Hey Guys!
We finally made it a place that has been on our bucket list for a while now….New Mexico!
The main reason we’ve been eager to visit New Mexico is to experience their annual hot air balloon festival.….so, we planned our trip around that event.
Click here for the 17 most beautiful places to visit in New Mexico
We flew out on Oct. 4th and landed in Albuquerque around 2 pm that afternoon.
Shots from the plane
After landing and picking up our rental car, we headed to our first stop of the day, the Petroglyph National Monument.
The Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago.
The drive there from the airport would take 20 minutes.
After arriving we discovered that the visitor’s center was closed due to the government shut down! 🙁
Thinking the petroglyphs were located here, we parked the car and walked to the visitor center.
We spent a few minutes walking around and reading some of the informational signs outside of the visitor center.
We kept looking for a trail to the petroglyphs but later realized, they were located about a 5 min drive in the Boca Negra Canyon.
Tip: There are two other canyons where you can see petroglyphs …Rinconada, and Piedras Marcadas Canyons. Riinconada is 4 mins from the visitor center & Piedras is 15 mins. If you only have time for one, make it Piedras as you will see over 400 petroglyphs at this canyon. There is also the Volcanoes Day use area where you can see 5 cinder cone volcanoes but no petroglyphs.
Stopping for a quick photo at the park’s sign.
After arriving to Boca Negra Canyon, we were told the canyon was closed…I politely asked if we could go in and hike a short trail to see some petroglyphs.
Thankfully, the employee was nice enough to let us in.
This had nothing to do with the government shut down…the canyon closed at 4:30 pm with the last entry being at 4 and we arrived a couple of minutes after 4.
This unit of Petroglyph National Monument is owned, staffed, and managed by the City of Albuquerque.
After getting parked at the trailhead, we began our walk along the trail.
This canyon provides quick and easy access to three self-guided trails, (Mesa Point, Macaw, and Cliff Base) where you can view approximately 100 petroglyphs.
Although each trail is very short, they vary in difficulty as follows: Mesa Point – strenuous, Macaw – moderate, Cliff Base – moderate. It takes approx. 1 hr to walk all three trails.
We walked along the Macaw trail and saw several petroglyphs.
The majority of these petroglyphs were made by the ancestors of modern Pueblo people.
The ancestral Puebloans made petroglyphs by carefully removing the desert varnish with hand held stone tools which exposed the lighter color of the basalt’s interior.
After centuries of exposure, older images oxidize and this darkening confirms their authenticity and great age.
Archeologists refer to these images as being made in the Rio Grande style. This style developed rather suddenly around A.D. 1300, coinciding with a dramatic increase in the local population and the construction of many pueblo villages along the Rio Grande.
The views were beautiful, dotted with bright yellow flowers growing among the rocky landscape.
Walking along the trail
There were several signs along the trail that told about the petroglyphs, vegetation & landscape.
Discovering some of the petroglyphs felt like an Easter egg hunt, hidden. among the rocks!
We saw lots of unique plants and flowers.
A view of the canyon
After much walking, we found ourselves on the Cliff Base Trail.
Archeologists believe these petroglyphs were created between 1000 BC – AD 1700 based on radiocarbon and tree ring dating.
Petroglyphs along the trail
At 4:20, the ranger, using a megaphone, announced that we had 10 mins before the gates closed.
So, we started our walk back towards our car.
Tip: There are bathrooms located here
Read reviews here
After leaving here, we headed to our next stop, Old Town Albuquerque.
The drive from the canyon took approx. 15 mins.
After finding parking, we had to scan a QR code and pay for parking…it costs approx. $12. We parked at 5 pm and it ended at 11:59 pm.
We then began our walk around Old Town.
Old Town is the historic heart of the city and feels like stepping back in time.
Founded in 1706, this charming area is centered around a traditional Spanish plaza, where adobe buildings, shaded portals, and brick pathways tell the story of New Mexico’s deep cultural roots.
At the center of Old Town is San Felipe de Neri Church, a striking adobe church that has stood for centuries and remains an active place of worship.
The first church was built in 1718 but collapsed in 1792 after a very rainy summer.
