New Mexico in October 2009
 

My husband and I live in England and will be in New Mexico (as part of a longer trip to Texas) from Saturday 24th October until Thursday 29th.

Currently our plan is arrive in Albuquerque from Amarillo on the Saturday and spend 4 nights there visiting Santa Fe and touring the Northern Pueblos and Taos, as well as looking around Albuquerque. We would then move on and spend a night in Las Cruces visiting White Sands National Monument.

We would welcome any ideas, suggetions or comments on other things to see and do, and would also welcome any local knowledge about what the weather is likely to be at that time of year.

Thanks for your help!

Vactionbug

New Mexico was my destination on my very first trip to the USA and I keep on coming back.

My strong advice is staying in Santa Fe rather than in Albuquerque. Santa Fe is a fascinating, very walkable city and you will enjoy nightly strolls to and from restaurants.

Besides, Santa Fe makes a better base for daytrips.

Santa Fe itsself is full of beauty: the architecture is breathtaking. There are dozens of buildings and museums to visit and do not miss the galleries which are specialized in Native American art. And the food is special - for New Mexican cuisine The Shed is always a good (and inexpensive) bet.

From Santa Fe, you can easily do daytrips to Bandelier National Monument, White Rock Canyon, Los Alamos, Taos Pueblo, Taos and Sanctuario de Chimayo. If you can, try to stay a fifth night: Two full days for Santa Fe and two full days for daytrips would be perfect.

White Sands is also spectacular. You can combine it with a visit to Alamogordo Space Museum. We did this trip from Las Cruces. However, after you have seen Santa Fe, Las Cruces (or the Old Town, Mesilla) will be disappointing. But at least, you find there a good New Mexican restaurant (La Posta).

Acoma pueblo west of Albuquerque is very interesting and in a spectacular setting on top of a butte. I agree that Santa Fe makes a more interesting place to stay than Albuquerque. If you are heading to White Sands, you could go on to Carlsbad Caverns--the best cave I have ever seen.

BTW, what will you be doing in Texas? - We have spent two weeks there last December (and enjoyed it beyond expectations).

I agree, you should base your New Mexico stay in Santa Fe. You will have a more enjoyable visit and see more authentic Indian and New Mexican art, architecture and local color. The food is wonderful, too.

If you are interested in sculpture, there is a wonderful sculpture garden at Shidoni Foundry outside Santa Fe. You might also see them pour bronzes there or watch a glass blowing exhibition. The Georgia O'Keefe Museum in town is small but quite good. There was a wonderful post on Fodor's recently about it.

I hope you enjoy your visit to Texas and New Mexico!

OK, if you stay longer in Santa Fe, you can visit Bandelier NM, which has fascinating ancient dwellings, carved into the mountainside. It is only a half hour's ride from SF. After White Sands, you could head east to Carlsbad Caverns NP if you have time then loop back to Amarillo, if that is where you are going to next. You can get information on all the NP service areas by going to www.nps.gov and then clicking on a park.

Are you going to be hiking, doing outdoor activities, strenuous kind of things? Driving from Santa Fe to Taos, doing outdoor things in Taos and then back to Santa Fe makes for a long day. Maybe a night in Taos??

Tent Rocks on the way from ABQ to Santa Fe is wonderful and very unique.

http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/rec...ent_rocks.html

Everyone is always so fast to suggest skipping Albuquerque, it is most unfortunate because it has so much to offer. I understand the allure of Santa Fe, but ABQ offers easy access to many sites as well. Don't just dismiss it.

I have dozens of threads on here about NM, click my name for some suggestions.

where ever you end up in NM, October is a great time to be here. It will be cooling off some, but the days should be sunny, blue skied with cool crips evenings. Dress in layers, be prepared for very dry weather, drink lots of water, take it easy outofdoors, use sunscreen and order your chile on the side!

Deb

In addition to all the other good suggestions, I'd also second the recommendation to visit Bandelier and Carlsbad Caverns. The Caverns are rather amazing, especially the Big Room which is about 8.2 acres in size and is 350 ft. high. Well worth a visit.

