Thing to do in Albuquerque with Kids
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Among many other things, the American Southwest is famous for its adventure, its spirit of fun, and its beautiful scenery. Nowhere do all these things come together like on a family vacation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
A family vacation to Albuquerque will provide your family with the opportunity to escape the monotony of daily life and embark on a thrilling, wild ride through the great American west. Your family vacation to Albuquerque will be a dream come true for you and your entire family, from trying the famously spicy Southwestern cuisine to horseback riding through the high desert mountains. And, as any parent knows, a successful family vacation is one in which the backseat of the car is magically free of whining and bickering!
Choose a thriving, busy city like Albuquerque for your family vacation, and you’ll not only hear no complaints, but you’ll also hear that priceless sound of family laughter. You can look forward to everyone coming together, bonding, and reuniting as one big happy family on your family vacation to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Albuquerque Outdoors
No family vacation to Albuquerque is complete without spending a substantial amount of time outdoors, enjoying the sunny weather and participating in all the family activities Albuquerque has to offer. In fact, the surrounding beauty of Albuquerque is so staggering that any time spent indoors on your family vacation might seem like a waste!
Most of Albuquerque’s outdoor activities take place in the surrounding high desert—where the crisp mountain breezes and consistent sun will make your family feel comfortable, whether you’re biking, hiking, horseback riding or even taking a hot air balloon ride.
While on your Albuquerque family vacation, you’ll want to experience the highlight of Albuquerque’s extensive outdoor trail system, the Bosque Trail, which takes you 15 miles along the Rio Grande. This Albuquerque outdoor gem is maintained enough for a comfortable family ride, but still wild enough for you to spot Albuquerque wildlife.
One way to make sure you are seeing the highlights of the Albuquerque outdoors on your family vacation is to discover the Albuquerque Open Space Program, which comprises 28,000 acres in and around Albuquerque and is well-maintained to ensure your family’s comfort and peace of mind.
Take your family to the Visitor Center, which includes a museum, a list of Open Space events, maps, trail guides, and plenty of friendly, knowledgeable rangers to make sure that you and your family have the best outdoor Albuquerque experience possible while on your family vacation.
Perhaps the best way for your family to see the Albuquerque outdoors is to see it like a bird does—from high in the sky! Albuquerque has many hot air balloon companies that can safely take you and your family up into the clouds to get an entirely unique view of Albuquerque. Albuquerque is famous for its hot air ballooning, and here you will find safe and experienced guides to take you up, up and away!
This is one family vacation your family will never forget! If your family vacation to Albuquerque takes place in October, then make plans to attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, where balloonists from all over the world come to launch their spectacular, wildly colorful balloons over the Albuquerque skyline. Your heart will jump at the sight of such colorful beauty.
Perhaps the best way for your family to see the Albuquerque outdoors is to see it like a bird does—from high in the sky! Albuquerque has many hot air balloon companies that can safely take you and your family up into the clouds to get an entirely unique view of Albuquerque.
Albuquerque is famous for its hot air ballooning, and here you will find safe and experienced guides to take you up, up and away! This is one family vacation your family will never forget! If your family vacation to Albuquerque takes place in October, then make plans to attend the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, where balloonists from all over the world come to launch their spectacular, wildly colorful balloons over the Albuquerque skyline. Your heart will jump at the sight of such colorful beauty.
Albuquerque Museums and Cultural Centers
Albuquerque is a city that embraces its past. And whether it’s the Native Americans who first settled the area, or the wild westerners who carved out the city, there’s plenty of history to be discovered on your family vacation to Albuquerque.
The Albuquerque Museum traces the city’s roots from its start to its present, and offers many accessible exhibits for children. From the museum, you can also take an Old Town Walking Tour, which will put your family back into those famous Albuquerque outdoors as you follow a docent who will point out all the history that’s found in Albuquerque’s streets.
If you want to go at your own pace, brochures are available for you to take the tour as a family, without the aid of a docent. And if that memorable hot air balloon ride over Albuquerque still has your kids raving, then don’t miss a trip to the International Balloon Museum, which covers all aspects of ballooning in an informational but fun way.
If your family prefers to spend their family vacation outdoors and under the sun, then there are plenty of outdoor places to discover in Albuquerque. You can spend a whole day of your family vacation discovering the Albuquerque Biological Park, which includes an aquarium, a botanical garden, a zoo, and Tingley Beach, an outdoor recreational area where you can fish, swim or enjoy a nice family picnic.
If you’re traveling with younger children, set them loose at Explora, a science center for made just for children that goes beyond learning about science and into the realm of discovering science!
Albuquerque Dining
Every family has to eat, right? But on a family vacation, this can be so much tougher than it sounds! Everyone has different tastes and different ideas about where to eat on a family vacation. But Albuquerque has more than enough eateries to satisfy even the pickiest eater in the family. From sushi to sandwiches, Albuquerque is a thoroughly modern city for your family to enjoy.
However, Albuquerque’s gastronomy truly shines when it comes to the authentic Native American and Mexican flavors that are the roots of the city. In fact, there is a new variety of dining called “New Mexican Cuisine,” which celebrates the chiles, corn, spices and beans that are Albuquerque’s traditional ingredients. And what better place to try New Mexican Cuisine than on a family vacation in Albuquerque, New Mexico!
One of the best and most affordable places for your family to chow down in New Mexico is at Los Cuartes, where the food is spicy, the servers friendly and the bill wallet-friendly. For a real family atmosphere, head to Sadie’s of New Mexico, which is low-key and delicious and crowded with locals.
If you want to make your family dinner a real event on your family vacation, then take a twenty minute drive to Wildlife West Nature Park, a wildlife preserve dedicated to the “Old West” spirit of Albuquerque. Check out the wildlife at the zoo, and then enjoy a “Chuckwagon Supper,” which includes a chuckwagon show, barbeque dinner and wildlife show. Your family will eat along with the sounds of a bluegrass band. Your family vacation to Albuquerque will be amazing when even your dinner can become an adventure!
Albuquerque Relaxation
It’s no secret that family vacations can be stressful. A family vacation to Albuquerque will keep you so busy that a harried parent might wonder when they get to relax! Well, the city of Albuquerque offers you respites from the madness that often comes with family vacations.
Golf courses for Dad and spas for Mom (or vice versa!) abound in Albuquerque. Golf in Albuquerque is affordable and played among some of the most striking scenery in the world; your game will be the best it has ever been while on your family vacation in Albuquerque. Play at Balloon Fiesta Park, and you might even spot hot air balloons passing through the sky.
Albuquerque’s spas are similarly world-class, and are guaranteed to relax any tired parent on a busy family vacation. Enjoy a hot stone massage or authentic Native American relaxation treatments in the beautiful outdoors of Albuquerque. Travel and Leisure named the Tamaya Mist Spa one of the top 25 hotel spas in the United States. Giggling Springs, a natural hot spring and relaxation center, is a great place for the whole family to unwind on your Albuquerque family vacation.
On a family vacation to Albuquerque, your family can laugh together, sing corny songs together, and explore together in this wonderful city! And whether you’re channeling your inner cowboy, your inner Native American or just out to have a good ol’ family vacation, Albuquerque is a great destination for the whole family!
