New Mexico is a destination that has been on my list for a long time! I was able to visit Albuquerque this week and left eager to visit again and check out some of the surrounding towns like Taos and Santa Fe.

EXPERIENCE

A personal trip to visit friends and family finally brought me to Albuquerque. Timing worked out well that I happened to be in town for the International Balloon Fiesta! This is quite the event. I’d recommend using the park and ride system to get to the balloon park. We arrived early Saturday morning for Mass Ascension which was really beautiful. There was an even more impressive crowd of balloons and spectators than I imaged but I found it quite tolerable because the crowd was so sprawling and without a focal point.

Hiking was the other highlight of our trip outside of family activities. We managed to get three fantastic hikes in during our long weekend. The first trip was up to the Peak of the Sandia Mountains. The trail we took was rugged but landed us at a lovely overlook with a little stone house that provided a great lay of the land. There is a tram down to try if you are interested. Our second hike was to Jemez. This area was also quite nice and a wooded hike led us to some natural hot springs in the mountains. From here we headed to the Zia Pueblo Reservation for some true desert hiking, also with a hot spring as a destination. Though this trip was short I loved the southwestern landscape as always, the gorgeous sunsets on the red rocks and the seemingly endless ranch lands.

STAY

While in town I stayed with my boyfriend’s family, so I unfortunately am not much of an expert of where to stay in Albuquerque. By and large the city seemed fairly sprawling but easy to get around via car, seems like a fun town to check out Airbnb options as well.

Zia Pueblo Reservation

EAT

New Mexican cuisine is something truly unique. The green chilies seem to find their way into lots of the local faire, from cheeseburgers to enchiladas. Be sure to indulge in all the spiciness the New Mexican menus offer. We also had the chance to check out some local breweries, worth a stop as well while out there.

International Balloon Fiesta