Three Museums for Under $10 in Albuquerque

I can't say that we planned to hit any museums on our New Mexico road trip, but it happened.   As we were waiting to take our ghost tour, we saw a sign about the Rattlesnake Museum.     We didn't know that was even an option.  

 

But how can you not?   I don't know if there is another such museum in all the world.   And it's small.   You've spent $5 on coffee or ice cream, so why not spend it to learn about snakes that are unique to North and South America?



Actual rattlesnake in all its rattle-y glory

Prior to hitting the Rattlesnake Museum, we spent a cool air-conditioned hour at the Balloon Museum for a big $4.    Since we weren't there during the Balloon Festival, it was an opportunity to learn about the history of hot air ballooning and about the festival itself (I think I read that it is the biggest international sports festival in the world...or something like that).   

 

Just when we thought that we were done we discovered while waiting in line to take the tram up Sandia Peak that they house the New Mexico Ski Museum.  And it's free!  It's also really small, so you probably wouldn't seek it out unless you were planning to take the tram.    And there is a chair for photo ops.  Who wouldn't want a photo?

The chair!

 

 There you go.   Some quick, easy, affordable museums that won't tax your attention span while still allowing you to learn something.    You'll still have money for ice cream.  Or margaritas. 

 



Who cares about snakes?   I took a picture of THIS sign

Sandia Peak at Sunset

 

On our New Mexico road trip we got a lot of recommendations on things to see and do and eat.   All three of us had been to NM before, so we enjoyed trying new places and activities.   One of the volunteers at Tamaya Horse Rehab had recommended taking the Sandia Peak Tram to watch the sunset.  We got on the tram somewhere between 7 and 7:30pm and got to enjoy the sunset in full glory from the top.   

 

Random piece of trivia:  Sandia means watermelon in Spanish.   The sun washes the peak this beautiful watermelon red color.    I learned this fun fact on day 1 and was able to bust it out more than once to impress people the rest of the weekend.  

 

Two useful things to know about the tram:

• You are going up to the top of the mountain.  10,378 feet to be exact.  A place where people ski in the winter.   It is about 30 degrees cooler than the hot desert climate at the base.  At the base it's hot.  You're wearing your summer play clothes.   You might even be sweating and turning the same watermelon red color as the mountain.    You think: there is no way that I will be cold at the top of Sandia Peak.  Think again.  Considering wearing pants.   Definitely bring sleeves.  When the sun goes down (like it does every night), the temp drops dramatically.    You will be a sad traveler in your shorts, tank top and flip flops when this happens. 
• The tram comes every 15-20 minutes.    We went up on the Sunday night of a holiday weekend.   They told us before we ever went up that it was an hour to hour and a half wait to come down.    Plan to do something at the top.   Take a picnic.  Read a book.  Soak in the beauty.  Go for a hike.   Pose for silly prom-style family pictures.   Grab a cocktail at High Finance.    It may be a waste of your $20 (per person) to wait to go up, take 3 sunset photos and then wait to go down, all while doing the "I'm freezing cold dance" in your summer clothes. 

 

Where is your favorite place to watch the sunset?

Albuquerque Ghost Tour

 

A full moon ghost tour deserves to be shot in dramatic black and white!



As we drove down the long, lonely highway that is I-25, we made a stop at the New Mexico visitor center in Raton.    A brochure that caught our eye was for a ghost tour in Albuquerque.   Even better - they had late night tours when there was a full moon.   How convenient for us.  

 

This is how we like to learn our history.

In the dark.   By lantern light.  

 

Old Town gets pretty quiet when the sun goes down.   Even more so by 10pm.   We met our guide, Meredith,  right off the plaza.    There were two other groups that departed at the same time.  We never saw them again.   Scarlet, Elizabeth, the Hatchet Lady and the Lady in Black: these were the stories we heard.  Houses of ill-repute (or negotiated affection), saloons, churches, cemeteries, and things hidden in plain sight all were part of the experience.  

