It can sometimes be hard to understand the culture of a city or town with tourist traps masquerading as authentic experiences. But not the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. As the state’s largest city and one of the oldest cities in the United States, Albuquerque remains authentic to its rich history, heritage and colorful culture with Native American, Hispanic and Latino cultural influences as part of everyday life. Albuquerque is full of special experiences, whether you’re exploring the culinary scene, enjoying a hot air balloon ride, cruising down Route 66, or hiking in the Sandias, there’s much to discover in this southwest city. And for Denverites, it’s easy to visit with either a 7-hour road trip or a quick 1.5-hour direct flight from Denver to Albuquerque. So, buckle up and use our roadmap for visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico and its vibrant culture.
Get your kicks on Route 66
Along Route 66 in Nob Hill.
Did you know that Albuquerque is home to the longest urban stretch of Route 66? That’s right, the iconic “Mother Road” that connected travelers from Chicago to Los Angeles across more than 2,400 miles, a large piece of it runs through the heart of Albuquerque. In 2026, Route 66 celebrates its Centennial and Albuquerque is gearing up to celebrate in a big way. A two-season-long commemoration and celebration begins this year with immersive art installations in partnership with Meow Wolf, augmented reality (A/R) experiences and a host of special events that will bring the iconic route to life.
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Historic landmarks along Route 66 in Albuquerque.Along Route 66 in Albuquerque.
A drive down Route 66 reveals a unique blend of the old and the new in ABQ’s popular neighborhoods such as Nob Hill, downtown, the University area and Old Town. Route 66 feels much like Colfax Ave. in Denver— a long continuous street in the central part of town that holds much of the city’s history, local restaurants and bars.
The Imperial hotel pool.The Imperial hotel.Renovated rooms at The Imperial.
Nob Hill is where you’ll find much of ABQ’s grit and character, unpretentious watering holes and old roadside motels; revamped and ready for travelers. Check out The Imperial, a remodeled Route-66-era roadside motel built in the 60s that has held on to its retro vibes and preserved its heritage with modern details.
Zazz Hotel.Speakeasy entrance at the Zazz Hotel.
Come for the Route 66 Summerfest in Nob Hill (on Central Avenue), occurring twice during the Route 66 Centennial Celebrations — July 2025 and July 2026. Another fun way to experience Route 66 is with a Route 66 Speakeasy Tour with ABQ Trolley Co. See where clandestine bars thrived in the shadows along Route 66, serving up jazz music and crafty cocktails. Aboard the trolley tour of tucked-away speakeasies, you’ll sample hand-crafted cocktails and bites from Founders Speakeasy and the eclectic Z Lounge at Hotel Zazz (another retro roadside motel) where a secret handshake and a golden banana grant you access to its hip speakeasy.
Soar to new heights at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, make plans to attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Taking flight every October, ABQ hosts one of the most popular events in the country for balloon enthusiasts and curious travelers. Whether you’re there to watch as hundreds of balloons ascend to new heights or take a ride yourself, the fiesta is a beloved tradition that the entire city and state get excited about. During the 9-day event, watch every morning as hundreds of balloons lift off (weather permitting) and float above the New Mexican landscape.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Part of what makes this balloon rally so special is the ability for the spectators to come out on the field in “the box” to watch as the pilot and crew get ready for lift-off. Everyone is e a part of the action, even if you aren’t lifting off with the crew. But if you’d like to take flight in a balloon, you can pay $500 to ride in one of the balloons from Rainbow Flyer—the only commercial company that operates at the event. At the balloon fiesta park, be sure to also stop in at the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum to learn more about the world’s first flying machine since the first manned flight in 1783.
Petroglyph National Monument
The Petroglyph National Monument.The Petroglyph National Monument.
One of the most culturally unique sites in ABQ is the Petroglyph National Monument. Located just minutes from the main part of town, you’ll find a large concentration of 100s of petroglyphs that date as far back as 700 years. Well-marked trails through Boca Negra Canyon, Rinconada Canyon and Piedras Marcades Canyon reveal scenic views and hundreds of petroglyphs carved onto volcanic surfacesby Native American and Spanish settlers. Hike to the top where you’ll find yourself in somewhat familiar territory as you approach 5,280 feet in elevation, where you’ll gain views of the Sandia Mountains and Rio Grand Valley below.
Acoma Pueblo
Acoma Pueblo.
