Road Trip!!

I Currently live on the south side of chicago, iL. am thinking of going to albuquerque new mexico on a road trip!! but dont know which route to take! is there any suggestions available???

TAHNK U FOR UR TIME!!

amber

Road Trip!!

Amber:

Frankly, you haven%26#39;t given us much to work with. You haven%26#39;t mentioned how much time you have, when you plan on going, what your interests are, etc.

At this point all I can really do is suggest that if you want to find a route to take, try either Yahoo! Maps (http://maps.yahoo.com) or Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) and see what they suggest. This will give you at least some idea about possible ways to go and how long it will take.

Now if you can provide more data, we might be able to provide better info.

Road Trip!!

The HISTORIC ROUTE 66 would be the one to travel on.

What is on the way from chicago... I don%26#39;t know, but once you are getting closer to new mexico, there are many many places to visit.

The way I plan my road trips is by visiting the state by state government ';places to visit'; and they usually have good info. THe other thing I do is to look at the Natural parks.. THere are many treasures to visit...

HAVE TONS OF FUN!!!! and Welcomo te the Land of Enchantment! :0)

If you don%26#39;t have the time to wander along stretches of old Route 66, you would still be smart to come down through St. Louis, Springfield MO, Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Amarillo TX and on to Albuquerque. It%26#39;s a very scenic route, and the cities are close enough together to be able to stop overnight. The section of Interstate between Missouri-Oklahoma state line and Oklahoma city is mostly toll, so you need to know you will have to pay for that stretch. For info on Albuquerque I recommend www.itsatrip.org. Lots of great info on that site

I would vote for historic ';Route 66'; first. Unfortunately, so much of the old ';Mother Road,'; is no longer US66, but varied state highway designations. This is ';if'; you are taking your time on the roadtrip. (There is much information at various websites...just Search: ';Route 66.';

If you need a faster route, you%26#39;d want to come as directly as possible from Chicago to New Mexico, and that would probably bring you through Northern Illinois, Missouri, across Kansas, and the Oklahoma, and Texas panhandles. U.S. 54 would be an alternative to old Route 66 in that case.

Lastly, beware the ';map'; sites, such as MapQuest, etc. They will almost always give you the fastest way, i.e. ';Interstates,';...but those might be tens or even hundreds of miles farther, and almost always not as scenic, and enjoyable as the two-lane roads.

I would also say take Route 66 if you have plenty of time. There are may websites about it, but this one

www.legendsofamerica.com/66-Mainpage.html

will give you a step by step through each state the Mother Road passes through.

Have a fun trip.

A quick way would be is to take 55 then 44 to I-40. Trust me you only want to go through the pan handle of Texas. I-40 will bring you right into ABQ.

I am off in less than 48 hours - just want to say . . .

Thanks for helping me put together this great list of things to see, do, eat and purchase while in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Have enjoyed your company also. Will be sure to do a trip report on your Land of Enchantment. Happy Trails.

Food Items to Purchase

Jars of red or green chili. - Strengths from mild to extra hot. - Coronado Mall in Albuquerque has a Chili shop, and has a good selection of items.

Couple jars of chile salsa (505 is my favorite local brand)

A ';nut'; assortment would also be a good souvenir, or gift

Pinon coffee

Stahmann%26#39;s Farm in La Mesa (near Las Cruces) has some terrific products, so if you see them on your journey don%26#39;t hesitate to buy them

Pinon nuts

Small bag of Atole (blue corn meal) to go with your red chili powder.

Chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Must See / Do

Albuquerque

Petroglyph Nat. Monument

Sandia Tram

Turquoise Trail from Santa Fe

Winery to go to in Albuquerque - Casa Rondena winery -The winery is located on Chavez Road, west of 4th street and Osuna, cut through the shopping center. This will make sense if you go there.

Santa Fe

Bandelier National Monument

Friday nights in town are always filled with new artist openings and receptions and the Georgia O%26#39;keeffe Museum is free from 5-8pm as is the Fine Arts Museum.

A stroll on Canyon Road with its hundreds of galleries is nice any time of the day or on Friday night also.

St Francis Cathedral

Pecos Nat Monument

The Loretto Chapel

Visit the Plaza area, including the Palace of the Governors Museum. Many other museums in town as well. Walk up Canyon Road to view art. Drive up toward the ski basin, beautiful views. Enjoy some Northern New Mexican food at one of our great restaurants.

Shidoni Foundry in Tesuque

Places to Eat

Santa Fe

BobCat Bite 鈥?Best Burgers

Torino鈥檚 @ Home Bistro %26amp; Deli 鈥?Chicken Parm / Italian

Harry鈥檚 Roadhouse

Josh%26#39;s BBQ

Rio Chama or Bull Ring

Maria%26#39;s New Mexican Restaurant has great Margaritas.

Albuquerque

Sandiegos 鈥?bottom of Sandia Peak Tram

Drives

Standard Diner is one of our favorites on Central,

The Grove, for a nice brunch/lunch.

Drives to do:

There are two areas of Petroglyph National Park...the ';south'; area has more petroglyphs,that are easy to see. You might want to take in Acoma, the ';Sky City,'; atop it%26#39;s mesa just south of I-40, an hour west of Albuquerque...the oldest, continuously inhabited village in the U.S.

Leave I-40 at Grants, and drive past the El Malpais lava flows, El Morro, and on to Zuni Pueblo. Backtrack seven or eight miles, and drive north to Gallup on NM-602. This is a very scenic side-trip.

If we go to Taos

Have to miss since it鈥檚 not open yet-Taos Pueblo which should be opening back up March 23

Places to eat:

Graham%26#39;s Grill and Dragonfly Cafe.

I am off in less than 48 hours - just want to say . . .

You have so much on your list... have a great trip.

Also look at chile powders in small bags. All kinds from mild to wild! They all are available at large grocery stores in the area. (Smith%26#39;s, Albertsons)

Winery toward Taos in Dixon is La Chiripada. I like their wine! www.lachiripada.com

Santa Fe state museums and all state parks throughout the state are closed on Mondays!

Shidoni Foundry in Tesuque is great fun. I keep forgetting about it! I think I%26#39;ll head up there during Spring Break!

A fun shopping place in Santa Fe is Jackalope! On Cerrillos Road...lots of interesting items! Plus a few prairie dogs!

I am off in less than 48 hours - just want to say . . .

I think you%26#39;ve about got it covered. We thank you for your thanks. Your trip experiences will be eagerly awaited.

After reading your list, I need to go take a nap!!

Have a great trip!!

Let us know how it goes on your visit, you got a lot on your agenda.

Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks with kids

I am trying to igure out if we should got to Kasha Katuwe Monument with our kids (ages are 6, 4 and a really tough 2 yr old!). I can%26#39;t really tell from what I have seen and read if we can see the tent rocks without going up the more difficult of the two trails. Also, does the Cave Loop trail (the easier of the two) go through the part where there are canyon walls on either side, or is that on the more difficult hike? If we can%26#39;t really see anything interesting on the easy hike I don%26#39;t want to bother. It is a long drive since we are coming from Capulin and mainly just to see this monument. Any ideas out there?

Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks with kids

Mil6,

Either trail for the most of their length will be fine and the Cave Loop Trail is pretty tame all of its length.

I%26#39;m still trying to figure out why they call it the Cave Loop because the ';cave'; is about a 8 foot by 12 foot by 6 foot deep hole in a wall.

The Canyon Trail is the one where the walls narrow very similarly to places in Utah, etc.. Its pretty easy navigating until you get about 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way in.

You may end up doing some carrying of the 2 year old at some point, but this is a real gem of a place to explore. Very unique land forms.

Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks with kids

Tent Rocks is very magical. It is worth the effort.

If you go you MUST bring water (and food). There is nothing around for miles.

Thanks so much!! that is very helpful! I don%26#39;t mind carrying the little one!! Or making the hubby do it!! Thanks again!

The trails are very kid friendly. My folks took me all the time there as a child. If you get really really hungry or need to get snacks before your journey you can stop at the C-Store at the town of Cochiti Lake. (Not the pueblo). They also serve food further up at the Cochiti Lake Golf course. In the spring/summer months in the town of Pena Blaca not far from the post office there is a quirky burger stand called Hillside Food if you wanna get a burger or fries. As an alternative you may also consider Bandelier National Monument. You might also see if they are doing any dances at Cochiti or Santo Domingo Pueblo if you visit Tent Rocks. If you wanna take a swim at Cochiti Lake they also have a small little beach area (its not near the boat ramp).

Black Hole store in Los Alamos - closed?

I%26#39;m interested in visiting this store, but the last review post reads: “We really wanted to see the Block, but it%26#39;s close. Bummed out from that.” [sic]

I tried calling a phone number I found online, but it just rang.

Anyone know if it%26#39;s still in business?

Thanks. I would%26#39;ve posted this in the Los Alamos forum, but it doesn%26#39;t appear to get much traffic.

Black Hole store in Los Alamos - closed?

The owner passed away in February. Not sure if the store will continue, I%26#39;ll ask some Los Alamos friends. http://blackholesurplus.com/

Black Hole store in Los Alamos - closed?

Oh, that%26#39;s a shame!

I do appreciate the update...

That%26#39;s sad to hear...he has some really cool stuff like gas masks and shells.

One more quick ? about the Albuquerque airport can you

purchase wine inside security at the Airport? Or shall I purchase and ship it all home from our last B%26amp;B stay?

