ctroum

my husband and i are planning a trip to albuquerque for the balloon festival in october and would like to visit other places while we're there. we'll be staying 5 to 7 days depending on what we find to see.
we enjoy exploring interesting, artsy towns. someone suggested ria dosa and white sands as well as santa fe. we'll be renting a car. any ideas?

saige

I'm sure you are aware that the balloon fiesta is a nine day event. I'd plan to spend the time in Albuquerque and Santa Fe because I can't be that close to Santa Fe and not go there.
You'll have a very full schedule if you do both. I love the museums and shops in both places and they are well represented on the web if you google them. DebitNM is our NM expert and has posted extensively here with lots of good information for you to research using the search function on the upper right corner of this page. And it's Ruidoso, not Ria Dosa if you are looking further afield. I personally wouldn't add that in just 5-7 days.

Eat some green chile for me and have fun, Saige

islandaze

"...interesting, artsy towns" pretty much describes Santa Fe. You could spend a day or two alone just wandering through the galleries along Canyon Road.

BigRuss

The balloon fiesta may be a nine-day event, but you only need to see a couple of day's launches and a night event to really see what you need or want. As neat as a break-of-dawn launch is, the events become repetitive if you go to all nine days. That said, launches are often canceled because of winds - if the wind is over 7 mph, they cancel the launch.

Santa Fe is the epitome of a large artsy town. It has only 75,000 people and nearly as many galleries, and the development that has expanded the population is all outside downtown and Canyon Road. Stay near the Plaza or between the Capitol and the Plaza. Go to Tomasita's for lunch.

Albuquerque has a good science museum and a surprisingly good zoo in addition to its museums.

ElendilPickle

Do keep your schedule flexible for the Balloon Fiesta, as BigRuss recommends.

With 5-7 days, I would stay in Albuquerque with a couple of nights in Santa Fe. There are lots of fun things to do there. You might also enjoy a drive up the high road to Taos for one day.

Lee Ann

DebitNM

Thanks saige; LeeAnn is right there with me, too~

The weather can be unpredictable and it would be a shame to come here for just a few days and not be able to see at least 1 or 2 mass ascensions and an evening glowdeo.

I think you would have plenty to see and do that would appeal to you in the ABQ/SF and even Taos area. I would not go to Ruidoso nor White Sands, personally.

The ABQ BioPark is worth an entire day [buy a combo pass before noon]with the Aquarium, Botanical Gardens and Zoo.

There many great museums in both ABQ and SF.

The Hispanic and Native American Cultural Centers are a must see.

The galleries in SF is worth a stroll along Canyon Road.

A day trip to Taos is nice, seeing the Pueblo and the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.

Driving the high road back from Taos, is lovely at that time of year.

Drive up the Turquoise Trail to SF.

Ride the Enchanted Circle.

Lots more to see and do here.

http://cabq.gov/visiting

http://www.turquoisetrail.org/

http://www.museumhill.org/

http://www.innofthegovernors.com/thi...fe/attractions

http://enchantedcircle.org/

http://highroadnewmexico.com/

http://www.essentialguide.com/blog/2...d-to-taos.html

saige

You're welcome, DebitNM!

DebitNM

Meant to add these:


http://www.indianpueblo.org/

http://www.nhccnm.org/