Everything Bernalillo is known for
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Bernalillo.
El Pinto in Albuquerque's North Valley roasts over 50,000 pounds of New Mexico green chile every fall. The Thomas family opened it in 1962, and the sprawling hacienda now seats over 1,000 on its patios. The salsa is sold nationwide but tastes different here — maybe it's the altitude. Every New Mexico governor has a regular table.
For nine mornings every October, more than five hundred hot-air balloons lift off over Albuquerque at the International Balloon Fiesta, the largest event of its kind on Earth — the high-desert air and a wind pattern called the 'Albuquerque Box' make this one of the best places anywhere to fly. The city is old: founded in 1706 and named for a Spanish duke (the first 'r' in Alburquerque later fell away), with its adobe Old Town plaza and the San Felipe de Neri church still standing on their original ground. Route 66 runs straight through as Central Avenue, lined with vintage neon, and the surrounding mesas and the Sandia Mountains gave 'Breaking Bad' its sun-bleached look — the show filmed here and put the city on screens worldwide. High desert, deep history, and a sky full of color.
Over 24,000 petroglyphs carved into volcanic rocks along a seventeen-mile escarpment on Albuquerque's West Mesa, created by Ancestral Puebloans and early Spanish settlers.
150000 lights so bright airline pilots used them to navigate. Ran from the 1920s to 1941.
Over 500 hot air balloons fill the sky each October. The largest balloon festival in the world.
Artists bought 200-dollar shacks in the 1970s and turned a ghost town into a gallery district.
Company town that produced 200000 tons of coal a year at peak. The company owned everything.
The longest aerial tramway in North America. Albuquerque to 10378 feet in 15 minutes.
Albuquerque's sprawling New Mexican hacienda since 1962. Roasts 50000 pounds of green chile a year. The patio seats 1000.
One man's 40-year collection of hand-carved miniature wooden figures and circus memorabilia.
A 1000-year trade route now a National Scenic Byway connecting Albuquerque to Santa Fe.
33 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Pull over here for a second; this unassuming spot holds a story of clash and consequence. In 1540, Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado arrived here, at the Kuaua Pueblo, seeking gold and a mythical…
The longest aerial tramway in North America. Albuquerque to 10378 feet in 15 minutes.
Over 500 hot air balloons fill the sky each October. The largest balloon festival in the world.
Descend into Sandia Cave, where evidence suggests human habitation dating back over 10000 years. This unassuming cave holds clues to some of the earliest people in North America. Sandia Cave, near Bernalillo, New…
El Pinto in Albuquerque's North Valley roasts over 50,000 pounds of New Mexico green chile every fall. The Thomas family opened it in 1962, and the sprawling hacienda now seats over 1,000 on its patios. The salsa is…
Imagine a bustling center of pottery production, right here near Tonque Pueblo. Between 1300 and 1600, this large pueblo thrived, becoming a major source of glaze-decorated pottery for many other pueblos along the Rio…
One man's 40-year collection of hand-carved miniature wooden figures and circus memorabilia.
Over 24,000 petroglyphs carved into volcanic rocks along a seventeen-mile escarpment on Albuquerque's West Mesa, created by Ancestral Puebloans and early Spanish settlers.