One more quick ? about the Albuquerque airport can you

If you get a case from one of the wineries, you can check it as baggage. They don%26#39;t sell it at the airport.

If you decide to ship it, you can buy the same case ( cardboard box with styrafoam sections ) at the winery and then take it to someplace like Fedex ground and ship it. Don%26#39;t tell them it%26#39;s wine, say it%26#39;s salsa or something. \

Most of the wineries here will ship, too and NH is one of those states where it%26#39;s ok to ship the wine.

One more quick ? about the Albuquerque airport can you

Thanks - will have to think what to do - would like to purchase different Rieslings from different wineries. I will pack my bubble wrap and see if I can fit them in my check on luggage.

Thanks again for all the assistance.

No, you should ship it. That adds a lot of weight to your luggage. If you were just taking one or two bottles, yeah, but a whole case should be shipped.

You may be able to talk one of the wineries into giving or selling you (for a minimal price) a special box for shipping. You can then continue to load the bottles in as you buy them.

If you like Riesling you should stop by the St. Clair Winery on Rio Grande in Old Town. They will ship it for you. Or if by chance you will be near Taos Black Mesa has a great Riesling as well. We are at a high altitude in NM....so I would suggest having the wineries ship them for you just to be safe.

Fish

Think I can find this when I come out

So many recipes I have call for

chipotle chile in adobo sauce

But I can not find it anywhere here at home. Think I may have some luck looking for it in a regular grocery store in Albuquerque or Santa Fe?

Thanks for all your assistance in planning this adventure I am about to embark on.

Think I can find this when I come out

Yup, comes in a little can. Several brands, all grocery stores. Most grocery stores have a ';Hispanic'; aisle.

Once you open the can, you%26#39;ll find the chipotles are in a kind of oily sauce. I%26#39;ve put the leftovers in a small container and they%26#39;ll stay good in the frigde for weeks.

Think I can find this when I come out

Worst-case scenario: an Asian grocery might carry it if local grocers don%26#39;t. Adobo is frequently used in Philippine recipes.

No, No, Filipino Adobo is very different than the Latin Adobo sauce. It contains soy sauce, among other things.

I did find this online place which stocks the chipotles you want:

http://www.mexgrocer.com/1349.html

when you run out or if you don%26#39;t have room for all the stuff you must be planning on buying here!

As long as you don%26#39;t by the adobe sauce! I don%26#39;t care for it%26#39;s ';earthy'; flavor personally. Don%26#39;t forget the tortilla chips either!

Geez, next you%26#39;ll tell me that Manila folders come from Mexico! :-)

Thank you didn%26#39;t mean to cause a stir. I just figured since they were Chipotle Peppers I%26#39;d find them out there.

Oh, this is friendly DE banter. At least I think it is.

Don%26#39;t buy the Manila from Mexico, it might contain coumarin.

Does anyone remember the SNL sketch with the car ';The Adobe';?

Loved the SNL ';Adobe'; car!

Chipotle in Adobo Sauce is easily found at all grocery stores in Santa Fe. As mentioned before, small can, the Mexican food aisle!

You may try going to the Chili Shop in Old Town Albuquerque or call them. There also used to be a store in Santa Fe called Yippie Yi Yo that used to carry alot of food stuff as well.

zits

denver to santa fe with kids...scenic?

We are doing a whirlwind trip driving from Minneapolis to Denver then down into New Mexico.We have four kids who enjoy seeing new things, but they are younger and we don%26#39;t have a ton of time to stop and walk or hike...little legs won%26#39;t go too far. I am wondering if driving from trinidad to santa fe on 25 would be at all scenic (keeping in mind we are from MN and have a totally different kind of landscape there.) I am looking for rock formations, desert, sand dunes, cactuses...anything to look at as we go. Or would I be better off going through the Great Sand Dunes Natl Park in Colorado and then down through Taos into Santa Fe? The more we can see along the way or close to the highway, the better. I know that sounds lame but with our young ones, we want to get the most bang for our buck!!

Thanks for your help!

denver to santa fe with kids...scenic?

I would skip I-25 if you have time. Actually Northern New Mexico is primarily mountains and mesas...except where the Great Plains creep in between Raton and Las Vegas along I-25. Having driven through Minnesota, you probably see enough of the Great Plains at home, right? :-)

Your option of traveling over to the Great Sand Dunes, then down to Taos/Taos Pueblo (a must see!), and then Santa Fe is a good one.

An alternative would be south over Raton Pass between Trinidad,CO and Raton, NM (some great views from the summit of both Colorado and New Mexico), then southwest to Cimarron, Eagle Nest, Angel Fire, and through Taos Canyon into Taos. This is very pretty country, with canyons, and pine forests!

From Taos, you have your choice of the ';High Road,'; past old Spanish villages, and churches in old communities such as Truchas, Trampas, and Chimayo; or, the ';Low Road'; along the Rio Grande River, from Taos to Espanola...then Santa Fe. Both have their merits.

You%26#39;ll see some cactus, and we are considered to be in the ';High Desert'; here in Northern New Mexico around Albuquerque/Santa Fe, but the low deserts of Southern New Mexico, and Arizona is where you%26#39;ll find the sand dunes, and big cacti such as the magnificent saguaros around Tucson.

Let us know if you have any further questions, or thoughts.

denver to santa fe with kids...scenic?

Speaking of sand dunes, you may want to consider White Sands National Monument, if you%26#39;re willing to travel that far south. Read about it here:

http://www.nps.gov/whsa/

Thanks!! That is very helpful!

Well from Denver to Santa Fe on I25 is an interesting drive. From Trinidad to Santa Fe you drive over Raton Pass, see Raton NM, visit Ft Union Nat Mon and see actual ruts from the Santa Fe Trail, Las Vegas NM and Pecos Nat Mon.

No cactus, sand dunes or even desert.. mostly prairie and mountains along this route.

Well, I have three different ways to go than the other posters. Take 285 from Denver, watch for signs for Tiny Town just after entering the mountains. Further down in the South Park area, stop at Fairplay; a good replica of an old mining town with lots of old buildings and other fun things. Staying on 285 south, just past Salida junction, you will go over Poncha Pass. After descending the pass, watch for junction of Colorado 17. This road takes you within reach of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. The kids would have a great time climbing up and down the dunes. Colo. 17 takes you into Alamosa, where you can go east on US 160 or returning to 285 south. The first takes you east to Fort Garland where you pick up Colo. 159 south across the border into New Mexico and Taos. 285 takes you south into Espanola, NM, and Santa Fe, where you would pick up I-25. This 285 route takes you through the Colorado mountains, where you have a chance to see the continental divide, and you cross 4 mountain passes along the way. Another route just slightly different would be head west on I-70 into the mountains to Colo. 9 at Dillon, then south to Breckenridge, which was an old mining town. Mostly spruced up now but still interesting. You continue south on 9 over Hoosier Pass and down to Fairplay where you pick up 285. Or, continue on I-70 to Colo. 91, go south over Fremont Pass. Lots of old mine ruins, and one of the largest Molybdinum (?) mines in the US, and down to Leadville. This is an old mining town, and is the highest incorporated city in the US. Several old mines to explore, and there are a lot of old buildings to wander through. Continue south to Buena Vista where you pick up 285. Just the views of the 14,000 ft. peaks is worth any of these trips.

The drive from Raton to Las Vegas is painfully boring. Also there isnt too much to see between Las Vegas and Santa Fe either.

Favorite Place in Santa Fe for a great Filet or Prime Rib

Looking for a great Steakhouse while we are in Santa Fe - Looked at the Bull Ring - Sounds great but a bit pricey. Is it worth the price?

Where is your favorite steakhouse in Santa Fe?

3 more days and counting. WooHoo!! Can%26#39;t wait!

Favorite Place in Santa Fe for a great Filet or Prime Rib

I%26#39;ve never been to Bull Ring but have heard good things. We%26#39;ve eaten at Rio Chama where my husband had what he called the best prime rib he%26#39;s ever eaten that I did not cook. I had lamb chops, which were fantastic.

Favorite Place in Santa Fe for a great Filet or Prime Rib

The Bull Ring is a top choice. I%26#39;ll throw in the Rio Chama Steakhouse on Old Santa Fe Trail. I%26#39;ve never had a bad meal there.

Not living in Santa Fe, I would have to say, ';if it is still open'; unfortunately. In our present economy, restaurants are closing in Albuquerque every week. Some of my long time favorites too, I%26#39;m sorry to say.

Have a Woo-Hoo visit! :-)

Rio Chama is still open but is about the same price as Bull Ring.

Check Railyard Restaurant near the train station and Steaksmith east of town.

Hands down Rio Chama. Tom Kerpon used to be the executive chef at Anasazi and has now been at Rio Chama for a few years. And they are not tight with the liquor in your drinks. One drink is enough.

anyone stayed at Ghost Ranch?

I%26#39;m considering an Elderhostel tour using Ghost Ranch Santa Fe as the hotel. Looks like it%26#39;s some kind of a retreat center with no phones or tvs in the rooms. Not sure that sounds like much fun. Has anyone actually stayed there? What info. can you give, please? How far is the walk to the Plaza, for instance?

Thanks in advance.

Lynn in Rochester, NY

anyone stayed at Ghost Ranch?

Ghost Ranch is in fact a retreat center, and is slightly less than 50 miles from Santa Fe-- a little too far to walk to the Plaza! Find out more here:

http://www.ghostranch.org

anyone stayed at Ghost Ranch?

