If you’ve ever spotted the World’s Largest Pistachio rising out of the New Mexico desert and wondered if it was worth pulling over… the answer is yes. McGinn’s PistachioLand is one of those quirky roadside attractions that starts with a photo op and quickly turns into a full experience. Located just outside Alamogordo, this family-run farm operates 111 acres of pistachio trees and vineyard, blending agriculture, history, and road trip fun in a way that feels uniquely New Mexico.
In this post, we’re sharing what it’s really like to visit McGinn’s PistachioLand- from riding the open-air tram through the orchard and vineyard to sampling flavored pistachios, tasting local wine, and yes, trying pistachio ice cream. We’ll also cover what to expect from the tours, the store, and the iconic giant pistachio itself, so you can decide if this stop deserves a spot on your itinerary. If you’re looking for fun, unexpected things to do in New Mexico, especially on a road trip through the southern part of the state, this is one stop you won’t want to skip.
Everything You Need to Know to Visit McGinn’s PistachioLand
If you’re driving through southern New Mexico and spot a giant green pistachio looming in the distance… congrats, you’ve found PistachioLand. McGinn’s PistachioLand is part roadside attraction, part working farm, and part snack break you didn’t know you needed.
Set just outside Alamogordo along US Highway 54/70, this family-run farm has been growing pistachios (and grapes!) for decades, and they’ve turned it into a surprisingly fun stop whether you’re traveling with kids, road-tripping as adults, or just need an excuse for ice cream.
Address
7320 US HWY 54/70, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Website & Online Store
Hours
- Country Store: Daily, 9am–5pm
- Farm Tours: 10am–4pm
- Ice Cream Parlor: 10am–5pm
PistachioLand Farm Tours
The farm tour is the heart of PistachioLand and well worth the small fee if you’re curious about how pistachios actually make it from tree to snack bowl.
Tour Details
- Offered daily from 10am–4pm
- $4 per person
- Book online (up to 10 minutes before tour time)
- Arrive 10 minutes early to check in at the store
- Tour waivers required
- No pets allowed on the tram
You’ll hop on an open-air tram that takes you through the pistachio orchard and vineyard while guides share:
- The McGinn family’s farming history
- How pistachios are grown, harvested, and processed
- How their vineyard and wine production fits into the farm
The tour lasts about 30 minutes, making it an easy add-on to a road trip day without feeling like a big commitment.
McGinn’s Country Store
Even if you skip the tour, the country store alone is reason enough to stop.
Inside you’ll find:
- Pistachios in many flavors
- Candies and sweet treats
- Local New Mexico products
- Gifts, souvenirs, and edible road-trip impulse buys
Free wine tasting is available with a valid ID, and yes, pets are allowed in the store, which is always a win when traveling with a dog.
The Ice Cream Parlor
Let’s talk about the real MVP: the ice cream.
The star is their homemade pistachio ice cream, made using an original recipe with natural ingredients and coloring (aka, it actually tastes like pistachios, not neon green sugar). They also serve other homemade flavors and Blue Bell flavors.
It’s the perfect cool-down stop after wandering around outside in the New Mexico sun.
The World’s Largest Pistachio
You truly can’t miss it. Towering over the property, the World’s Largest Pistachio was built in 2007 by Tim McGinn as a tribute to his father, Tom McGinn, who originally founded the farm.
Over the years, it’s become a full-on roadside icon- visited by TV shows, celebrities, and countless road trippers pulling over for photos. Is it delightfully ridiculous? Yes. Is it worth stopping for? Also yes.
Our Experience at McGinn’s PistachioLand and Honest Review
We kicked things off with the tram tour, which ended up being a great way to get oriented and learn a bit before wandering around on our own. Our guide, AJ, was fantastic- super personable, easy to listen to, and clearly knew their stuff. The tour itself is on the shorter side, but for the price, it still felt totally worth it. We rode through both the pistachio orchard and the vineyard and picked up lots of interesting facts about how everything is grown and produced along the way.
After the tour, we headed inside to explore the country store, and honestly, we could’ve spent way too much money if we didn’t have some restraint. We stocked up on items for our Christmas gift baskets and sampled… a lot. There are so many flavored pistachio varieties, plus other locally made foods, souvenirs, and gifts- it’s one of those places where you keep finding “just one more thing” to add to your basket.
Next up was the free wine tasting, which ended up being another highlight. We tasted four different wines and learned a bit about each one as we went. The wine was very reasonably priced, so of course we walked out with a couple bottles for ourselves and grabbed a few more for gifts.
Once we wrapped up inside, we headed back out for photos with the World’s Largest Pistachio, because you can’t not do that. It’s such a classic roadside attraction moment and a fun excuse to take a break and snap a few pictures.
We finished our visit with pistachio ice cream. Neither of us are huge pistachio ice cream people, but it felt mandatory at this point, and we’re glad we tried it. It was genuinely good, even if it didn’t convert us into full-on pistachio ice cream enthusiasts.
Overall, this was a surprisingly fun stop, and we spent way more time here than we expected. McGinn’s PistachioLand has clearly done a great job diversifying what they offer, from tours to tastings to shopping and treats, and it really shows. It’s one of those places that starts as a quick roadside stop and turns into a full experience without you even realizing it.
