6 Fun Things to do in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
I’ve been exploring a lot of new cities since moving to Arizona. Flagstaff is such a great base for exploring the beautiful sights of the southwest. At least one weekend out of every month, Mike and I drive somewhere new (we figured why not while we have the opportunity). One of my favorite low-key vacation destinations thus far is Albuquerque. We figured it’s something new. After just a 4.5 hour drive, we got to see some unique places, ate some great food, and even saw a few historic petroglyphs. It’s much less touristy than anywhere in Arizona, so a nice change of pace.
The city is known for many things, primarily unique local New Mexican cuisine, red and green chiles, the International Balloon Festival, Breaking Bad, open desert landscapes with beautiful mountain scenery, Native American culture, and much more. This region really offers a little something for everyone, whether you are a fitness or history buff, a foodie, or simply looking to explore the gorgeous natural scenery of New Mexico’s largest city. With the Rio Grande river running through the city and the Sandia Mountains surrounding the eastern side of the city, it is easily one of the more scenic outdoor destinations for active travelers.
In my guide, I have spotlighted a few of the most fun & diverse activities I recommend incorporating into your trip plans. I have included a range of activities including a scenic gondola ride, wonderful local restaurants, and a few historic sites. All of these activities are a perfect fit for a first time visitor looking to experience the best of the city.
1. Enjoy magnificent views on one of the world’s longest aerial tram rides
I love taking gondola rides over the mountains – it’s always a fun non hiking activity. The Sandia Peak Tramway runs a 2.7 mile long course, making it one of the longest tram rides in the world. It’s what I consider the must do in this area especially if you aren’t interested in working up a sweat in the mountains.
Although quite pricey, you will get to enjoy some pretty spectacular views of the surrounding desert and mountains. A summer visit is even more attractive thanks to the drastically cooler temps at the top (vs. the brutal heat of the surrounding desert). As you climb 7.2 miles from an elevation of 6000 feet to the peak at 10,378, you will travel through several different ecosystems comprised of diverse plant life. From desert scrub, to tall ponderosa pines, to beautiful aspens which glitter gold in the fall, you will basically see a bit of everything along the way.
The views at sunset are breathtaking, particularly due to the red cast over the Sandia mountains. We learned that the naming of the mountains Sandia comes from the Spanish term for watermelon.
Both summer and winter recreational activities at the top are plentiful, with miles of hiking and mountain biking trails to enjoy in the summer, and downhill skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. I would love to come back in the fall to see the changing color of the aspens.
Overall, this was a fun and scenic ride – definitely my favorite thing to do in the area. While there are a lot of great hikes here, this tram is perfect for the more-often-than-not “too hot for outdoor recreation” summer season.
2. Stroll around historic Old Town
There is always something going on in the city’s most popular tourist destination for dining, shopping, and entertainment, whether it be live music, Latin dance night, or the annual holiday stroll. Whether you feel like trying out an authentic New Mexican restaurant (Church Street Cafe offers a delicious menu and the best outdoor patio), enjoying a narrated RV tour of Breaking Bad filming locations, or simply browsing around for unique Native American souvenirs, you can enjoy it all at Old Town.
This historic neighborhood, founded in 1706, features 10 blocks of adobe style architecture including the beautiful San Felipe de Neri Church which is the oldest building in the city. Did you know that Albuquerque is one of the nation’s oldest inland cities? I love exploring old cities as everything today becomes more suburban and homogenized. It’s always interesting to take a blast to the past.
With the gorgeous historical architecture, tasty restaurants with relaxing garden patios, art galleries, coffee shops, museums, trolley tours, and more, you can easily spend the whole day enjoying this quaint area in the heart of the city. I only wish we had more time to explore.
Check out Old Town visitor guide for a full directory of dining and shopping.
3. Take a hike
If you are a hiker, you will be in heaven. In this region, you will find hundreds of miles of trails, ranging from easy nature strolls at Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, to intense high altitude adventures in the Sandia Mountains. The La Luz trail is an intense all day adventure hike up the Sandia mountains with an altitude range of 7000-10,378 ft. Your reward for all this effort: panoramic views of the entire area! And the Cibola National Forest has enough hikes to keep even the most avid hiker busy all year-round.
For a nice easy nature stroll with the added perk of seeing more than 20,000 ancient petroglyphs, head over to Petroglyph National Monument. This really is an interesting place for history buffs. You will come away with much more than an ordinary hiking experience. As you stroll the easy trails, you will get a glimpse into the lives of the ancient Native American and Spanish residents from 400-700 years ago. Just looking through the various drawings is awe inspiring. I can’t imagine how much time it took to carve all these out. We basically had the entire place to ourselves on a 100+ degree hot afternoon so it was a surreal experience.
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