Exploring Albuquerque from Old Town to Mountain Tops
With bragging rights as the most populous city in New Mexico, Albuquerque continues to bring the influence of its Spanish heritage. Named in honor of the Viceroy of New Spain, the Duke of Albuquerque, it was initially an outpost on the El Camino Real providing a link from Mexico City to the northern territories of New Spain. Travelers will appreciate the history of Albuquerque from its Spanish beginnings to the thriving and vibrant city it is today. Be prepared that while the city is in the Albuquerque Basin, it is along the northern edge of the Chihuahaun Desert. With much of the city west of the Sandia Mountains it has the characteristics of a desert climate.
On our driving trip, we depart the scenic San Juan Mountains of Durango, Colorado to the more desert climate and topography of Albuquerque. Yes, it is a change from the cooler temperatures to the hot dessert temperatures in August. Many states are having record high temperatures this year. On our visit to Albuquerque, the temperatures are consistently over 100 degrees. Despite the hot days, we still find indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy on our visit.
HISTORIC OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE
Guided Old Town Stroll
To immerse ourselves in the history of Albuquerque, we begin with the Public High Noon History, Legends & Lore Tour. Prior to visiting Albuquerque, people consistently recommended going to Old Town. Our tour guide, Barb, begins with how the area was established from volcanoes to the valley formed between the rift and the Sandia Mountains. Since its founding in 1706, Old Town has been the heart of Albuquerque.
Walking through Old Town, we gain insight into the people, the culture and the life of the early settlement by the Spanish. Barb carefully explains the history of the adobe structures of both the problems and solutions of these adobe bricks. Basically, our tour is around the town square in Old Town, so there is not a lot of walking. We learn about the growth of the town over the years and the impact the railroad has on it. Plus, Barb shares tales of the eight Civil War Cannons that were buried by a Confederate Major to hide them from Union Troops. Twenty-seven years later all eight were dug up in a Chile pepper patch. She share tales of the people including wealthy landowners along with the growth of the area.
Intriguing is that in the 1920’s with the building of Route 66 across the USA, many of the buildings in Old Town, were renovated to have a more Spanish look. Blueher, a major landowner in Albuquerque, originally built his house in a Queen Anne Style with a high-hipped roof.
In the pictures above, we see the changes to the home to a Spanish style. Numerous renovations created the Old Town we see today with all its Spanish Colonial Revival style buildings. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Barb did a great job of sharing history, legends, and the lore of Old Town and Albuquerque.
Beautiful, Historic Catholic Church in Old Town – San Felipe de Neri Church
The San Felipe de Neri Church is the final stop on our High Noon Tour. The church has a long history in Albuquerque. Barb tells the stories on this remarkable church including the fascinating story of Sister Blanding. This petite Nun had a passion that made an impact on the town and the church. Despite being told it was impossible to build a two story convent, she successfully did so. Additionally, she had assured the education of boys and girls in Albuquerque. Amazing she even befriended the famous Billy the Kid.
After our tour, we enter the San Felipe de Neri Church through the Gift Shop. Inside is a beautiful church and altar. The church has been the spiritual heart of Albuquerque, New Mexico for over 300 years. The present church was constructed in 1793 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is easy to see how it continues to be a place of worship and the “crown jewel” of New Mexico. Having learned that adobe buildings walls are deep due to the size of the adobe brick, we notice how even walls around the windows in the church are also beautifully decorated with tile work.
Shops and Dining in Old Town
There is a wide selection of unique shops, galleries, boutiques and restaurants in Old Town. Seeking a tasty lunch nearby, on Barb’s recommendation, we dine at Church St. Café, located behind San Felipe de Neri Church. We have a delicious Mexican lunch. The restaurant appears small on the outside but has multiple dining rooms and even an outside patio. On this hot day and after our walking tour, we are seeking the chill of air conditioning. After lunch we stroll the shops and galleries of Old Town. Most impressive is the Romero Street Gallery. It is huge! As we roam from room to room we see fantastic works of artists from all mediums. This gallery is over 10,000 square feet offering an array of fabulous art works from jewelry to pottery to paintings and more.
