Located in the southwest corner of New Mexico, Carlsbad serves as the tourism capital of the area. The city sits on the banks of the Pecos River, just a short drive from the Texas border. This is a land of extremes, with summer yielding high temperatures and violent thunderstorms, spring delivering strong winds and winter defined by cold and dry conditions. The area is most popular for Carlsbad Caverns National Park, attracting over half-a-million visitors each year to see one of the largest underground chambers in the world. Carlsbad has many additional attractions such as the Living Desert State Park and Zoo, go-kart racing, Lake Carlsbad Golf Course and a performing arts center. In the summer, visitors enjoy the 125 acres (51 ha) along the Pecos River called Beach Park, a great place to play, picnic, fish, swim, walk and charter a river cruise.