Sightseeing OverviewAlbuquerque is a wonderful city for walking and enjoying the attractions - both natural and manmade. The best way to get acquainted with the city is to head to Old Town Plaza for a glimpse of Albuquerque’s roots. Located near the intersection of Central Avenue and Rio Grande Boulevard,
Old Town Plaza hosts Native American artisans, shops and eateries.
The Indian Pueblo Culture Center (tel: (505) 843 7270; website:
www.indianpueblo.org), near Old Town, houses a museum, shops,
galleries and a restaurant that features New Mexican and Pueblo Indian dishes. If the Rio Grande River is Albuquerque’s lifeblood, then
Central Avenue (old Route 66 with many quirky attractions) is its heart. As the largest university in the state, the
University of New Mexico is located along Central Avenue, east of downtown. A stroll around campus reveals excellent examples of pueblo revival style architecture. A lovely landscaped duck pond area in the campus center is a great spot for a picnic. Look for the University of New Mexico Visitors Center (tel: (505) 277 1989; website:
www.unm.edu). Just minutes away by foot is the
Nob Hill area (Girard to east of Carlisle), with some of the city’s best shops and restaurants.
Tourist InformationAlbuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau East Convention Center lower level
Tel: 1 800 733 9918.
Website:
www.itsatrip.org Albuquerque features several visitor information centers. The above address is that of the main tourist information center in Albuquerque. The Airport Information Center is located in the lower level of the Albuquerque International Sunport in the baggage claim area. The Old Town Information Center is in the Plaza Don Luis on Romero NW, across from the San Felipe de Neri church.
Other visitor services include the
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW (tel: (505) 843 7270; website:
www.indianpueblo.org) and
University of New Mexico Information Center (tel: (505) 277 1989; website:
www.unm.edu).
Key Attractions:Historic Old Town A treasure trove of history near the center of modern Albuquerque, Old Town looks much as it did centuries ago and is home to more than 150 stores, 25 galleries, plenty of fine restaurants and six museums.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center The center depicts the history and culture of New Mexico’s 19 American Indian pueblos, including ceremonial dances and craft demonstrations on weekends.
2401 12th Street NW
Tel: (505) 843 7270
or 1 800 766 4405.
Website:
www.indianpueblo.org Albuquerque Museum of Art & History Located in the heart of Old Town, the museum features art of the Southwest as well as of 400 years of Albuquerque history and the Rio Grande Valley through permanent displays and traveling exhibits.
2000 Mountain Road NW
Tel: (505) 243 7255.
Website:
www.cabq.gov/museum Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway One of the world’s largest, this 4km (2.5-miles) tramway transports visitors above the deep canyons and spectacular terrain of the Sandia Mountains and the Cibola National Forest.
Off I-25 Exit 234
Tel: (505) 856 7325.
Website:
www.sandiapeak.com
Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum Hot air balloons have been used for adventure, scientific experiments, warfare, the arts, espionage and the exploration of space. Albuquerque, the Capital of Ballooning, is now home to the new
International Balloon Museum, which looks at this wonderful mode of transportation through historic artifacts and interactive multi-media display.
9201 Balloon Museum Drive, Balloon Fiesta Park
Tel: (505) 768 6020.
Website:
www.cabq.gov/balloonFurther Distractions:Petroglyph National Monument This one site contains the world’s largest accessible collection of petroglyphs, ancient Indian images carved into the black rock remnants of extinct volcanoes.
6001 Unser Boulevard NW
Tel: (505) 899 0205.
Website:
www.nps.gov/petr Rio Grande Zoo Founded in 1927, the zoo houses more than 1,000 animals in their natural habitats, including an African savanna and Amazon rainforest. Popular species include seals and sea lions, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, hippos, camels, tamarins, koalas, Mexican wolves, mountain lions, monkeys, jaguars, zebras and rhinoceros.
903 10th Street SW
Tel: (505) 764 6200.
Website:
www.cabq.gov/biopark/zoo
American International Rattlesnake Museum This museum holds the world’s largest collection of live rattlesnakes, as well as a wide array of snake-related artwork, artifacts and memorabilia.
202 San Felipe Street
Tel: (505) 242 6569.
Website:
www.rattlesnakes.com
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