I only had about 5 hours to...
by Doz
I only had about 5 hours to look around, but old town was very interesrting! I can't remember the name of the restaurant in old town but alot of the people recommended it. I was not there for a pleasure trip. I was in Albuquerque to attend a sentencing hearing for the man who killed my mother, however, everywhere I went the people were very nice and helpful. I am looking foward to going there on a pleasure trip.
Ski Santa Fe
by MountainLaurel
Ski Santa Fe is a nice hometown ski area, not impressive if you're used to the Alps, but fun for locals and daytrips. Because we're so far south, it's often warm enough to shed your outer layers--I love the days I can snowboard in a t-shirt--but the sun is fierce, so make sure you wear sunscreen. There's enough variety to keep you entertained for a few days, plus the views are amazing. The picture was taken from the top of the mountain (which is 12,000 ft above sea level--one of the highest in the country) with my camera phone, so it's a bit fuzzy. You can see, along the horizon on the left, the Sandia Mountains, which are along the east edge of Albuquerque, about 50 miles away.
In the summer, there some nice hikes in the area, and in the fall I hear they run the chairlift so you can check out the changing leaves on the aspens. You can rent from the shop here or several different shops in Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
Ranger Station
by Ken_Weaver
The park has a beautiful ranger station with lots of guidebooks, maps, and interesting information about the National Monument. The day that I was there, two local Native Americans were making drums from logs right on the property.
Taste New Mexico
by nm_noelle about Garduno's
If you're in New Mexico, you have to try green chile. It single handedly defines the flavor of New Mexico. You can order it as a condiment just about anywhere there is to eat. Be careful because it's spicy! Favorito's - a large appetizer
Non-Corporate Coffee and Free Wifi
by Hopkid about Napoli
Not in a trendy or cool area but in a more innocuous contemporary concrete strip mall, Napoli Coffeehouse is a locally-owned business with the usual gourmet coffees and associated eats (pastries, muffins, biscotti, etc.). You can even order a tall, venti, or grande! Hey, Starbucks can’t copyright the Italian language! They also have FREE wifi which is something Starbucks does not. So get a fresh brew and bring your laptop and do some work in the nice sitting area. My only complaints are that the tables could be a bit larger and the lack of AC outlets. However the friendly staff said that the owner was working toward putting some in. Oh, and there’s lots of free parking unlike at other free wifi hotspots I tried to go to downtown and near the UNM campus.
Go to http://www.auscillate.com/wireless/albuquerque/ to get a listing of free wifi spots in Albuquerque. Coffee!