jet519

We will fly into ABQ this Friday and then drive to Santa Fe on Sat. morning and spend that night in the El Rey Inn. We are planning to go to the plaza, Indian and Spanish market are going on and we also may try to go to the International Folk Art Museum. We have been to Santa Fe several times so we are more familiar with that part of the trip.
I would appreciate help with the rest though. Sunday morning we are driving up to Taos (we have done the High Road and Taos before so will skip this time). We are driving north of Taos and continuing around the Enchanted Loop with stops in towns along the way. I also thought about going to Cimarron Canyon state park when we get to the Eagle Nest area depending on what time it is. We are staying in Angel Fire Sun. night. Any suggestions about this plan would be great.

Monday, we will drive south of Angel Fire to Las Vegas and maybe spend a little time there if it looks interesting. We are heading back to Santa Fe for one more night and staying at Hotel St. Francis which is almost on the plaza. We will probably go to Canyon Rd for lunch and art gallery browsing and then spend the evening around the plaza.

Tuesday and Wednesday we will spend in ABQ. We want to do some sightseeing and I imagine we will try to go to Old Town at some point but we are meeting with a real estate agent both days for a good part of each day to be shown around and look at some homes. We are just exploring possibilities of a vacation/eventual retirement home. I have read a lot about the tram ride up Sandia Crest and heard mixed reviews about the High Finance Restaurant so I would love opinions! I actually did it about 30 years ago on a trip there but who knows what it is like now.
Thursday, we are going to Las Cruces. This is where I am pretty lost about what to do. I would like to enjoy some sightseeing on the way but I am afraid it will take us forever to get there if we do too much. Some of the ideas I have read or heard about are Truth or Consequences, Elephant Butte Lake, Geronimo Scenic Bypass through Hillsboro, a ghost town, and then getting back on the the interstate at Hatch. Has anyone been to these places?

When we get to Las Cruces, my husband really wants to cross the border and go to Juarez. He says we can just go for a couple of hours and do some shopping and that I will love the shops and prices but I am not sure. How big of a hassle is it? We have passports but do you need to exchange your currency? Where are the best places to go? Take the trolley or walk?

Lastly, besides Old Mesilla, what are recommendations for Las Cruces? BTW, we like to sightsee, light hiking, shop, eat, scenic drives. I love wineries and wine tasting and I noticed there are a couple of those but I don't know if they would compare with CA. If we have a chance to hear some live music that is a plus because that is my profession so I always enjoy hearing all kinds and as well as local musicians.

I appreciate any comments or suggestions. We will be in Las Cruces for two nights, then drive back to ABQ on Sat. morning and have the rest of the day and night in ABQ. We leave early Sunday morning so we are actually going to take our convertible back to the airport by 11:00 Sat. night and shuttle from the hotel the next morning. It saved us about $85.00 by doing it that way and we don't have to worry about the extra time to turn in the car at
5:00 the next morning. I don't think they are even open yet anyway!
Thanks!

ElendilPickle

Your northern NM loop sounds good to me. I haven't been to Eagle Nest or Angel Fire, but I hear it's beautiful country.

I haven't eaten at High Finance because I've never read a good review of it. What kind of food do you like? There are many good restaurants in Albuquerque.

The Old Town area is nice for strolling and shopping. There are a number of museums - the Albuquerque Museum has a big Spanish art exhibit to help us celebrate our tricentennial. Then there's the natural history museum, the national atomic museum, the aquarium and botanic garden...

I can't help you much with Las Cruces - I just don't care for the scenery once you get south of Socorro. Elephant Butte IMO is not very attractive, but a friend of mine just went to T or C and enjoyed her stay. There are hot springs, a museum, etc.

To get to Juarez, you need to drive an hour south of Las Cruces to El Paso and go from there. There is a pedestrian bridge, so you don't need to drive.

There are several wineries around Albuquerque - Casa Rondena and Gruet come to mind. Anasazi Fields in Placitas, just northeast of Albuquerque, has some very nice dry fruit wines.

Music - the ZooMusic concerts in Albuquerque are a lot of fun. Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder are playing there the 29th.

The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is just starting, and, of course, the Santa Fe Opera is in full swing. Check www.alibi.com, www.sfreporter.com, and www.crosswindsweekly.com for entertainment calendars.

Hope this helps!

Lee Ann

ElendilPickle

Mr. Pickle just reminded me about Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge just south of Socorro. I haven't been there in the summer, but have enjoyed a couple of trips there other times of the year. It might be worth a stop to see what birds are in the area.

