From early nomadic Native Americans to modern day movie stars, Gallup has always been a favorite place for travelers to stop, and it's not hard to see why.

Gallup - surrounded by flat desert lands and stunning rock formations - is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors. Nearby Red Rock State Park offers lots of opportunities for hiking, biking and rock climbing among cliffs formed more than 250 million years ago. And Bluewater Lake State Park's reservoir and creek offer fishing year round.

Other surrounding parks highlight Gallup's unique history. El Morro National Monument is home to the historic El Morro bluff, a popular stopping point for travelers from early Native Americans to Spanish and American frontiersmen. Visitors can read through the more than 2,000 inscriptions and petroglyphs left behind by travelers and also check out Ancestral Puebloan ruins. Nearby Chaco Culture National Historic Park also showcases Puebloan ruins as well as a comprehensive museum dedicated to Native American artifacts.

In Gallup itself, vacationers can visit a number of downtown art galleries or simply stroll the streets to catch a glimpse of the area's popular mural project, which highlights the talents of local artists. The town is also home to the Historic El Rancho Hotel. On the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel was built as a retreat for movie stars filming in the area and hosted legends such as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.

Vacationers who come in August can take in the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, a days-long event featuring authentic Native American food, rodeos, dances, a parade and a marketplace selling traditional rugs, baskets and other goods. In December, the Red Rock Balloon Rally brings hundreds of hot air balloons to Red Rock State Park.

So give Gallup a try - thousands of travelers over the last few hundred years can't be wrong.