Views from the Sandia Peaks – High ABOVE Albuquerque!
Now to see this alluring city from above. While Albuquerque is known for its hot air balloons, we opt to ride the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top. Checking the website, we easily pre-purchase tickets for a block of time with the Tram departing approximately every 20 minutes. Checking the weather at the top, it is much cooler, so we dress accordingly. On arrival it’s a visit to the Gift Shop and lining up for the ride in the tramcar. Finding spots near the front windows near the left, we have great view of the mountains and peaks.
Fantastic! Spectacular! As the tram slowly ascends, we have awesome long distance views. As we rise above Albuquerque we admire these stunning urban peaks. Plus passing over the terrain, we have terrific views of these rugged mountains. Upon first seeing these mountains near sunset, the Spanish named them “Sandia” which is Spanish for “watermelon”. This is based on the popular belief that the brilliant coloration of the mountains at sunset is a bright pink (melon meat) and green (melon rind). On the fifteen minute ride, the tram slowly climbs to the 10,378-foot crest of the Sandia Mountains. At the top the reward is miles and miles of views. In fact, the Sandia Peaks Tramway boasts 11,000 square miles of panoramic views.
As one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Mexico, the tramway itself has a fascinating history. Needing an easier way to get to the Sandia Peak Ski slopes on the eastern side of the Sandia Mountains, an original owner was inspired by a tram he rode in Europe. Thus this European influence resulted in the building of the Sandia Peak Tramway. The tram has only two towers to support the tram cables between the terminals. The cable is 2.7 miles in diagonal length. As we go up we pass another tramcar going down, at this midway point the tramcars are 1,000 above the ground. We learn that the tram is a bi-cable double reversible aerial passenger tramway. Very impressive engineering feat to construct the tramway.
Arriving at the top, we walk around the area enjoying both the magnificent miles of views and the cooler temperatures. On the opposite side of the terminal are the ski lifts for the eastern side of the mountains. Here in the winter skiers easily get off the tramway to get to the ski slopes. There are numerous hiking trails from the terminal. Several passengers use the tram to get to the top and hike along the various trails. After taking in the sights at the top, we line up for the return trip. Now we ride the left side going down with the expansive views of Albuquerque. The scenery on the tram is awesome. Plus the engineering feat to build the tram is impressive.
The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
Amazing! The Nuclear Science & History Museum is terrific! So much to see, do, learn, remember and more. As we begin our self-tour of the museum, our main regrets are we arrived later in the afternoon and did not join a tour of the museum. We gain a lot of information and insight as we stroll from exhibit to exhibit. Initially, we learn the beginning of nuclear science and history of the various researches who each contributed to the field. An excellent education in all the scientific knowledge gained by the many researchers and scientists over the years. It takes us through early breakthroughs including Marie Curie to Albert Einstein to the atomic bomb to rockets and so much more.
As we tour the Museum, we learn the story of the Atomic Age. Additionally, we are educated on how the research of nuclear development and its uses today of peaceful nuclear technology. It is fascinating as we go learn more of nuclear science and history. Truly amazing the knowledge and ideas of the scientists, their impact on the scientific world, and our world. Additionally, nuclear science continues to influence our world today. As we wonder outside, we join a tour given by a volunteer who explains the various aircraft outside. He is a veteran and actually worked on some of the airplanes on display. A most educational museum. We recommend arriving early and joining a guided tour to truly appreciate all this museum offers. Note: The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is accredited through the American Alliance of Museums.
While our visit to Albuquerque is just a couple of days, we get a good feel of the city. This vibrant city offers a variety of activities for visitors, so be sure to check out those that meet your personal interest. The Walking Tour of Old Town provided a lot of history and insight into this dynamic town from its beginning until today. Taking the Sandia Peak Tramway truly got us above the city. Here we appreciated the beauty of the rugged mountain terrain and the magnificent miles of scenic views. Am impressive stop was the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. Definitely needed more time to explore and grasp all this amazing museum offered. We have fun time checking out dining options on this visit in different parts of town. Our accommodations at Hyatt Place by the airport, worked great with easy access to many of the sights. Albuquerque is an alluring city that visitors will delight in visiting.