What do outsiders think of Albuquerque and New Mexico as a whole? (school, camp)

[87112]

I think of Albuquerque as a great escape for people who live in crowded metro areas. The 1st time you get in that car rental shuttle and look out at the vast open space you know you are in for something different. I remember it well, coming from Seattle where we do not get great horizon views it was a treat to see horizons as far as the eye can see in any direction. I was very impressed by how the city felt, free and open. I know its a city but I get this small town vibe like if you live there you will know everyone pretty soon. I thought the whole state of New Mexico was somewhere I would love to move to someday for these reasons. Its got everything you need plus within a few minutes you could be further away from people as possible.

OTOH, if you are in ABQ you are there, its kind of far to see another city, it took me a long drive to make it to El Paso the closest big city. One heck of a scenic drive though.

[TCHP]

Being from Colorado, I've always thought of New Mexico is a lower elevation and more dry version of Colorado. I know there are mountains and skiing, but I've never tried any of the resorts there. There are a significant number of reservations, and as a result, casinos.

I've had some friends attend the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Enjoyed visiting. It seemed clean, with some nice shops and cafes around the immediate area. A visit to Old Town was fun. Mountains are on the wrong side of town. Dropped in on the Unser Museum.

Gallup is certainly an interesting area of New Mexico. As an old car enthusiasts, I've attempted to visit a number of salvage yards in the area. Since it was on the old Route 66, there are still large number of vintage cars sitting in the hot, dry New Mexico air. Unfortunately, some of these are private and in accessible to the average passer by and many in the business are very secretive about where to gain access to them.

Ran into a nasty blizzard once between Gallup and Flagstaff. Its not often I've run into a storm that made me get off the interstate, but this one did.

Several of the national labs were customers of mine in a previous job, so I know there is a large government research presence in the state.

[Juxtaposition109]

I lived in ABQ around twenty years ago and I've visited a few times since. I love the nature / scenery in New Mexico as a whole. As far as ABQ I like that it is big enough to have major chains, but small enough to have IMO more of a town feel vs. a city feel. I also liked that get somewhat of four seasons, but winter isn't really that harsh. The only thing I didn't like about living in ABQ is that I felt isolated in that the only other large town within a half day's driving distance is Santa Fe. Everyone likes what they like, and we will all see things based on our own life experiences and tastes. Overall I dig ABQ and New Mexico in general.

[eaterofhummus]

I feel like Santa Fe would be a dream spot of mine. My impression is that it's smallish, gorgeous architecture, artistic, and proximity to outdoors and skiing (Taos). Obviously I have no idea how it actually is to live there. I've always wanted to visit though. I feel like Bojack Horseman represented the place pretty well.

[bumblebee2]

I'll give you a before and after I visited since I feel like that paints a fuller picture

Before: Aliens & UFOs, the southwest, Roswell, the desert

After: Beautiful, the image of tall green grass covering the ground with canyons in the background

Amazing Mexican food

Impoverished places like Gallup (but beautiful in that rundown, wild Route 66 way)

Native American culture

The history of the American southwest

Open two lane highways that stretch to the horizon


Overall, I would say my impression of New Mexico was positive but since visiting it has gone way up. A state that left a real impression on me and I just found so unexpectedly breathtaking.

[Prickly Pear]

I just visited Santa Fe and I'm currently on the drive home. I'm actually stopped in Gallup right now.

New Mexico is very beautiful, but lacks scenery that is very dramatic. At least the majority of the NW portion or so of the state that I saw. Arizona is similar in this dynamic so it's not a con, it's just that in the populated areas you have to drive out say an hour or so minimum for the dramatic scenery.

New Mexico also has more mesas/canyons/notable rock features etc. that I could see from the roads. However I do believe Arizona's rock features (GC, Monument Valley, Sedona, etc.) are more well known. There was a Mesa or canyon everywhere I looked in New Mexico.

Albuquerque looks almost identical to Tucson on the freeway. I didn't actually get to stop in ABQ so I won't comment there though the Sandias did feel more prominent/towering than Mount Lemmon. I have concluded that there is a fruit-theme to a lot of mountains in our area.

The I-40 in New Mexico is beautiful.

