Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Botanic Garden

2601 Central Ave NW

(505) 764-6200

Open 7 days a week, 9-5

Admission charged.  Under 3 free. Tickets are not sold after 4:30pm.

Discover aquatic habitats, including a walk-through eel cave and a 285,000-gallon shark tank. The Botanic Garden showcases the natural environment of the Rio Grande Valley through specialty gardens as well as desert and Mediterranean conservatories.  The Garden currently encompasses 20 developed acres, including a 10,000 square foot glass conservatory housing native and exotic plants from desert and Mediterranean climate zones and a seasonal butterfly conservatory featuring hundreds of free-flying North American butterflies and moths. There is also a children's fantasy garden to explore.

Albuquerque Museum of Art and History 

2000 Mountain Road NW, (505) 243-7255.

Tue-Sun 9-5.

Admission charged. 3 & under are free.

View permanent displays of the city's history along with traveling art exhibits from around the world.

Coronado State Monument and State Park

Open daily 8:30-5.

Admission charged. 

Drive through Corrales to Coronado State Monument and the remains of Kuaua Pueblo, where Spanish explorer Coronado is thought to have spent the winter of 1540-1541.

Explora! Science Center and Children's Museum of Albuquerque

2100 Louisiana NE.

(505) 842-1537.

Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. $4 13 and over, $2 children 2-12 and seniors. Visit

Explora, New Mexico's innovative, interactive learning center, features hands-on exhibits and other activities which encourage growth in knowledge of science, art, and the world's cultures. The museum welcomes visitors of all ages and is a popular destination for school groups and families alike.

Historic Old Town Shopping

More than 130 shops and galleries, housed in historic adobe buildings, are hidden among the patios and winding paths can be found in Old Town.  Enjoy a wide variety of foods in the cafes and restaurants set in a casual atmosphere.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Located off Interstate 40, exit 102, 14 miles south of exit.

(505) 469-1052, please call 2 weeks in advance of your visit for appointment.

Open daily  8-4. Admission charged.

Acoma (AH-koh-mah) Pueblo: An hour west of Albuquerque is the entrance to Acoma Pueblo - "Sky City". One of the state's most dramatic landmarks, Acoma sits atop a 376-foot-tall mesa overlooking the desert. Walking tours through the pueblo, the plaza and 17th century mission church are available on the hour.

Indian Pueblo Tours (Acoma and Jemez Pueblos) Jemez (HAY-mez) Pueblo.

 One hour northwest of Albuquerque, amidst dramatic red rocks, lies the Pueblo Village of Walatowa (Native for Jemez).

7413 Hwy 4.

(505) 834-7235. Open daily 8-5.

A visitor center provides information about the pueblo and Jemez Mountain Trail attractions. There's a gift shop, a small museum and interpretive tours. Picnic, fish, enjoy the great outdoors, and sample food or crafts at roadside stands.

LodeStar Astronomy Center

Located in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.

1801 Mountain Rd NW.

LodeStar Information Hotline: (505) 841-5955.

Open daily 9-5

Admission charged.

Travel through time and space at the new LodeStar Astronomy Center. Blast off to outer space in one of the world's most advanced digital theaters. Enjoy Lodestar's gallery of exhibits. Intercept a comet on a collision course with Earth inside the Virtual Voyages motion simulator. View the stars, planets, and other fascinating objects in the sky through a powerful telescope.

Petroglyph National Monument

Located at 6001 Unser Blvd

(505) 899-0205

The visitor center is open daily 8-5.

Per car parking fee charged.

Over a period of thousands of years, hunting parties chipped an estimated 17,000 petroglyphs into a dramatic lava rock escarpment. Three walking trails wind through the petroglyphs

New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science

1801 Mountain Rd NW (505) 841-2892.

Open daily 9-5,

Admission charged.

Explore an ice cave, stand inside a "live" volcano or ride the "Evolator" back to the Age of Dinosaurs - the museum offers fun and interest for the entire family. Visit exhibits on zoology, botany, geology and paleontology. The museum also features Extreme Screen Dynatheater in exciting large-format films.

Rio Grande Zoological Park

2901 Candelaria Blvd NW

(505) 344-7240.

Open daily 10-5

Admission charged.

The park preserves the riverside wildlife of the bosque forests, the cottonwood groves that line the Rio Grande.

Enjoy the visitor center, nature trails, and exhibits on local ecology, geology and history.

Sandia Peak Tramway

(505) 856-7325.

Open daily 9am-10pm, except Wed 5-8

Admission charged.

The tramway departs every 20 minutes for a 15 minute trip.

The Sandia Peak Tramway is the longest jigback passenger tramway in the world. Ride 2.7 miles up to the 10,378 foot Sandia Peak, passing through four of the Earth's seven life zones on the way. Wildlife such as bear and mule deer can sometimes be seen on the slopes below, and the view from the top is breathtaking. Also a perfect spot to view the spectacular luminaries of Albuquerque during the Christmas season.

University of New Mexico

Bordered by Central Ave, Lomas Blvd, University Blvd and Girard Blvd.

(505) 277-0111. 

Founded in 1889 and is the state's largest university with some 32,000 students. The campus comprises Pueblo Revival-style architecture and relaxing ponds and gardens; it is also host to a bevy of museums, including the Museum of Geology & Meteoritic, the Fine Arts Museum and Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.

Los Altos Skate Park

The largest skate park in the southwest, located at 10140 1/2 Lomas. This is West of Eubank and just east of Easterday.

The park features 35,000 sq ft of skateable area. There is a street course and two bowls. All of the modern structures to grind, scoot and ride are at the park. The park is designed for BMX bikes, skate boards and in-line skates. This is a "high end" park and helmets are highly recommended along with safety equipment

Admission is free.