We’ll be in Albuquerque in early Nov. for a conference. DH is a trailing spouse and is looking for things to do while I am busy. We don’t want to have to rent a car to see things and we don’t have time to drive out to Santa Fe etc. Any recs re museums, homes, shops, galleries etc.? We have reservations for Sandiago Grill (after Sandia tram), Farm and Table, and Ranchers Club of New Mexico. Antiquity is highest rated restaurant in town, but seems sort of generic high end food, and I can get that at home. I’m looking for local atmosphere. Any recommendations for the particular and local? ( I never watched Breaking Bad so all refs will go over my head).
You don’t have to drive to Santa Fe…there is a light rail train that goes there…and it’s a really nice ride.
Good to know! I assumed we would have to rent a car.
Albuquerque’s Old Town is nice but doesn’t hold a candle to Santa Fe.
Long-time ABQ resident here.
You will need to rent a car if you want to get around ABQ. There is a light rail system that goes up to Santa Fe–with a station near downtown ABQ and another off north 4th St., but public transit around ABQ itself is poor. ABQ is like most western cities and has sprawled out wide. There is no one compact center city.
BTW, if you do take the train to Santa Fe, be aware the depot is almost a mile from the Plaza. Wear your walking shoes.
Where will you be staying? Downtown (near the Hyatt and the Convention Center) Uptown (near Coronado Mall and the Sheraton) or Old Town?
The food is Santiago’s is merely OK, but the views are spectacular, esp around sunset… Margaritas are pretty good, though.
Farm & Table can be hit or miss, I recommend Los Poblanos (https://lospoblanos.com) instead. Beautiful location. Great food. You can watch the llamas graze in the lavender fields while you eat.
Also take a look at Zinc and Artichoke Cafe–both are perennially among the best restaurants in the city.
If you want local flavor–and like New Mexican food–I can recommend several places. A favorite is El Pinto–it’s in the North Valley in a sprawling old adobe house with a beautiful patio for outdoor seating–though by November it’ll be pretty chilly for dinner on the patio.
Also the Pueblo Harvest Cafe at Indian Cultural Center features a contemporary interpretation of Native American cuisine.
For a funky breakfast or lunch–try The Grove Cafe & Market in EDO (East of DOwntown). It’s where Walt poisoned Lydia on Breaking Bad, but ABQ all knew and loved the place long before the TV show. It offers interesting local & organic fare.
ABQ has a very large number of microbreweries. (It’s all those retired National Lab chemists… <–joking!.) A number have won national awards for their various beers and ciders. If you or your husband are beer drinkers, I have some favorite breweries to recommend–or at least a couple to stay away from…
Museums in ABQ--Abq Art Museum in Old Town is a pleasant afternoon. The Natural History Museum is right across the street of you want to make it a two-fer. UNM's Maxwell Museum of Anthropology has extensive collection of Anasazi and Mogollon artifacts. Some Clovis artifacts too. The All Pueblo Indian Cultural Center is more than just a museum. it also has live demonstrations of traditional and contemporary Puebloan arts & culture.
The Anderson-Abruzzo Balloon Museum in the NW part of town on the grounds of NM International Balloon Fiesta Park, if either of your are interested in ballooning and lighter-than-air flight.
Petrogylph National Monument on ABQ's West Mesa (west side of the Rio Grande) has walking trails that take you through the black basalt escarpment and to hundreds of petroglyphs.
If you & your husband are willing to go farther afield--Acoma is about an hour west of ABQ. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in what is now the US. It pre-dates the arrival of the Spanish in the 1400s. Great museum that is open to public with tons of Puebloan artifacts, but you can't go up to the cliff top city without a guide since people still live there.
I also suggest you check to see if there any Feast Days scheduled for the time your here.
<a href="https://www.indianpueblo.org/19-pueblos/feast-days/">https://www.indianpueblo.org/19-pueblos/feast-days/</a>
Many of the dances are open to public. (Just remember that these dances are a sacred activity for the Pueblo people akin to high holy Mass. Be respectful. Don't take photos or videos of the dances or dancers.) There are usually craft & food sales at the dances.
If you go to Santa Fe, the Palace of the Governor is a must see. There's a Georgia O'Keefe Museum just off the Plaza, but I always find it disappointing as most of her best known works are elsewhere.
