Albuquerque

Understand

History Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as a small Spanish settlement on the banks of the Rio Grande and was named for the Duke of Alburquerque (hence Albuquerque's nickname, "The Duke City"). In the 1880s the railroad came to town, and almost overnight a new city grew up around the train tracks a couple of miles away from the original settlement. This "New Town" became the hub of commerce for the state, and the city grew exponentially (eventually the "New Town", which today is Downtown, and the original "Old Town" settlement were joined to become part of the same city). In the 1920s the federal government designated a series of highways that ran from Chicago to Los Angeles as Route 66, and Albuquerque was one of the towns "The Mother Road" passed through. Starting in the 1950s, Albuquerque grew exponentially given federal investment in the local military bases and a massive influx of visitors and new residents, and for the most part it hasn't slowed down. Today, Albuquerque is still the hub of commerce and transportation in the state. While Santa Fe is the state capital and the principal tourist destination of New Mexico, Albuquerque is the state's only truly urban area, with a city population of over 500,000 and a metropolitan population of nearly a million people. This is where you'll find the headquarters of the state's businesses, the University of New Mexico, and the Albuquerque International Sunport, the only major airport in the state.

Climate

Albuquerque is in the high semi-desert [35.11N −106.64W (Elev. 4989 ft/1521 m)] and has a generally warm, dry climate with four distinct seasons. Spring is sunny and windy, although temperatures at night can be unexpectedly cool. Summers are hot (highs average around 93 °F (34 °C), lows 68 °F (20 °C), and it's not unheard of for highs to climb upwards to 100 °F (38 °C) with lows of 73 °F (23 °C) or above) and still mainly dry, but monsoonal conditions develop in July or August and produce furious if short-lived thunderstorms. Have rainwear available in the summer, although you won't use it most days. Fall is delightful, with comfortable temperatures and a return to generally dry conditions. Winter can be blustery, with overnight lows below freezing, but subzero temperatures are rare. One winter-weather issue for the traveler: snow, while infrequent and short-lived, does occur, and its relative rarity means that local drivers don't deal with it well. If you happen to be in town for a snowstorm, expect road chaos far out of proportion to the amount of snow that falls.

People Albuquerque's demographic

Getting there

By car Two interstate highways pass through: I-40 goes east–west and I-25 goes north–south. Where they meet is a large intersection called "The Big I". Albuquerque's Central Ave. is part of old Route 66. A minor note of caution: I-25 south of the city is a "safety corridor" in which state law mandates higher fines for traffic violations. Enforcement is spotty, but take the speed limits seriously anyway.

By plane 1 Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ IATA). The major air hub for all of New Mexico. Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United serve the Sunport with limited service from their respective major hubs, but it's Southwest Airlines that operates most traffic into ABQ, with direct service from most western cities and from some of Southwest's hubs in the Midwest and eastern United States. One tip: If you're prone to airsickness, try to get flights into this airport that arrive either before noon or after sundown, particularly during late spring and early summer. The high elevation, hot sun, and spring winds combine to produce thermals that can make afternoon arrivals an extremely bumpy proposition. There are no major safety issues (the airport's runways are long, owing to the adjacent Air Force base, with no nearby obstacles to run into), but try telling your stomach that! The rough ride is less of a problem with outbound flights. Incidentally, this airport has a number of attractive displays of New Mexican arts and crafts, and is a more pleasant place than most airports to kill time while waiting for a flight. The Sunport also has charging stations for electronics and free wireless internet access. The major car rental companies are nearby, with a shuttle from the airport to the large rental center. The airport is served by a number of shuttle services and by local bus #50 on the lower level at the west end of the shuttle island.