Hmmmm... this one says ';Ghost Ranch Santa Fe';. I konw that there%26#39;s one in Chimayo... but I guess there%26#39;s another one right in the city of SF? Anyone help????

Thanks

Lynn

There is no Ghost Ranch in Chimayo. Ghost Ranch has locations in Abiquiu and Santa Fe.

Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe is three blocks from the historic Santa Fe Plaza on Old Taos Highway off of Paseo De Peralta. Location is good.

(No comment on the retreat itself- I have not see it)

Ghost Ranch Santa Fe is near the downtown area. Large sculptures outside. Even if there is no phone or tv, Santa Fe has plenty to do. It is an easy walk to the plaza area.

Thank you Whitecar, and Casa Azul. I%26#39;m another who now knows there are two Ghost Ranches! So many things to learn...so little time! :-)

Ghost Ranch Santa Fe is news to me as well... but I fondly remember the Ghost Ranch in Tucson! I stayed there a couple of times before it was turned into senior housing a few years back.

I have been to both. Ghost Ranch is basically a conference center owned by Presbyterian Church, but is fairly secular.

The main ';campus'; is just north of Abiquiui and in magnificent red rock country. Hiking is beyond fabulous. Simple accommodations, however.

They have a smaller place in SF, two or 3 blocks north of the plaza. Nice, simple almost monastery-type set up, It can be a nice place to stay, esp. if you are looking for a quiet, plain respite. You don%26#39;t go to SF to stay in the room.

Both places have very good seminars, a nice way to spend the week or weekend.

Good Tamales in Santa Fe?

Hi, we%26#39;re visiting Santa Fe next month and love love tamales. I%26#39;m sure there is a favorite place for some of you. Any ideas for me? Thanks!

Good Tamales in Santa Fe?

Almost any New Mexican restaurant has Tamales; however you are missing the true ';taste of New Mexico'; if you don%26#39;t try enchiladas, burritos and other native New Mexican cuisine. One place in Santa Fe I would recommend is La Chosa. For a great New Mexican breakfast you can%26#39;t do much better than Tecolate. Happy eating!

Good Tamales in Santa Fe?

Good tamales at Tomasita%26#39;s, Maria%26#39;s, Tia Sophia%26#39;s. Also Posa%26#39;s has a couple of small restaurants on the southside of town.

Visit www.santafe.org for more restaurant ideas.

deadendangel,

For the best tamales you%26#39;re likely to have while in our general area, you%26#39;ll need to go to Chimayo and eat at Leona%26#39;s. Only open for lunch though.

They are about the best I%26#39;ve ever had anywhere.

Be forewarned though, they are located next door to the Santuario de Chimayo, America%26#39;s version of Lourdes and if your trip is during Easter weekend, don%26#39;t bother.

About 25,000 devotees walk to the church as a pilgrimage every Easter week from as far away as ABQ.

The Santuario is one of the most visited sites in our state and well worth the short drive from Santa Fe. Just not that weekend.

Hey Tim, thanks for the info on Leona%26#39;s, we have not tried the tamales there. Looks like a road trip is in order. Which are your favorites? And chile...red or green or Christmas?

Thanks again.

I second Tia Sophias. La Choza near downtown also has a really good Tamale plate for under ten bucks.

I love La Choza, one of my fav SF restaurants, a bit off the tourist circuit.

But Leona%26#39;s in Chimayo wins for tamales....take a few bags home!

What type of quilt do you like

Accommodation convenient for hiking around Santa Fe in May

In the begining of May I鈥檇 love to spend 3-4 days hiking in NM. I read lots of posts here and did some independent searching on many different areas for hikes and now I need some help. I can鈥檛 locate any cabins, small rental houses, apartments, anything for those few nights. I wouldn鈥檛 mind camping but I just learned I have to get a new tent so camping is not an option now. I prefer not to stay right in Santa Fe. I鈥檓 not interested in shopping, walking streets, window shopping but would like to spend one afternoon visiting a museum or two and then stay for a nice elegant dinner in town. Any suggestions for the area where I should look for a decent lodging convenient to hiking trails? I know it is about 40 miles from Santa Fe but would love to hike at least on one trail in Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. Then closer to Santa Fe I like descriptions of Aspen Vista, Chamisa, Atalaya Mountain, Borrego - Bear Wallow - Winsor Loop trails. Please suggest where to stay and what trails to take. I love hikes with breathtaking scenery, wildflowers, birds, no crowds. I have only 2 or 3 full days for hiking. Thanks

Accommodation convenient for hiking around Santa Fe in May

Unfortunately, cabins are almost non-existant in the Santa Fe area. (I love them too!)

I do not have the specific information on the trails you mentioned, but Tent Rocks is a really cool place for hiking, as is Bandelier National Monument.

The museum at the Palace of the Governors, on the Plaza is interesting, as is the International Folk

Art Museum. It is almost unique in the world from what I understand, and a favcrite of mine. If you love the history of the Northern New Mexico area, try to take in the Old Cienega Village Museum, a.k.a. El Rancho de Las Golondrinas, about 12 miles SW of Santa Fe (behind the racetrack). This is a living history museum, which includes a good mile, perhaps two, walk between ';villages.'; They have festivals during the year, check to see if one is being held in early May.

I%26#39;ll let our Santa Feans recommend places to stay, and specific hikes in the immediate Santa Fe area.

Accommodation convenient for hiking around Santa Fe in May

The only accommodations in the mountains are tents! No cabins near any of the places you want to hike. I know you can get an inexpensive tent at our local Coleman outlet.

Tent Rocks is not a difficult drive from Santa Fe and most of the trails you mentioned are up the ski basin road.

Up that road are a few Nat Forest CG and Hyde Memorial State Park, which has tent sites. It may be a bit chilly at night (30-40%26#39;s) in May for camping.

Staying near the Plaza area is still your best bet. There are a few small places and B%26amp;B%26#39;s that have casitas.

Fort Marcy Suites are up a hill about 4 blocks or so from the Plaza and on the road to the ski basin. Check www.allseasonsresortlodging.com

Also visit www.santafe.org for more info on the area.

Visiting either Palace of the Governors museum on the Plaza or the Indian Art and Culture Museum on Museum hill would be a great visit for you.

You may also want to hike at the Randolph Davey Audubon Center at the top of Canyon Road.

NM_Photojournalist and CasaAzul, you helped me last time while I planned my drive from Silver City to Oklahoma City. Your suggestions were fantastic and I followed many of them. In a couple months I鈥檓 returning to the area and you already gave me a number of new ideas. Thank you so much for your great help.

NM_Photojournalist, too bad about no cabins. I love all the wilderness cabins available in Alaska. Maybe one day NM and other states can have similar system of cabins. Anyway, I completely overlooked Bandelier National Monument. Need to do more reading about it. Are hiking trails in this park easily accessible from Santa Fe? Thank you for suggestions what museums to visit. Now I have the Palace of the Governors and the International Folk Art Museum in my itinerary. Have to do more homework and learn about the Old Cienega Village Museum before adding it to my list.

Casa Azul, I鈥檓 so grateful you reminded me of a local Coleman outlet. There is one not too far away from where I live now. I have to get a new tent before my summer trip to Alaska anyway. Still I have to rethink an idea of camping at a high elevation and low temperatures. I need lodging with kitchen facilities or at least with a little kitchenette. Usually when returning after all day hiking I don鈥檛 feel like going out for a meal. I rather prepare something very simple and quick before getting ready for a next hike.

I鈥檒l take a closer look at Fort Marcy Suites and check the websites you included in your post. The Indian Art and Culture Museum on Museum Hill sounds very appealing.

The Randolph Davey Audubon Center is a place I would be very interested in visiting and maybe see some birds too. I couldn鈥檛 find more detailed information about this place but maybe I didn鈥檛 look too hard. Need to try again.

Casa, do you know whether the Rancho Jacoma would be a convenient place to stay for all hiking I鈥檓 planning to do? It looks like there are suites with kitchens.

Thank you both for all your help.

You can rent cabins if you go to the Jemez Mountains. There are lots of trails in that area and it%26#39;s quiet. If you do prefer to stick to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains Ten Thousand Waves which is on the way to the ski basin offers lodging.

Here%26#39;s the link to the Audubon Center: www.nm.audubon.org/center/index.html

Rancho Jacona was a place I was going to recommend, located north of Santa Fe in Pojoaque (away from most of the trails you are interested in)

Another lodging option is Santa Fe Suites (used to be Camel Rock Suites) located on St Francis Road. www.thesantafesuites.com Fairly inexpensive with a full kitchen. Also right nearby is a large grocery store, a take n bake pizza place and a Japanese takeout kind of place. Also across the street from a soon to be opened Railrunner station where you can catch a train to Albuquerque if you wish.

CasaAzul, thank you so much for your fantastic help. In my previous post I listed all those hiking trails which looked very appealing but I knew I won%26#39;t be include majority of them in our short visit. Now I narrowed down to hiking in Bandelier National Monument one day. The second day we would like to spend in Tent Rocks. Do you know if the road to Tent Rocks, which I read is unpaved, is in a decent condition for a regular car? The third day - we are talking about going to Audubon Center in the morning and then spending a few hours in town.

Do you think Rancho Jacoma would be OK location for this itinerary or should I tray to book at Santa Fe Suites? Both are very appealing for different reasons.