Lee Ann

jet519

Thank you, that helps! If you do have any restaurant suggestions that would be great. We like southwestern of course, your basic continental, Italian. If they have Bud, my husband will be happy and for me it is wine or a great margarita!
Would you recommend the going up the tram just for the trip itself even if we don't eat at the top?
We have driven up the back side to the little visitors center gift shop on another trip when we were passing through to take the Turquoise trail so we have been to the top that way.
Thanks

frchteaze

I can't give much help with anything other than Albq. and Santa Fe (sounds like you have SF covered), but I would suggest skipping High Finance. The tram is cool and there is a nice little hike to a stone house or something like it if I remember correctly (sorry been a while). Other suggestions for dining in the area -- stop at a market and buy a few picnic items and carry it up on the tram with you. (Don't forget bottled water!) Or there is a great restaurant just before you pay to enter the tram area (not in the same building). I forget the name of it, but it's a barbecue place with good food.

I agree with the other poster who said the zoo/aquarium/museums are great ideas. They're all near old town and I believe the zoo/aquarium/gardens offer a one-price ticket for all 3.

ElendilPickle

I don't like heights, so I've never done the tram. But the people I know who have done it enjoyed it...

Dh and I just celebrated our anniversary by having dinner at Vivace, on Central in the Nob Hill area. There's another good Italian restaurant down there as well called Scalo. Yanni's is Mediterranean and very good. We also like Le Cafe Miche on Wyoming near I-40 for French bistro type dining.

Lee Ann

Tandoori_Girl

Hi jet519. I might be able to cover some of the sparce areas of your itinerary. It's been awhile since I've been in Mesilla (when I drive through I'll stop in Mesilla because it's the old adobe western NM rather than the new Las Cruces). Mesilla is very tiny but a recent google search I made shows more shops than when I was last there 6 years ago. So it is likely booming along w/Las Cruces. I stopped at one of about five major buildings and had a not too memorable lunch.

As for Hatch, I made the trip and ate at the converted gas station that the NYer magazine immortalized for its fresh chile entrees. Nothing else in Hatch but see if you can locate that converted gas station with its very limited menu. Yum.

I've been to a couple of ghost towns in this area and you will not stay longer than a few minutes as they are just that -- deserted. But they are a good diversion. Can't recall any names.

I think you're bypassing the best of that southern area by not checking out Lincoln, Cloudcroft, Ruidoso. But maybe you've been there before? If not, I think that area is classic southwestern NM, very charming, picturesque and that you would enjoy visiting for a day trip from Las Cruces. Whites Sands too. I would consider a stay in Ruidoso for one night before you go to Las Cruces as opposed to a day trip in that area from LC. You can really drive forever out there, it is very spread out.

The drive from Alb. to Las Cruces should take a good 4-5 hrs. and there are lots of New Mexico's finest on the hwy. so watch your back. It's easy to go fast out in the desert w/o knowing you're driving 90. I've not been to Juarez since 9/11 but have been many times before then and have driven the past year from El Paso to Carlsbad and noticed the security is tighter but no problem for gringos and/or non-islamic-looking folks (they are looking for non-US and terrorists). Lines at Juarez were VERY long just after 9/11 but maybe you can get some info from someone who's been more recently. Surely it's not the problem it was then. I think the trolley would be your best bet into Juarez although I've never done it (I think it's relatively new but maybe I'm wrong) . If you have a rental car you will need to stop at any number of places that sell Mex. car insurance (many are near the airport in El Paso) and purchase additional insurance for the time you're in MEX, if even one day. Car theft is an unbelievable problem there, so well worth the small investment. You might query your car rental company about this before you pick up your car to see what their policy is on travel into MX.

I like the old mercado in Juarez not the newer ones. Unfortunately, I don't know how to tell you where the old one is but it's a two-story building not the open-air ones that have all the furniture. It has some little eateries out front where you can buy a good chile relleno wrapped in waxed paper and no montezumas revenge (DON't drink the water). But you can easily hit a few markets in one day and you might prefer those newer ones. Another option is a taxi but they will also need to go through customs.

One day trip I've been wanting to do from El Paso (I visit family occasionally in Carlsbad) is Nuevo Casas Grandes, a very old Mexican settlement south of Juarez. I've noticed there are some B&Bs there now. As I've not yet been there I'm not sure of the logistics and time involved but you might research that.

As for nearby spots, I've been to Silver City and the Gila Wilderness with its terrific cliff dwellings but it's a HAUL. Never been to T-or-C.

Hope this is somewhat helpful. Maybe check the MX board for more on the Juarez border scene.

jet519

Tandorri girl,
Thank you so much for all your effort in helping me sort this out. Yes, we have been to Riudoso, Cloudcroft, etc., we spent a few days there about 3 or 4 years ago and enjoyed it very much.
There is so much to explore in NM that I look forward to exploring for years to come. I did some research on the Geronimo Scenic Byway and it is very extensive so I think we will save that for another trip when we can go with friends and do Roswell, Carlsbad Caverns and some of the southern area we might not have time for this time.
It will be interesting to see the area this time even if we don't get to explore in as much detail.
I am really looking forward to just being in the wide open space for eight days and forgetting about work details!!!
I will try to post a trip report when we get back. Since we are going north and south it should be diverse!