Albuquerque
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By car
Two interstate highways pass through: I-40 goes east-west and I-25 goes north-south. Where they meet is a large intersection called "The Big I". Albuquerque's Central Ave. is part of old Route 66. A minor note of caution: I-25 south of the city is a "safety corridor" in which state law mandates higher fines for traffic violations. Enforcement is spotty, but takes the speed limits seriously anyway.
By plane
Albuquerque's airport, the Albuquerque International Sunport is the major air hub for all of New Mexico. American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, United, and US Airways serve the Sunport with limited service to their respective major hubs, but it's Southwest Airlines that operates most traffic into ABQ, with direct service to most western cities as well as some of Southwest's hubs in the Midwest and eastern United States. There is also commuter service to destinations within New Mexico provided by Great Lakes and New Mexico Airlines.
One tip: If you're prone to airsickness, try to get flights into this airport that arrives either before noon or after sundown, particularly during late spring and early summer. The high elevation, hot sun, and spring winds combine to produce thermals that can make afternoon arrivals an extremely bumpy proposition. There are no major safety issues (the airport's runways are long, owing to the adjacent Air Force base, with no nearby obstacles to run into), but try telling your stomach that! The rough ride is less of a problem with outbound flights.
Incidentally, this airport contains a number of attractive displays of New Mexican arts and crafts, and is a more pleasant place than most airports to kill time while waiting for a flight. The major car rental companies are nearby, with a shuttle from the airport to the large rental center. The Sunport also has charging stations for electronics and free wireless internet access.
By train
Albuquerque is a layover stop along Amtrak's Southwest Chief daily train route. The depot is at the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown, at 320 First St SW (in the same building as the Greyhound depot). The westbound train to Los Angeles is scheduled to arrive at 3:55PM and departs at 4:45PM. The eastbound train to Chicago arrives at 12:12PM and departs at 12:55PM. The station has a small cafeteria.
A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express connects Albuquerque to Santa Fe and to the smaller communities north and south along the Rio Grande, including Belen, Los Lunas, and Bernalillo. There are three stations: the Alvarado Transportation Center in Downtown, one in the South Valley on Rio Bravo Blvd, and one in the North Valley/Los Ranchos area just off of Paseo del Norte. The Downtown station has bus connections to the airport. The Rail Runner runs daily, although service can be limited outside the weekday rush hour periods. Fares are based on how far you ride; a day pass will usually be in the range of $5-9. Tickets can be purchased online or from ticket agents on the train.
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Albuquerque Biological Park
which includes the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach (see below under Do). Combo tickets for the Biological Park can be purchased, and include the price of train rides on a small narrow-gauge train running between the Aquarium/Botanical Gardens and the Zoo. The train runs Tu-Su from around 10AM-4PM at 30 min. intervals.
Rio Grande Zoo
9AM-5PM daily, except major holidays. It may not be as big as your average big city zoo, but this zoo is surprisingly comprehensive for its size, with most of the "popular" species you can expect at any good zoo: polar bears, lions, zebras, tigers, giraffes, elephants, gorillas, etc. And like any good zoo, the animals are in nice, naturalistic exhibits. The highlight exhibit areas are the seals, the polar bears, a large Africa area, the "Catwalk", and a large elephant enclosure. Every day there are scheduled feedings of the seals and the polar bears; during the warmer months more feeding times, activities, and outdoor concerts are scheduled. A small narrow-gauge train runs through the zoo (Tu-Su 10AM-3:30PM at 20 min. intervals), with a conductor pointing out some of the animals and explaining what goes on behind-the-scenes. A separate train line runs to the Aquarium/Botanical Gardens. $7, $3 seniors, $3 children, under age 3 free (train rides require separate admission, unless you have a combo ticket).
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
9AM-4:30PM daily, closed on major holidays. Operated by the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico, this complex has a small museum with a collection of artifacts of the culture and history of the pueblo people. The center also has an art gallery, a children's area, a restaurant, and a large gift shop. Indian dances are a frequent event. $6, $4 children, under age 5 free.
Sandia Peak Tramway
Operates every 20-30 min. from 9AM until evening (no morning rides on off-season Tu), with closures in Apr and Oct for maintenance. Runs from a lower terminus in the northeast heights to the top of 10,400-foot (3169 m) Sandia Peak east of the city, and is one of the longest and most spectacular aerial tramways in the world. The first upward tram departs at 9AM (except Tu in the off season), and service continues until early evening. The 15-min. ride to the top is incredible, bringing you right up to the rocky face of the Sandias. The view of the city from Sandia Peak is tremendous (especially after sunset), and there is a restaurant and a visitor center at the top. Closed for two weeks in spring and fall for "maintenance," but spring winds are so intense that you really don't want to be on an aerial tram then anyway. $17.50 round trip for adults, $15 round trip for teens and seniors, and $10 round trip for children (discounts for riders with reservations for the restaurant at the top and for skiers)
Unser Racing Museum
10AM-4PM daily. Operated by the local Unser racing family, this museum is dedicated to the racing legacy of the Unsers as well as to the sport of auto racing in general. $7, $4 seniors, $3 children, age 6 and under free.
January - March
May - June
October - December
Information not available
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