By train

Albuquerque is a layover stop along Amtrak's Southwest Chief daily train route. The station is at the 2 Alvarado Transportation Center, in downtown at 320 First St SW (in the same building as the Greyhound depot). The westbound train to Los Angeles is scheduled to arrive at 3:55PM and departs at 4:45PM. The eastbound train to Chicago arrives at 11:42AM and departs at 12:10PM. The station has a small cafeteria. A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, connects Albuquerque to Santa Fe and to the smaller communities north and south along the Rio Grande, including Belen, Los Lunas, and Bernalillo to Belen as its southern terminus. The main station is at the Alvarado Transpo

Getting around

Albuquerque is a heavily planned city. In much of the city, the major roads are lined primarily with businesses with residential mazes on the insides. The city is divided into four quadrants, with street addresses taking the form "12345 Main St. (NE/NW/SE/SW)" in which the NE/NW/SE/SW suffix denotes the quadrant of the city containing the address. The railroad tracks, which run parallel to I-25, are the east–west dividing line, and Central Ave. is the north–south dividing line. Thus, the street address 3600 Menaul NE would be north of Central and east of the railroad tracks. This nomenclature, while useful in helping you with maps and directions, has the drawback that you can't tell whether a street runs north–south or east–west simply by looking at the address. By and large it's difficult to get truly lost in Albuquerque, thanks in large part to the looming presence of the Sandia Mountains to the east. If you can also remember that I-25 runs north–south, I-40 runs east–west, and the Rio Grande runs along the bottom of the valley in the western part of the city, you should be able to make your way around the city without too many problems. Here are some basic terms that will come in handy when asking for directions or looking at a map:

Central Avenue is a principal east–west artery, running roughly parallel to I-40 and through Downtown just west of I-25 and past the University of New Mexico (UNM for short) just east of I-25. The Heights are the eastern part of town closest to the Sandia Mountains. You may also hear reference to the Foothills, which are the most extreme eastern part of the city, right at the base of the mountains. Uptown is a business and shopping district in the Heights at I-40 and Louisiana Blvd. The North Valley and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque (which is a separate municipality from Albuquerque) encompass the area north of I-40 between I-25 and the river. The South Valley is the area south of Central Avenue west of I-25. The Westside is all the suburban neighborhoods on the western side of the river. Rio Rancho, a separate community from Albuquerque, is the metro area's largest suburb and can be considered a northern extension of the Westside. Sandwiched between Albuquerque and Rio Rancho is the village of Corrales, which sits adjacent to the river and has a more rural feel, with a single narrow roadway through town lined with picturesque adobe buildings, many of them containing locally owned shops.

By car If you're driving, be prepared for frequent road construction. The city government web site gives information on major construc

See

Albuquerque Biological Park, ☏ +1 505 768-2000. Includes the city's aquarium, botanical garden, zoo, and Tingley Beach (see below under Do). Combo tickets for the Biological Park can be purchased and include the price of train rides on a small narrow-gauge train running between the Aquarium/Botanic Garden and the Zoo. The train runs Tu–Su from around 10AM–4PM at 30-min intervals. 1 ABQ BioPark Zoo, 903 Tenth St SW (just SW of downtown). 9AM–5PM daily, except major holidays. It may not be as big as your average big city zoo, but this zoo is surprisingly comprehensive for its size, with most of the popular species you can expect to find at any good zoo: polar bears, lions, zebras, tigers, giraffes, elephants, gorillas, etc. And like any good zoo, the animals are in nice, naturalistic exhibits. The highlight exhibit areas are the seals, the polar bears, a large Africa area, and a large elephant enclosure. Every day there are scheduled feedings of the seals and the polar bears; during the warmer months more feeding times, activities, and outdoor concerts are scheduled. A small narrow-gauge train runs through the zoo (Tu–Su 10AM–3:30PM at 20-min intervals), with a conductor pointing out some of the animals and explaining what goes on behind-the-scenes. A separate train line runs to the Aquarium/Botanic Garden. $12.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children, under age 3 free (train rides require separate admission, unless you have a combo ticket). (updated Jun 2017) 2 ABQ BioPark Aquarium, 2601 Central Ave NW (just east of the Rio Grande). 9AM–5PM daily, except major holidays. Albuquerque's small but pleasant aquarium is well-curated, with exhibits designed to simulate the Rio Grande and the saltwater marshes of the Gulf of Mexico before moving on to ocean species. Among the sea creatures on display are jellyfish, seahorses, eels, and plenty of colorful reef fish, with the highlight being a huge tank at the end with sharks, sea turtles, and rays. Divers enter the big tank every day from 2–3PM to feed the fish. $12.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children, under age 3 free (includes admission to Botanic Garden; train rides require separate admission, unless you have a combo ticket). (updated Jun 2017) 3 ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave NW (just east of the Rio Grande). 9AM–5PM daily, except major holidays. Next door to the Aquarium, this expansive botanical garden is one of Albuquerque's real gems. The place is an oasis with a variety of gardens to explore, with an emphasis on high desert plants but also with many highlight exhibits that are great for children: an indoo

