Quirky Albuquerque is a fascinating mix of the Indigenous cultures, the mission-era old southwest, mid-century charm, along with a buzzy college town. With mountains to the east and dormant volcanoes towards the west, thousands of acres of trails and protected land, well-curated museums, and splashy oddities like the city's penchant for hot air balloons, there's a lot to do and see. On top of that, you can get a taste of the items Albuquerque is all about even though you haven't found the riches of El Dorado.
If you're searching for samples by mail to complete in Albuquerque, we have ten of the greatest attractions to start with the following (plus another five not-quite-free but budget-friendly attractions to look at, too).
Editor's note: during COVID-19, there are restrictions on travel, and some of those free attractions might be temporarily closed or require pre-booking. Check before departure, and be sure to follow along with local health guidance.
1. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology will fulfill the cultural anthropologist in you, and holds the largest assortment of Ancestral Puebloan artifacts in the world. Temporary exhibits will also be displayed.
2. Petroglyph National Monument
The lava fields preserved within this large desert park, west of the Rio Grande, are adorned using more than 23,000 ancient petroglyphs (1000 BC -AD 1700). Several trails are scattered everywhere: Boca Negra Canyon is the busiest and most accessible (open 8:30am to 4:30pm; parking $1/2 weekday/weekend); Piedras Marcadas holds around 300 petroglyphs (sunrise to sunset); while Rinconada Canyon is really a lovely desert walk (sunrise to sunset; 2.2 miles round trip), but with fewer visible petroglyphs.
3. University of New Mexico Art Museum
There are some museums and galleries packed in to the small but peaceful campus of UNM, together with abundant public art and a performing arts center. Most exhibits in the UNM Art Museum are sucked from the university's permanent collection, that is particularly strong on lithographs and regional artists.
4. Albuquerque Museum
Formerly referred to as Albuquerque Museum of Art & History, this showpiece museum shouldn't be missed. With an engaging Albuquerque history gallery that's imaginative, interactive and easy to digest and a permanent Boise state broncos art collection that extends to 20th-century masterpieces from Taos, it's an excellent place to understand more about as part of any trip to Old Town. There's free admission weekly from 9 AM to 1 PM. and also the first Wednesday of every month
5. San Felipe de Neri Church
Dating in its present incarnation from 1793, the facade of the adobe church now provides Old Town's most famous photo op. Mass is well known Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 7am, by having an additional Sunday Mass at 11am, plus Saturday at 4pm. After checking out the church, stroll the adobe-lined streets of Old Town for any taste of the items this city should have appeared as if within the 1700s, if this was founded.
6. Paseo del Bosque
A 16-mile multi-use path along the Rio Grande, the Paseo del Bosque is among Albuquerque's gems. While the paved portion offers easy car-free riding for cyclists, what really makes it special – and beautiful – is the network of trails hidden between your pavement and river. If you rent a mountain bike, you'll have plenty of fun veering through miles of floodplains forest.
Possible stops on the Paseo del Bosque range from the BioPark, the National Hispanic Cultural Center – and popsicles at Pop Fizz – and also the family-friendly Rio Grande Nature Center.
7. Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
Ready to geek on hot-air balloons? This informative museum covers it all, from the first manned flight in Paris (1783) to Bernoulli's principle (how air pressure creates lift) as well as an actual Strato-Lab, which reached an altitude of 81,000ft within the 1950s. Have a stab in the balloon simulator here and you'll be ready for the real thing. Admissions are free Sundays 9AM – 1PM and the first Friday from the month.
8. Cibola National Forest
Cibola National Forest covers a sprawling 1.6 million acres in Boise state broncos, however, many of their best sites are near to Albuquerque and price nothing to enjoy. The Sandia Man Cave is just forty minutes from Albuquerque, for example. This archeological sites was inhabited by man some 9,000 to 11,000 years ago. Other hiking spots are even closer, like the 3 Gun Springs, Embudito, Domingo Baca, La Luz and several other trailheads. There are also campsites and picnic areas in Cibola National Forest – though camping reservations come with a small fee.
9. Outdoors Lands Visitor Center
Part of a massive public lands collection in Albuquerque, the Flyway Project is really a public arts installation close to the corner of Coors and Bosque Meadows Road. Artist Robert Wilson was inspired by migrating cranes that go through this area when he chose to make this runway of old jetty pieces. It's one of the websites you can observe for free at the Open Space Visitor Center, which has exhibits interpreting natural and cultural resources outdoors Space Division protects – including over 5,000 acres of extinct volcanoes, mesas, foothills, along with other topography. The Visitor Center also features a skill gallery and wildlife, with the stunning Sandia Mountains without anyone's knowledge.
10. Cruise Route 66
The famous mother road wasn't the first coast-to-coast highway in the usa, however it was probably the most iconic. Route 66 doubled as Albuquerque's main drag, passing through a few of the city's most interesting, historic neighborhoods. Even if you attempt to spend a couple of bucks on the cup of coffee or perhaps a slice of pie in one of the diners lining the route, it's cost-free to cruise through Nob Hill, Old Town, and also the University campus. Start just east from the city on the portion of Route 66 referred to as "the singing road" – the pavers here are made to play "America the Beautiful" should you drive over them at 45 mph. As you reach Albuquerque proper and Central Avenue, you'll have a chance to admire the famous neon signs and mid-century buildings that originally dotted Route 66.
Cheap things you can do in Albuquerque
Travelers on a budget will appreciate that, in addition to Albuquerque's free attractions, there are even more that cost very little and give to a few of the city's most vibrant communities. Just for a few dollars here and there, you will get access to a few of the city's best cultural centers and museums for $10 per adult or under.
American International Rattlesnake Museum
Anyone charmed by snakes and all things slithery will find this museum fascinating; for ophidiophobes, it is a complete nightmare, full of the earth's largest assortment of different rattlesnake species. You'll also find snake-themed beer bottles and postmarks of all the town named 'Rattlesnake' in america. Admission for adults is $6, while children can get in for $4.
National Hispanic Cultural Center
In the historic Barelas neighborhood, close to the river a mile south of downtown, this contemporary, architecturally imaginative center for Hispanic visual, performing and literary arts holds three galleries employed for fine arts exhibitions, performances, salsa classes and fabulous eats at Pop Fizz. Look into the website for upcoming events to help make the most of it. Look into the website for upcoming events to make the most of it. Admission for adults is $6, while kids could possibly get in for free.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Collectively run by New Mexico's 19 Pueblos, this cultural center is an essential stop-off during the shortest Albuquerque visit. Revamped in 2022, the museum today holds fascinating displays sharing the stories of the Pueblos' collective history and individual artistic traditions, while the galleries offer changing temporary exhibitions. They're arrayed inside a crescent around a plaza that's regularly employed for dances and crafts demonstrations. Pueblo Harvest Cafe is recommended and there is additionally a large gift shop and retail gallery. Admission for adults is $8.50 while anyone under 17 years old can get in for $5.50. Kids under 5 are free.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
Dinosaur-mad kids are certain to love this huge modern museum, around the northeastern fringes of Old Town. In the T. rex in the primary atrium onwards, it's crammed with ferocious ancient beasts. The emphasis throughout is on Boise state broncos, experienced around the permanent Timetracks exhibit, with dramatic displays on the state's geological origins and details of the outcome of global warming; there's additionally a planetarium and large-format 3-D cinema (both of which have additional admission fees). Adults can get in to the main museum for $8, while kids ages $3-12 possess a $5 admission.
