Martha’s guidebook
Theater/Movies
In North Valley - lots of sightseeing and restaurants. Tiny theater - no bad seats. Book in advance if you can.
Adobe Theater
9813 4th St NWIn North Valley - lots of sightseeing and restaurants. Tiny theater - no bad seats. Book in advance if you can.
Tiny theater in UNM area. No bad seats. Productions are usually unusual and excellent!
Aux Dog Theatre Nob Hill
907 3rd Street NorthwestTiny theater in UNM area. No bad seats. Productions are usually unusual and excellent!
The Vortex Theatre
2900 Carlisle Blvd NENever seen anything less than excellent here!
Travelling Broadway shows, and other shows. Large venue, very good acoustics. Probably need advance tickets for larger shows like Book of Mormon, Rent, etc. Right across the street from some great restaurants, and on the UNM campus, which is beautiful. Recommend walking the campus!
24 locals recommend
Popejoy Hall
203 Cornell DrTravelling Broadway shows, and other shows. Large venue, very good acoustics. Probably need advance tickets for larger shows like Book of Mormon, Rent, etc. Right across the street from some great restaurants, and on the UNM campus, which is beautiful. Recommend walking the campus!
In its 82nd season! Medium-sized, not too hard to get last minute tickets. Quality usually good to excellent.
9 locals recommend
Albuquerque Little Theatre
224 San Pasquale Ave SWIn its 82nd season! Medium-sized, not too hard to get last minute tickets. Quality usually good to excellent.
Winrock Town Center
2100 Louisiana Blvd NEClose-by, first run movies.
Brewpub
Locally owned, within walking distance, outside patio, dog-friendly, good Irish food.
10 locals recommend
Quarter Celtic Brewpub
1100 San Mateo Blvd NELocally owned, within walking distance, outside patio, dog-friendly, good Irish food.
High and Dry Brewing
529 Adams St NENearby location, outside patio, food trucks, music.
Just get the pink Elephants on Parade - don't even ask, just get it. A wheat beer with cranberry flavor. OMG! Food is good too! They sell growlers to go, too.
51 locals recommend
Bosque Brewing Co. Public House - Nob Hill
106 Girard Blvd SEJust get the pink Elephants on Parade - don't even ask, just get it. A wheat beer with cranberry flavor. OMG! Food is good too! They sell growlers to go, too.
Groceries
Literally in backyard of the apartment complex. Full grocery store, with beer/wine.
46 locals recommend
Smith's Food and Drug
3701 Constitution Ave NELiterally in backyard of the apartment complex. Full grocery store, with beer/wine.
If you have never been to a Trader Joe's, this is a treat. Inexpensive and lots of interesting items. Beer/wine. The Lecheteau Vouvray is a steal if you like whites that are not really dry.
49 locals recommend
Trader Joe's
2200 Uptown Loop Rd NEIf you have never been to a Trader Joe's, this is a treat. Inexpensive and lots of interesting items. Beer/wine. The Lecheteau Vouvray is a steal if you like whites that are not really dry.
Sprouts Farmers Market
5112 Lomas Blvd NEVery close by, great produce.
Activities for Kids of all Ages
ABQ BioPark
903 10th St SWAquarium & Botanic Garden Station
Paseo del Bosque TrailNice walks around the ponds, feed the ducks, take a paddle boat ride. It's really nice there. Combine with dinner at Monte Carlo Steak House.
80 locals recommend
Tingley Beach
1800 Tingley Dr SWNice walks around the ponds, feed the ducks, take a paddle boat ride. It's really nice there. Combine with dinner at Monte Carlo Steak House.
Rotating exhibits. Right near the Natural History Museum, also.
219 locals recommend
Albuquerque Museum
2000 Mountain Rd NWRotating exhibits. Right near the Natural History Museum, also.
McCalls Pumpkin Patch is great for kids. Take a hay ride, pick out pumpkins, pat bunnies, and walk through corn maze. They have a scary corn field also.
Pumpkin Patch Road
Pumpkin Patch RoadMcCalls Pumpkin Patch is great for kids. Take a hay ride, pick out pumpkins, pat bunnies, and walk through corn maze. They have a scary corn field also.
