Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with albuquerque and newmexico

Is Albuquerque like I am imagining it?

filthy light thief — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:45:12 -0800

I'm looking to move out of California with my wife, with the goal of buying a home for the future filthy light thief family. Mrs. flt's parents have been looking at Albuquerque, New Mexico based on statistics (housing prices, employment, etc) and their brief visit to the city. How is Albuquerque for young families and adults in search of a lively city? More details inside. My wife and I currently live in California, and we'd like to stay except anywhere that seems to have the qualities we enjoy is out of our price range. Albuquerque has a temperate climate that is similar to coastal California, and I love the high desert in terms of appearance. Albuquerque seems to have plenty of open space for hiking and meandering.

We'd like a larger city with more diversity in amenities and attractions, as we've had our fill of smaller towns and college towns. For sake of comparison: of the three large California metropolises, we like San Francisco over the never-ending sprawl of Los Angeles and San Diego (though SF is far from affordable to own, on the salary of a government employee [me] and a high school math teacher [wife]). Does Albuquerque fit the bill?

Bonus points:
- walkable neighborhoods with amenities like parks and business districts a few miles from homes
- lively music/arts scene, local and/or touring
- reasonable public transit (ABQ RIDE is cheaper than local transit routes, if those prices are accurate)

Looks like I made a wrong turn at Albuquerque...

backseatpilot — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:11:00 -0800

Vacation in Albuquerque, and I'm looking to do a few specific things... other suggested activities also welcome. So I've decided to take a wrong turn at Albuquerque. I'm thinking of spending a week in the area, probably arriving the last weekend of the balloon festival (around October 10 or so). Planning on about a week in the area. I've found some information about things do to in the city proper, but I'd also like to get out into nature.

I'd like some suggestions for two activities in particular. First, some day hiking. I'm used to hiking in the woods and up hills in New England, so a change of scenery would be nice - something in the desert (are there any other options?), some heavy climbing is totally fine.

Second - a horseback trip. I have never ridden before, so I imagine a guided trip would be best, but preferably not something that's too touristy. Are there places that will do overnight trips? I don't mind joining up with a random group of strangers.

Any other suggestions for do-not-miss destinations or events? I'm not wedded to staying in the city for the entire time, so hopping around cities in the area (or day trips out of the city) is ok by me. Suggestions for places to stay (cheap B&Bs or quirky hotels)?

Which brings me to... can I do this without renting a car? I expect I'd need one to get to hiking/riding destinations, but inside the city? Or traveling to nearby cities? Could I get away with renting a car just for the days I'd actually be outside of the city limits?

Show Me the Way (in) Santa Fe...and Taos...and ABQ

rtha — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:30:08 -0800

Where and what should we eat/drink/see/look at/hike up etc. in Santa Fe, Taos, and Albuquerque this weekend? We have a basic itinerary, but I would love some help in the "don't miss!" category. If you've been to any or all of these spots within the last year, and have personal recommendations, I'd greatly appreciate your advice.

Friday: We'll be in Santa Fe, having arrived the evening before. Plan A is to get up early-ish and head to Bandelier NM, end up back in Santa Fe in the afternoon and either: eat/drink/collapse OR Georgia O'Keefe museum, then eat/drink/collapse. Recommendations for places and items to eat and drink are desired. At the moment, there is no Plan B.

Saturday: Head to Taos via the scenic route. We will stop in Chimayo. Other can't-miss stuff on the way? Any recommendations eating/drinking/must-see spots in Taos are most welcome. We're going to try to get to the powwow that's this weekend, so my fry-bread needs will be taken care of.

Sunday: Drive to ABQ. Any places along the way that we shouldn't miss?

Monday: In ABQ. Our only solid must-do thing is Petroglyph NM, so any recommendations for food, drink etc. are most welcome.

Obviously, we like to eat and drink. We like to hike. We like to go birding. We're not huge on shopping, but if you have a jeweler/art gallery/artisan that we really shouldn't miss, let me know. If you have particular trails at Bandelier or Petroglyph NMs, or around Santa Fe/Taos, please let me know.

Road trip! Wisconsin to Arizona

charmston — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:24:05 -0800

From Thursday-Saturday, I'll be moving from Eau Claire, WI to Mesa, AZ. I have to drive. Money-saving tips? Day 1: Eau Claire, WI to Wichita, KS
Day 2: Wichita, KS to Albuquerque, NM
Day 3: Albuquerque, NM to Mesa, AZ

I have family to stay with in Wichita, but will have to get a hotel in Albuquerque. I'm open to tips ranging from gas station rewards programs to driving tips.

Vacation group accomodations near Santa Fe

mcstayinskool — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:20:29 -0800

Hotel/House rental ideas for 8-10 guys in Santa Fe or between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I've got an annual trip coming up in June with 8-10 guys for 3-4 days. This year we are heading to the Santa Fe area of New Mexico.

Outside of major chain hotels, can anyone give recommendations for places to stay? Proximity to food and beer...er I mean, beer and food, are a big plus. We'll probably be hanging out, playing poker, etc. so suites are preferable to hotel rooms. Kitchen facilities also a plus.

Last year I posted a similar question for this same trip, that time going to Portland, OR. Great success-- we ended up staying at Northrup Inn, as suggested in the thread, and it was great.

Thanksgiving in Albuquerque

arathorn — Sat, 19 Nov 2005 16:14:30 -0800

I'm going to be in Albuquerque for Thanksgiving. Any can't miss attractions or activities (preferably outdoor)? Thanks!

Southwest Road Trip

driveler — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 12:29:37 -0800

Some friends and I are going on a week-long road trip in the beginning of March. We'll mainly be around the Arizona-New Mexico border. What are some cool things we can see and do? Here are some places I've thought of:

Gila National Forest
Canyon de Chelly
Chaco National Historic Park
Very Large Radio Telescope Array

Any other suggestions? Ghost towns, abondoned mines, rock formations, etc? Any cool / weird towns we should stop at?

What is Albuquerque like?

wanderingmind — Sun, 20 Jun 2004 19:15:09 -0800

Never lived outside of California, but here I am moving to Albuquerque in a few weeks... I've visited a few times and like it enough there to be happy about the move (I'll be a grad student at UNM, living in a studio apartment north of campus), but what can I expect as far as actually living there goes? What are the people like? The climate? The culture? Any New Mexican MeFites willing to give me their views and advice about the place?