I’m going to a conference for a few days in Albuquerque in April and as I’ve never been there would love to take in the town. I’m not into hiking or nightlife so much, but I love history, good food, anthropology, interesting architecture and native crafts in some order; can anybody recommend the must-see/must-taste attractions of the city?
Also- I have always lived in very humid climates. I’ve wondered if I’ll be unable to breathe (or if I’ll breathe for the first time) out there. Any suggestions?
For good shopping, handcrafts, and foodage, make sure you check out the Old Town section.
I’ve only been to Albuquerque once, but it’s a great town; you’ll have no trouble finding stuff to keep you happily occupied. I don’t know how the climate might affect you; it never bothered me (a humid Chicago native).
I went last fall, and loved it. I especially enjoyed the Petroglyph National Monument, and got a huge kick out of the Sandia Peak Tramway. The tram was expensive, but it was a very cool experience - the view is unbelievable, and although it was 70 degrees in the city, it was almost 0 at the top. Another interesting place was Coronado State Monument, site of the Kuaua pueblo, which was excavated in the 1930s.
I’m from a much lower elevation, and had no real trouble in Albuquerque, even hiking around and climbing hills at the national park. However, when we got to Santa Fe, which is quite a bit higher, I did have some problems with the hills, even though we were only walking and not really exerting ourselves that much.
Another thing I was surprised at was just how dry it is…I know it’s the desert, but I went through bottles of water like crazy.
I hope you have a wonderful trip! Wish I could go!
I was there in June, and I must say Santa Fe is much more interesting than Albuquerque ( though it was a nice view from the top of Sandia Peak). It’s not that far, so if at all possible, rent a car and go there. Great art galleries, etc. Also, take a bit of the Turquoise Trail if you can, preferably in daytime - it’s a totally different side of NM.
Also, it shouldn’t be quite so hot in April as in June when I was there, but yeah, you will be drinking a lot of water.
Santa Fe is much nicer, but they both have their moments. Both towns have old historic centers which are pretty interesting (IMHO).
Even though it’s a chain of 3 or 4 places, I try to eat at a Mexican restaurant called Gorduno’s (there’s a tilde over the “n”) when I’m there, because I’m a total slave to really fiery pork green chili smothered over everything. They have a chalkboard in the entrance which lists the different chilis and how hot they are today. It’s a type pf Mexican I don’t see a lot outside of Colorado and New Mexico, but I think it’s a lot better than all the cheese-smothered shit they have here on the other side of the Mississippi.
If you can, get out to Santa Fe - it’s only about an hour, if you’ve got a free day, you can easily do it. I absolutely love this town. If you can get to Santa Fe on a weekday, definitely check out the (I think vaguely impromptu) Indian market on the plaza, in front of the Palace of the Governor. Or, really, any of the hundreds of galleries in town - the Plaza is just amazing. (and torturous for a flat-broke college student).
I was born and raised in Albuquerque. Great town but I haven’t been there in years.
A couple things. First its Garduno’s, not Gorduno’s. Garduno’s is pretty good but you also might want to try Los Quates. There are two Los Quates, or at least were last time I was in town, directly across from each other on Lomas street. One is kinda shabby the other is really nice. Both have great food. I never did figure out having the two right across the street from each other.
Another cool thing to see it the National Atomic museum. I haven’t been there in years and after looking at the website (http://www.atomicmuseum.com/) it is apparent that they have upgraded stuff since I was there last.
The Tram is cool. The peak has great views and a pretty good resturant up top. The temp change usually isn’t as big as Sinusoidal Saurus experienced. Albuquerque is between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. (The foothills are roughly 6,000). The Peak is 10,000. The temp change is ,IIRC, 3 to 5 degrees per thousand feet usually. If it is 75 in town it’ll probably be 50 or so on the peak.
Old Town in Albuquerque is propbably worth couple hours unless they have made it alot bigger since I was down there last. Old Town in Sante Fe is much nicer. It’s 60 miles some odd miles or so from ABQ to Sante Fe, about an hour drive.
Taos is also really nice if you can find the time to drive up there. It’s about a three hour drive. Taos has some amazing views.
You will have to pay a few bucks to park in the visitor lot on campus but there are plenty of things to see in the area, including UNM’s art museum and several interesting off campus stores.
The restaurant Sleestak is referring to is Los Cuates, which is on Lomas Blvd. just west of San Mateo. If you want to eat dinner there you need to get there about 5:00 pm, as the place gets crowded after that and there may be a wait.
Keep a jacket with you if you are out walking around, as April weather is very unpredictable.
I was in Albuquerque two weeks ago on business. I had great meals at one of the above establishments (their new non-shabby location on Menaul) and at Seferino’s. I also made a very pleasant discovery. Apparently New Mexican cuisine does not include the use of cilantro. That malignant herb has ruined many meals for me and it was refreshing not to have to worry about it.
