Albuquerque is located centrally in New Mexico and is an ideal base for exploring the wonder of the state. But the city itself has quite a few sights as well. From Historic Old Town, where the Villa of Albuquerque was founded in 1706, to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the most popular ballooning event in the world, there is a lot to discover here.

With old Route 66 running straight through town, one can find plenty of attractions in Albuquerque. Central Avenue, which is part of the famous Rt. 66, runs along the University of New Mexico, and has plenty of great shops and restaurants to satisfy most. It has the feel of a college town rolled into a few blocks. The further to the east you get, the more rough the neighborhoods get, so your best bet is to either stay over towards the western part of town, or get up into the Sandia Heights on the eastern edge of the city.

A ride on the Sandia Peak Tram puts you on top of the Sandia Mountains, where, on clear days, you can look out over 15,000 square miles of magical landscape. To the west, the Rio Grande snakes its way through the cottonwood-lined valley, and dormant volcanoes are silhouetted against fiery red sunsets. As darkness blankets the city, thousands of lights twinkle like diamonds, matching the stars scattered across the enormous sky.