In his article we share things to see and do in the heart of Albuquerque and things that are worth the drive for a day trip.
We drove from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Albuquerque, New Mexico and this is what we experienced from a long 4 day weekend trip.
Old Town ABQ
1. Shop in Old Town
Old Town has a variety of great shops. They have something for everyone.
Our boys each picked out toys, I found me some local made beef jerky, and my wife and mother in law found some great gifts and decor.
2. Enjoy lunch and lemonade at Old town cafe
Old Town Café is a great place for lunch and or drinks. They have a selection of tasty lemonades and smoothies.
I enjoyed the cactus pear lemonade.
They have plenty of seating and a live band.They also have great food options. We enjoyed quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches.
3. Engrave a lock and put it on the fence at Happy Hiker
One of our favorite stores was the Happy Hiker. They have great hiking gear and they even sell love locks you can engrave and lock on site.
We got one for our family to mark our visit.
4. Explore San Felipe de Neri Church in old town
While in Old town we recommend stopping by San Felipe de Neri Church. It is a historic part of Albuquerque and it is beautiful.
You can tour inside and out for free and they have a gift shop as well.
5. Enjoy dinner and live music at Church St Cafe
Church St Cafe is a fun restaurant with delicious New Mexican food.
6. Ride the Sandia Peak Tramway and hike around the peak.
The Sandia Peak Tramway was one of our favorite things to do around Albuquerque.
Find out more info in our article 5 tips for visiting the Sandia Peak Tramway
7. Stay at the Desert Lilac Airbnb near Old Town
We loved staying at this airbnb.
The designs and amenities were great here as well. The beds were comfortable and it was great staying in a home rather than a hotel.
Book it and find more info here.
8. Eat some Dion’s Pizza
Dion’s Pizza is a New Mexico favorite. We were recommended it from family who used to live in the area.
They have multiple locations and deliver. We found one a short drive from the Airbnb we stayed at.
9. Explore Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument is only 15 mins away from Albuquerque. There are multiple areas to hike and view petroglyphs.
10. Bandelier National Monument
Bandelier is an hour and 40 minutes from Albuquerque but totally worth the trip. We stopped here in the way in from Tulsa.
We really enjoyed climbing up into the cliff dwellings and enjoying the scenery.
11. Pecos National Historic Park
Pecos is a little over 1 hour from Albuquerque and is also worth the drive.
Here you can see Pueblo ruins and hike around scenic views.
The gift shop offers a tour map and great information on the history of this land.
12. Eat at Range Cafe
Range Cafe is a fun restaurant in Albuquerque.
It has fun decorations and great food.
13. Attend an event like the Coffee and Chocolate fest
We were lucky to have visited Albuquerque during the Chocolate and Coffee Fest.
We got to try out all kinds of chocolates, coffees and snacks and watch live cooking shows.
14. Eat at Sawmill Market
15 Rio Rancho, Life church
We go to Life Church in Oklahoma and we’re excited to visit a life church out of state.
The life church in Rio Rancho is just outside of Albuquerque. If you are familiar with Life Church you know they do a great job of sharing Gods and helping and loving people.
16. Watch Hot Air Balloons
We encourage you to take a cruise around Albuquerque and look for hot air balloons.
They also have balloon festivals occasionally. We were not in town during a festival but we were happy to see some flying during our visit.
17. Explore Route 66
Albuquerque has a stretch of Route 66.
Nob Hill is a cool place to see while in Albuquerque.
18. Dine at Silver moon cafe on Route 66
Silver Moon Cafe is a little over 1 hour and a half from Albuquerque. But it’s made sense for us because it was on our way home and it is on historic Route 66.
19. Cuervo Ghost Town
Cuervo Route 66 Ghost Town is less than 2 hours from Albuquerque.
This ghost town is a cool place to stop on your road trip to or from Albuquerque.
There are many old buildings and old cars you can see during your visit.
Overall we had a great time visiting Albuquerque and the areas around it.
This list contains some of our favorite places we explored, ate and shopped during our visit but I’m sure there are even more places to see. Please let us know what we missed and what we should see in our next trip there.