The state of New Mexico is home to 19 Native American Pueblos, from the most famous Taos Pueblo up north to the Acoma Pueblo down south near ABQ. One of the more incredible cultural sites you’ll see near town is the Acoma Pueblo. An hour west of Albuquerque, the Acoma Pueblo, also known as Sky City, rests at the top of a mesa and is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the U.S. Guided tours of this pueblo area are available and are the only way to see inside. Sign up for a tour of this historic pueblo and learn more about the 367-foot-tall sandstone mesa-top community.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
Cultural dances at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Before you visit the Acoma Pueblo, be sure to stop in town at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Considered the gateway to New Mexico’s 19 Native American Pueblos, the center is owned and operated by the state’s Native American tribes and showcases exhibits that highlight the Native American culture and heritage. Plan your time accordingly to witness cultural dances by local Native Americans and shop local artists and crafters selling their work.
Explore the new and old in historic Old Town
Old Town in Albuquerque.
At the center of it all is ABQ’s historic Old Town and Plaza Don Luis. Similar to the central plazas in Santa Fe and Taos, the Old Town Plaza dates back to the early 1700s as the town’s central square where celebrations and business took place. Today, the original town square still serves as a main gathering place for dining, entertainment and shopping.
You’ll find Old Town bustling with quiet patios, intimate pathways, gardens and low-slung balconies filled with more than 150 independent restaurants and boutique shops, plus local vendors selling authentic (be sure to ask for a certificate of authenticity) Native American jewelry, pottery, art and more.
Plaza Don Luis, nestled to the west of the historic San Felipe De Neri Church, is the hub of Old Town. Within the Plaza, you’ll find a few of the leaders in New Mexico’s burgeoning wine scene, Noisy Water Winery and Albuquerque’s own Sheehan Winery. Or stop in at the newest winery in Old Town at Viva Vino Wine Studio’s first storefront and tasting room. It’s the perfect place to sample from New Mexico’s rich wine culture that dates back 400 years and 50+ wineries.
Lapis Room in Old Town.Shopping in Old Town.Turquoise Museum.
Nearby, be sure to stop at the Lapis Room art gallery. Connected to the Noisy Water Winery, the Lapis Room is one of the most fun and funky art galleries you’ll find in town. It has all the character and cultural flavor of New Mexico without the expensive price tags.
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Nearby, your culture trip isn’t complete without a visit to one of the several museums that occupy Museum Row. Explore the permanent collection of ancient Native American artifacts up to modern masters like Georgia O’Keeffe at the Albuquerque Museum. If you’re more about wildlife, stop in at the American International Rattlesnake Museum. Or venture to the Turquoise Museum where 1,000s of authentic turquoise jewelry, pottery and other art forms are tucked away in the Gertrude Zachary Castle.
Find your food favorites
It’s no secret that to appreciate the culture of a place, you have to understand its culinary culture. New Mexico is home to some of the country’s favorite regional cuisines, so it’s no surprise that food is one of the things that people remember most about visiting Albuquerque. Incorporating Mexican, Native American and Spanish flavors, New Mexican cuisine is based on Native ingredients such as corn, beans, squash and chile peppers Even beyond the borders of New Mexican food, Albuquerque features cuisine from other countries that make dining one of the best reasons for visiting Albuquerque.
Sawmill Market
Sawmill Market.
The Sawmill Market, the state’s first artisanal food hall, occupies the large former warehouse of the Frank Paxton Lumber Co. Inside you’ll find a mix of Asian foods with sushi, noodle bowls and bao mi buns, Spanish tapas and paella, burgers and brats, sweets and treats, plus tacos and margaritas. And with live music in the outside courtyard, there’s no excuse not to grab a glass of wine or bottle of beer from local purveyors for a night out.
The Imperial food court
Food court at The Imperial.Food court at The Imperial.
Back at The Imperial hotel, you’ll find another version of a food hall. Four independent food concepts have set up shop inside the hotel’s mini food court. A tiny row of ethnic food choices, from Latin bites at Latin Flavor ABQ to Salvadorian food from La Cocina De Maria complement any craving you have.
Dining with a view
Rooftop views at the Apothecary Lounge.
Watch one of Albuquerque’s famous southwest sunsets and enjoy a taste of local flavors at one of the city’s rooftop hangouts. Check out rooftop views with food and cocktails at the Apothecary Rooftop Lounge at the historic Hotel Parq Central. Or local flavors from Chef Marc Quinones’s menu at Level 5 Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge located atop the boutique Hotel Chaco. And Ibiza Lounge at Hotel Andaluz.