And do click on DebitNM's name. She's one of our resident experts in the area having lived in NM and now lives in SW Colo. You'll find more info than you can digest.

Thanks to you all for your suggestions - they will give us plenty of food for thought in our planning. The weather/clothing info is very helpful in gauging what to pack.

In Texas we are staying in Arlington (to see Dallas and Fort Worth), overnight in Amarillo, overnight in Alpine, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Galveston. I think thanks to the Texas forum we have a full itinery in Texas.

Thanks again!

Vactionbug

Hello Vacationbug - I hope you have a wonderful trip. I live in Fort Worth with a second home in northern New Mexico, so you're heading to my world. You've received great advice. I didn't notice restaurant recs - although I probably didn't pay that much attention. May I make a few suggestions?

Fort Worth - if you head to the Stockyards to take in the "western" flavor of Texas, stop before or after (as it's on the way) to eat Mexican food at Joe T. Garcia's. It's a locally owned restaurant which is legendary. No menu - 2 items offered. No reservations - the line is long but with a small group (2-4) they come through and seat you quickly. Eat outside - the ambience is beautiful with the fountains and floral landscaping. Downtown - you received a rec for Reata's. I second that. Or...Del Frisco's for, in my opinion, the best steaks - pricey but worth it. Yes, you need reservations there. You might see what the performance is at Bass Hall the evenings you're there - it's a first class performance venue. Kimball Art Museum, along with the Amon Carter as well as the newer Modern Art Museum are all within walking distance of each other. Lunch at the Kimball is wonderful. Eddie V's has wonderful seafood, also near the museums. The lounge has great jazz in the evenings. Not open for lunch.

New Mexico - just a thought, but American Airlines now flies nonstop from DFW to Santa Fe, in case your travel plans are not etched in stone. My favorite restaurants in Santa Fe are La Choza for New Mexican food and Chocolate Maven. My other favorite, Cloud Cliff, has closed down. In Taos - the Apple Tree has also closed down. I mention these two as the guidebooks have recommended them and I'd hate for anyone to plan to go there at this point. Very near Taos (I love Taos!) about 7 miles, is the town of Arroyo Seco, which I love. Great wandering, shopping, eating in a very different atmosphere. Hope this helps...

Agree with suggestions to stay in Santa Fe, a unique USA city.

For White Sands, we prefer staying in Alamogordo instead of Las Cruces, because it is much closer to the dunes and has an interesting Space Museum. If you tour the dunes early in the day then it makes a nice side-trip from Alamogordo to visit nearby Cloudcroft, which is high above town on a plateau. Maybe have lunch at Rebecca's at The Lodge. http://cloudcroft.com/

Headed out & in a hurry --- hope someone has suggested PETROGLYPH outside of ABQ -- about 15 minutes. Well worth a stop. Check out it out at NPS.ORG.

AGREE on the Arroyo Seco recommendations -- definitely drive just a bit further north (perhaps after Gorge Bridge or Millicent Rogers) and check out Sabroso! in Arroyo Seco or even Old Blinking Light (OBL) a bit closer.

AGREE on Tent Rocks! Very unlike anything you will see elsewhere.

Whatever you do, don't miss BLANDELIER! Others have commented before, but the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos is a great spot-- and very close to a Bandelier outing. Perhaps do 'main' Bandelier hikes in AM ... loops and up to caves via ladder then Bradbury then back for picnic dinner @ Bandelier & hike to waterfallls/Rio Grande after picnic into sunset?

Enjoy!
5OHS

Sorry -- meant BANDALIER!

October is beautiful here. No wind, no rain, just nice warm sunny skies. I suggest you take the tram up to the top of the Sandia Mountain. 10,000' above the city for a nice view!
The Sandia Casino on Tramway Blvd is a nice spot if you like to gamble. As far as accomodations, the Hyatt Regency Tamaya is beautiful and located right on the Rio Grande. You can walk down to the river from the grounds. The hotel is about 10 miles north of ABQ off exit 242. You will get the true NM feeling there. The Coronado Monument is also off exit 242 and is worth a look around. You picked a great month to visit!