Hathor, thank you for suggesting Ten Thousand Waves. Unfortunately, this is not lodging I would be interested in on this trip. I was thinking about cabins similar to the Alaskan wilderness cabins some times located in remote areas accessible only by boat or floatplane and seldom by road. They are often located in extremely scenic areas of national forests and state parks. They are simple cabins with bunk beds and heating stove. You need to bring your food, sleeping bags, camp stove, fire wood or heating fuel. It is a great way to camp out without a tent in a rainforest of Alaska and stay dry. We also enjoyed staying in a cabin built by CCC men located in Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas. They are more luxurious and more expensive but was hoping there are maybe cabins in NM similar to those in Alaska or Texas.

Dear Places,

I know of the type of accomodation you are looking for, I%26#39;m just not sure if it%26#39;s close enough to Santa Fe to suit you....I believe it%26#39;s an hour away. I do know that the scenery is very beautiful in this area and that there are many hiking trails to take very close by as you will be in the Sangre de Cristo mountains and I believe the Pecos wilderness. There are also hot springs and the Montezuma Castle nearby. This is absolutely my favorite scenic area in NM, but frankly the cabins are a bit too rustic for me and my family. They are IN the mountains and not in a populated area. They have beds/bath/kitchen and cooking supplies/shower.The bare minimum though. They are all equipped with wood-burning stoves for heat. Seriously, we love the scenery and if they are still renting these cabins, they are very private. If you are looking for a place for wonderful hiking this would be THE area. Here%26#39;s the link for the cabins. They are owned by locals who have lived there all their lives. It%26#39;s been about 7 years since I%26#39;ve been there but the following link has the phone number that you can call them direct.

ibegin.com/directory/鈥?/a>

www.dupontcastle.com/castles/montezum.htm

Hi tsth, I added your information to my file. Thank you for it.

Meanwhile I reserved one casita at Rancho Jacona. All reviews are very positive and it is not too far from Santa Fe and Bandelier National Monument.

I am not certain how long is a drive from Rancho Jacona to Tent Rocks National Monument and what is a road like to this park.

NM_Photojournalist, do you think I should plan on visiting El Rancho de Las Golondrinas on the same day after hiking in Tent Rocks?

I%26#39;m driving to Rancho Jacona north of Santa Fe from the Grants area. Maybe I should visit El Rancho de Las Golondrinas on the way but to fully enjoy a visit I need a safe place to park our car. We%26#39;ll have all our belongings in it.

On the way to our lodging where is a supermarket I can pick up all stuff needed for our stay in Rancho Jacona?

Thanks

NM_Photojournalist and CasaAzul

diner style eateries near ALBQ university area

staying at the fairfield inn university area, 1760 menual rd in september, any recs for good standard diner type food in the area, we do not have a car, but can take a cab

diner style eateries near ALBQ university area

The Fairfield Inn (Marriott) is a nice property.

Two good restaurants very near the Fairfield Inn are, ';Little Anitas,'; at 2000 Menaul Blvd. NE, if you%26#39;d care to sample our ';New'; Mexican food; and ';The Range Cafe,'; 2100 Menaul Blvd. NE. The latter is an especially good place for breakfast.

Your hotel is on the west side of I-25, and the restaurants are on the east side.

Since you mentioned it...the Fairfield Inn is not ';that'; close to the University of New Mexico...two miles maybe. If that makes any difference.

If you are without a car, I wish you%26#39;d stayed nearer our historic Old Town area, with adjoining museums (so much to see)...but a cab ride won%26#39;t break you either. Probably about five-six miles. Have a wonderful time, and get back to us if we may be of any more assistance. I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll receive further restaurant suggestions from other, local contributors.

diner style eateries near ALBQ university area

I second what NM Photojournalist has said, and will add that while you are close to University Blvd, you are not very close to UNM, by foot.

Depending on how long you will be in Albuquerque, there may be a rental car in your future. ABQ is a new western city with much sprawl, and you will be missing out on almost everything a tourist wants to see by the location you have chosen to settle into, and not having a car. Would you reconsider?

I also second The Range. Great food, good price any time of day.

I could swear the Fairfield is just off I-25, to the EAST. Google maps seem to support that. In any case, the hotel is on a side street, you can head north on that street and be at Menaul Blvd. Turn right and you%26#39;ll find Little Anita%26#39;s and further down the road is The Range, which I third! You can also keep going , just under a mile and hit the mediocre Applebee%26#39;s chain restaurant. Not being from the US, you might find it representative of typical American chain food, and reasonably priced.

oh, DON%26#39;t!!!! we would of loved to have stayed longer, but we start our route 66 road trip from here, having amtraked from NY to chicago, few days there, then amtrak to ABQ, overnight only, collect car from airport, that%26#39;s why we have booked this hotel as it is not far from the airport, and then off we go at 9 o%26#39;clock the next morning, gallop, hollbrook,grand canyan,vagas, and finally LA for a couple of days and then home to the UK, we are SOooooooooo!!!! excited, can%26#39;t wait, but i%26#39;m sure we will return to ABQ to spend some quality time, thank%26#39;s for your help, fizz

If you%26#39;ve only got one night, take a cab to the Frontier Restaurant. It is the very definition of ';albuquerque diner'; and you%26#39;re not that far away distance-wise. You can have an awesome burger, a traditional american breakfast, or some of our special new mexican food. My personal favorite is huevos rancheros covered in green chile stew! Don%26#39;t miss the homemade tortillas covered in butter and honey. (If I had a dime for every time i%26#39;ve written that on this forum . . . I%26#39;d have maybe fifty cents. . . : ) Also, the Frontier is open late, just in case that helps.

Oddly enough, we%26#39;ve got a lovely restaurant here called Standard Diner. I just had to throw that in.

I saw Standard Diner on Guy%26#39;s Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives a couple of weeks ago.

Guy is here a lot, must like ABQ. I lost a lot of respect for him once he started trolling for TGI Friday%26#39;s.

Standard Diner is one of our favorites on Central, along with The Grove, for a nice brunch/lunch.

Last night I saw an episode of ';Diners, Drive-ins %26amp; Dives'; where Guy was at Bert%26#39;s Burger Bowl in Santa Fe for their green chile cheeseburger. I%26#39;ve never been to Bert%26#39;s, and as long as the Bobcat Bite is in business, I might never get there!

It%26#39;s very frustrating when a city has TOO MANY really good places to eat.

That%26#39;s right Karma! Darn that vast array of choices! (visual of fist shaking at the heavens)

LOL! We love The Grove too. It%26#39;s the only place where I can get a red velvet cupcake! Yum!

zits

Explora - Just for kids?

Howdy! My wife and I will be visiting ABQ in a few weeks, and we always like to look for nerdy museums and whatnot to keep us entertained while we travel.

I was looking at the website for Explora, and it%26#39;s not very clear whether it%26#39;s basically just a kiddie place, or if it%26#39;d be worth a stop for two adults.

We have a ';hands-on'; museum in Philly (the Please Touch museum), but it%26#39;s just somewhere for parents (or grandparents) to take their little kids, not something that lone grown-ups would be interested in.

Also, any other suggestions along this line would be appreciated. I%26#39;ve already got the Atomic, Natural History and Rattlesnake museums on my to-do list, as well as the aquarium/zoo area.

Thanks!! :-)

Explora - Just for kids?

I think you will be bored silly! I went with my son%26#39;s class and the place is geared to kids.

You may want to add the Albuquerque Museum and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Much more adult oriented. Also you may want to go out to Petroglyph Nat Monument as well as a possible tour to Acoma Pueblo.

I love the Rattlesnake Museum!!

Explora - Just for kids?

Have you done the Old Town ghost tour yet? We%26#39;ve done it a couple of times, it%26#39;s fun.

http://www.toursofoldtown.com/ghosttour.php

The Petroglyphs on the Westside are worth a trip too. especially when the weather isn%26#39;t as hot yet.

Most of the exhibits are kid-oriented, but they frequently have presentations that are much more interesting for adults. You might give them a call and see what they%26#39;ve got going on. If you%26#39;re nerdy, you%26#39;ll dig it. Don%26#39;t ask how I know this.

I%26#39;d put a tram trip on your list. Wait for a nice day and take in a gorgeous view from the top of the mountain. You might even spot some wildlife.

Also, I had a wonderful trip to the zoo recently, so I%26#39;d encourage you not to bump that off your list.

Have a great trip!

I really wanted to go on the tram, but I believe it%26#39;s going down for maintenance as soon as we get into town (3/29)...

I really wanted to go on the tram, but I believe it%26#39;s going down for maintenance as soon as we get into town (3/29)...

Yep, website says March 30-April 24.

Lo siento! I forgot about that. Well, if you%26#39;re in the mood for a drive it%26#39;s not too far to the crest. Admittedly, its not the tram, but you can still see the nice view. Sunset is a great time of day to go. In fact, if you can, try to glimpse each sunset while you%26#39;re here: they can be spectacular.

If this is your first visit to New Mexico, I would also second the recommendation you should take in the Albuquerque Museum, in fact, I always recommend it as the first stop, even before neighboring Old Town. Its historical exhibits will provide an excellent introduction to the area%26#39;s ancient history,and multi-ethnic cultures, including Anasazis, the Pueblo tribe, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo (American) contributions.

Personnaly, I would also cut the Explora for two adults, and ditto the Atomic museum, unless the latter holds some particular interest for you.

Across Rio Grande Blvd, from the SW corner of Old Town at Central/Rio Grande is a Walgreens...not unusual, but next to it in a little strip mall, is the ';Turquoise Museum.'; It features turquoise from all over the world, in it%26#39;s varying colors. They also sell turquoise jewelry here. Quite interesting, if (like Atomic Energy Museum above) you are interested in this stone which has become synonymous with New Mexico, and the Southwest.