Every October - not to be missed. Mass ascensions in the mornings, balloon glows at night.
79 locals recommend
Balloon Fiesta Park
Every October - not to be missed. Mass ascensions in the mornings, balloon glows at night.
Annual New Mexico State fair. Not fantastic, but the petting zoo is nice, and the home made pies are to die for and the proceeds go to charity.
9 locals recommend
Expo New Mexico
300 San Pedro Dr NEAnnual New Mexico State fair. Not fantastic, but the petting zoo is nice, and the home made pies are to die for and the proceeds go to charity.
A must visit if you have kids. Has a planetarium as well. Great gift shop. Near other museums. Check out First Friday Fractal show if you are here - this is spectacular.
176 locals recommend
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
1801 Mountain Rd NWA must visit if you have kids. Has a planetarium as well. Great gift shop. Near other museums. Check out First Friday Fractal show if you are here - this is spectacular.
Sightseeing
Santa Fe Farmers Market
1607 Paseo De PeraltaSaturdays - take the Rail Runner train up!
Rail Yards Market
777 1st St SWDowntown, currently open on Sundays.
Elena Gallegos Open Space
7100 Tramway Blvd NEMostly flat terrain - good for little ones
Just totally amazing. If you can fit this in, it's a must! Get the headphones for the basic tour, and try to add in the King's Palace tour.
121 locals recommend
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Just totally amazing. If you can fit this in, it's a must! Get the headphones for the basic tour, and try to add in the King's Palace tour.
Fun, and kind of silly! Good food in Roswell too. Roswell is on the way to Carlsbad. Try to go see the Caverns. This would be an overnight away from Albuquerque, maybe even 2 nights.
21 locals recommend
International UFO Museum And Research Center
114 N Main StFun, and kind of silly! Good food in Roswell too. Roswell is on the way to Carlsbad. Try to go see the Caverns. This would be an overnight away from Albuquerque, maybe even 2 nights.
Like a beach in the middle of the desert. Great for kids. Bring sliding toys (like saucers).
244 locals recommend
White Sands National Monument
Like a beach in the middle of the desert. Great for kids. Bring sliding toys (like saucers).
Jemez Springs
Less than an hour away, scenic views and springs.
A one hour scenic drive to an old fashioned town with some interesting galleries, shops, and food.
Mountainair
A one hour scenic drive to an old fashioned town with some interesting galleries, shops, and food.
2 hour drive south - hot springs for soaking (try Riverbend or Pelican). Amazing food in this tiny town. Try Passion Pie, Pacific Grille. Restaurants have unusual days open/closed, so check in advance. Outer Edge Pizza is almost always open and is excellent. Pizza, salads, desserts. Very good.
17 locals recommend
Truth or Consequences
2 hour drive south - hot springs for soaking (try Riverbend or Pelican). Amazing food in this tiny town. Try Passion Pie, Pacific Grille. Restaurants have unusual days open/closed, so check in advance. Outer Edge Pizza is almost always open and is excellent. Pizza, salads, desserts. Very good.
Sports
New Mexico United soccer team plays here. Extremely popular!
Also, on no-soccer nights, Albuquerque Isotopes baseball team plays, with lots of inter-inning fun for kids.
43 locals recommend
Isotopes Park
1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SENew Mexico United soccer team plays here. Extremely popular!
Also, on no-soccer nights, Albuquerque Isotopes baseball team plays, with lots of inter-inning fun for kids.
New Mexico United Team Store
3500 Central Ave SEBookstores
Old school used bookstore. Cheap, fun, and not too far away (2-3 minute drive).
Don's Paperback Books
1013 San Mateo Blvd SEOld school used bookstore. Cheap, fun, and not too far away (2-3 minute drive).
Organic Books
111 Carlisle Blvd SEBarnes & Noble
6600 Menaul Blvd NEGreat selection of local authors. Combine with a meal at the Frontier Restaurant, right across the street!
UNM Bookstore
2301 Central Ave NEGreat selection of local authors. Combine with a meal at the Frontier Restaurant, right across the street!