With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to plan a trip to New Mexico and explore both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Just an hour apart, both cities offer endless outdoor adventures, delicious food and immersive cultural experiences. Below are four itineraries to give you some ideas of the best Albuquerque and Santa Fe have to offer. Pick and choose to make your dream vacation!
For The Adventure Seeker
Albuquerque
No matter where you are in Albuquerque, there are many opportunities to find an adventure. Catch an early-morning hot air balloon flight with Rainbow Ryders to see why Albuquerque is the hot air ballooning capital of the world. Hike up the La Luz Trail to the top of the Sandia Mountains, or hop on board the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway to see spectacular views as you go up the mountain. Take a private tour with New Mexico Jeep Tours through places that few are privileged to see. MST Adventures has you covered for paddleboard trips down the Rio Grande, or a snowshoe trek in the Sandias during the winter. To wind down, choose from a variety of cuisine at Sawmill Market, the first artisanal food hall in Albuquerque where you'll find everything from homemade pasta to fresh pastries. Stay at Hotel Parq Central for easy access to both I-40 and I-25 that can get you to the mountains or the Westside in minutes.
Santa Fe
Santa Fe is a great place to go mountain biking. Check out the Winsor Trail for a ride to Tesuque, or ride one of the many trails at the Dale Ball Trails. In the winter, visit Ski Santa Fe to explore its extensive gladed runs. With 86 runs, there are options for beginner skiers all the way up to the experts. Don’t miss out on the Santa Fe Climbing Center. It is the only indoor climbing gym in northern New Mexico, with a large array of routes for all levels. Explore Bandelier National Monument to the west of Santa Fe. Ancestral Pueblo people carved buildings out of volcanic tuff hundreds of years ago, and visitors can see how they lived. Spend the evening doing a little stargazing with Astronomy Adventures. A guide will walk you through everything you see in New Mexico’s night sky. Enjoy the rustic Southwestern decor at the Inn of the Governors as the perfect place to stay overnight.
For the Arts and Culture Lover
Albuquerque
Albuquerque is full of cultural experiences for everyone. Visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center to learn more about Pueblo culture. Enjoy a number of interactive permanent and rotating exhibits along with cultural dances and artists selling their handcrafted works. The on-site restaurant Indian Pueblo Kitchen features regional and Native-sourced cuisine with a Pueblo inspiration. The Zuni Fetish Museum showcases the history, purpose, carving styles and materials of the Zuni fetish. Browse the Hispanic art featured at the museum at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Don’t miss the Mundos de Mestizaje fresco that details hundreds of years worth of Hispanic history. The Albuquerque Museum showcases some of the best art from New Mexico and the American Southwest. Spend your stay in Albuquerque at Nativo Lodge. This contemporary hotel features Native American art and unique artist rooms to immerse yourself in.
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Santa Fe
Santa Fe is full of incredible art museums. The New Mexico Museum of Art is more than a century old and features Southwestern art along with art from around the world. Immerse yourself in Native American art at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture. Don’t miss the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, dedicated to the works of Georgia O’Keeffe. The Loretto Chapel is home to a miraculous staircase that has two 360º twists with no center support. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was built in the late 19th century and is one of the most recognizable Santa Fe landmarks. Grab some dinner at El Farol for some traditional Spanish tapas and a flamenco show on Friday and Saturday nights. Stay at El Farolito Bed and Breakfast, just a short walk away from many galleries and museums. Art from local and national artists hang throughout the adobe building, and guests can relax in a shared courtyard and garden.
For the Fun-Loving Family
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Albuquerque
Visit the Wheels Museum with your family in Downtown Albuquerque. The volunteer-run museum educates everyone about the role transportation plays in New Mexico and the West, with antique vehicles, model trains and an airplane. Family is in the name at Hinkle Family Fun Center. Enjoy two miniature golf courses, bumper boats, laser tag and tons of arcade games. Discover clues and solve puzzles to escape a themed room at Albuquerque Escape Room. It’s a great family-bonding experience because you have to work together! Play interactive games at Electric Playhouse. The games constantly rotate, so there is always something new to experience. Take a trip back in time to the '50s at 66 Diner. Build your own burger or dine on a classic New Mexico green chile cheeseburger with a milkshake. Your experience wouldn’t be complete without choosing your favorite song off the vintage jukebox. For hands-on science and technology exhibits, don’t miss ¡Explora! near Old Town. Stay at El Vado Motel, one of the first motels that greeted travelers in Albuquerque along Route 66. Get easy access to on-site local shopping and dining as well.
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Santa Fe
Fun activities for the whole family are aplenty in Santa Fe. Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return will delight the young and old alike. There are more than 70 rooms of immersive art to explore. The New Mexico History Museum teaches visitors about the state’s past and present. It is anchored by the Palace of Governors, the country’s oldest public building that is still in use and built by European settlers. El Rancho de Las Golondrinas takes your family back to the early 1700s. The historic ranch served as a stop on the Camino Real, and now preserves Hispano traditions. Stop by Tia Sophia’s to get some traditional northern New Mexican food, including breakfast burritos. Tia Sophia’s is believed to be the first restaurant to call it a “breakfast burrito” and put them on the menu in the 1970s. Stay at the affordable Sage Hotel that is within walking distance of the Santa Fe Plaza and the Railyard Park.
For the Foodie
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Albuquerque
Albuquerque is home to more than just delicious New Mexican cuisine. Get some brunch at Campo located at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm. It takes field-to-fork seriously, using ingredients grown right on the farm. Check out one of the many food-based gatherings Albuquerque has to offer. The National Fiery Foods Show happens every year in March, and features the spiciest foods bringing the heat to Albuquerque. ABQ Blues and Brews is an annual Memorial Day Weekend event with some of the best local beers and blues musicians. Albuquerque has some of the best wine-country, and our wineries can prove it. Hop between VARA Winery and Distillery, Gruet Winery and Casa Rondeña Winery, or swing by the Noisy Water Winery tasting room in Plaza Don Luis in Old Town. Pay a visit to Savoy Bar and Grill for dinner one night, with innovative plates inspired by California Wine Country, but using local ingredients from right here in New Mexico. Enjoy spectacular views of the city and refreshing cocktails at Apothecary Lounge, the rooftop bar at Hotel Parq Central. Spend your nights at the Painted Lady Bed & Brew, dating back to 1881 when it was a brothel and saloon. Enjoy a local craft beer daily during your stay.
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Santa Fe
There are even more delicious food options to explore in Santa Fe. Start your day off with a cup of coffee at the REMIX Audio Bar. They serve a variety of what you would typically see at a coffee shop, but what makes REMIX so unique are the wireless headphones available for customers to listen to a variety of music in different genres while sipping on their drink. Coyote Cafe has become a staple for foodies from all over. Enjoy the fine dining experience at the Coyote Cafe, or head up to the Coyote Cantina for a more casual, rooftop bar experience. Fulfill your sweet tooth craving at Kakawa Chocolate House, where you can try a variety of chocolate truffles from prickly pear to cherry chili, and taste their popular chocolate elixirs, which are a historically-based chocolate drink. Don’t miss one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the City Different, Geronimo. Located in an adobe house built in 1756, Geronimo offers world-class “global eclectic” food that changes seasonally. Enjoy a rejuvenating experience in Santa Fe at the Antigua Inn, located near many restaurants on Santa Fe Plaza.