The balloon museum (the history of ballooning) is also worth a visit, on Balloon Museum Road, just off Alameda Blvd. in Albuquerque%26#39;s North Valley. On its north side, you can also see the huge, Balloon Fiesta Park grounds.

It sounds as though you%26#39;ve planned a varied, and enjoyable list of attractions. Have fun!

Wow that is helpful, thanks! We have been to Santa Fe before, but we really just flew in/out of ABQ. This time we%26#39;re staying at Bottger near Old Town for a few days.

I am interested in the atomic stuff, we visited the Atomic Testing Museum in Vegas and thought it was great. And we will be going through whatever Los Alamos has to offer while we%26#39;re in town.

I%26#39;ll certainly look through all your suggestions while I make up my ABQ itinerary, thank you!

ABQ to Cimarron, NM

We will be flying into ABQ in July, spending the night and driving to Cimarron, NM the following day. Google maps has us taking 25/84/85 through Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Wagon Mound on the way. Looks like a 3 hour drive and we do not have to be in Cimarron until about 4pm. Any suggestions for interesting stops along the way? We have 2 kids (8 and 12) and really like natural sights/hiking, etc. We are not really museum people unless it is something really different.

Thanks!!

ABQ to Cimarron, NM

I%26#39;d take the kids to the zoo, aquarium, and biopark the morning before you leave. It%26#39;s a great zoo, and if you go to the biopark, it%26#39;ll be glorious in July. www.cabq.gov/biopark/

Another option might be to take a trip up the Sandia Peak Tramway and do some hiking once you get up there. www.sandiapeak.com/

A unique museum would definitely be the folk art museum in Santa Fe. There%26#39;s also an international folk art market in July at the museum, you might check to see if that coincides with your trip. www.folkartmarket.org/

Have a wonderful trip!

ABQ to Cimarron, NM

To me, going the interstate all the way is not very interesting, but it is fast. If you have the better part of the day, I would recommend going up through Santa Fe and Taos, and taking US 64 over Palo Flechado Pass through the valley by Eagle Nest Lake and down through the canyon to Cimarron. This is a beautiful drive and one I think you would really enjoy.

I don%26#39;t know how late you%26#39;ll be flying into Albuquerque. If by mid-day, or early afternoon, you might want to head straight for our historic Old Town area (Rio Grande Exit from I-40 West). Many shops, and restaurants in former adobe haciendas, that were once expansive homes to Albuquerque%26#39;s early Spanish, and Mexican residents. Picture perfect Spanish plaza, and old church also.

You say you are not ';museum people,'; but the Albuquerque Museum on the northeast side of Old Town will give you an excellent look back through New Mexico%26#39;s ancient history, from Anasazis, through the Pueblo tribes, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American contributionsl If you skip the art (if short on time), you can take in the historical part in 45 minutes. I would visit here first!

Our adjacent NM Museum of Natural History is excellent, but then I recall you have the Field Museum in Chicago, so you may prefer to devote your time to doing New Mexico things. The zoo is a very nice one, (but again, you%26#39;re from Chicago, and I%26#39;ve heard it has a zoo also, LOL).

After Old Town, if you enjoy hiking, drive out to the foothills of Albuquerque%26#39;s 10,000+ft. Sandia Mountains. There are miles of trails east off Tramway Blvd. You might want to grab a sack of burgers (or tacos) and enjoy an evening picnic. Embudo Park, at the far eastern end of Menaul Blvd. has picnic tables, and lots of boulders and rocks to climb up, and on. My favorite ';Open Space Park,'; in Albuquerque, is Ellena Gallegos Park, (east of Tramway Blvd., just north from Academy Blvd.). Great views for seventy-five miles on clear days. You can actually see the curvature of the earth from here. Many picnic tables. You might even hear the coyotes howl at sunset.

A few miles further north on Tramway Blvd. is Tramway Road, which leads up to the base of the Sandia Tramway, the longest tramway in the world. There are restaurants at both the top and bottom, but the barbeque (steak, etc. too) ';County Line Restaurant'; at Tramway Blvd. and Tramway Road is even better. IMHO.

I%26#39;m not a big fan of the MapQuest%26#39;s etc. They almost always route you the ';fastest'; way, but perhaps not the most direct, or scenic way. Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas-Wagon Mound-Cimmaron is certainly a good example of that. North of Las Vegas, the Great Plains creep into New Mexico, and the scenery is pretty bland up to Cimarron. This is fine if you%26#39;re planning to come back the best alternate route, which would be Cimarron-Eagle Nest-Taos %26amp; Taos Pueblo-Santa Fe-Albuquerque. Enjoy your visit!

The OP is from Chicago.. I think they have a ';good'; zoo, botanic garden, aquarium and natural history museum!

Stay in Abq the first night near Old Town. See the Plaza, have some Mexican food (Little Anitas) and visit the Rattlesnake Museum if you dare!!! Kids love it and so do I!

The next morning drive to Santa Fe, see the Plaza there and maybe then drive up to Taos via the High Road. Lunch in Taos and then to Cimarron via Angel Fire and Eagles Nest. Visit the Philmont Scout Ranch headquarters (unless that is your final destination!!) or Cimarron Canyon State Park.

Cimarron has some interesting sights... www.cimarronnm.com

If you end up going up the interstate to Wagon Mound, visit Pecos Nat Mon, Ft. Union Nat Mon before you head west to Cimarron! North of Springer is a truck stop - Russells that has neat restored cars and some snacks, as well as a Subway!

Yes, the Lincoln Park zoo is beautiful, but they do not have our desert climate and plants, nor do they have nearly the array of primates that we have here at the Rio Grande Zoo. Zoos are not like Wal-Marts: if you%26#39;ve seen one you have definitely not seen them all!

ABQinfo... did not want to spark a debate, I know zoo%26#39;s are not all the same. We love visiting zoo%26#39;s all over the country. Our zoo in Abq is wonderful, especially the Zoo Concerts with the Albuquerque Symphony. I go there many times a year with family and with school field trips.

The OP wanted something different...and even though the Abq zoo is great fun, if I only had a day or less, I would see something you could not see at home, like ancient ruins, Old Town, Rattlesnake Museum, Pueblo Cultural Center, Taos Pueblo etc.

There is Storrie Lake Park not far from Las Vegas NM. There are also some great trails in the Pecos Wilderness area which is right off I-25 just north of Santa Fe. You can also take 25 then in Santa Fe catch 84/285 towards Taos and then go to Eagles Nest Lake. Also on 84 there is the Santuario de Chimayo in the town of Chimayo. Also there is a Dairy Queen just outside Santa Fe if the kiddies want an ice cream cone.

Thank you for all of your suggestions. Yes, our final destination is Philmont. We have been before but last time we flew into Denver and did the Colorado Springs sites on the way down to Cimarron. We did take a day trip to Taos that week and the drive is lovely.

I will do some research on all of your suggestions and make a plan! Thanks again!

what's the best way to get from nyc to santa fe?

seems like no one flies direct to abq... what%26#39;s the most painless route? thanks.

what's the best way to get from nyc to santa fe?

One way to do it would be to get from NYC to Baltimore. Southwest has at least one non-stop per day from Baltimore to ABQ.

what's the best way to get from nyc to santa fe?

NY%26gt;Denver%26gt;Alb is also an option. Frontier has a sale right now till Feb 2...looks like pretty good prices. A bit of a wait for connections in Denver but not too bad--time to get a massage, eat, and shop a little.

You are so correct! Non-stops seem to vanishing as fast as our GNP.

Mitch headed you the right way. Southwest has two daily flights to Albuquerque from Long Island Airport (ISP), both with a change in Chicago Midway. There is only one return flight to ISP daily, with one stop, again in Chicago Midway. The Southwest prices didn%26#39;t seem to be any better than the lowest among the other airlines, which suprised me.

The lowest fare/shortest flight time (the combination I use, but $ may not be a priority to you) seems to be American Airlines right now, with 1 stop in Chicago (O%26#39;Hare I presume, didn%26#39;t notice).It has better ';timing'; than some others...Leaving NY at 7:55am ET, arriving in Albuquerque at 12:35pm MT.

I believe that next to Southwest, United is the next most common carrier into Albuquerque. Many flights are via Denver. I noted on Expedia.com that the rates were all over the place by the way. But what else is new? The above will probably be changed by next week anyway! :-)

Fly into Albuquerque, howevr you may do that, (go to Kayak.com and type in the trip) then rent a car and drive the 50 minutes to Santa Fe, which is what I%26#39;d do as having a czr in Santa Fe is handy, or take the railrunner train from downtown to downtown.

Since I make a number of trips between NY (Manhattan) and SF each year, this is a good question. It used to be 10 hrs. door-to-door (apartment in NYC to condo in SF) but now it is a hassle and often a missed connection.

I thought the (only) NON-STOP (Continental Airlines Newark to ABQ) would help, but both times I took it, it left over 6 hours late(!!) so what good was that?

Now I just take the lowest fare at the moment (Delta, American, NW, United). Southwest is not convenient to NYC.

I doubt I would fly direct to SF on some of the newer flights. I think they will be more expensive. The airport is still maybe 20 min. ride to downtown SF, (cab ride maybe, but you might want to rent a car) so still flying to ABQ and renting a car is fine, it is only a 50 min. drive. ABQ at least is a wonderful airport. Compact, attractive, pretty much hassle-free.

dog

Locals Unite !!!!

