Interesting Things To Do In Albuquerque
An Overview of Albuquerque
Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico, seated in the high desert with mountains towering over the Eastern portion of the city. The core of the city contains Old Town Albuquerque, with numerous preserved, historic adobe buildings which harken to its history as a Spanish colonial town. Much of Albuquerque is influenced by Native American culture and arts and a mix of American and Central American culinary styles. The region is best known for the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival which sees large fleets of balloons drifting over the city and desert. With numerous cultural institutions, desert-highland hikes and interesting museum centers, there are many interesting things to do in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Interesting Things To Do In Albuquerque
American International Rattlesnake Museum
This is an animal conservation museum devoted specifically to rattlesnakes, including their variations, identifying markers and other educational facts.
Grave of Walter White
Albuquerque was the setting for the popular TV Drama Breaking Bad, where a high school chemistry teacher dying of cancer begins selling exceptionally pure meth for money. The TV show, which gained a huge following, has landmarks scattered throughout the town. The Grave of Walter White is empty, but it lays to rest the infamous Heisenberg.
Pueblo Montaño Trailhead Chainsaw Sculpture Garden
When a forest fire surged through the bushes and desert flora of this area, there was significant damage to the landscape. Inspired firefighter Mark Chavez strived to make something beautiful from the charred, standing logs by creating wooden chainsaw sculptures which now decorate the area.
Auto Hawk Sculpture
Located one 1st Street SW, this odd sculpture looks like a hawk in flight with one wing touching the ground. The odd sculpture is made entirely from car doors welded together.
Indian Pueblo Kitchen
This is a Native American culinary restaurant designed to give guests an unforgettable Indigenous dining experience.
Los Pollos Hermanos (Twisters)
Los Pollos Hermanos was a fictional fast-food chain which featured prominently in Breaking Bad and its spin-off series, Better Caul Saul. In both cases, the scenes were filmed at the real restaurant Twisters Burgers and Burritos, located at the corner of Lakeview Road SW and Isleta Blvd SW.
Mister Car Wash
Another setting which featured heavily in Breaking Bad was a car wash called A1A, which was used to launder drug money. The site where the filming actually took place was Mister Car Wash, a functional car wash located at 9516 Snow Heights Cir NE in Albuquerque.
Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument is a large archeological site created from a volcanic basalt escarpment on the western portion of Albuquerque. The site is home to thousands of prehistoric Native American drawings etched onto stone walls. Visiting the petroglyphs and exploring the large archeological site is one of the most interesting things to do in Albuquerque.
Old Town
Old Town is the historic district of Albuquerque, home to narrow streets, century-old adobe structures, artisinal shops, Native American craft and art stores and numerous eateries selling enchiladas, pastries and other snacks. The area includes Old Town Plaza, Tiguex Park, the Albuquerque Museum, the 18th-century San Felipe de Neri Church and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science which has numerous dinosaur models and skeletons.
Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway
When heading to the mountains and regions to the North, the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway (NW 14) is an excellent option. The drive takes about two hours, passing through beautiful high-desert scenery, long mountain ridges and several historic stops.
Cibola National Forest
This massive national forest spreads is thought to be named by the original Zuni Native American tribes who once roamed the land. The protected area contains 1.6 million acres of trees, mountains, desert scrub, meadows, campgrounds, hiking trails and climbing areas.
Sandia Crest
This is part of a popular hiking route through a long forested ridge winding up the Sandia Mountain, reaching a stunning overlook that grants views encompassing all of Albuquerque below. The crest can also be reached by using the Sandia Peak Tramway.
Cruising San Mateo 1
Otherwise known as the “Chevy on a Stick,” the junkyard-rescued 1954 Chevy sits atop a turquoise-tiled triumphal arch.
Center of the Universe
Located on the campus of the University of New Mexico, there exists a four-tunnel concrete structure with a fifth concrete “tunnel” pointed towards the heavens. The abstract structure has remained somewhat confusing, though the artwork’s title “Center of the Universe” is technically correct. According to cosmological physics principals, the universe is expanding in all directions, making any given point of reference the technical center of the universe.
Turquoise Museum
This museum provides in-depth guided tours regarding turquoise with a gift shop and exhibits included.
The Candy Lady
When the Breaking Bad Television series needed to portray “blue meth” the hired someone to make rock-candy that could approximate the crystal structure. The Candy Lady shop sells the blue props, providing photo oppertunities with cardboard cutouts and metal trays full of the substance. The candy shop also sells a wide variety of other sweets.
Santisima
This is a unique, local art gallery which focuses heavily on colorful folk art, Spanish inspired works and New Mexican heritage.
Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
As home to the famed Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta which happens annually in early October, Albuquerque also has a compelling museum dedicated to the global history, design, science and art found behind ballooning and other lighter-than-air forms of flight.
Want to read more about interesting things to do in Albuquerque? Check out the Leftfade Trails Travel Blog
Affiliate Disclosure: Leftfade Trails contains affiliate links, so using services or products through these links supports the website, at no extra cost to the user. All links are to tested services and products designed to aid travelers on their journeys. Some links specifically connect to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate this website earns from qualifying purchases.
