In the center of New Mexico sits a desert city surrounded by the tall Sandia Mountains and the gentle Rio Grande River. Albuquerque is an artistic neighborhood known for its spicy food, adobe buildings, and diverse culture blending Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo influences.
There are plenty of things to do in Albuquerque, like hiking, taking hot-air balloon rides, and visiting attractions such as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Petroglyph National Monument, and Old Town.
Old Town Albuquerque is like the center of the state's history. It's where you can feel the culture of the city. You can learn a lot about its colorful past by going on a walking tour.
There are different kinds of tours, from ones about stories and legends to ones all about local food like enchiladas, pastries, and margaritas. If you like, you can also explore on your own with a scavenger hunt-style adventure.
Many attractions in Albuquerque NM are all about nature. One of these beautiful places is the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway. It takes you high up over canyons and beautiful landscapes.
Enjoy the peacefulness of nature and see some amazing sights. Especially at sunset, the sky lights up with beautiful colors. From the observation deck at the top of Sandia Peak, over 10,000 feet tall, you get a stunning view of the Cibola National Forest and the "Land of Enchantment."
The NHCC is a top-notch place for Hispanic arts and culture. It has an art museum, a fancy performing arts center, a library with genealogy stuff, a restaurant, and one of the biggest fresco paintings in North America.
You can see art shows all year round and watch plays, concerts, dances, festivals, and movies in their three theaters. You can also rent out their event spaces, like parties or business meetings.
Kids love the ocean, right? Well, if you're looking for things to do in Albuquerque New Mexico with your kids, check out the ABQ BioPark Aquarium. It's part of the ABQ BioPark and sits by the Rio Grande.
Here, you can explore the journey of the Rio Grande to the Gulf of Mexico, meeting all sorts of underwater creatures. The aquarium is pretty big and has lots of fish tanks to see, plus they have a theater where you can watch educational movies.
Albuquerque's Turquoise Museum is the ultimate place to learn all about turquoise. You can explore how turquoise is mined and the awesome techniques involved.
Their main collection, the J.C. "Zack" Zachary collection, showcases turquoise from 80 different locations worldwide. And if you're curious how jewelry is made, they've got a working shop where you can watch them turn natural turquoise into beautiful pieces of jewelry. It's a super interesting place to check out!
Explore New Mexico's natural wonders at the NM Museum of Natural History and Science! This hands-on experience dives deep into the state's one-of-a-kind natural history. Discover its beginnings, encounter dinosaurs, and journey through ancient seacoasts.
Don't miss meeting Seismosaurus, a colossal dinosaur weighing 30 tons and stretching 110 feet long—one of the world's biggest dinosaurs. Catch some incredible films on the giant 50-foot screen at the Verus Research DynaTheater.
Begin your exploration of Pueblo Indian culture at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Explore interactive exhibits, meet artists, and research in the Library & Archives. Don't miss the cultural dance program.
If you're feeling hungry, make a stop at the Indian Pueblo Kitchen for authentic regional delicacies like the award-winning Tewa Taco and freshly baked Pueblo oven bread. It's a unique educational and culinary experience!
Things to see and do in Albuquerque New Mexico's Petroglyph National Monument are unlimited. Here you can see a hawk soaring from flat hilltops, a roadrunner darting into sagebrush, and a desert millipede's trail in the sand.
There are over 20,000 pictures scratched into the rocks here. Some look like animals, people, or crosses, and others are more mysterious. These pictures on the dark rocks highlight the cultures of the people who lived and traveled through the Rio Grande Valley long ago.
If you're into wine, a new Albuquerque New Mexico attractions has been unlocked: Casa Rondena Winery. This winery offers a unique experience at its vineyard in a peaceful area known as the North Valley in Albuquerque, specifically in a spot called Los Ranchos.
They offer various high-quality wines and patrons can also purchase wine gifts, participate in wine tastings, and enjoy excellent service for weddings, parties, and other special occasions in the beautiful setting of the vineyard in Albuquerque.
Explora Experiential Learning Center is located close to Old Town Albuquerque. While many people think of it as a children's museum, it offers over 250 hands-on exhibits exploring STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) that appeal to both kids and adults who are curious.
This two-story museum has exhibitions about gravity, air movement, water, chain reactions, and playing with bubbles, among others.
One of the top things to do in Abq New Mexico in October is to join the largest balloon event at the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum. For nine days, the skies of Albuquerque come alive with over 500 colorful balloons taking off from Balloon Fiesta Park.
If you prefer nighttime activities, don't miss the enchanting sight of the balloon glow, where the balloons illuminate the dark sky. Whichever event you decide to attend, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta promises to give you a magical experience.
Located on the northern edge of Old Town's plaza, the San Felipe de Neri Church stands as the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Albuquerque, founded back in 1706. Visitors can enjoy its serene atmosphere and well-maintained interiors and architecture.
Entry to both the church and museum is free. Additionally, this Albuquerque NM attractions showcases religious art and artifacts that were once displayed within the church itself.
Founded in 1967, the Albuquerque Museum is a major center for art, history, and culture in the Southwest. It's situated right in the heart of Old Town and operates as part of the Department of Arts & Culture for the City of Albuquerque.
With around 10,000 art pieces, the museum showcases works by famous New Mexico artists like Georgia O'Keeffe and Fritz Scholder. It's a great place for families, offering interactive areas, a sculpture garden, a store, and a café.
Albuquerque's main multi-purpose trail, the Paseo del Bosque Trail, stretches from the northern to the southern parts of the city through the cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande.
This 16-mile-long trail is paved and perfect for walking and biking. It follows the course of the Rio Grande through central Albuquerque, with notable landmarks such as the ABQ BioPark in its vicinity, and it also reaches a proximity to Old Town.
Rio Grande Nature Center is a great place to watch birds all year round, with 250 types of birds. This attraction in Albuquerque New Mexico has trails along the river, gardens to show different plants, and areas inside and outside where you can watch wildlife.
The Bosque, a forest by the river, has two miles of trails. These trails go through tall cottonwood trees, past willow bushes, and across sandy areas next to the Rio Grande River.
Tingley Beach is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Right now, you can fish in the south Catch & Release Lake, the Central Lake, and the Children's Pond. Only kids 12 and younger can fish in the Children's Pond.
If you like fishing, this is a great beach spot to spend the day with your fishing rod. Whether you're alone or with your family, these calm waters are perfect for sitting by and relaxing on warm days in New Mexico.
If you're interested in reptiles, you should visit the New Mexico Albuquerque attractions, Rattlesnake Museum. It's a fun and educational place for everyone in the family.
This museum teaches us about how rattlesnakes and other "less liked" animals have impacted our lives in many ways. You can see this through artifacts, souvenirs, and the biggest collection of live rattlesnakes from different species around the world.