Do

Outdoors 1 Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd, ☏ +1 505 897-8831. Tu–Su 9AM–5PM. The center for the city's open space program, which encompasses land from around the city to preserve for environmental and recreational use. The visitor center has exhibits on the natural and cultural resources of the area, an art gallery, a nature area, and views of the bosque and mountains. Free. (updated Jun 2017) 2 Petroglyph National Monument, visitor center at 6001 Unser Blvd NW, ☏ +1 505 899-0205 ext 331. Daily 8AM–5PM. On the west side of town, Petroglyph is a unit of the United States National Park System and preserves a significant archaeological site with an impressive number of petroglyphs. Despite their proximity to an urban center, the petroglyphs are in good condition with very little vandalism or theft. The monument has a visitor center with some interpretive exhibits and a few short trails that lead past numerous petroglyphs. Also within the monument are a series of volcanic cinder cones overlooking the city, accessible by hiking trails from Atrisco Vista Blvd along the backside of the monument. Free, parking at Boca Negra Canyon trailhead $1 weekdays/$2 weekends. (updated Jun 2017) 3 Rio Grande Valley State Park. A very pleasant state park running along the banks of the Rio Grande through Albuquerque. The park encompasses almost the entirety of the bosque (cottonwood forest) in the city, which is home to much wildlife, such as geese, roadrunners, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, and numerous other species. Numerous trails criss-cross the park, most notably the Paseo del Bosque paved bike/walk trail which runs the length of the park and offers a scenic walk or bike ride. The park's trails are also utilized by an active equestrian community in the area. There are also several picnic areas and wetland areas, with the two most prominent listed below. Free. 4 Rio Grande Nature Center, 2901 Candelaria Rd NW, ☏ +1 505 344-7240. 10AM–5PM daily. The bosque provides a tranquil setting for this small but delightful nature center, with its wildlife pond and exhibits on the native wildlife. Nature lovers will particularly enjoy the enclosed views of the pond behind the visitor center. Two short trails head into the bosque from the visitor center. Free, parking $3. (updated Jun 2017) 5 Tingley Beach, Tingley Dr, just S of Central Ave (just east of the Rio Grande). Daily, sunrise to sunset. A facility of the Albuquerque Biological Park, this park along the Rio Grande has fishing ponds for adults and children, a model boating pond, a cafe, and a gift shop where you

Buy

Upon first glance, it might seem like your only place to shop are the miles and miles of strip malls that line the major arterials. While that's not entirely the case, everything is really spread out, with the exception of the concentrated Old Town-Downtown-Nob Hill area along Central Ave. So while you can find just about anything you're looking for, you will probably have to drive a ways to get it. Here are some good places around town to shop:

