Late March Itinerary - feedback?

We are a family of three (8 year old daughteR). We arrive late on a Thursday night in late March. Staying in Uptown Alb. for the first 3 nights. The next 2 days will be spent doing some of the usual tourist things (zoo, Old Town, Petroglyph Nat. Monument and the Tram) and will very likely go to the Acoma Pueblo on one of the days.

Will then head out north first thing on Sunday. I think we will drive up through Jemez Springs stopping at points along the way (Soda Dam, Valles Caldera, Los Alamos, Bandelier (may have to leave this for the next day). Staying at a B%26amp;B in Chimayo (Casa Escondida) for the next 3 nights. Depending on weather and conditions will ski, more hiking, horseback riding and exploration of part of the High Road to Taos.

The last 2 nights at a B%26amp;B (probably Dunshee%26#39;s) in downtown Santa Fe and doing the museums and galleries. Last morning will be spent making our way back to the airport for a 1:00 flight out on Friday.

Any comments/feedback on this itinerary would be appreciated.

Late March Itinerary - feedback?

Your itinerary sounds like both a scenic one, and interesting one to me.

On a Sunday morning, the women of Jemez Pueblo may be selling baked goods in the Red Rocks area. (You%26#39;ll know it when you see it!) Between Jemez Pueblo and Jemez Springs. Try some Indian Fry Bread...more like a giant pastry, best eaten with honey or cinammon. Everything is baked outside in their ';beehive-shaped'; hornos or ovens.

If you are into New Mexico%26#39;s history, a brief (30 minute) stop at Jemez State Monument, at the north end of Jemez Springs may prove rewarding. Some pueblo remains of the Jemez%26#39;s home before their more modern abodes to the south can be seen. There are also the surviving walls of an old, Spanish mission church there, as well as a small museum.

You should have ample time to visit both Los Alamos, and Bandelier on Sunday, but you%26#39;ll have to do a little back-tracking.

On the ';High Road,'; you should at least see Truchas, and Trampas. Just past Chamisa, you could take NM-75 from NM-76 (High Road) back over to the ';Low Road'; along the Rio Grande River, and south to Espanola, and Chimayo. A little taste of both that way. If you can find Robert Redford%26#39;s, ';The Milagro Beanfield War,'; rent it for a taste of Hispanic heritage in Northern New Mexico. It was filmed along the ';High Road.';

If you are going to do skiing from Chimayo back to the Santa Fe Ski Area, just a reminder that you would have an 80-85 mile roundtrip. You may want to cut a day in Chimayo, and add another to Santa Fe for the skiing...and so much else! Have a wonderful time!

Late March Itinerary - feedback?

I like your Albuquerque itinerary; one suggestion about the zoo. If you go early to the zoo (before noon), you can purchase a multiple ticket which includes the Botanical Gardens and the Aquarium. Since your daughter is 8, she would like the aquarium. And, your ticket includes a ride on the miniature train that connects the zoo to the Botanical Gardens and the Aquarium, which are together in one location.

If you are going to Acoma Sky City, which I highly recommend, take most of the day, continue on to Grants and then south and west to El Moro National Monument. Lots of old signatures dating back over 500 years on the rock face of the cliff. On the way over, I would suggest stopping just outside of Grants on the south side of the east Grants exit, and visit the Northwestern Museum. Lots of info about northwestern New Mexico; its a new museum and has a lot of interesting exhibits.

Your day through Jemez Springs is good and you WILL have time to visit Bandelier National Monument. Getting there through the Jemez Canyon really doesn%26#39;t take that long, and the Soda Dam and Valles Caldera are just stopping points on the way. Welcome to New Mexico, and have a great stay!

Thank you NM photojournalist and sandiaman! I appreciate your comments very much.

Regarding the skiing. I didn%26#39;t realize it would be that far to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. I was also looking at Sipapu for skiing. Would you say it is about the same distance from Chimayo? They have great deals going on starting the week we will be there (lift tickets for the whole family would only be $35 on that Tuesday; $60 on the other days as opposed to $156 at Santa Fe). Given that and the fact that we are beginning-intermediate skiers and that the conditions will be iffy, I%26#39;m thinking that Sipupu is a better skiing option for us if we do it at all. What do you think?

Also what do you think of the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos? I know my husband will find it very interesting, but worried some about my 8 yr old given the subject matter. Any thoughts?

Also, how much more additional driving would it be to do El Moro National Monument from Acoma. Remember the 8-year old!! :-)

I loved all the other suggestions from both of you. Thanks so much. I%26#39;m really getting excited about this trip!

Sounds good.

With an 8 year old.. I would also visit the NM Nat History Museum and the Explora! Children%26#39;s Museum in ABQ.

Valles Caldera is a drive through at this point and your daughter will really enjoy Bandelier, lots of climbing into places etc. Do the Junior Ranger Program while there.

While in Chimayo you don%26#39;t need to just explore the High Road to Taos.. you can just drive the entire way. Visit Taos Pueblo, visit the small plaza area and enjoy.

Once in Santa Fe, the best museums for kids are the Palace of the Governors and the Folk Art Museum, though my son has always enjoyed the Indian Art and Culture. We do have a nice children%26#39;s museum, but it has been recently close by a fire, not sure when it will reopen.

Wow.. I missed your most recent post... same time!

Santa Fe Ski Basin is about a 45 minute drive from most hotels in Santa Fe. Great place to visit. Right now we have had no new snow. I was up at Ski Santa Fe last week.. spring conditions with some rocks showing. Haven%26#39;t a clue on Sipapu... probably snow conditions similar.

The Bradbury Sci Mus is free, so worth a visit. I do not care for it, but my husband and 14 year old son love it!

From Acoma Pueblo to El Morro Nat Mon... plan on 1.5 hours of driving plus time there and the a return to Abq. With an 8 year old.. I would not do this.

The weathermen (you know how accurate they are) say the northern mountains may be getting another 6'; of snow this weekend. Albuquerque hasn%26#39;t had measurable moisture of any kind in 70 days, so along with the 15 degrees above normal temperatures recently...you can see why our snow is shrinking quickly.

I would certainly concur with CA on the Natural History Museum, and adjacent Explora museum, especially for your 8 year old.

The museum in Los Alamos is either facinating, or boring depending upon one%26#39;s interests. I too found it boring, but I%26#39;m not of a scientific mind.

El Morro is a tough call. On the one hand, if you%26#39;ve taken the Acoma tour, and are that close...I would go for it. But, it%26#39;s going to be quite a bit walking for the kiddo, at both places.

If you might ski at Sipapu, you may as well as previously suggested, take in Taos and Taos Pueblo. I haven%26#39;t skied in ages, and never at Sipapu, but I know it is a nice, smaller ski area...a bit off the beaten track...which is appealing to many, like Angel Fire, or Red River.

It%26#39;s always good to get a cross-section of opinions. It sounds like you are in the final stages of your planning, and if Mother Nature cooperates, you should have a wonderful experience. Pray for snow!

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