 

This was my first ghost tour.

If the opportunity to go on one again in another city, I'm in.

I have to say, I'm now a fan.  

If you're visiting Albuquerque, say yes to Ghost Tours of Old Town. 

 

 Have you ever been on a ghost tour or haunted history tour?   Which cities are a must? 

 

 

National Parking: Bandelier National Monument

Pueblo ruins at Bandelier

 

Today we're traveling to my neighboring state of New Mexico to visit Bandelier National Monument as a part of National Park Week!     The Ancestral Pueblo people lived here from 1150 - 1550.   This was taken on my first trip to New Mexico the first year that I moved to Colorado.    I'm heading back later this spring for my third visit.   Can't wait to enjoy more green chile!

Climbing down into a Kiva
 

Have you been to New Mexico?   
What is your favorite part of the state?  
What's your personal opinion about green chile?

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Land of Enchantment

Four days afterwards and I still don't feel recovered from last weekend's adventure to New Mexico.  The last time I was there was 2006, which considering it's the state right next door (to the south, if you're geographically challenged) is pretty pathetic.   Taking advantage of one of the best employee benefits, we were staying at a beautiful resort.  For free.  Deciding that my car did not need 1000 miles added to it, I rented a car.   They hooked us up.  With an eggplant colored Cadillac.  Sweet. This lead to many Thelma and Louise comparisons.  We, however, (spoiler alert) did not drive off a cliff.  We did, however, make new friends.  Leather interior, fuel economy, satellite radio, we were good to go.  We left after work on Friday, so we didn't actually get to the hotel until almost 2am.   Only my sister and I would program one of the six stations to "On Broadway."  This was balanced with 80s, 90s, country and top 20 for an endless musical rotation that included singing along with Warren G's "Regulate" followed by "One Day More" from Les Miserables.  

We had no agenda.  We knew we would hit the pool, eat ice cream and go to Santa Fe.  That was it.   We came back with a trunk of groceries from Trader Joe's, suntans, and new friends. 



Road Food: New Mexico

I am rediscovering the joys of road trips.   I used to take them all the time....until I started leaving the country.  The road trip, in my opinion, is an "American Thing."  We have a lot of roads.   It takes a while to get wherever you're going.  We don't have high-speed rail.  This past weekend my sister and I ventured to the Hyatt Regency Tamaya which is a beautiful resort between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.   In honor of this road trip, we rented a car, 'The Eggplant' (aka a 2010 Cadillac CTS...this is not your grandma's Cadillac).   As always, food plays a big part in travel. 

The big surprise?  Colorado City, Colorado.   Just by luck, this ended up being our dinner stop on the way down and the way up.  There's not too much there, but we found options that saved us from eating at chain restaurants.    On the way down, we ate at Max's.   Our primary motivation?  The sign said dairy treats. The food was good, we both had breakfast for dinner, and our total check, including tip was about $13.   And I had the privilege of reading How to Share a Bad Attitude while I was waiting for my food. 

On the way back, we stopped at another Urban Spoon find called Viktorio's.  It's definitely the all purpose local bar and family restaurant.  But the food was delicious.   The garlic knots were all kinds of soft doughy, buttery, garlicky goodness.  Followed by a calzone so big that I took over half of it home.  

In scenic Bernalillo, NM we couldn't resist stopping at Bad Ass Coffee.  The staff was fun and they had a big drink menu.  The sign outside the door said "Bad Ass Coffee and a Massage"...a great start to the day.
                                           

We also dined at the Flying Star which had two awesome things.  1 - a "Petio" a fenced area for dogs to play next to the patio.  2- amazing made from scratch desserts.   Travel and dessert.  A match made in heaven.

       

For dinner I had the enchilada stack with "Christmas" chile (both red and green...it is New Mexico after all).  The eclair, I saved for breakfast and documented the view from our balcony.   Hooray for road food!