Old Town, at Central & Rio Grande. If you're looking for all the "New Mexican" shops, this is probably the next best thing to Santa Fe. Granted, some of it is tacky souvenir stuff, but there are also plenty of quality gift shops with authentic Native American and Southwestern art. You can also find plenty of antiques, art galleries, jewelry, pottery, weavings, clothing stores, and other specialty shops. 2 Albuquerque Photographer's Gallery, 303 Romero St NW, STE N208 (upstairs), ☏ +1 505 244-9195. M–Sa 11AM–5:30PM, Su noon–5PM. A juried photography co-op of award-winning photographers, representing a wide variety of styles and techniques. 3 Amapola Gallery, 205 Romero St NW, ☏ +1 505 242-4311. Daily 10AM–5PM. Co-op of 40 contemporary artists selling a wide variety of southwestern arts and crafts. 4 The Candy Lady, 424 San Felipe St NW (corner of Charlevoix and San Felipe), ☏ +1 505 243-6239. M 11AM–5PM, Tu W noon–5PM, Th 11AM–5PM, F Sa 11AM–6PM, Su noon–5PM. A popular candy shop with lots of homemade fudge, chocolates, caramels, and other sweets, though it has also gained notice for providing the blue-colored hard candy that served as the meth prop in the locally-set Breaking Bad television series. You can buy a bag of a faithful recreation of the prop, which is now one of the shop's most popular products. 5 Mama's Minerals, 800 20th St NW (at 20th and Bellamah, behind Hotel Albuquerque), ☏ +1 505 266-8443. M–F 9AM–7PM, Sa 10AM–6PM, Su 11AM–5PM. A wonderful store with an extensive collection of minerals, geologic specimens, gems, beads, supplies for the geologist, information about local geology, and more. Anyone even slightly interested in geology could spend a lot of time here. 6 Old Town Emporium, 204 San Felipe NW, ☏ +1 505 842-8102. M–Sa 9AM–8PM, Su 9AM–6PM. A very large gift shop with all the typical tourist kitsch, which certainly has its charm. 7 Tanner Chaney Gallery, 323 Romero St NW, ☏ +1 505 247-2242. M–Sa 10AM–5:30PM, Su noon–5:30PM. A long-standing business selling native arts and crafts. Downtown, particularly along Central and Gold Aves. (one block S of Central). While downtown has plent

Eat

Dining out in Albuquerque tends to be relatively inexpensive and very casual. Many places offer outdoor seating. Iced tea is the beverage of choice.

New Mexican dining New Mexican cuisine is unique. Be ready for the question "Red or green?" or in Spanish "¿Rojo o verde?" which refers to the chile-based sauce included in or used to smother various menu items. There are constant arguments as to which is hotter, the ripe and often dried red chile, or the immature green chile; however, spiciness depends much more on the strain of pepper and how the chile is prepared rather than the color, and varies greatly by restaurant, so inquire and experiment. Many meals will include sopaipillas, the characteristic New Mexican fry bread, as a side. The characteristic desserts are flan, a type of custard, or Natillas, closer in texture to pudding.

Budget Acapulco (2 locations), ☏ +1 505 268-9865. Serves excellent New Mexican cuisine from a stand. 1 , 840 San Mateo Blvd SE (near the Kirtland AFB Truman Gate). 7:30AM-7PM. (updated Jan 2023) 2 , 2617 Wyoming Blvd NE. (updated Jan 2023) 3 Church Street Cafe, 2111 Church St NW (in Old Town behind the church), ☏ +1 505 247-8522. Th–Sa 8AM–8PM, Su–W 8AM–4PM. A cozy little restaurant with good New Mexican food tucked away down a side alley of Old Town. $6–15. 4 Durans Central Pharmacy, 1815 Central Ave NW, ☏ +1 505 247-4141. M–F 9AM–6PM, Sa 9AM–2PM. An inexpensive lunch counter in the back of a pharmacy serving cheap, hearty New Mexican cuisine. $5–9. 5 Little Anita's, regional chain, original in Old Town at 2105 Mountain Rd NW, ☏ +1 505 242-3102. 7AM–9PM daily. Consistent, great quality food with great service and atmosphere. $3–7. 6 Los Cuates, regional chain, main location at 4901 Lomas NE, ☏ +1 505 268-0974. 11AM–9PM daily. A pleasant sit-down restaurant with a milder chile. $4–10. Milly's (2 locations). Flavorful but not-too-hot chile. $3–8. 7 , 7308 Jefferson St NE, ☏ +1 505 345-9200. M–F 6:30AM–3PM, Sa-Su 7AM-7PM. (updated Jan 2023) 8 , 2100 Candelaria Road, ☏ +1 505 884-0707. M–F 6:30AM–3PM, Sa 6AM-2PM. (updated Jan 2023) 9 Papa Felipe's Mexican Restaurant, 9800 Menaul Blvd NE, ☏ +1 505 292-8877, [email protected]. Su-Th 11AM–9PM, F Sa 11AM–10PM. Home-cooked, authentic New Mexican cuisine since 1977. Lunch and Senior specials. Full bar and happy hour. $7.50–20. 10 Perea's, 1140 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, ☏ +1 505 293-0157. M–Sa 7AM–8PM, Su 7AM–2PM. May have the hottest green chile in town. 11 Sadie's of New Mexico, regional chain, original at 6230 4th St NW, ☏ +1 505 345-5339. M–Sa 11AM–10PM, Su 11AM–9PM.