The restuarant ';Cast Iron Cafe'; located at the Granada Square on Montgomery blvd. n.e. at the light in between Jefferson and Carisle needs our help.

I know times are tough, but we have so few Good breakfast and lunch places in town,we need to keep the ones we do have open. Perhaps you just didn%26#39;t know of this place. I have been going every Sat. morning and their are plenty of seats still open.

If you have a Sat. place that%26#39;s getting crowded and you want to try something different, please consider the Cast Iron Cafe.

Prices range from $4.00 for a short stack to top of the line $9.00 country fried steak, two eggs,hash browns and cream gravy. The coffee is good and the Red Hat Ladies really liked it when they were there two weeks ago.

We%26#39;ve got to get (pardon me) some butts in the seats or we run the risk of lossing this new place. So again, maybe you just didn%26#39;t know it was there, but now you do.....try it for a change. I hope you like it as much as my family does. Thank you.

p.s. the french toast and the oatmeal is to die for!

Locals Unite !!!!

But I will gladly add that the Range Cafe is still my heart and tummy%26#39;s favorite!

Locals Unite !!!!

I guess the message here, and in Karmathecat%26#39;s comments about the late, lamented Maria Teresa%26#39;s is...support your favorite restaurants, as many, if not most, are having hard times.

Four of my favorites recently closed:

The Great American Land and Cattle Company at Indian School/Tramway. (If you loved their Chicken Fried Steak, the owner, chef, and CFS, are now at the Independence Grill on Montgomery.

Mis Amigos at Juan Tabo %26amp; Constitution...they served too much good food, for too little prices.

Joe%26#39;s Grill at Juan Tabo, and Candelaria; and Porky%26#39;s Bar-b-Que, same location next to Albertson%26#39;s.

I miss Whisque. It was very unique. If Perea%26#39;s closes, I%26#39;m moving. Lol!

Thanks for the tip, Sparkle. I%26#39;ve driven by that restaurant but never stopped because I didn%26#39;t know anything about it. We%26#39;ll give it a try as soon as we can!

';we have so few Good breakfast and lunch places in town';

Oh, wow, do I disagree with that! Husband, kid and I eat breakfast out every Saturday and always have trouble picking where to go. We%26#39;ve started rotating who picks because we were fighting over favorites!

I have to admit that I%26#39;ve been to Cast Iron and almost everything came out of the kitched charred. The waitress was not even remotely apologetic/understanding that no, we did not want blackened pan cakes! It was one of the worst first time breakfasts I%26#39;ve ever had, and there are enough tried and true places that I honestly probably won%26#39;t go back. I have passed by several times on a late Sat. morning and the place does not seem to be hurting for business.

My Top 10 breakfast places, in no particular order:

Nate and Hannah%26#39;s, Corrales

Weck%26#39;s, anywhere

Barilas Coffee Shop

Leroy%26#39;s

Calico Cafe

El Camino Dining Room

The Grove

Christy Mae%26#39;s

Vic%26#39;s Daily Cafe

Ezra%26#39;s ( honestly have you had their lemon pancakes?)

Flying Star, any of them

Range Cafe, Bernalillo

French Bakery on 4th street ( always distracted by the thought of crossiants to note the true name of the place ) for a grab and go pastry

Okay, so sue me, that%26#39;s 13.

Is Porky%26#39;s BBQ the same is Porky%26#39;s Pride on North 4th street? They are/were in the old ABQ tortilla factory building but are moving a couple of blocks south into an old Chinese restaurant.

';I miss Whisque. It was very unique.';

Regretably, we never made it to Whisque. It%26#39;s a large building ( but not as large as the failure of West Side failures, The Falls ) and I hope it is filled by something else good.

A couple blocks south, still on Coors, will be a WS location of Jinja. Only been once, but we really liked the Asian/Fusion cuisine. Good Chinese food is so hard to find in ABQ, so even though this was frou frou, it was so much better than PitiFul Changs.

Yes, Porky%26#39;s, was a Porky%26#39;s Pride. :-(

Thanks for the great list of breakfast places Kat! Most of those are not in my ';area'; of the city, so I%26#39;ve never even heard of them...just like the Cast Iron Cafe. I%26#39;ve never been much of a breakfast person either, so that also explains my lack of knowledge about breakfast places. :-)

It is always good to try new places though. You never know what you might find. This is especially true of the ';mom %26amp;amp; pop,'; or ';little hole in the wall,'; eateries. Some of Albuquerque%26#39;s best food, comes out of very small kitchens!

You really must try Leroy%26#39;s. It looks like a church basement and is furnished ( barely ) one step up from card tables and folding chairs.

Leroy holds court from his regular table of old timers, occasionally getting up to go give some pointers to his son in the kitchen.

AMAZING carne adovada and perfect green chile.

When I saw this title, I thought maybe you guys were arranging a TripAdvisor meeting.

Maybe one Sat, we can all meet somewhere for breakfast. Us Santa Feans can come down on the Railrunner. It would be nice to meet everyone! (and expand our knowledge at the same time)

I%26#39;ll be the one in the TA hat and snorkel mask. ;)

Karma, you%26#39;re cracking me up! I love your name for that chain-y Chang%26#39;s.

I can report that Jinja%26#39;s is up and running! Hubby and I sampled the miso soup, pot stickers, and something fried . . . was it calmari? It was good, whatever it was. I can%26#39;t wait to try it for a full fledged dinner. We were just there for apps this time.

Where is this Leroy%26#39;s? Is it new mexican? I must know more!

Road trip tips

Hello! We live in So. CAL and are planning a road trip to ABQ, Santa Fe and Taos during the Balloon Fest. Does anyone from SOCAL has driven to New Mexico before? Is there any info you could share, i.e. road conditions and scenic drive along the way. We like to stop and pull over at vista points to photograph...any tips where? Driving time I heard is approx. 11 hrs.

Thanks for your input.

Beenthere...

Road trip tips

Are you driving straight through? A lot depends on whether you are staying over somewhere or making the drive in one day. You have the old route 66 through Oatman, and between Kingman and Seligman, the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and abandoned and occupied Pueblos, and about a hundred other things to see and do in New Mexico.

Road trip tips

My cousin used to live there and drove out here twice a year for about a decade. He%26#39;s done it every which way: by himself with no stops, with a girlfriend taking 13 hours and sight seeing, and everything in between. 11 hours is about right, unless you do a lot of stopping. His best time was just over 9, but I shudder to think about how fast he was going. He always traveled here in summer and around the holidays, and he never had weather trouble. I%26#39;ve been stuck in snow and ice around Grants, but it only delayed us about an hour, and we got through it in a Corolla.

As far as road conditions and scenic stops, a couple other posters know way more about this than me, and will chime in and give you more details, but I%26#39;d recommend a stop at the Petrified Forest. It%26#39;s incredibly scenic and provides ample photo ops. www.nps.gov/pefo/

We also love Sedona for the scenery, but you%26#39;re going to have plenty of sightseeing when you get here, so it may be too much. However, the red rocks of Sedona are breathtaking, in my opinion. Even taking a few hours to drive down from Flagstaff and back would give you a chance to take pictures and get a feel for the place.

I hope you have a wonderful trip! Let the forum know if you have any other questions: there%26#39;s lots of helpful people here.

We did such a road trip in Sept. 2007 and had a wonderful time.

If you are into Americana I would strongly suggest driving old Route 66. We started at Topock just off I-40 and headed north, stopping in Oatman and continuing on into Kingman. From there we headed east on I-40 to Holbrook where we stayed at the Wigwam Motel which I would recommend. On the way back home we took Route 66 west starting in Seligman and ending up in Kingman again.

If I can remember correctly, here%26#39;s what we did:

Day 1 - drove Rt. 66 through Oatman to Kingman. Stayed in Holbrook at Wigwam Motel for the night.

Day 2 - made our way to Zuni Pueblo (Hwy 191 south from I-40 in AZ to Hwy 61 which turns into Hwy 53 in NM). Stopped to check out El Morro National Monument (very interesting). Made our way to ABQ

Day 3 - Wandered around ABQ. Checked out Petroglyph National Monument, did some shopping, wandered around Old Town. Another night in ABQ.

Day 4 - Drove to Bandelier National Monument (another very interesting place). Drove to Taos and drove the Enchanted Circle (very scenic). Stayed in Taos at the Sagebrush Inn.

Day 5 - visited Taos Peublo (a definite must). Checked out the Rio Grande Bridge. Drove to Santa Fe.

Day 6 - Wandered around Santa Fe. Went to El Rancho de las Golondrinas (a living history museum - really neat). Drove to Gallup.

Day 7 - headed home and drove Rt. 66 on the way.

This is just the start of my research so we are still weighing in - nothing specific has been planned yet. Perhaps after reading other posts, we can start putting the pieces together.

Thanks much.

Beenthere~

Hi ABQInfo,

Sedona sounds like a photographers haven~ we%26#39;ll keep it in mind. Thanks a lot for your trip planning ideas.

Beenthere~

Hi BeJerky!

Thank you for sharing your itinerary. It will be very helpful in planning this trip.

We have 10 days which means we could spend more time stopping, sightseeing and photographing along the way to ABQ. In my mind, we%26#39;re planning to spend 2 days each...ABQ (Balloon Fest), SF and Taos...unless you or somebody in the forum could suggest otherwise.

A few questions please...I noticed that you visited Taos first before SF, is there a good reason?

On your way home, did you drove straight to CAL? How long did it take you to drive it?

Where did you stay in Santa Fe and ABQ?

