Albuquerque in 7 days

High-desert city of hot air balloons, Route 66 neon and Sandia Mountain sunsets. Best time to visit: September-November. Average daily budget: $120 to $240 USD.

Day 1, Land & wander

Base: Old Town, Adobe plaza founded in 1706, with San Felipe de Neri church, galleries and the main museums a block away.

Morning: Take a dawn balloon flight. The Albuquerque Box wind pattern lets pilots steer back to the launch site, making this the world's best balloon city.

Afternoon: Explore Old Town, Adobe plaza founded in 1706, with San Felipe de Neri church, galleries and the main museums a block away.

Evening: Ride the Sandia Peak Tramway. The longest aerial tram in the Americas climbs to 10,378 feet for an 11,000-square-mile view; go for sunset.

Eat: Green chile cheeseburgers, the state's defining dish

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Nob Hill, Route 66 stretch by the university: neon signs, indie shops, breweries and the best casual dining.

Morning: Walk Old Town Plaza. Three centuries of adobe around a shaded square, with jewellery under the portal and San Felipe de Neri church.

Afternoon: Explore Nob Hill, Route 66 stretch by the university: neon signs, indie shops, breweries and the best casual dining.

Evening: Petroglyph National Monument. Thousands of images carved into volcanic escarpment by Ancestral Puebloans and Spanish settlers.

Eat: Sopaipillas with honey after a New Mexican plate

Day 3, Food & markets

Base: Downtown, Central Avenue's art deco theatres, live music venues and the Rail Runner station to Santa Fe.

Morning: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Owned by New Mexico's 19 Pueblos, with dances most weekends and an excellent native kitchen.

Afternoon: Explore Downtown, Central Avenue's art deco theatres, live music venues and the Rail Runner station to Santa Fe.

Evening: The ABQ BioPark's Rio Grande bosque trails at golden hour.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Carne adovada, pork slow-braised in red chile

Day 4, Local neighbourhoods

Base: North Valley, Cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande, farm stands, wineries and quiet adobe B&Bs.

Morning: Breaking Bad filming locations, including the car wash and Walt's house exterior.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore North Valley, Cottonwood bosque along the Rio Grande, farm stands, wineries and quiet adobe B&Bs.

Evening: The KiMo Theatre, a 1927 Pueblo Deco cinema with buffalo skull chandeliers.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Biscochitos, the official state cookie, with anise

Day 5, Day trip

Base: Old Town, Adobe plaza founded in 1706, with San Felipe de Neri church, galleries and the main museums a block away.

Morning: Acoma Pueblo, Sky City, an hour west and continuously inhabited for nearly a millennium.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Old Town, Adobe plaza founded in 1706, with San Felipe de Neri church, galleries and the main museums a block away.

Evening: Dinner at Green chile cheeseburgers, the state's defining dish, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Old Town.

Eat: Green chile cheeseburgers, the state's defining dish

Day 6, Hidden gems

Base: Nob Hill, Route 66 stretch by the university: neon signs, indie shops, breweries and the best casual dining.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Nob Hill, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Nob Hill, Route 66 stretch by the university: neon signs, indie shops, breweries and the best casual dining.

Evening: Dinner at Sopaipillas with honey after a New Mexican plate, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Nob Hill.

Eat: Sopaipillas with honey after a New Mexican plate

Day 7, Slow finish

Base: Downtown, Central Avenue's art deco theatres, live music venues and the Rail Runner station to Santa Fe.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Downtown, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Downtown, Central Avenue's art deco theatres, live music venues and the Rail Runner station to Santa Fe.

Evening: Dinner at Carne adovada, pork slow-braised in red chile, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Downtown.

Eat: Carne adovada, pork slow-braised in red chile

Hidden gems

The ABQ BioPark's Rio Grande bosque trails at golden hour.
Breaking Bad filming locations, including the car wash and Walt's house exterior.
The KiMo Theatre, a 1927 Pueblo Deco cinema with buffalo skull chandeliers.
Acoma Pueblo, Sky City, an hour west and continuously inhabited for nearly a millennium.

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: the city is spread out and parking is easy and cheap. Central Avenue is served by the ART rapid bus linking Old Town, Downtown and Nob Hill. The Rail Runner commuter train reaches Santa Fe in about 90 minutes for around $10 return. Albuquerque International Sunport is 15 minutes from downtown, roughly $20 to $25 by rideshare.

Safety

Tourist areas including Old Town, Nob Hill and the Sandia foothills are straightforward, but Albuquerque has higher property-crime rates than the US average, so never leave anything visible in a parked car and be selective about Central Avenue's outer stretches after dark. The altitude and dry air dehydrate fast, so drink far more water than feels necessary and ease into hikes. Summer afternoon thunderstorms bring lightning and flash floods in arroyos.

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