The church that stands here today was built in 1793. The church, in the shape of a cross, was constructed of adobe; the walls are 5 feet thick. Except for its tin ceiling, brick floor, and south entrance, today’s church is the same structure as in 1793.
Surrounding the plaza, you’ll find a mix of local shops, galleries, and museums, many showcasing Native American jewelry, pottery, art and much more.
One of the best parts of Old Town is simply wandering the streets.
There is a lot of activity going on in this area….we saw lots of antique cars cruising around the town square.
The scent of Chile drifts through the air, and every corner seems to offer a photo worthy moment.
After walking around for a while, we decided to find something to eat.
My hubby asked a local what restaurant he would recommend and he told us the Church Street Cafe.…..so, that’s where we headed.
It was about a 5 min walk from the old town square.
Once we arrived, we were seated right away.
The restaurant was really cool on the inside!
Trying to decide what to order.….so many choices!
The restaurant offered authentic Mexican food.
We started out with chips and salsa…..the salsa was too hot for me!
Click here to read about what foods you must try when visiting New Mexico
I decided on the chicken enchiladas & I can’t remember what my hubby ordered…I think it was the soft tacos.
Each meal came with beans and rice and sopapillas with honey.
The food was really good but too spicy for my liking. 😉
Read reviews here
After dinner, we continued our walk around Old Town.
We spotted this car parked near the gazebo...
Located directly in the center of Old Town Plaza, the gazebo is one of the focal points of Old Town.
There is usually something always going on at the gazebo on the weekends.
Continuing our walk around Old Town
This place is definitely crowded on weekends!
Click here for a complete guide of Old Town
Chilies were hanging everywhere!
We headed inside a souvenir shop to find our usual souvenirs…..a T-shirt and coffee cup.
My hubby found a hat he wanted to purchase 😉
After making our purchase, we continued our walk and spotted this beautiful alley where the walls were covered in vines and red chilies.
It was so beautiful!
As we continued our walk, we spotted the patio market and decided to check it out.
The patio market is shops that are located in a tranquil garden setting.
After checking out some of the shops, we headed back out to continue our walk in Old Town.
We absolutely loved the colorful adobe architecture!
After spending a couple of hours here, we decided to head to our hotel.
Read reviews for Old Town Plaza here
As we were walking back to our car, we spotted this old San Felipe School that was founded in 1881.
Our hotel was located approx. 10 mins from Old Town.
Ok, this is where I made the biggest mistake in planning our trip!!
Since we were here for the hot air balloon festival, I had tried to find a hotel that was close to the Balloon Fiesta Park, where they hold the festival.
I had initially booked a hotel called, Hotel Zazz located on Route 66 but realized later it was a 20 min drive from the Balloon Fiesta park.…I also researched the location of the hotel, and learned that it wasn’t in a safe area so I canceled.
I found a Motel 6 that was only a 10 min drive from the park so I booked that instead.
Click here , here & here for closest hotels to the park
I had also read how horrible the traffic would be to the festival and that it was best to stay somewhere close to the park.
Ok, so anyways, I booked a room at the Motel 6 North (on Pan American Freeway) and as soon as we walked in the door, I wanted to walk out!
I never book stays at Motel 6 but it was considered a 4 star hotel and had mostly good reviews on Booking.com.
I won’t go into details but after checking in, we headed to our room.
After getting to our room, I had to use the light on my phone to find a light switch that actually worked!
We found one light in the entire room that worked….and another one that flickered!
The entire place reeked of cigarette smoke even though it was a non smoking property!
The bathroom was so gross that I didn’t want to set foot on the floor….all I can say is, if I hadn’t been feeling bad, I would have been running out of this place!
Note to self….never book a Motel 6 again!!
Read reviews here
After inspecting the bed for any signs of bugs, we called it a night! 😉
Tip: Just an FYI – New Mexico is a high elevation state …Much of the state sits well above sea level, which can affect how you feel — especially if you’re coming from lower elevations. So, please be mindful of that. I had a terrible headache the first day due to the elevation.
Read here & here on how to prepare for higher elevations
Click here, here & here for the best things to do in Albuquerque
Stay tuned for Day 2!
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