Food is great, though I have determined that hatched green chile is WAY too hot and spicy for me. About charred the inside of my mouth. At least I tried it so that's what counts. Got an amazing Indian taco from the Plaza Café in old town Santa Fe, never sleep on the fry bread...

Architecture in Santa Fe is phenomenal. You really don't get to see adobes out here in Arizona that much except in the southern portions near Tucson. Adobe construction in the state next door is really only for the super wealthy in the Cave Creek/Carefree suburbs of Phoenix and the foothills of Tucson, unless the structure is older than the state of Arizona itself. It's a really nice change.

The desert of northern New Mexico looks a lot like the Prescott area versus the high desert of Arizona which is well, dirt. It's like a plains/desert hybrid whereas high desert Arizona is virtually plant less, see Monument Valley or the Painted Desert. This surprised me because Santa Fe and Flagstaff are virtually the same elevation. Albuquerque and Prescott are also virtually the same elevation. Yet it all looked like Prescott/Sunset Point/Black Canyon City area. I expected Santa Fe to look more similar to Flagstaff because of this, so more forested. This isn't a con just a surprise because it's not like Arizona and New Mexico have significantly different weather patterns, however it's enough of a weather difference to suggest that pines can only grow really in full at probably 8,000+ in New Mexico whereas they start in the low 7k elevation in Arizona.

Santa Fe weather is a 12/10. Absolutely perfect. However I knew it would be great because I suspected it to be like Flagstaff, which it was here. Elevation is important in our dry weather.

The only real con to the area was that there was something in the air of Santa Fe that really triggered some allergies. I've never had allergies as bad in my entire life than what I got in Santa Fe. I was considering NM for the future but with allergies that bad I think I'll pass on it. Otherwise I really enjoyed my time there, and these are my thoughts after spending a weekend there.

[boulevardofdef]

I've only passed through Albuquerque without stopping, but I can tell you this -- it was the longest I've ever driven through nothing before and after passing a substantial city. Hours of nothing, then Albuquerque, then hours of nothing -- I've never experienced anything like it.

I visited Las Cruces for a longer period and, sad to say, didn't like it. There didn't seem to be anything to it. The mountains were OK but not that pretty. Everybody told me to visit Old Mesilla, and I did, but it seemed really insubstantial.

I've been to 38 states and, sad to say, New Mexico ranks near the bottom for me. I feel kinda lousy saying that, but OP, you asked.

I'd definitely like to give Santa Fe a try.

[ButterflyStinger]

Originally Posted by Nibbidy

I dont want this posted in the New Mexico forum. Im interested to hear otgers opinions from other states. What do you think about the state or ABQ? How familiar are you with it and when you think of ABQ how big do you think it is or feels?

Im sure outsiders views are totally different than the locals.

I moved there from DC and lived there for one year. The only thing I really miss about Albuquerque are the Sandia Mountains. They are stunning and jut out over most of the city. I would always get cheered up by the hiking and outdoorsy opportunities that those mountains offered.

I not fond of the people. They're sluggish, introverted, and oblivious. That said, they are very nice. Not necessarily in the friendly engaging type of way but just well-mannered.

The weather is... meh. I hate the Springtime when gale force winds come sweeping down throughout the city and blow dust all over. My eyes, nose, and throat were in misery for three months. Summer is hot, but not unbearable. Fall is beautiful. Winter is mild and, if you're lucky, the unpredictable weather will grant you a few days with highs in the 70's.

I can't complain much about the city itself. It's very sprawling, but the Old Town area is nice. Sandia Heights is nice aswell. What really got to me, though, was the isolation. I'm used to being connected to other major cities within a three hour drive. ABQ just had an heir of loneliness cast over it. It's a big city in the midst of miles and miles of desert.

[CrltenSpke11]

I liked the climate, the northern parts of the state, the White Sands and the big cave toward the southeast...What's interesting during the summer are the little cumulonimbus clouds producing lightning when a cumulonimbus cloud covers only a small portions of the sky. Someone mentions high winds. I've seen high winds over Roswell and a dust storm nearby it produced. The bad news is high poverty rate statewide and lousy job opportunities in most places.

[Zambon]

Albuquerque makes me think of Breaking Bad.