Recommendations for trip next week (Albuquerque, Santa Fe: 2014, construction, camp)
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I'll be hitting NM for 5 days plus travel next week. Spend a couple of nights in ABQ, a couple in SF and end with a couple at the Bosque just before leaving. I asked for recs in the main forum but now that its closer I'm looking for more town related specifics.
So for ABQ, are there any must eat at diners, casual restaurants? Things to see?
I plan on spending some time at the Rio Nature Center and I have figured out that the tram will be under annual maintenance (big disappointment there) but I can drive to the top right?
Ive been going through other likely sounds threads and found one that mentioned Mary and Titos nd the Owl Cafe - are these famous places? Worth the hype Also mentioned the Pueblo Cultural Center. I remember a long time ago there was a rest in Tucson that had pecary's(?) that visited every night. any wildlife recs like that would be wonderful.
Anything to be aware of driving? Or? Highway to Santa Fe ok etc. Parking? Maybe advice like....do the something or other on the way to here or heading to Santa Fe, wait to do this till you are headed to the Bosque so I'm not backtracking. I tend to go to areas and spend to much driving. I love to just drive around rural areas but I overdue it.
I don't have a data plan on my phone, so I have to rely on wifi. So I like to get a decent itinerary list going and put coords in my Garmin GPS before I leave.
Cottonwoods in the Bosque should be at about peak of their golden/yellow color. Near the Nature Center, the Flying Star Cafe on Rio Grande Blvd. has a nice outdoor patio under the trees, very pleasant in nice weather.
Yes, you can take the Crest Highway to the top of Sandia Peak by taking I-40 east to Cedar Crest, then Rt. 14 (Turquoise Trail) north to the Crest Highway turnoff. Allow at least an hour from town one way.
Personally I don't care for the Owl Cafe, don't know Mary and Tito's.
You can take the Turquoise Trail all the way to Santa Fe, and then take I-25 back (faster). Along the Turquoise Trail you can stop in Madrid (a ghost town turned quirky arts colony) and poke around shops, get lunch at the Hollar or Mine Shaft Tavern. No problems driving anywhere.
I'm a twice a year visitor to Albuquerque - have eaten at both Mary & Tito's and the Owl. The Owl is neat because of its diner look - I had an omelette with both red and green sauce - Christmas, I think they call it, and it was good. Also ate at Mary & Tito's and loved it - you have to love hot, though! The salsa made my eyes water - that hasn't happened in a while! Their carne adobada is fantastic.
I enjoy the Pueblo Cultural Center, and try to go on Saturday when they have the native american dancers there. There is a restaurant there too, that serves 'modern' SW and Native American food; pretty good.
I absolutely loved the Turquoise Traill, and will have to go it again when I have more time. An eagle flew right over the windshield of my car in one of the sections between towns - its wing actually brushed the windshield - made my day!
I've wanted to go to the Petroglyph monument, but haven't made it there yet. I have gone to the 'tent rocks', which is a national park you can get to through the Santo Domingo Pueblo off I-25 just south of Santa Fe. The rock formations are amazing, and there are different levels of trails you can take to get closer to them.
Doing a little research last night on Trip Advisor I read some reviews of the Petroglyphs. Not that it matters but at least Iwon't be surprised that the town has sort of grown up around the area etc. Sounds like a lot of of people but its close and I may do it just to have done it.
I don't like zoos at all but am wondering if I should hit the botanical gardens. The one in Tucson actually had a lot of birds but I suppose it can depend on the gardens.
Thanks for the tent rocks tip.
And thanks for the heads up on the hour drive for Sandia Crest. It is sort of hard to do all this research and try to figure out the time it takes to do things, get places.
So it looks to me like I should do the Sandia Crest and Turquoise trail as a on my way to Santa Fe thing. Hour up, a couple of hours on the crest.
The restaurant issue is a tough one: ask 20 people where to eat here and you will get 20 different answers.
Not sure why you chose the Rio Grande Nature Center, there is not much to see there, so if I had to choose between that and the Botanic Gardens I would choose the Botanic Gardens. The Zoo is a separate thing which is confusing, since we refer to them both as the BioPark. There is a little train connecting the two but it eats up a lot of time. If you go to the Botanic Gardens you will see the same kinds of trees that are at the Nature Center, and some of the water fowl, plus all the gardens.
There is construction along most of Central Avenue (that will affect access to the Botanic Gardens) but you can still get to where you want to go. It is near Old Town which also makes a nice stop. My favorite place to take out of town guests to eat in Old Town is the Church Street Cafe for New Mexico food in an interesting old adobe house. https://www.churchstreetcafe.com/
Or if you've already had enough New Mexican food you can go to Vinaigrette on Central between Old Town and Downtown for fresh and local options. Don't know your taste in food though. Vinaigrette - A Salad Bistro
Unless you want to hike around at the top of the Crest you probably won't spend an hour there. Most people walk the stairs to the observation area, and go into the gift shop (which has a minimalistic cafe). There is a nature trail loop which is worth walking if the weather is nice. It can get windy up there and expect the temperatures to be about 20 degrees cooler than down below.
The Petroglyphs are a little confusing because it is divided into four separate units, and there are no petroglyphs at the Visitor Center. So you can go to the Visitor Center for their exhibit and to get more information, but then you have to drive other places to actually see the petroglyphs.