There are a number of nice galleries downtown and in Old Town ABQ.
But if you want galleries–Santa Fe has a billion more. On the Plaza and on Water Street. Shidoni Galleries in Tesuque has contemporary bronze and stone sculptures, but you’ll need a car since it’s not in Santa Fe proper, but north of town. Also consider the Meow Wolf for an immersive contemporary art experience.
If you're going to ride the Tram, be sure you bring both water & snacks with you--the restaurant to the top of the tram was supposed to be open by now, but isn't. Also bring a warm coat. Temperatures are as much as 40 degrees colder at the top of the mountains. There is well marked trail along the top of the ridge that you takes north & south from the upper tram platform. If you head north, you'll end up at the Sandia Peak Visitor Center which is at the terminus of Sandia Crest Highway (old state road 14). There's viewing platform and all the city's TV & radio broadcast towers.
If you do take the tram to the top of the mountain, be aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness. Most forms are mild & transient, but HAPE and HACE can be life threatening. (And they can strike anyone at any time, even people who are healthy and in good physical condition.)
Also bring sweater/jackets with you when you go out in the late afternoon & evening. Because of the dry climate there is 20-30 degree temperature swing between day and night. Once the sun starts to set, it gets cold here fast.
If you have any specific questions--feel free to ask. Second the recommendation for Shidoni Galleries–it’s and outdoor sculpture gallery and you can also see the artists at work. I thought it was worth the effort to rent a car and see it. We also did a day trip from Santa Fe to the town of Chimayo, which we enjoyed–great old church, weavers, etc. While there we had a great meal at Rancho de Chimayo.
If you decide to rent a car to drive to Santa Fe, take the “back way”, Highway 14, or the turquoise trail instead of I-25. Much more scenic, and you’ll pass through the “ghost town” of Madrid along the way. It used to be an abandoned mining town, but is now an artist/craftsman enclave.
@thumper1 - thanks for the Roadrunner tip! I’m heading to ABQ with my 2 best friends for the Fiesta and while we will have a rental car, we’re planning a day trip to Santa Fe on our last day (we don’t fly out until 8:30 pm) - the idea of taking the train (so inexpensive) appeals to all of us, and adds another layer of fun and experience. It might change how we experience Santa Fe (2 of us are major walkers one is still recovering from knee replacement, it’s been a year but she won’t do her exercises damn her!).
@WayOutWestMom are ther taxis or uber from the Santa Fe train station to the Plaza area?
Thanks for all the suggestions! @WayOutWestMom, we are staying at the Hyatt Regency (it’s the convention site).
Do I really need to rent a car if we stay in ABQ and use Uber? I would really, really rather not rent a car.
Re the breweries: I got a recommendation for Tractor from someone I know who has a small craft brewery in Monmouth County NJ.
You can always use Uber, both in ABQ and Santa Fe.
Kiddos used to Uber downtown because the parking downtown is terrible.
Taxis are hard to find unless you’re at the airport. You’ll need to call and request one.
But except for a some hotels and restaurants and city, state and federal government offices, there is not much Downtown. Busy during the day, but pretty deserted at night.
Tractor is pretty good… The brewery is in an gritty industrial area (Wells Park) that’s squeezed in between Downtown & I-40. Tractor has 3 taprooms–one in Nob Hill (bit hard to find–it’s in an alley behind a couple of businesses off Central Ave), Four Hills (Tramway & Central, near the east I-40 entrance to the city) and the Westside.
IMO, Marble has better beer. (http://www.marblebrewery.com) My Ds like their Double White and IPA, but I’m partial to the Wildflower Wheat. Marble has 3 locations–the main brewery is on Marble Avenue near downtown. Plus they have 2 taprooms–one in the NE Heights and one on the Westside. Marble at the brewery location has a limited menu (snacks & sandwiches) but there are food trucks in the parking lot most evenings.
http://www.marblebrewery.com
La Cumbres is the biggest and best known outside of NM. Multiple award-winning beers.
http://www.lacumbrebrewing.com
There are probably 25+ breweries in ABQ. About half that number in Santa Fe.
