New Mexico-The Land of Enchantment
New Mexico. The 47th State to be admitted in the United States. It has some of the most hidden treasures in the world. From the river valley in Albuquerque to the mountains in Santa Fe. It is home to many natural wonders and is definitely worth the trip.
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Transportation
- The Rail Runner Express: This is the best way to get from Albuquerque to Santa Fe without renting a car. You can catch the train from downtown Albuquerque and take it south to Belen to eat at Pete’s Cafe or up north to the Santa Fe Plaza. This train is perfect for families and has a very scenic ride. The staff is super friendly and is always on time! The train has a upstairs and downstairs. Try to avoid the early morning rush as the business travelers tend to fill up the train to commute to work from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.
Tickets are $10 to get through all 6 zones for a day pass. You can go all the way from Santa Fe to Belen. You can download the app for the Rail Runner and they can scan your tickets from there. If not, you can buy them online in advance and print the tickets off beforehand. If both of those options don’t work for you, they do sell tickets on board the train. The tickets are only a dollar more to buy them in person.
- Bus service: Albuquerque and Santa Fe offers a good bus service from the airports to around town.
- Rideshare: Uber and Lyft are getting more and more popular in New Mexico!
Santa Fe
You can’t visit New Mexico without taking a trip up to historic Santa Fe! 60 Miles north of Albuquerque lies the great city of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities here in America as it was founded in 1610, it is also the capital of New Mexico. Santa Fe is full of shopping opportunities, art studios and people who like a slow pace of life.
To-Do in Santa Fe
- The Santa Fe Plaza: This historic plaza is where you will find most everything there is to do in Santa Fe, including shops, places to eat and some of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the world.
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi: This cathedral has stunning architecture and reminds us of a smaller version of the Notre Dame in Paris.
- Loretto Chapel: Don’t miss a visit to the Loretto Chapel, which is where the famous Miraculous Staircase is located. The church was built in 1878 and the staircase was built afterwards, when there was no way up to the loft above. The carpenter built the wooden staircase with visible support and no nails, only wooden pegs. The admission to the church is only $3 per person and they do accept cards. The inside is absolutely beautiful!
- Events: In addition to these things to do, Santa Fe Plaza has many events year round such as local festivals and music groups. The city also offers world class resorts and skiing as well.
Food in Santa Fe
- Thunderbird Bar & Grill: This is a great restaurant to eat at in Santa Fe. Our favorite dishes there are the green chile mac n cheese and the chimayo chile spiced fish tacos. This moderately priced restaurant is located right on the famous Santa Fe Plaza.
- The French Pastry Shop & Creperie: If you are in the mood for a dessert or snack, this shop is the place to go! Make sure you have cash on hand because they do not accept cards. They have a variety of pastries, crêpes, soups, salads. The crêpes are delicious, we had the banana and nutella crêpe and the spinach and cheese crêpe. The shop is located on Santa Fe Plaza.
Belen
To-Do in Belen
Belen, located 35 miles south of Albuquerque has a few things you must do!
- Belen Harvey House: Located next to the railroad tracks in Belen, the Harvey House was a restaurant serving the railroad employees and operated from 1910 to 1939. We were able to get a free tour of the house from a friendly museum volunteer. It had a first class dining room and a lunch room. The history of the Harvey houses is very interesting and they are very informative! Admission to the museum is free, although they do appreciate donations.
Food in Belen
- Pete’s Cafe: If you are looking to eat some traditional New Mexican food, we suggest checking out this restaurant, located right next to the railroad tracks and the Harvey House. You can’t go wrong with the burritos on the menu served with a delicious Sangria and for dessert, the sopaipillas are to die for. They also serve chips with homemade salsa. Just beware, the food is quite spicy, so if you don’t have a tolerance for spice, make sure to ask for the green or red chile on the side.
Albuquerque
To-Do in Albuquerque
- Sandia Peak Tramway: One thing that you must do on your trip to New Mexico is to travel on the longest aerial tram in the United States. Once you make the journey up on the tram you will be on top of Sandia Peak overlooking Albuquerque and the beautiful Rio Grande Valley. The top of the peak offers excellent hiking trails and a restaurant.
- The International Balloon Fiesta: Once a year, Albuquerque stands out from any other city in the world. The beautiful morning sky is filled with hot air balloons. This festival is held for 1 special week. People from all over the world come to New Mexico for this special event so it might be crowded but is definitely a must see experience that you can not miss! Both locals and tourists will gather for this event. Make sure you ask the balloonists for a special balloon pin and also do not miss the night glow!
- New Mexico State Fair: Every year for a week and a half in September, there is the New Mexico State Fair. Fun for all ages, this fair has some fun things to do including duck races, petting zoos, rides and good food. You can also learn about the New Mexico history, culture, and art with its many showcases. It is reasonable admission at about $10 per person.
Food in Albuquerque
- Gold Street Caffe: If you arrive in Albuquerque in the morning, there is an amazing breakfast restaurant, located right on Gold Avenue in downtown Albuquerque. This cafe serves up home cooking from scratch. We had the huevos rancheros and blueberry Belgium waffles. Both dishes were amazing and reasonably priced. The food came out very quickly and the service was very friendly. They also serve lunch.
- Blake’s Lotaburger: If you are craving a delicious hamburger with fries or onion rings, look no further than this famous burger chain in New Mexico, which is loved by all the locals! If you want green chile on your burger you might want to ask for it on the side because it is really hot, but extremely tasty. They have classic shakes and you can’t go wrong with some onion rings for your side.
Ojo Caliente
Our personal favorite spot in New Mexico is a hidden gem about 50 miles north of Santa Fe. This little town is called Ojo Caliente. In this small town they have a natural hot springs that produces mineral water. The Ojo Caliente Spa is a place to relax and to give your body the treatment it deserves. At the spa they have numerous pools that specialize on healing your body. They also have mud baths in the summer. Bring your significant other because this is a very romantic getaway! The spa offers a hotel and also a restaurant which is expensive but has delicious buffalo burgers!
We could go on and on about places to eat, things to do, etc. since Jonah was born and raised in Los Lunas, New Mexico. We think you should go see for yourself this wonderful state.
