Dragging the family out of bed hours before the sun comes up
seems counter-intuitive to the rest and relaxation that vacation is supposed to
bring. After a magical early morning at the Albuquerque International Balloon
Fiesta, a short rest will definitely be in order. The upside to attending an
event that is over by noon? There are still plenty of daylight hours to spend
exploring in and around a great southwestern city.
If Your Family Likes
To Be Outdoors...
Petroglyph National Monument offers
an overload of opportunities to view Native American petroglyphs and ancient
volcano fields without having to leave the city. Stop first at the visitor
center and then choose between one and six trails that you’d like to adventure
on. The National Park Service does not charge an entrance fee, but the city of
Albuquerque does charge a small parking fee at one of the trailheads.
Sandia Peak Ski & Tramway Take
the family to the top of the Sandia Mountain Range by way of aerial tram and
then enjoy time together eating and hiking around while looking out over the
valley. If your family wants even more adventure, try mountain biking as well.
Bike rentals and lift-serve close for summer on Labor Day, but are available
again for the duration of Balloon Fiesta.
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| No petroglyphs were touched in the taking of this picture-but look what he is learning! |
If You Prefer Looking
Up History...
Take a stroll through Old
Town and see elements of the way Albuquerque has looked for nearly 300
years. Adobe buildings with native decor line the streets. You can visit one of
New Mexico’s oldest churches, learn about the people who settled New Mexico at
the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and shop for authentic gifts to take to
everyone back home.
For a real look at New Mexico’s nuclear science history that
will capture the attention of everyone in the family, a visit to The National Museum of Nuclear Science
& History is definitely in order. Exhibits cover everything from the
smallest atom all the way up to the atomic bomb. Everywhere you look there are
odd tools and gadgets from times past, as well as antiquated weapons, missiles,
and even a bomb-shelter to pretend in. The museum includes an interactive
children’s area and a large outdoor yard with planes and equipment familiar to
anyone who remembers the Nuclear Age.
Have Fun With An Educational
Opportunity...
Explora is Albuquerque’s
rendition of science center and children’s museum and is as fun for Mom and Dad
as it is for their kids. You’ll know you’re close when the kids start pointing
excitedly at the colorful domed building. Weaving through the exhibits inside
they’ll stay busy with hands-on activities teaching about gravity, sound, air,
water, and more.
Located nearby, The
New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science takes visitors back in
time through ancient New Mexico geology, biology, and cultures. Walk into the
time of the dinosaurs and decide for yourselves what caused their extinction.
The museum also provides an interesting look at plants and wildlife native to the southwest region of the United States.
For an outing that will cover the interests of every member
in the family, check out the ABQ BioPark. Located
near the Rio Grande River, the BioPark encompasses the city’s zoo, aquarium,
botanical gardens, and outdoor recreation and picnic areas. Take a
round-the-world tour while watching land animals and underwater creatures from
across the globe. Then do the same while wandering through exotic gardens
representing places far, far away. Choose one or all of these attractions to
fill your day and be sure to spend time on the riverbank walking or fishing as
well.
Leave Time For
Something A Little Quirky...
No visit to Albuquerque should be complete without a stop at
the Tinkertown Museum. Go with very low
expectations, but definitely go! A culmination of one man’s decades of
collecting, items are packed into cluttered displays of oddity and disarray.
The path through the museum winds in and out of rooms in a hodge-podge house. The
displays originated with the owner’s wood carvings and grew to include
miniature dollhouses, circus freak show memorabilia, ragtime music boxes that
still play for a quarter, and a once-operable sailboat that has seen many
worldly destinations. Go with the guarantee that you will not know what to
think when you arrive, and won’t be able to stop talking about it after you
leave.
A visit to Albuquerque during Balloon Fiesta can be as
fun-filled and adventuresome as you’d like it to be. Greet the sun as it rises
and spend the rest of the day exploring whatever way your family likes to do!
Have you been to Albuquerque?
What was your favorite thing to do?
Looking for other things to do with the kids