Beenthere~

Hello again!

As I said on my earlier post, we are driving from SOCAL, Los Angeles (to be specific) to Albuquerque in Oct. for the balloon fest. I hope to be able to draw an itinerary with the help of experts on TA or people who has done this before. We will have 10 days altogether - this includes the drive to/from. Plan is to visit ABQ, Santa Fe and Taos.

BeJerky has posted an itinerary he has done before, please see below. Does anyone else has any other spin on his itinerary? Also, is it possible to include Sedona on the return trip to L.A.?

Appreciate any help - Thanks again.

Day 1 - drove Rt. 66 through Oatman to Kingman. Stayed in Holbrook at Wigwam Motel for the night.

Day 2 - made our way to Zuni Pueblo (Hwy 191 south from I-40 in AZ to Hwy 61 which turns into Hwy 53 in NM). Stopped to check out El Morro National Monument (very interesting). Made our way to ABQ

Day 3 - Wandered around ABQ. Checked out Petroglyph National Monument, did some shopping, wandered around Old Town. Another night in ABQ.

Day 4 - Drove to Bandelier National Monument (another very interesting place). Drove to Taos and drove the Enchanted Circle (very scenic). Stayed in Taos at the Sagebrush Inn.

Day 5 - visited Taos Peublo (a definite must). Checked out the Rio Grande Bridge. Drove to Santa Fe.

Day 6 - Wandered around Santa Fe. Went to El Rancho de las Golondrinas (a living history museum - really neat). Drove to Gallup.

Day 7 - headed home and drove Rt. 66 on the way.

If you are looking for diversions there are many. In Arizona you have the meteor crater, Sedona, Lake Powell (AZ/Utah border), Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu (NV.) In NM you have the Wild Wold Sanctuary in Ramah off I 40, Gallup for rugs and jewelry, Malpais Wilderness, Mt. Taylor. If you need to take a break and dont mind diverting I suggest Sedona. Flastaff is also fun but don%26#39;t stay anywhere near the railroad tracks.

Hi Hathor~

Thanks. Haven%26#39;t been to Sedona but been to Grand Canyon, Lake Power and Havasu. I%26#39;m attracted to Sedona for its beautiful landscape ripe to photograph, so how many hours will it set us back if we go there? Perhaps we could do this on our drive back to LA and stay there overnight. What do you think?

Oooppps, it should be Lake Powell!

Visiting for a conference

I will be in ABQ for a conference at the end of April. I will have a full Saturday afternoon and a full Wednesday afternoon to myself.

I will be staying at the Hyatt Regency on Tijeras NW. I will not have a car.

Any recommendations as to what I can do during those times I have free? I%26#39;m interested and open to anything. I would like to visit places I can get to by public transportation.

Also I would love some restaurant recommendations. I would like to experience some authentic New Mexican/Mexican cuisine. I am willing to travel for a great experience as long as I can get there via public transportation.

Thanks!

Visiting for a conference

You will be staying just a few blocks from the Transportation Center on First and Central. City busses go from there all over the city. You are just a mile from Old Town with its old buildings, shopping and good New Mexican restaurants. A bus goes right by Old Town. I would recommend Church Street Cafe for good authentic New Mexican, or Little Anitas. Two fine museums are adjacent to Old Town and within walking distance. The Museum of Natural History, and the Albuquerque Museum. Both very good. Another bus would take you to the Pueblo Cultural Center on 12th %26amp; Menaul. You might want to visit this on Saturday as there would be native dancing. Good food in the restaurant. Another bus could take you up past the University to Nob Hill District. Lots of funky shops and good restaurants. Other than Coronado Center, the busses really don%26#39;t go to many more interesting places; for those you would need a car.

Visiting for a conference

Transportation in Abq is decent. Here%26#39;s a link to which bus to take to attractions in town. For $2 you can get a day pass from the bus driver. cabq.gov/transit/鈥lbuquerque-destinations

From your hotel area, take the Red Rapid Ride bus 766 going west to Old Town, Botanic Gardens, Aquarium. This same bus going east will take you to Nob Hill area. These buses are bright red articulated buses, easy to spot. Check this link for info on Abq. www.itsatrip.org

In Old Town we like Little Anita%26#39;s the best for NM food. Church Street Cafe was ok, but not our favorite. Visit the Albuquerque Museum and for fun the Rattlesnake Museum. Green Chile Cheeseburgers are great to try... at many restaurants.

Check this discussion tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28952-i227-k23473鈥?/a>

Nob Hill area is near the university. Some fun and good restaurants including The Frontier, Saggio%26#39;s Italian, Flying Star Cafe, Yanni%26#39;s, Scalo.

Old Town, and the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center would probably be ideal for you on your Saturday off. I think the Pueblo Center has their dances at 12 noon, and 2pm on Saturdays, last I inquired.

Nob Hill stretches for about six blocks, east of UNM along Central Ave., old ';Route 66.'; Quite an assortment of diverse shops. Some may even be called, ';quirky!'; Good food too as already mentioned, including some with side-walk dining. A good place to stir up some conversation.

You can pick up schedules for all the bus lines at the Transportation Center, and possibly at your hotel.

I ditto Little Anita%26#39;s Restaurant (Rio Grande %26amp; Mountain Road), and the Albuquerque Musuem just east on M.R.) It provides an excellent introduction into the history of Albuquerque, and Northern New Mexico.

Enjoy!

For some great New Mexican food I highly suggest to head a few blocks west on central to Old Town. There is Church Street Cafe (very friendly staff), Little Anitas and La Hacienda. You can get there via the bus. Within a few block there is Java Joes off 10th/park ave...great breakfast and coffee. You can order breakfast late in the day or have something from their lunch menu. In old town you also have the Naturl History Museum, Art and History Museum, great shops and be sure to get a margarita at Noon Whistle.

And don%26#39;t forget our zoo....there is a train that runs from the Zoo to the botanical gardens as well.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Especially which bus to take where.

cream blush

weather for Thursday

I see that it is forecast to snow on Friday. Is it supposed to flurry or more than that? Either way I am looking forward to it!

weather for Thursday

Looks like some rain showers possible on Thursday and some snow Thursday night. BUT... even this could be wrong. We never know how the weather will be. A few weeks ago ';they'; said we would be getting six inches of snow, and we got snow flurries for maybe 1 hour!

Have fun!

weather for Thursday

becky47,

Looking at the several weather related forecasting sites I utilize on a daily basis, I%26#39;m not seeing anything calling for above a 30-40% chance of light rain or flurries at the most.

Unless I see 60-70% chance or better, I NEVER let it get in the way of what I%26#39;d like to do.

Our weather can be so localized and dependent on how storms track out of CA, AZ, UT, or CO that things can change in a few hours.

Because all those dry deserts and big mountain ranges to our west, northwest, etc.. act like combs capturing the moisture, most precipitation forecasts for our region generally end up being overly optimistic on rain or snow amounts..

If we got the amount of snow/rain they predict, we would no longer be a desert!

Thank you! Looking forward to any weather as long as we are in Santa Fe.

Have a great trip. In Friday morning%26#39;s newspaper check out the Pasatiempo magazine.. will have lots of info about the weekend activities, gallery walks and food ideas! Also pick up the free Santa Fe Reporter!

Once you get here, if you have questions, please post! We can quickly answer if you need us!

Enjoy your trip!

New Mexico and Tombstone, AZ on motorcycle

We plan to rent a motorcycle (fly and ride) in the NM area in May or June. We mainly want to see NM, but my husband does want to go to Tombstone. We are thinking 5-7 days.

Looking for ideas of routes - the more scenic the better. I%26#39;m hoping to pick up the bike in Mesa, AZ and drop it off in Albuquerque as those are the 2 placed listed for rentals.

Also any ';must sees'; along the way. We are open to B%26amp;Bs, spas, and authentic (but nice) places to stay along the way.

New Mexico and Tombstone, AZ on motorcycle

I just found out we cannot pick up and drop off a bike at different locations, so we would fly into and leave from Albuquerque - still possible to see all we want to in 5-7 days?

If not, we would still like ideas on scenic routes and must sees on the bike

New Mexico and Tombstone, AZ on motorcycle

Tombstone is a long way from Albuquerque, not sure if it is really worth the trip.

With 7 days you can cover some nice territory. How many hours on a bike do you want to spend?

Here are some roads to look at.

Hwy 14 the Turquoise Trail from east of Abq to Santa Fe.

West on I40 for a while to Grants, then south on Hwy 53 through El Malpais Nat Mon to El Morro Nat Mon and Zuni Pueblo. Ending up in Gallup NM.

From Santa Fe head north to Taos via the High Road and back to Santa Fe via the River Road

Santa Fe to Los Alamos to Bandelier Nat Mon to Jemez Springs to Bernalillo.

By the most direct route, which is basically I-25 to I-10, it will take almost seven hours to ride from Albuquerque to Tombstone-- not worth it, especially when that stretch of I-25 is pretty boring.

If you%26#39;re looking for a beautiful ride, NM152 from where it connects to I-25 near Truth or Consequences to where it ends just east of Silver City is a great way to spend an afternoon.

I too would concentrate on the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos areas, and save Tombstone for a trip when you can fly into Tucson sometime.

Since you may have up to 7 days. I would also encourage a trip up to SW Colorado, and the Durango, CO area (about 220 miles from ABQ). Mesa Verde National Park is just to the west of Durango, and US550 north from Durango is some of the most beautiful scenery in the Rockies! Some of it is above the timber-line, with many switchbacks, and horseshoe curves. If you are an experienced motorcyclist, this is a beautiful ride, popular with many of the 2-wheel genre. It would still be ';cool'; up there in May and June also.