One of the casinos in the area has $35+5 poker tournaments on Wednesdays and Sundays if you’re into that sort of thing. Unfortunately I found out about it a day too late to play.
that’s what I love about the Dope. We’re going to Albuquerque at the end of the month and I was thinking about posting the same question. Any suggestions for things that kids (11,14) would like? The rattlesnake museum looks great; we’re definitely going there!
If you’re a zoo person, you’ll probably love the Rio Grande Zoo. They have a very successful breeding program, so they tend to get lots of rare and endangered animals. Right now they’re working on an “exotic animals of Australia” exhibit space. Go to the bird show! Feed a giraffe! Watch the seals and sea lions show off as trainers throw them fish!
The aquarium and botanical gardens are neat, too. It’s all under the heading of the Albuquerque Biopark.
Albuquerque is a great town. I’ve been there many times, and all over the state of NM itself and it’s one of my favorite places to be.
I second some of the previous suggestions:
Sandia Tram. We were there in August where it was 90 on the ground and 40 up on the peak. There’s an overpriced restaurant at the top but it’s a good place to duck in and get a hot toddy so you can somewhat adjust your body temperature to the cold.
Rio Grande Zoo
Albuquerque Museum. If you’re a dork like my husband and I, pay a visit to the Albuquerque Museum.
Old Town Albuquerque. Especially if you get a chance to go to a restaurant called Ambrozia. Amazing. The Old Town area has an amazing history so if you get an hour or two to take a walking tour I highly recommend it. Also, if you’re into buying the turquoise jewelry that Native Americans offer (which I am), it’s much more reasonable to buy it in Albuquerque than in Santa Fe. You’ve got more choices in Santa Fe, but things are much cheaper and just as pretty IMO in ALB.
Albuquerque weather is VERY unpredictable. My cousins live there and they’ve often had snowstorms come through that late in the season.
Really take some time to enjoy New Mexican cuisine. It’s not the typical Amer-Mexican food in most restaurants. There’s nothing in the world like Huevos Rancheros slathered in green chile or a well-made chile relleno.
One problem with Albuquerque is that it all shuts down at the end of the workday. I second Old Town and the Atomic Museum if you can get there by mid-afternoon.
One area I haven’t seen mentioned yet is the [url=“http://www.rt66central.com/index.php3”]Nob Hill[/ur] area near UNM. Nob Hill is part of old Route 66 and the overall look has remained unchanged since then. There are plenty of coffeeshops, restaurwants and bars in that area. Even if you’re not into the nightlife, there is still plenty to enjoy there as far as history in architecture. I recommend checking out Kelly’s Restaurant and Pub, which is located at a former car dealership. They’ve maintained the overall look, including a sort of old Texaco logo out front. Go inside and check out the newspaper articles and pictures from the 40s. Note: This isn’t the greatest part of town, but then again, most of Albuquerque is not the greatest part of town.
Staying on Central and heading downtown from Nob Hill, you’ll find another historic-looking district of restaurants and bars. Again, enjoy the architecture and maybe a bite to eat even if you’re not into the nightlife. And again, another not-so-great part of town after the sun goes down.
One of the most notorious places in our pop culture is in Albuquerque. A McDonald’s near the airport was where the little old lady stuck a cup of hot coffee between her legs, and the rest, of course, is history.
I lived in that area for several months while working on an archaeological dig, and I have to add a dissenting voice here. I like Albuquerque far, far better than I ever liked Santa Fe. Not only is it far cheaper and less trendy, it’s easier to get around and more relaxed. For food I’d recommend going to the Church Street Cafe in Old Town. They have wonderful chiles rellenos. Season Rotisserie is good, too, but they’re far pricier.
Also, Bandelier National Monument is really cool. It’s about an hour to an hour and a half outside of Albuquerque, they have some great cliff dwellings. I’d also second Sandia Peak. The tram going up there is the longest in the world. There’s also a trail you can hike if you’ve got the time - it takes about 5 hours and is fairly difficult. It has a lot of switchbacks, but it’s beautiful. They also have skiing up there in the winter, and mountain bike rides down the mountain in the summer. If you do decide to go to the top of the Peak, make sure you bring a jacket. It’s pretty high, so it can get cold up there. My husband and I got engaged on top of the Peak during sunset. It was 20 degrees, and we were freezing our asses off. When he went down on one knee, I thought he dropped something.
There are a lot of other great places to go in the area, too, like the Natural History Museum, the BioPark (they have a surprisingly cool aquarium), Petroglyph National Monument, plus the usual stops like Old Town and Nob Hill, which are especially popular for shopping. There are a ton of great restaurants, too, like Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro in Nob Hill.
If you go at the right time, the Balloon Festival is awesome fun, and so is the New Mexico State Fair.