Tent Rocks is gorgeous and very interesting, and would require a couple of hours to walk through the slot canyon to really appreciate it. Takes a little more than an hour to get there. If you go there I recommend getting an early start. You need to be fairly nimble and have appropriate shoes to make it through the canyon and up to the top of the mesa for the spectacular views. No dogs allowed. My profile picture was taken there.
OK, so on the day you're going to Santa Fe to stay a couple of nights, a possible itinerary from ABQ is simple:
Take Turquoise Trail to Sandia Crest Highway if the weather is good. If the mountain looks "socked in" from town and shrouded in clouds then there will be no view at the top. It is a twisty road to the top. Do the Nature Walk at the top which is on the other side of the gift shop from the upper parking area. You need $3 exact change to park (you go to the paystation to fill out an envelope and put the slip on your dashboard) unless you have the National Parks Pass.
On the way back to the Turquoise Trail you will pass Tinkertown Museum. A quirky folk art stop if you have extra time to explore.
Continue north to MADrid and stop to poke around. Everything is along the main drag you drive on through town and you can park in one place and see it all on foot. If it is lunch time, there is The Hollar (Southern food with a New Mexico twist) or the Mine Shaft Tavern (burger joint/biker bar).
Then continue north to Santa Fe-- you will probably be early to check in where you are staying unless you take a lot of time in Madrid.
On the way back to ABQ from Santa Fe you can take exit 264 off of I-25 onto Rte. 16 to Kasha-Katuwe/Tent Rocks. That could add about 3 hours to the 1-hour nonstop drive to ABQ. There is no food there but they have picnic tables. The hike through the slot canyon is the main reason to go there. The drive up to the "Veterans' Memorial Scenic Overlook" is a very rough dirt road, very slow going, and not worth the time if you haven't been there before. The earlier you get there the fewer people. Sometimes it can get crowded.
I know this is the ABQ forum but when I go up to Santa Fe I was thinking of going to Pecos and hit the National Park which would probably only take an hour. Not sure. I was even thinking of trying to spend a night in the Monestary there. Not particuarly religious and there probably isn't any tv or cable but seems like it would be a different experience.
Since you are driving, here are a couple of suggestions for scenic roads between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Rather than take the Interstate, taking the Jemez Mountain Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe is a bit slower but much more scenic. Lots of camera worthy stops along the way and you get to pass through the Jemez Pueblo with beautiful red rock formations:
Another great way to travel between Albuquerque and Santa Fe is the Turquoise Trail. A great stop here is Madrid, a funky ghost town that is a one-of-a-kind artists commune. Great place for a light lunch and some of the quirkiest and reasonably priced art and souvenirs:
I suggest that you take one day to visit Taos as well. It is an unforgettable small city with a very walkable downtown and a scenic trip from Santa Fe by the "High Road" or "Low Road"
Keep in mind that Albuquerque old Route 66, Central Ave. is under extensive construction right now so it will not look its best. Also, the bosque may be a bit past its prime for fall color when you visit. Here's a photo showing conditions this past week:
I think that you will fall in love with the Jemez Mountain Trail and really enjoy Madrid as well. Santa Fe is nice and quiet now until Thanksgiving week and is very walkable. You may prefer to take the RailRunner from ABQ to Santa Fe as it is a great way to see the landscape without driving:
Since you are driving, here are a couple of suggestions for scenic roads between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Rather than take the Interstate, taking the Jemez Mountain Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe is a bit slower but much more scenic.
Waaay slower at almost 3 hours rather than I-25's 50 minutes, but waaaaay more scenic. And with lots to see along the way. In fact, I would leave Albuquerque after breakfast and plan to be in Santa Fe no earlier than a late dinner so that you can visit the village of Jemez Springs, get out and hike along the east fork of the Jemez river, spend some time gazing out over the immense expanse of the sub-alpine Valle Grande, and explore the ruins and climb the ladders at the cliff dwellings in Bandolier, along the way. Then there is the box canyon with its waterfalls by the Gilman tunnels, Fenton Lake, the Soda dam and San Antonio hot springs, etc. I mean, ideally, you would want to camp out at some of the many hot springs and explore the Jemez over the course of a couple of days.
Really, the trip through the Jemez should be an all day or even multi day excursion, the destination itself, rather than being seen as a prettier way to Santa Fe, in my opinion.
Waaay slower at almost 3 hours rather than I-25's 50 minutes, but waaaaay more scenic. And with lots to see along the way. In fact, I would leave Albuquerque after breakfast and plan to be in Santa Fe no earlier than a late dinner so that you can visit the village of Jemez Springs, get out and hike along the east fork of the Jemez river, spend some time gazing out over the immense expanse of the sub-alpine Valle Grande, and explore the ruins and climb the ladders at the cliff dwellings in Bandolier, along the way. Then there is the box canyon with its waterfalls by the Gilman tunnels, Fenton Lake, the Soda dam and San Antonio hot springs, etc. I mean, ideally, you would want to camp out at some of the many hot springs and explore the Jemez over the course of a couple of days.
Really, the trip through the Jemez should be an all day or even multi day excursion, the destination itself, rather than being seen as a prettier way to Santa Fe, in my opinion.
Good advice ABQConvict! I glossed over the amount of time it takes to really soak in all of the Jemez Mountain Trail. You can really make a full day out if it.
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