Local favorites
For homemade New Mexican fare, try a fried bologna sandwich from My Mom’s restaurant. Another local crowd-pleaser is Mesa Provisions. Helmed by Chef Steve Riley, a 2024 James Beard finalist in the Best Chef: Southwest category, Mesa Provisions uses seasonal ingredients from New Mexico to create his ever-changing menus — for example, the Mesa Burger features Native American beef and topped with green chile. Other dining options locals couldn’t stop talking about include Happy Accident, Owl Cafe, Two Fools Tavern and M’Tucci’s.Route 66 in Barelas neighborhood.Outside the Barelas Coffee House.Barelas neighborhood.
Or head to the Barelas Neighborhood for authentic New Mexican cuisine. As the oldest neighborhood in ABQ, dating back to the 1600s, the Barelas is a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood located along historic Route 66 where colorful remnants of the past are displayed at almost every corner along with modern murals. The Barelas Coffee House is the place where locals and tourists (if they know where to go) gather for breakfast and lunch. Classic breakfast burritos served with either red or green chili, or “Christmas style” with both is a classic choice. But you can’t go wrong with anything at this family-owned cafe.
Ride the longest aerial tramway in North America
Sandia Peak Tramway.
Situated in the Rio Grande Valley, the Sandia Mountains dominate the skyline surrounding ABQ along with its highest point, the Sandia Crest, reaching 10,378 feet in elevation. Becaues of its location, ABQ benefits from warmer lower elevation weather, coupled with snow-packed mountains in winter that are accessible with a 30-minute drive or tram ride.
While you can drive to the summit of the Sandia Crest or a scenic hike, some opt to ride the longest aerial tramway in North America—the Sandia Peak Tramway. A 10-minute tram ride to the top of Sandia Peak offers beautiful mountain vista views from either side and several hiking trails that make it easy to get out and explore the lone mountain.
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Discover more things to do when visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico and start planning your trip today.
Though the alleged sex trafficking on Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island, Little Saint James, has dominated the national discourse recently, another Epstein property has largely stayed out of the news — but perhaps not for long. A ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, that belonged to the disgraced financier has been the subject of on-and-off investigations, and many are now reexamining what role the ranch may have played in Epstein’s crimes.
What is the ranch in question?
The compound, named Zorro Ranch, includes a 30,000-square-foot mansion that “sits on a ridge overlooking thousands of acres of southwestern land,” said The New York Times. The ranch is in the middle of the desert, an area with low population density where the “nearest neighbors are miles away and most everyone minds their own business.”
Epstein first purchased the ranch in 1993, and it made his seven-story Manhattan penthouse “look like a shack,” he said to Vanity Fair in 2003. Recently released photos by the Department of Justice “provide a look inside the tightly guarded gates” of the compound, said the Santa Fe New Mexican, including images that “show Epstein and others posing” throughout the ranch. In addition to the main house, Zorro Ranch also had a “three-bedroom lodge and off-the-grid log cabin as well as a 4,400-foot airstrip with an aircraft hangar and helipad.”
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Why is the ranch being investigated?
Given the isolated nature of Zorro Ranch, there are numerous allegations about “what role the secluded spot played in sexual abuse or sex trafficking of underage girls and young women,” said The Associated Press. Several of Epstein’s public victims have claimed they were trafficked at the ranch, but “New Mexico leaders say there has never been a thorough investigation of the criminal activity that may have occurred” on the property, said the Times.
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There was previously a minimal investigation into the ranch, which was “taken over by federal prosecutors in 2019, and then apparently fizzled, according to New Mexico officials and recently unsealed records,” said the Times. However, unlike Epstein’s other properties, federal agents “did not appear to have ever searched Zorro Ranch,” according to a report from The Guardian. Officials were “paying attention to Paris, Little Saint James, New York and Miami, but they didn’t pay attention to Zorro Ranch,” Eddy Aragon, an Albuquerque radio D.J. and Epstein researcher, told the Times.
Following public pressure related to Epstein, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez recently “ordered that the criminal investigation into allegations of illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch be reopened,” the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a press release. But since Epstein’s 2019 death, the ranch has come under new ownership, meaning an investigation may not be simple.
After the most recent batch of Epstein documents was released, the “claims in the documents have proved impossible to ignore,” said the Times. Most notable is a 2019 email alleging that in the “hills outside the Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G,” the latter apparently referencing Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. “Both died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex.” The sender of the email was “redacted by the DOJ,” said CNN. It is “not clear that those allegations have been investigated by law enforcement.”
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Polls are now open in Rio Rancho where voters are set to elect a new mayor and decide several key measures Tuesday.
RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Rio Rancho voters are set to elect a new mayor and decide several key measures Tuesday in one of New Mexico’s fastest growing cities.
Voters will make their way to one of the 14 voting centers open Tuesday to decide which person will become mayor, replacing Gregg Hull. These six candidates are running:
Like Albuquerque, Rio Rancho candidates need to earn 50% of the votes to win. Otherwise, the top two candidates will go to a runoff election.
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Regardless of who wins, this will be the first time Rio Rancho voters will elect a new mayor in over a decade. Their priorities include addressing crime and how fast the city is growing, as well as improving infrastructure and government transparency, especially as the site of a new Project Ranger missile project.
The only other race with multiple candidates is the District 5 city council seat. Incumbent Karissa Culbreath faces a challenge from Calvin Ducane Ward.
Voters will also decide the fate of three general obligation bonds:
LAS VEGAS, N.M. — The approaching desert dusk did nothing to settle Travis Regensberg’s nerves as he and a small herd of stray cattle awaited the appearance of a state livestock inspector with whom he had a 30-year feud.
This was Nov. 3, 2023, and, as Regensberg tells it, the New Mexico Livestock Board had maintained an agreement for almost a decade: Livestock Inspector Matthew Romero would not service his ranch due to a long history of bad blood between the two men. False allegations of “cattle rustling” had surfaced in the past, Regensberg said.
A dramatic standoff that evening, caught on lapel camera video, shows Regensberg at the entrance gate of his ranch. Defiant, Regensberg says anyone but Romero can pick up the stray cattle he had asked state livestock officials to pick up earlier in the day. Romero, who is backed up by two New Mexico State Police officers, directs Regensberg to open the gate or he will be arrested.
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“You guys can send somebody who is not Matthew Romero,” Regensberg says in the video, which The New Mexican received through a public records request.
Then-New Mexico Livestock Board Deputy Director Darron “Shawn” Davis can be heard in the video during a call on Romero’s phone, saying, “Matthew, go ahead and arrest Mr. Regensberg for obstruction.”
Regensberg, a contractor and rancher, filed a civil rights lawsuit in February against the New Mexico Livestock Board, Romero and Davis, alleging an “appalling misuse” of power from the state agency. Initially filed in the state District Court in San Miguel County, the suit has been moved to U.S. District Court.
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Travis Regensberg, rancher and contractor, practices his throw on a roping dummy in his barn in Las Vegas, N.M., on Feb. 17, 2025.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Regensberg, 60, maintains the incident that evening and the criminal charges later filed against him marked a “conspiracy” on the part of state livestock officials to use the weight of the agency to ruin his reputation amid a long-standing grudge held by Romero.
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The District Attorney’s Office in San Miguel County filed criminal charges against Regensberg after the incident, although he was not arrested that night. The counts included unlawful dispossession of animals, livestock running at large and use of a telephone to intimidate and harass — all of which were dismissed “with prejudice,” meaning prosecutors could not refile them, in late 2024. An unlawful branding charge also did not stick.
Regensberg’s suit asserts the board pursued charges of cattle dispossession against him, even though he had called livestock officials and told them to pick up the stray cattle that had wandered onto his property. It says the agency also pursued a charge of cattle running at large, after state officials left a gate open on his property, allowing some of his own cattle to get loose that night.
Romero and Davis both declined to comment on the case.
Davis said he retired in July after 25 years with the agency, noting his retirement was unrelated to the case.
Romero has also retired from the agency; the livestock board did not answer a question about whether his retirement had any connection to the lawsuit.
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Legal counsel for the defendants filed a 30-page motion Feb. 16 seeking to dismiss the case, arguing the defendants had cause to charge Regensberg.
“In this view, Plaintiff appears to argue that his history of conflict with Defendant Romero legally permits him to obstruct the performance of Defendant Romero’s duties. No facts support that this unlawful obstruction was anticipated,” the motion states.
“Just like any individual would not be able to choose which [state police] officer could pull them over for a traffic infraction, Plaintiff is not allowed to unilaterally decide which [livestock] Inspector would show up to a call,” the motion continues.
Unlawful impound?
The dislike between the two men evidently started when they were teenagers or in their early 20s. The suit states the pair had once shared rides to bull-riding events at rodeos, but the relationship soured when Regensburg made a certain pointed comment to Romero.
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The lawsuit lays out subsequent flare-ups between the two men, including at a Wagon Mound rodeo and at a state park in San Miguel County where Romero was working as a ranger.
