Albuquerque, Santa Fe
 

My husband and I are planning a trip to Albuquerque and Santa Fe during my Febuary break. Could you please tell me what will be open to see at this time of year? Will we be able to see the pubelos and any aztec ruins? We do like to site see and walk and visit museums. Thanks for any help

Everything will be open in February. The legislature will be in session in Santa Fe, so lodging might be a little tighter than usual.

There are variety of nice museums in both cities, and you can take walking tours of Albuquerque's Old Town and the Plaza area in Santa Fe.

Taos is about an hour north of Santa Fe, and has one of the most famous pueblos, which you can tour. Acoma Pueblo, west of Albuquerque, is pretty spectacular as well. It sits up on top of a mesa.

We didn't have Aztecs in New Mexico, as far as I can recall. That's old Mexico. :-) There is a place in the Four Corners area called Aztec Ruins National Monument, but it's Pueblo ruins. If you have time and the roads are open, Chaco Canyon is supposed to be incredible. I haven't been there yet myself.

Lee Ann

Miss Pickle, to the internet, please. Miss Pickle, to the internet.
Aztecs? Yes. Remember the team mascot name?
RRRRRRRRRRRResearch the Aztecs of NM.

Chaco IS incredible, but the entrance road is not paved and very bumpy and slow going. I don't know what it might be like in February.

Bandelier is north of Albuquerque. It is a large park which was formerly home to Native Americans, Anasazi maybe? There are some multi-storied adobe pueblo-type places that have ladders so you can climb up and see inside. There is a large area that looks like the framework of the footprint of a celebration room, where the kiva was. It is really pretty even in such a cold time.

Sorry if I've butchered this with my description, but what you need to know is that it's well worth your time both in terms of being a beautiful spot and in terms of experiencing the culture of the area.

>>Miss Pickle, to the internet, please. Miss Pickle, to the internet.
Aztecs? Yes. Remember the team mascot name?
RRRRRRRRRRRResearch the Aztecs of NM. <<

Hmmmm...Aztecs....let's see...

We have Lobos, we have Aggies...maybe some high school team calls themselves the Aztecs, but unless they're having a reeeallly bad season they shouldn't be in ruins... :-D

The Aztec Ruins are up sort of near Bloomfield - is their team called the Aztecs? I don't really follow high school football.

Lee Ann

I'll second Tandoori Girl's Bandelier recommendation. It's a very nice day trip from Santa Fe. We first visited there in December and it was lovely though cold.

Lee Ann

Another vote for Bandelier, but yeah, cold in February.

The Aztec Ruins are interesting, although perhaps a little too much restoration, if that makes sense.

We did a trip that included Santa Fe, then up to Durango, where we rode the Silverton train. Out of Durango, we visited Mesa Verde, then drove to the Aztec Ruins and Chaco Canyon. Then we looped back down to Albuquerque. All this was in the early summer, though. I go to Santa Fe every summer, but I'd love to try a winter or fall trip sometime.

If you are coming here in February (NM I mean) then you have to go skiing in Taos or Angel fire. The only thing to do in this state in the winter IMHO. I have lived here for years and the skiing and the tram are the only great thing again IMHO

My Wife and I camped at Chaco in February a couple of years ago. it was unseasonably cold -3 at night and we had to crawl deep into our sleeping bags. the day temperatures were in the 40's and beautiful. Chaco Canyon is pretty incredible, it could be done as a day trip from AlbQ. the road in is dirt and not that daunting but I would avoid it if it were wet.

Oddly enough the Aztec ruins are near Aztec, NM in the northwest corner of the state, IMHO it would be a waste of your time to drive there from the Alb-Sante Fe area. We are driving through Aztec on our way to Albequerque for Christmas on the 23rd of December.

Cheers,

BeanMan

BeanMan

A quick 40-min trip from ABQ is the Acoma (sp?) Pueblo, also known as "Sky City." It's really interesting.

Coming from ABQ, on I-40, you could also make a quick stop at the Petroglyph Nat'l Monument. It doesn't take long.

In ABQ, the National Hispanic Cultural Center is very interesting.

I agree with the Bandelier suggestions. Also, Pecos Pueblo is outside of SFe, and is pretty interesting, although it'll probably be cold.

There is a fairly nice drive called the torquoise trail between ABQ and SFe; it avoids the interstate, makes the journey much longer.....

Also, you can't go to SFe without a visit to Ten Thousand Waves...ahhhhh.....

Just outside Albuquerque is Petroglyph National Monument. You won't see any ruins but many thousands of examples of rock art which has been "chipped" into the volcanic rock by people who have lived in the area for the past 12,000 years.
If you want to go south about 1.5 hrs is Bosque del Apache Natl Wildlife Refuge. That time of year will see thousands of sandhill cranes and snow geese which overwinter and begin their northern migration starting in March. Is about 19 miles south of Socorro. Also near this area is the Very Large Array. Group of 27 radio telescopes in a Y-shaped arrangement. Part of Close Encounters was filmed here.

Just returned from a week in NM. We used Albuquerque as our base and though it required considerable driving, we were happy with our choice. We stayed in an adequate motel off Coors Rd.(west side of the city) and found access to the highways(40 and 25) very easy. Only a short distance away was an interesting alternative to the highways--Central Ave., the old Rt.66. It was fun to slow down along that street to really look at all the sights from far west all the way to the Sandia Mountains.
Recommendations in Albuquerque: Aerial tramway to the crest of the Sandia Mtns.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on Sats.=free admission to demonstrations of dancing, bread baking in an horno, etc.
National Hispanic Cultural Center=wonderful exhibits in a lovely building; ample free parking.
Restaurants: Scalo No. Italian Restaurant(fabulous seafood canneloni-good for Lenten meals!)

Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar(on Central, just east of Girard) superb prix fixe dinner

The Melting Pot Restaurant--every approach to fondue dining imaginable; lovely stylish interior

Route #66 Diner--superb milkshakes!

Outside of ABQ--don't miss the Acoma Pueblo; beautiful drive to it and back; super friendly people at the Visitors' Center and on the tour.

Santa Fe--go on a Sunday=free parking at meters around town. Park and roam at will. Don't miss the Internatl. Folk Art Museum on Museum Hill! Have lunch in Santa Fe at La Fonda(right on the Plaza).

Taos--do drive up here, more beautiful, we thought, than ABQ and Santa Fe. Bandelier Natl.Monument was a special treat, good for adults AND children.

A week in February was just a short introduction to the area, but it was cool and sunny with no crowds anywhere. Just the way we like to travel!