Drink & nightlife

Downtown 1 Anodyne, 409 Central Ave NW, ☏ +1 505 244-1820. Downtown hipster bar. 100 different icy beers, pool tables galore and a killer jukebox. 2 Downtown Distillery, 406 Central Ave SW, ☏ +1 505 765-1534. M–F 11AM–2AM, Sa 5PM–2AM. Long bar downstairs; pool lounge and bar upstairs. Jaeger specials, to say the least. 3 G.Toti, 125 Second Street NW (in the Hotel Andaluz), ☏ +1 505 242-9090. M–F 11AM–2AM, Sa 5PM–2AM. Rooftop bar and dining with 30's and 40's themes. 4 Launchpad, 618 Central Ave SW, ☏ +1 505 764-8887. Hours vary; check ahead for concert schedule. Well established music venue and rock bar and perhaps the best place to see live music in town. 5 Library Bar & Grill, 312 Central Ave SW, ☏ +1 505 242-2992. M–Sa 11AM–2AM, Su noon–midnight. School girl dress bartenders serve bikers by day and club goers by night. 6 Marble Brewery, 111 Marble St NW, ☏ +1 505 243-2739. M–Sa 1PM–midnight, Su 1–10:30PM. Fine local micro brewery in Albuquerque's industrial heart. Limited food selection, but in a taproom -- that's the point.

Nob Hill & UNM

7 Copper Lounge, 1504 Central Ave SE, ☏ +1 505 242-7490. M–Sa 11AM–2AM. Dark dive bar, but extremely friendly patrons. Best beer special in town—$2.50 drafts on Wednesday nights. 8 Gecko's Bar & Tapas, 3500 Central Ave SE, ☏ +1 505 262-1848. M–Sa 11:30AM–2AM, Su 11AM–midnight. Great atmosphere and an excellent patio for people watching. The tapas are great bar food. 9 Two Fools Tavern, 3211 Central Ave NE, ☏ +1 505 265-7447. M–Sa 11AM–2AM, Su 11AM–midnight. Irish beers and music abound. Good beer and wine. $3.75 bottled beer, $5–16 wines, scotches, whiskeys.

North I-25 Corridor & Heights 10 Billy's Long Bar, 4800 San Mateo Blvd NE, ☏ +1 505 889-0573. M–Sa 11AM–2AM, Su noon–midnight. Wide variety of beers on tap. 11 Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Rd NE, ☏ +1 505 881-2737. Su–Th noon–10PM, F Sa noon–midnight. A long-standing microbrewery with a loyal following. Small food selection. 12 Horse & Angel Tavern, 5809 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, ☏ +1 505 299-0225. Daily 11AM–1:30PM. Very large selection of domestic and imported beers on tap, good food with an excellent human resources department (mostly very attractive UNM girls). Laid back, but not too laid back. 13 La Cumbre, 3313 Girard NE, ☏ +1 505 872-0225. Daily noon-closing time. A microbrewery opened by a former brewer from Chama River Brewing Co. 14 Nexus Brewery, 4730 Pan American Fwy East, Suite D, ☏ +1 505 242-4100. Su–W 1PM–10PM, Th–Sa 1PM–midnight. A new microbrewery. 15 Stone Face Package Liquors, 8201 San Pedro Dr NE (near Paseo del Norte), ☏ +1

Sleep

If you want a nicer—and pricier—hotel, then head east on I-40 to "uptown" (in the northeast side of the city, which is at higher elevation than "downtown" close to the river) or north on I-25. If you don't mind less free stuff, Central Ave. (old Route 66) is cheaper. However, there are some real dives along Central Avenue, many with unsavory reputations and occasional police raids. Hotels around the airport are generally vanilla-flavored, business-traveler places, but at least are somewhat less expensive than airport hotels in many cities. There are a few nice highrise hotels in the Downtown/Old Town area. Lodging Per Diem is $75. Albuquerque is experiencing a massive wave of hotel building, mainly in the "Mid-range" class. This apparently is driven in part by the infamous lodging shortages during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in October. The result is that during other parts of the year, affordable hotels shouldn't be too hard to find. Even with the growth in the hotel market, lodging can be tight for the Fiesta, so if you're coming then, reserve well in advance—months rather than days. For some free lodgings try looking for cafes where bands are playing (normally on the weekends) and ask among the punk kids and see if they'll help. Even they, however, may not have much space during the Balloon Fiesta.

