Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with albuquerque

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)

Up, up, and away...for something cheaper than my airline flight there

sevenless — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:47:20 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for hot air balloon ride operators in Albuquerque. I'm going to be visiting relatives in Albuquerque this October during the Balloon Fiesta. I'm thinking about going for a balloon ride while I'm there. The official ride provider (Rainbow Ryders) seems fine, and, in fact, is the only operator that I can find any reviews about online. During the Fiesta though their rides are a little more than I'd like to spend. It looks like everybody's prices are higher then, but does anyone have any recommendations or experiences with any other operators?

I'm not particularly interested in taking off from somewhere besides (greater) Albuquerque. I also don't really care about extras--food, souvenirs, etc.--either.

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.

Where can I get a decent men's haircut in Albuquerque?

jroybal — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:33:10 -0800

I'm looking for a new place to get my haircut in Albuquerque, NM. Preferably on the west side of town. Any recommendations for specific people/places? Men's haircut, open to various price points. My hair is coarse and thick, short, and very straight, and it's always been difficult to get a cut that looks just right. Bonus points for someone who can work without me needing to tell them exactly how to do it. Thanks!

my limited gardening options, let me show you them

M.C. Lo-Carb! — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:37:41 -0800

Where should I put my garden? I live in Albuquerque, NM, at about 5,000 feet. My backyard is basically a north-to-south rectangle, roughly 60'X30', with two tall ash trees, surrounded by 6-foot block walls. Here is a crude mspaint map.

In past years, I have done container gardening of herbs, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. I'm not a natural gardener, but I'm trying to turn a brown thumb at least a greenish shade of brown.

This year, I want to clear a 15'X20'ish east-to-west garden, at one end of the yard or the other. This garden would be automatically irrigated with drip lines.

Unfortunately, because of tree roots in the center, I'm limited to two environmental extremes for this garden.

The north end is not shaded at all during the summer, and gets hot.

The south end is shaded by the north-facing wall, and gets dappled sunlight through the two rather scraggly trees and a massive grape vine that hangs on the wall and is creeping over a clothesline. Because of the relative coolness at this end, rainwater pools, grass grows oddly there, and even mushrooms pop up from time to time.

From moving my container gardens around, I've found some plants like the full sun, but some don't.

If you had to put a garden at one end or the other, which would you choose?

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.

Buying stuff in Phoenix, Albuquerque or Santa Fe?

i_cola — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 11:38:24 -0800

I'm in Santa Fe, NM and I'll be driving back to Phoenix, AZ via Albuquerque on Sunday & Monday. I want to buy some stuff before I fly home... ...an Apple Mac Mini, a Thud Buster (seat suspension post for my mountain bike), some sneakers, some outdoor clothes and a Reece's t-shirt (for my g/f -- don't ask). I don't really want to spend too long getting the stuff so where might be the best area to get everything without too much hassle? I'm thinking of getting some walking/hiking-style sneakers so a big outdoors shop would cover a few bases. And prices...will I be better off buying in NM and saving a massive 0.6% on sales tax? Or will Phoenix be cheaper overall..?
I do know about allowances for UK Customs BTW

Albuquerque nights

piro — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:17:36 -0800

ABQfilter: In Albuquerque for work on Wednesday, and will probably have the evening free, starting around 8:00. Recommendations?

What's Albuquerque's finest?

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 00:07:24 -0800

What's Albuquerque's finest? If you were showing a stranger the most amazing sights and experiences within two hours' drive of Albuquerque, where would you go? First, why is this anonymous? Because I'm whisking my partner away on a surprise trip to Albuquerque in mid-February. They don't know it yet, and they read AskMe.

So we have a Saturday and Sunday. The partner is fascinated by southwestern Indian stuff, like in the Tony Hillerman books. Clearly "the Rez" that Hillerman used as backdrop is too far to drive from ABQ. You'd spend eight hours in the car to spend an hour in real live Navajo country, it seems.

But there seem to be several mesas and pueblos and national scenic parks and stuff an hour or two from the city. If you could take a Hillerman fan to just one, which one would it be?

Other interests we would pursue include other cultural stuff, old is good. Fabrics/quilting/cuisine are areas of general interest.

Then there's the sunset. I've read people rhapsodize about it in ABQ. Is it hype, or is it so grand it must be experienced? (We live in the opposite of a desert, BTW.) Again, where would you take someone for ONE sunset?

Recs on dining, other culture gratefully accepted too, although there are sites that specialize in that I've been reading. Gracias.

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!

What to expect with relocation

FlamingBore — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 12:25:11 -0800

I'm considering relocating from Albuquerque to Boston for work. I have many questions around relocation packages and expectations My Albuquerque based company was acquired by a Boston area company last year. They've been after me ever since to move to the home office. The CEO has laid out a standing offer for whenever I'm ready and I've finally come to the place where I think I might be ready.

I've done some research and I see a range for what the difference in the cost of living: from a low of 25% up to 43%. I know rents/homes are more expensive, etc. Realistically, if I made $50k here in Albuquerque (obviously not my real salary), what might I expect/need to earn to live in the same manner while in Boston?

What other things might I keep in mind for relocation? Is it still standard for a company to pay for moving expenses? What about short term housing? Are there likely to be contracts requiring me to stay for X period of time, or conversely, should I ask for something in writing about a minimum of continued employment (barring performance issues, etc.)?

I'd be working about 15-18 miles North of Boston, but I'd like to live closer to the city, if not in Boston proper. Are the places I see on Craigslist for $1100-1300 decent? Is it reasonable to expect that I might be able to get by without a car? I'd love to be able to sell my car.

The particulars:
I'm in my 30s, single, queer, no kids, no pets. No interest in a roomie.

I welcome any tips, tricks, hints for accomplishing this, discussing and negotiating with my employer and advice about Boston areas to consider for living (I'm thinking Somerville, Cambridge, East Boston so far).

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?