You could either go to SW Colorado from Taos, across Northern New Mexico, via Pagosa Springs. CO, or directly from Albuquerquerque on I-25, then US550, from Bernalillo (17 miles north of Albuquerque.) The old mining towns of Silverton, and Ouray could make up for a missed Tombstone on this trip.

The Harley-Davidson dealer on Alameda (Thunderbird H-D) is the primary, and perhaps only renter I know of personally here in Albuquerque.

Thanks! I think you are all right, 7 hrs of a boring ride isn%26#39;t a good way to spend a vacation. We are up for 4-8 hours a day of riding.

We are willing to ride and stay at different places too, helping with the round-trip time from the same place.

Thanks! I look forward to looking into your suggestions and am sure we will have more questions!

Some places you may enjoy spending the night... Gallup, Raton, Las Vegas NM (no gambling), Taos, Cimarron, Tucumcari, Farmington and Chama. Just a few places to look at. Visit www.newmexico.org . Plus ask the folks at the Harley place when you rent, they will have some great ideas for you!

sanskrit name

Motel with handicap facilities in Las Cruces

We are traveling to Florida and need a 1 night stay at clean, around $100 motel. Even a non-chain locally owned would be nice.

Motel with handicap facilities in Las Cruces

Any of the top-rated LC motels ought to be able to provide a handicap-accessible room under $100, especially if you use HotWire or Travelocity for booking.

Motel with handicap facilities in Las Cruces

Look at the Old Mesilla exit off of I10 (Hwy 28)

This is a decent part of town and nearby are some great restaurants. We have stayed at the Hampton Inn a few times and the Days Inn.

Drive south to Old Mesilla, La Posta is a nice place for casual dining and Double Eagle/Peppers Restaurant is great (2 different menus.)

El Rey Inn 2 bdrm?

Has anyone stayed in one of the 2 bedroom apts? Those are the ones between the greenhouse and the kids play area. We usually stay at the El Rey and really enjoy it. This year, we needed two rooms and found the place was nearly booked up!

TIA

El Rey Inn 2 bdrm?

We spent two nights in the 2 bedroom unit last March. Our family of six (4 kids ages 5-10 at the time) had plenty of space. It was our son%26#39;s birthday, and we opened presents, stored cake in the fridge, and had a great time. The bedrooms both have doors, so my husband and I shared a room, while our daughters took the other and were able to go to bed earlier than their brothers. The bathroom is not big, but it works. We will stay again in 3/09 on our way to Taos. We thought it was an excellent value for Santa Fe, especially when you add the breakfast and playground.

El Rey Inn 2 bdrm?

Thanks for your reply; that was helpful info. Apologies for not responding sooner myself.

Terrace Towers - Red River

I am looking at the Terrace Towers in Red River, NM. Can anyone tell me if this is a good option?

Thank you,

Terrace Towers - Red River

I do not have any personal knowledge relating to Terrace Towers, nor are there any ';reviews'; of it here on T/A. I found several reviews on ';another'; website, but don%26#39;t tell anyone you got this from me! :-)

鈥ahoo.com/p-hotel-326450-terrace_towers_lod鈥?/a>

Terrace Towers - Red River

Thank you so much for your advise. I will be sure not to tell!

breakfast near best western rio grande

we are staying at this hotel in april my husband likes an american breakfast ( eggs bacon and pancakes) is ther some were near this hotel

breakfast near best western rio grande

These are a short drive away:

Weck%26#39;s on 4th Street, just south of I-40 or the Pueblo Harvest Cafe at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on 12th Street just north of I-40.

Both have great regional food as well as more standard American breakfasts.

breakfast near best western rio grande

If you want the shortest walk...there is a small restaurant at the Best Western Rio Grande. Nothing fancy here, but good for a simple breakfast.

Or, if you%26#39;d like a little nicer environment, you could just walk south about 100 yards, and cross Rio Grande Blvd. to the restaurant inside the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, with it%26#39;s classic, Southwestern/Spanish decor.

Lastly, a short three block walk south on Rio Grande Blvd. to Mountain Road (across from the entrance into our historic Old Town) one finds Little Anita%26#39;s ';New'; Mexican restaurant. You may have the local favorites like Breakfast Burritos, or Huevos Rancheros...or they also have traditional American fare: eggs, bacon, sausage, hot cakes, steak and eggs, and an especially good ';skillet breakfast'; served in a black iron skillet. If you don%26#39;t try Little Anita%26#39;s for breakfast, give it a try for lunch...it%26#39;s as good as any New Mexican restaurant within the Old Town area. Not too bland...not too spicy...Goldilocks would have eaten here.

If you want to drive a ways...the previously recommended Weck%26#39;s can hardly be beat. Huge portions! You could use their pancakes as hubcaps on your car%26#39;s wheels! Honest!

cream blush

Llama trekking and skiing near Santa Fe

We (2 adults, 2 teens) are headed to Santa Fe next week. We have been numerous times over the past 20 years with and without kids, but we want to try some new things. We thought we%26#39;d split up and let the boys go skiing while the girls go llama trekking. Then, if the snow report from the boys is good, the whole crew will ski together the next day. We%26#39;ll spend two days poking around Santa Fe, and one day at Bandelier since we%26#39;ve never been there. My questions are: 1)how is the snow right now, 2)is more expected in the next several days, 3) how is the llama trekking with Wild Earth and 4) how are the shorter trails at Bandelier right now, snow-mud-ice-wise? Thanks for any help!

Llama trekking and skiing near Santa Fe

Northern New Mexico has been experiencing a prolonged period of above normal temperatures, and lack of moisture, after some very heavy snows at the end of last year. Snow depths have been shrinking as a result, but Santa Fe Ski Area still has a base of 50';, and has 95% of its runs open.

As I write however, Albuquerque is getting a little rain, so the SF Ski area should be getting a few more inches of fresh powder on top also. (At 11:00am, Monday morning, the Ski Area was only 23F.!

As for the llama trekking, I don%26#39;t know when their season starts, as of course, they cannot be hiking through trails covered by snow. You%26#39;ll have to get that information from Wild Earth.

Bandelier should be nearly snow-free by now, unless we have something ';freaky'; come through between now, and next week when you arrive. Aside from good hiking boots, I cannot tell you what you%26#39;ll need to bring, as we%26#39;ve gone from short sleeves, to winter jackets again in two days! :-) The best advice for clothing in New Mexico is: Dress in layers...add on...or take off as needed. Have a great time!

Llama trekking and skiing near Santa Fe

Skiing still decent per my co-workers and a few inches of new snow today. Weather reports say possibly snow or rain here in Santa Fe the next week or so, but very hard to know if these reports are accurate. Today we woke up to a dusting of snow and by noon it was all gone!

From looking at the Wild Earth llama day hike, seems they only go to Rio Grande Gorge in the early Spring. That is 1 hour away from Santa Fe, closer to Taos. Not a problem to get there, just info for you to help you plan.

Bandelier will be great to visit, possible mud in some places if it rains/snows right before you arrive.

Enjoy your visit.

鈥mugmug.com/gallery/鈥?88979730_bL34y

snow gone in the city but here%26#39;s some pics of the mountain from my house, snowed up there this morning.

\

www.skitaos.org/mountain/webcamimage.php

then theres Taos Hour plus north

angelfireresort.com/winter/mountain-snow-rep鈥?/a>

https:/鈥now_report

Its beautiful out right now

www.asantafecam.com

Dave Skeeter

sangres.com/nationalforests/santafe/trails/

www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=13183#

We stayed in Santa Fe in March 2009 and we went and did the llama hiking with Wild Earth down into the Rio Grande gorge one day (our kids are 14 and 10).

In short, it was *fabulous*. Wild Earth leader did a great job with absolutely everything, the llamas were fun for the kids, the hike was down a beautiful gorge to the river, and--fortunately--the day was lovely sun.

Hike was something like 11am -- 4 pm total -- lunch at the bottom of gorge next to the river.

In any weather, I would go back and hike with Wild Earth. The guide was just so pleasant, capable, and pulled it all together with his well-kept and well-behaved llama friends.

Highly recommend this, especially with kids (there were 2 families on our trip + an older couple). The hike is quite steep on the return--older couple was pushing a bit, but they made it fine in the end.

dark scarlet brown color

La Casitas De Gila and restaurants

Hi!

My sister and brother -in-law are headed to Silver City and they are thinking about staying at La Casitas De Gila. I found 1 post about it and wondered whether others have been pleased with their stays there.

Also, they love good local food- no chains- and wondered if you all had any suggestions.

Thanks!

Ali

La Casitas De Gila and restaurants

The Casitas de Gila are well thought of, averaging 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor%26#39;s scale; there have been twelve reviews of the place. Kep in mind though, that the property is about 45 minutes from Silver City, so you should expect to do some of your own cooking during your stay. You should pick up groceries in Silver City and/or check with the hosts at the Casitas to see if other arrangements can be made.

Of the local restaurants in Silver City, I would suggest Shevek %26amp; Co. (formerly known as Shevek %26amp; Mi-- only the name has changed, the chef and management remain the same), Diane%26#39;s (the full service restaurant, not the bakery/deli nearby), the Jalisco Cafe (for Mexican/New Mexican food), and 1zero6 (if you like eclectic meals and are willing to wait for a table-- they don%26#39;t do reservations for parties less than 4).