Budget 1 Sandia Peak Inn – Albuquerque, 4614 Central Ave SW, ☏ +1 505-569-0645. Festive appearance, with an indoor pool and free breakfast. $65 (Dec 2021). 2 Quality Inn & Suites, 6100 Iliff Rd NW, ☏ +1 505-836-8600. Indoor hot tub and pool, complimentary breakfast. $62 (Dec 2021). 3 Rodeway Inn Airport, 2300 International Ave SE (off Yale N of the airport), ☏ +1 505 244-3325, fax: +1 505 244-3312, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Probably the cheapest of the several cookie-cutter hotels near the Albuquerque airport. $60–70. 4 Suburban Extended Stay, 2401 Wellesley Dr, ☏ +1 505 883-8888, fax: +1 505 883-2830, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. In a business district near the midtown area of Albuquerque. $60–70. 5 Econo Lodge Old Town, 2321 Central Ave NW, ☏ +1 505-243-8475. The indoor pool and hot tub are pretty petite, but better than nothing. $50 (Dec 2021).

Mid-range 6 Best Western Rio Grande Inn, 1015 Rio Grande Blvd (north of Old Town at the intersection of I-40/Rio Grande), ☏ +1 505 843-9500, fax: +1 505 843-9238, [email protected]. Basic chain motel which has the advantage of being right near Old Town. $90–120. 7 Bottger Mansion of Old Town, 110 San Felipe St NW (S of

Go next

North of Albuquerque:

Santa Fe, one of the world's great travel destinations, is about 60 miles (97 km) to the north. The direct route is via I-25, but if you have time and the weather forecast is good, consider taking instead the "Turquoise Trail" (NM SR 14) on the east side of the Sandia Mountains. If you'd rather not drive, you can also take the Rail Runner commuter train straight into the heart of the city. If taking the Turquoise Trail, stop at Madrid, an artist community along the way. There's a small selection of galleries, a glass blower and decent tavern for lunch. Another attraction on the route is the Tinkertown Museum near Cedar Crest, which contains a large collection of wood carvings and Americana. Bernalillo is 15 miles (24 km) north on I-25 and is connected via the Rail Runner commuter train. The Coronado State Monument is a notable attraction, as well as the Santa Ana Pueblo's casino and golf course, which are right next to Bernalillo. There are several Native American pueblos between Albuquerque and Santa Fe just off I-25. Some of them offers attractions and a chance to explore the area. If you have a few hours to kill, consider a detour to Cochiti Pueblo and the Kasha–Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. This little known monument, open for day use ($5/vehicle), contains some gorgeous natural scenery and geologic formations, such as a narrow slot canyon you can hike through. To get there, get off at the Santo Domingo Pueblo exit (Exit 259) and follow the signs up SR 22 and onto a gravel road to the monument. The pretty Jemez Mountains offer pleasant hiking and fishing in the summer and can be good for skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, although snowpack varies greatly from year to year and may be insufficient for winter sports. Take I-25 north to Bernalillo, then US 550 to San Ysidro, where NM 4 (502 on some maps) takes off through the astonishing red rock of San Diego Canyon and into the Jemez. Los Alamos and Bandelier National Monument are also to the north, and about as distant from Albuquerque via the Jemez route as via the Santa Fe route. Beyond Santa Fe lies the beauty and cultural color of north central New Mexico—Taos, Sangre de Cristo Mountains, etc. South of Albuquerque:

Isleta Pueblo, off of I-25 just south of the city, is a small Native American village with the St. Augustine Church, a large white mission and one of the oldest in the nation. Take the Isleta Pueblo exit (NM 314) and drive south until you reach the village. Belen is about 30 miles (48 km) south and makes a good day trip. Mountainair, about a 90-min. d