Ever wonder about the symbol on the New Mexico state flag? It comes from right here at Zia Pueblo. The Zia people have lived in this area for centuries. The Spanish arrived in the 1500s, bringing significant changes and…
Feel like stepping back in time? The Tewa Lodge offers a real slice of classic Americana, right here on old Route 66. Built in 1946, the Tewa Lodge offered weary travelers a place to rest their heads after a long day's…
This 1899 brewery, one of the few survivors of its era, once quenched the thirst of a growing city. Built in 1899, the Southwestern Brewery and Ice Company was strategically located next to the BNSF railroad tracks in…
You're approaching a spot that's been a spiritual center for Albuquerque for centuries. San Felipe de Neri Church, right here in Old Town, is one of the city's oldest buildings. Construction began in 1793 after the…
Imagine pulling off the Mother Road, tired and dusty, and seeing this welcoming sight! This spot matters because it's a surviving example of the classic auto courts that defined early Route 66 travel. Built in 1937, the…
This unassuming spot was once a vibrant slice of Route 66 history, home to the De Anza Motor Lodge. Built in 1939 by Charles G. Wallace, a local trader of Native American art, it offered weary travelers a unique…
This unassuming spot marks the location of what was once the oldest continuously-operating Route 66 motel in New Mexico. The Aztec Motel, also known as the Aztec Auto Court, stood as a testament to a bygone era of…
Check out that building! It might not look like much now, but it marks a turning point in how Albuquerque grew. Back in 1946 and 1947, Robert Waggoman built this shopping center way out on the edge of town. At the time,…
Step back in time at one of the few remaining 1930s motels along historic Route 66. The Tower Court was built in 1939 by Ben F. Shear along Central Avenue in Albuquerque. The U-shaped motel offered 16 units facing a…
Imagine the stories these adobe walls could tell! La Glorieta is believed to be the oldest standing residence in Albuquerque. We know it was already here in 1803, but it might even be older than that! Over the years, it…
This isn't just another motel; it's a survivor from the golden age of Route 66! The El Vado Auto Court, built in 1937, offered weary travelers a welcome respite along the Mother Road. For almost 70 years, El Vado served…
Ever wonder what it was like to stay in a luxury hotel back in the Golden Age of Hollywood? This is the place to imagine it. The Hotel Andaluz first opened its doors in 1939 as a Hilton Hotel, the very first in the…
For nine mornings every October, more than five hundred hot-air balloons lift off over Albuquerque at the International Balloon Fiesta, the largest event of its kind on Earth — the high-desert air and a wind pattern…
Step back in time and experience a performance in this stunning 1927 Pueblo Deco theater, rumored to be haunted. The KiMo Theatre stands as a testament to Albuquerque's unique architectural heritage. Built by Italian…
Albuquerque’s story is written in the dust of the high desert. Founded in 1706 and named for a Spanish Duke, its location wasn't accidental. The Rio Grande provided essential water, and the valley offered relatively…
Prepare to be transported to Venice! Right here in Albuquerque stands the Occidental Life Building, a Venetian Gothic Revival masterpiece inspired by the Doge's Palace. Designed by Henry C. Trost, the building opened…
Ever wonder where all those beautiful Native American crafts came from? Maisel's Indian Trading Post was a major hub for that in Albuquerque for decades. Skip Maisel's father started the business in 1939. Over the…
Pull over here and take a look at this! It's a perfectly preserved piece of roadside history. This is the Huning Highlands Conoco Service Station, built in 1937. Back then, car travel was really taking off, and places…
Imagine leaving your mark on the world, etched in stone, for centuries to come. That's exactly what happened here at Petroglyph National Monument. For centuries, perhaps beginning as early as 3000 years ago, and…
Imagine sharing a cup of coffee with the man who brought World War II home to America. This is the Ernie Pyle House, where the Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent lived before his life was cut short. Ernie Pyle,…
Imagine Albuquerque without trains – hard to picture, right? This area, once home to the Santa Fe Railway Shops, was the heart of the city's connection to the rest of the country. Between 1915 and 1925, the Atchison,…
You're near Santo Domingo Pueblo, also known as Kewa Pueblo, a living testament to resilience and tradition. This has been a place of community and culture for centuries. The people of Kewa resisted Spanish rule,…
This spot whispers tales of a bygone era, when Route 66 was king and roadside motels were the castles of the highway. Once standing proudly on Central Avenue in Albuquerque, the Hilltop Lodge welcomed weary travelers…
Somewhere under your tires right now, America the Beautiful is trying to play. In 2014, the New Mexico Department of Transportation and National Geographic cut grooves into this stretch of old Route 66 between mile…
Ever wonder where cultures meet and trade? Right here at the Santo Domingo Indian Trading Post, a place buzzing with commerce since 1922. Back then, this spot at Domingo, New Mexico, was the place to be. The original…