Avoid Kelley’s…
Two Fools Tavern in Nob Hill serves over 50 different beers with about 20 on tap. Two Fools is a faux Irish pub with real Irish food.
@JustaMom, we went to the Balloon fiesta last year and it was AWESOME. Make sure you get up early and see the early morning stuff at least once. We loved it so much we got up at 330 am to drive from Santa Fe twice.
Day trips to Roswell and Taos. (or one…)
@1214mom I went last year for my first time (bucket list item for me), and my 2 best friends (and my travel buddies) were so blown away by me going up as part of the mass ascension (special shapes no less!) they insisted we go together this year! We’ll also go up as part of the mass ascension. It was the most fun and thrilling thing to witness! Oh yes, 4:00 am wake ups, naps from noon-thirty to three-thirty, and back out again for the evening events. I told them sleep is for when you get home! ?
We missed the balloons several years ago on our NM trip due to poor morning weather. Stayed in Santa Fe and did the Los Alamos trip- great for STEM people. Plus the petroglyphs and others. Deserts not my style however and retired to a wetter climate (FL).
When we travel we do regular restaurants, not the high end ones. I recall many local options that were casual- plenty of chilis…
We loved getting chile at the Duran Central Pharmacy lunchroom. If you like old-school, unfancy places, this is it.
French cafe in the Old Town next to the art museum. I went there for lunch. It has a couple of cozy tables outside in the side alley. www.lacrepemichel.com
I also went to a concert in the Hispanic Cultural Center. Drive to Santa Fe through the former mining towns was nice
@WayOutWestMom, on the strength of your recommendation we cancelled the Ranchers Club of New Mexico reservation and replaced it with Los Poblanos. My “source” at the brewpub has a brother who lives in Albuquerque and he gives a big thumbs down to the Ranchers Club. Thank you!
@NJSue Rancher’s Clubs is Ok if you like steaks and the steakhouse type sides (but honestly Ruth Chris has them beat hands down…). I’ve never been impressed. I think I ate there once and never went back.
Hope you enjoy Los Poblanos!
@Tanbiko Le Crepe Michel has been around ever since I’ve lived here. Almost 40 years now. It’s a staple. Wonderful food, but the service can be a tad slow sometimes.
@Hanna. Duran’s is always fun, but the chile is sometimes too spicy for out-of-towners. If you like Duran’s Pharmacy, they have a second location called Duran’s Station–because it’s located inside an old fire station-- at Menaul & Washington. Same food. Same family owns it. Duran’s Station is close to UNM and Coronado Mall. Unlike the original site on Central near Old Town, Duran’s Station has a beer & wine license.
We lucked out at the Balloon Fiesta! We flew in a ballon on site Thursday morning which was exquisite and amazingly fun. We had a pilot who skimmed the trees and did a soft footprint touchdown on the Rio Grande! The nighttime glow that night was a bust (due to wind) but the fireworks were amazing!
The train to Santa Fe was great and we met a local Native American young man who is an incredible guitarist and was warm and friendly (we always meet great people on our travels). We loved Canyon Road, ate lunch at The Shed, and were (unfortunately) disappointed in the Plaza area (too similar to Laguna Beach - our area - and little authentic items to peruse). Although we went to the IAIA (Institute of American Indian Arts) Museum of Contemporary Native Arts as our new friend recommended. It did not disappoint. Very politically barbing, and we LOVED it! For authentic items we found the outskirt shops in Old Town Albuerquerque far better.
Yesterday (Saturday) we drove the Turquoise Trail around Sandia (dirt road for 8 miles, gorgeous for as far as the eye can see), stopped in Madrid, and was warmly welcomed by everyone we met. As we headed back to ABQ we checked the wind and weather conditions which sounded ideal for the nighttime glow, so off we went! We parked and walked a mile to an overlook that provided a birds eye view. Amazing! The glow was a go and we were treated to an incredible view. Then there were fireworks! Where we were they were so outrageously close and overhead it was unbelievable! We were breathless.
We got rained out this morning for the final mass ascension and glow, so even though we were up at 4:30 we went back to bed - a bit of sleep made up that we “lost” over the last 5 days. Now we’re trying to decide where to have our last yummy New Mexican meal.
We fly out tonight with memories galore!
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