for them. The Clovis Community College Interactive Science Museum is built around hands-on science, with digital microscopes, fossils and bones, a gear table, optical illusions, electrical circuits, audio experiments, Kidzspace, engineering activities, and an outdoor music exhibit.

The museum hosts free Family Nights at least twice each academic semester, and small groups or field trips can also arrange visits by appointment. Check the current schedule before heading over since it does not operate like a traditional daily walk-in museum.

Clovis Aquatic Center

Sometimes the answer to “I’m bored” is simply: go swimming. The Clovis Wellness & Aquatics Center has an indoor public pool offering open swim, lap swim, aquatic programming, and birthday-party rentals. Because it is indoors and intended for year-round use, it can be a particularly useful family activity when the eastern New Mexico weather is not cooperating.

ENMU's Natural History & Mineral Museums

You can turn one trip to Portales into a two-for-one science outing. The Dr. Antonio “Tony” Gennaro Natural History Museum at Eastern New Mexico University introduces kids to the wildlife and biodiversity of eastern New Mexico through preserved specimens and live native species. It is located inside the Roosevelt Science Center and is open on weekdays, excluding university holidays.

Then walk over to the adjacent Miles Mineral Museum, where kids can check out minerals, crystals, meteorites, and geological specimens. The collection contains material connected to everything from Pecos Valley “diamonds” to meteorites, and admission is free.

Williams Livestock Ranch LLC

For kids who would rather meet an animal than look at one behind glass, Williams Livestock Ranch near Portales offers a much more hands-on kind of outing. The family-run ranch hosts activities that can include farm tours, petting zoos, field trips, markets, craft events, and other seasonal family programs.

Because many of the kid-friendly activities happen as scheduled events rather than every day, check ahead before making the drive. The ranch also has a storefront featuring its handmade goat-milk products, so the adults might find something fun there too.

Don’t Miss These Seasonal Events!

Cannon AFB things to do change with the seasons, and some of the most memorable local experiences only come around once a year.

Draggin’ Main

Classic cars take over Clovis during Draggin’ Main, a nostalgic celebration of cruising culture and the city's rock-and-roll history. The 2026 event ran June 14–20 and included a Classic Drive-In Tour, the Hitten’ the Bricks Block Party, the Gearhead Gathering, and the Main Cruise through downtown Clovis.

Even if your kids can’t tell a classic Chevy from the family SUV, there is something fun about watching Main Street fill with vintage cars. The event has become one of Clovis's signature annual celebrations, so check the next year's dates if you are planning ahead.

Smoke on the Water

Celebrate the Fourth of July Clovis-style at Smoke on the Water. Held at Greene Acres Park, the Independence Day celebration brings together live music, vendors, and a fireworks display, making it an easy family tradition to adopt while stationed at Cannon.

Pack lawn chairs or a blanket, arrive early enough to find a good spot, and prepare for one of those community events that can make a new duty station start feeling a little more like home.

Christmas Light Parade

Christmas in eastern New Mexico gets a little brighter during the Clovis Christmas Light Parade. The parade is one of the region's larger holiday celebrations, and previous festivities surrounding parade day have included family activities, downtown shopping, crafts, and visits with Santa.

If this is your family's first holiday season at Cannon, it is an easy local tradition to add to the calendar.

Don’t Miss Out on These Fun Things to Do Near Cannon AFB!

If Cannon AFB is your next assignment, you may quickly discover that enjoying eastern New Mexico is less about finding one giant attraction and more about collecting little experiences along the way.

You can spend one weekend exploring science museums with the kids, the next cruising past classic cars downtown, and another heading out for a New Mexico adventure or an easy Texas day trip.

From local food and military-friendly attractions to date nights, pet-friendly outings, family activities, rodeos, history, outdoor recreation, and seasonal traditions, there are more Cannon AFB things to do than the wide-open landscape might initially suggest. Give Clovis and Portales a chance, explore beyond the gate, and see how many you can check off before your next PCS.