A small herd of Travis Regensberg’s cattle eat feed on his property in Las Vegas, N.M.
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Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Belinda Garland, executive director of the New Mexico Livestock Board, declined to comment on the case.
“This matter is currently before the courts,” she wrote in an email. “Out of respect for the legal process, we cannot comment further. We intend to vigorously defend against the allegations and are confident in our position.”
State police officers were able to defuse the situation that night and convince Regensberg to let officials onto his property after they promised to manage any conflicts between him and Romero.
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Someone left a gate open when they entered, allowing about 20 of Regensberg’s cattle to escape. All of those cattle were gathered back onto his ranch, except for a steer.
He alleges state officials later impounded the steer and sold it for just $75 at the Belen livestock auction without telling him.
In the motion to dismiss the case, lawyers for Romero, Davis and the livestock board say officials had informed Regensberg earlier in the day the cattle belonged to a neighbor.
“Plaintiff refused to allow [his neighbor] to pick up the cattle and demanded that NMLB come get the cattle, even though he was told that the cattle were [his neighbor’s] cattle by a NMLB Inspector,” the motion states. “Plaintiff fed and watered the cattle, without consent of the owner.”
Regensberg said he did not turn the cattle over to his neighbor because the receipt his neighbor presented to him from a Valencia County livestock auction showed they had been purchased at 2:56 p.m. that day, while the stray cattle had turned up on his property that morning.
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“The invoice shown to him was for cattle purchased only minutes earlier at location more than a two-hour drive from Regensberg’s ranch in Las Vegas,” his lawsuit says.
Legal counsel for the livestock board have offered up a different narrative.
“By refusing to allow Defendant Romero on his property, and by knowingly herding, locking away, feeding, and watering [his neighbor’s] cattle, there was more than enough probable cause to charge Plaintiff with unlawful disposition of an animal,” states the motion to dismiss.
“I’m just going to go with obstruction, failure to comply,” Romero says in the lapel camera video, talking to two state police officers about Regensberg, who by that time in the evening had gone into his own residence on the property. “I can get him on unlawful impound, too.”
The history
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What occurred Nov. 3, 2023, could have been a fairly routine job for state livestock agents, according to the lawsuit. Stray cattle had wandered onto Regensberg’s land that morning through a gate opened by a family member who had driven onto his property.
Regensberg, the suit states, herded the strays into an enclosure around 11:15 a.m. and then called a state livestock inspector to remove the animals, following what he believed to be correct protocol.
Eventually Regensberg, according to the lawsuit, fed the cattle as the day lengthened and as no state inspectors had come to remove the animals. Regensberg was told Romero was the only agent available to get the stray cattle, even as he insisted the agency send someone else.
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Travis Regensberg takes a bag of feed out to his cattle followed by his dog Rooster in Las Vegas, N.M., on Feb. 17, 2025.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
The suit states Romero had previously accused Regensberg in a 2014 lawsuit of threatening to kill him, so Regensberg was concerned Romero would try to shoot him that night.
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In the late 1980s or early 1990s, according to the lawsuit, Regensberg was riding a motorcycle on a park roadway heading to a July 4 family gathering when he was stopped by Romero, who told him motorcycles were prohibited from the park and he would have to leave. Regensberg sought to explain he was on his way to a family gathering and would only ride on the road.
“Romero flared, insisting Regensberg’s motorcycle was prohibited and demanded he leave the Park,” the lawsuit says. “Regensberg left, which meant he missed the family gathering. After becoming a livestock inspector, Romero began confronting and harassing Regensberg at various events.”
‘A matter of principle’
It is not the first such lawsuit the agency has recently faced.
A suit filed in a little over a year ago in state District Court by Mike Archuleta, a Rowe cattleman, accuses the board of violating his civil rights by relying on false accusations made by a Texas-based rancher as the basis for seizing five unbranded calves from their home in 2023 and selling them at auction before the couple could prove through DNA testing the animals belonged to them.
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Travis Regensberg gathers his rope while practicing his throw on a roping dummy in his barn in Las Vegas, N.M., on Feb. 17, 2025.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
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Regensberg, a team roper, reflected on how the whole affair has hurt his reputation in the small communities where he has spent his whole life.
He thinks the power of the state should not be used to settle what is, in his view, a personal score. Bringing feed pelts out to the pasture on a recent day — the wind tearing across the landscape and tearing at his clothing — Regensburg said he had to sell about 30 head of cattle just to pay legal fees.
“It’s about accountability,” he said of the lawsuit. “It’s a matter of principle.”
