What to do in Santa Fe? (Albuquerque, Las Vegas: neighborhood, movies, construction)

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by ash80753

I think we're going to fly into Denver and drive down. Mapquest says it's about six hours, but do you know if it's a bad drive? By bad I mean mountain roads lol and I'm really hoping there's no snow.

I'll defer to the natives - I do know when we were in Santa Fe last December, the lows got into the teens, but it didn't snow. I also rememeber another time I was in Santa Fe/Taos/Angel Fire in March and there was a significant amount of snow on the ground (which for a Louisianian was a VERY big deal). So it just depends.

[ash80753]

I'm used to the snow, but I HATE it.

[Santa Fe]

You can do the whole trip on I25 if you want to and its an easy drive. However, you might get snow the last weekend in November. I'd be more worried about the snow in Denver than in Santa Fe.

If you are here for the weekend, I wouldn't not go to ABQ or Taos -- there is plenty to do in Santa Fe.

I would also recommend La Fonda -- it is part of Santa Fe's history and it is a lively, active place right on the Plaza. You can find museums, restaurants, bars, entertainment + a couple of the oldest building in the US -- all within an easy walk. If you ask nicely La Fonda might give you a better rate than the one they first quote.

[jaxart]

Originally Posted by ash80753

I think we're going to fly into Denver and drive down.

Unless there is some compelling reason to do so, why would you do that? You'll have to negotiate several large metro areas to get to the CO/NM border, and that I can vouch for is not fun if it's anywhere near rush hours.
Denver Metro blends into Col Spring and then there is Pueblo.

Flying into Albuquerque is the logical choice - and no need to rent a car if the Railrunner Commuter train is running, or use one of the better motels/hotels in Santa Fe that offer shuttle service to the Albq airport.

[Santa Fe]

Originally Posted by jaxart

Unless there is some compelling reason to do so, why would you do that? You'll have to negotiate several large metro areas to get to the CO/NM border, and that I can vouch for is not fun if it's anywhere near rush hours.
Denver Metro blends into Col Spring and then there is Pueblo.

Flying into Albuquerque is the logical choice - and no need to rent a car if the Railrunner Commuter train is running, or use one of the better motels/hotels in Santa Fe that offer shuttle service to the Albq airport.

Agree to all this. Even if you get a significantly better price into Denver, you'll lose some of that on the auto expense. If you do come into Denver, then definitely try to avoid rush hour coming out of Denver.

[ash80753]

Thank you all so much. At first glance is was super expensive to fly into Albuquerque, but I found a good flight through Southwest.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by jaxart

Unless there is some compelling reason to do so,
why would you do that?

Because the drive is gorgeous.
It is especially so if you do it in the morning with the Eastern
sun shining on the Rocky Mountains.

Pikes Peak, Greenhorn Mountain, the Spanish Peaks and
the Sangre de Cristo mountains in NM are wonderful to see.
The high plains of Eastern NM are also starkly beautiful.

I would plan on taking 8 hours to drive it. Some people do
it in 6, but you have to "make time" and be agressive.

Originally Posted by jaxart

You'll have to negotiate several large metro areas
to get to the CO/NM border,

Several?

You have to leave Denver. If it is rush hour, stop for a meal
and wait a while. Colorado Springs does not count as a large
metro area and you pass through Pueblo in less time than it
takes to down a cup of coffee.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by mortimer

Because the drive is gorgeous.
It is especially so if you do it in the morning with the Eastern
sun shining on the Rocky Mountains.

Pikes Peak, Greenhorn Mountain, the Spanish Peaks and
the Sangre de Cristo mountains in NM are wonderful to see.
The high plains of Eastern NM are also starkly beautiful.

I would plan on taking 8 hours to drive it. Some people do
it in 6, but you have to "make time" and be agressive.

Several?

You have to leave Denver. If it is rush hour, stop for a meal
and wait a while. Colorado Springs does not count as a large
metro area and you pass through Pueblo in less time than it
takes to down a cup of coffee.

Does I-25 go through the mountains in northern NM or does it skirt along the edge of the Sangres ?

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by ash80753

We are coming from Pittsburgh and have traveled a lot in Europe, the Caribbean, etc., but the farthest west I've ever been is Chicago lol.

Originally Posted by ash80753

I think we're going to fly into Denver and drive down. Mapquest says it's about six hours, but do you know if it's a bad drive? By bad I mean mountain roads lol and I'm really hoping there's no snow.

You can drive from Dever to Santa Fe on Interstate I-25. I have done it a few times in the Winter on clear days with no problems. Weather should not be a problem, hopefully....

If the farthest West you have been has been Chicago then perhaps a drive from Denver to Santa Fe would be worth doing. Maybe going as far as Albuquerque which is an added 60 miles or so. Mapquest says the drive is 6 hours. Every time I have driven to Denver from Albuquerque it has taken us 10 to 12 hours. We make a lot of stops.

Drive through the "Garden of the Gods", a city park in Colorado Springs. It is worth it. And can be done in less than an hour, you can drive through, but we have always had to stop and walk around...

We try to stop and eat at Trinidad, CO and do some sightseeing and walking around in town.



Rich

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by BRMan

Does I-25 go through the mountains in northern NM
or does it skirt along the edge of the Sangres ?

I-25 is on the Western edge of the Great Plains and the only
"mountain" driving is through Raton Pass at the border of CO/NM.

It "skirts" the mountains from Cheyenne, WY to Santa Fe.

That is why I encourage a morning drive so that the sun shining
from the East over the plains illuminates the now, snowcapped,
peaks seen to the West.
(In CO they are referred to as The Front Range.)


It is easy to keep the road clear so unless it is actually snowing at
the time you are doing the drive, the road will be perfect for you.

Note that Raton Pass takes a couple of extra hours to be "perfect."

| I've driven from Denver (getting dumped on with snow)
| through the snow through Colorado Springs
| under clouds on perfect roads to the pass
| through a friggin' blizzard on the pass
| into nothing but clear, sunlit skies from the
| South end of the pass into Albuquerque.

As Poncho_NM mentioned, there are side trips that can make
this an all-day drive.

It is also possible and nice to take Rt 160 to Alamosa, CO and drive
South to Rt 64 at Tres Piedras. From there, you cross the Taos
Gorge Bridge and go into Taos. From there, you can go to Santa Fe.
(If it is sunny, it is nice. If it is cloudy, it might not be nice.)

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. It's making me drool for a road trip.

As asked earlier: "why would you do that?" ( drive from Denver
to Albuquerque ). Why would you not want to? There is no
way to do it, no route, that is not glorious.