If you fight traffic as part of your daily commute, it may be difficult to imagine that a driving vacation could be stress-free, relaxing, and, yes, even fun. But New Mexico offers all that with its spectacular vistas, travel italy rail cost spacious roads and natural vibe.
In fact, the population of just under two million people share 121,599 square miles—an average of more than half a square mile per person. (Compare that to New York where each person gets only 0.0024 travel italy rail cost square mile.) On the road, space offers an unobstructed line of sight to the horizon that facilitates the drive – in New Mexico expect to merge, pass, elude tailgaters and even pull over to snap photos without any hassle.
Open roads are just one reason to visit the nation's fifth-largest state (after Alaska, Texas, California and Montana). Distinctive art and architecture, travel italy rail cost food products and cuisine, history travel italy rail cost and cultural traditions, shops and spas, natural settings and climates from desert to alpine are big attractions that captivate all senses. An intoxicating scent of roasting chiles lingers in the dry air. Mineral hot spring pools beckon to soothe exhausted muscles. Spicy salsas tantalize taste buds. At several festivals and events, Native American dancers twirl in festive costume to traditional rhythms.
Whether your goal is to take photographs, relax at a spa, learn about Native American culture, savor Southwestern flavors, shop for turquoise jewelry and black pottery, experience travel italy rail cost hot air ballooning or llama trekking, travel italy rail cost or just break away from routine, there's no shortage travel italy rail cost of entertainment options.
Whatever your itinerary, getting from Point A to Point B is no mere chore. As if painted, roadside scenes boast a range of hues, from dusty peach to burnt burgundy, sage to lime to pine, sand to charcoal, lavender travel italy rail cost to cobalt. Mesas, buttes, valleys, travel italy rail cost canyons, gorges and rock formations beg to be photographed, travel italy rail cost explored.
Located in the central and north central regions of the state, the cities of Albuquerque, travel italy rail cost Santa Fe and Taos offer convenient access to several of New Mexico's Scenic Byways. Whether you choose just one city as a base or plan a route that incorporates more than one of these worthy destinations, buckle up and enjoy the drive.
If you'll fly into New Mexico, odds are your journey will begin in the mile-high city of Albuquerque. travel italy rail cost Serving as a hub for Southwest Airlines, the Albuquerque International Sunport welcomes more than six million travelers each year. The airport is simple to navigate, offers complimentary Wi-Fi, and boasts travel italy rail cost one of the most well-organized and convenient car rental travel italy rail cost service centers I've yet to encounter. I waited less than five minutes before hopping onto a free shuttle outside baggage claim to the centralized service center that houses eight different travel italy rail cost car rental companies. After completing the paperwork for my reservation, the service agent informed travel italy rail cost me that it's illegal to use a cell phone while driving in New Mexico and suggested I avoid speeding (especially on Indian Reservation property) in order to avoid a ticket, then handed me a set of keys and a map. The whole process from stepping off the plane to pulling out of the airport took less than a half hour.
New Mexico's largest city offers much to explore. Old Town Plaza, the city's most historic neighborhood, houses craft galleries, museums and restaurants and is frequently a site of festivals. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is not only the best place to learn about New Mexico's 19 Native American Pueblos, it's also a great place to eat with an on-site restaurant serving Native American and Southwestern cuisine.
The Nob Hill neighborhood, with its hip boutiques, casual restaurants and live music venues, is a locals' favorite. Five different museums within walking distance of Old Town Plaza showcase art, history, science and culture. Restaurants, wineries and breweries throughout the city offer a range of taste experiences to help educate your palate. With more than 300 days of sunshine annually and very low humidity, Albuquerque is a haven for outdoor adventures such as hiking, biking or riding horseback through the foothills or along mountain ridges.
Several memorable day trips are located within an hour or so of Albuquerque. To the west, climb among ancient lava flows and see some of the 24,000 centuries-old travel italy rail cost native carvings travel italy rail cost on the rocks at the Petroglyph National Monument. Almost travel italy rail cost as amazing as the rock carvings themselves is the degree to which this park provides ready access to them—truly, even if you can't or don't want to scale up the rocky trail there's much to see.
To the north, drive part of the Jémez Mountain Scenic Trail to Coronado National Monument to view the Kuaua Pueblo ruins alongside the picturesque Rio Grande (the nation's fourth-longest river). To the east, ride the world's longest single-span aerial tramway up the rugged Sandia Mountains in the Cibola National Forest. The 2.7-mile ride offers heart-pounding thrills above dramatic views of otherwise-inaccessible terrain.
Between Albuquerque and Santa Fe lies The Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway. The 65-mile route can be completed in about two to four hours, depending on how often and how long you stop to explore curiosities. (If driven as a round trip, allow four to eight hours.) travel italy rail cost The Turquoise Trail begins in the Cibola National Forest, heads north through Sandia Crest, winds through the quaint towns of Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos and then ends in the San Marcos/Lone Butte Area. In addition to road signs and architecture that carries a distinctive "Old West" charm, the route boasts amazing views, former mining towns, hiking and biking trails, golf and skiing (season permitting), museums, horseback riding, travel italy rail cost and an array of art galleries and boutiques. Encompassing portions of historic Route 66, makes this drive feel like you re connecting with legends.
There's much to see and do in Santa Fe, which celebrates its 400th Anniversary in 2010. Shopping for artwork tops the To-Do lists of most visitors travel italy rail cost to the City Different (Santa Fe's popular nickname), which is home to over 200 art retail outlets and host of a series of art markets throughout the year. Canyon Road is lined with high-end art galleries that showcase paintings, travel italy rail cost sculpture, pottery, textiles, leather and more. The downtown Plaza's shops and two shopping arcades deal primarily in jewelry, native crafts and clothing. Museums near the Plaza include travel italy rail cost the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, New Mexico History Museum and Museum of Contemporary Native Arts.
The Railyard District, Santa Fe's newest art district and community gathering spot, is home to SITE Santa Fe Contemporary Arts Museum, the Santa Fe Farmers' Market, a park and more. Museum Hill boasts the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, The Museum travel italy rail cost of International Folk Art and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Artistry continues onto the plates of Santa Fe, as talented chefs deliver abundant culinary options .
About 45 miles outside of Santa Fe is Bandelier National Monument. Allow at least an hour each way for this not-to-miss day trip (more time if you favor frequent stops). Named for the anthropologist and historian travel italy rail cost who declared travel italy rail cost the place "the grandest travel italy rail cost thing I ever saw," Bandelier National Monument offers a glimpse at ancestral Pueblo life via ruins, cliff dwellings and Talus houses. The 33,750-acre park offers numerous breathtaking travel italy rail cost scenic views and 70 miles of hiking trails.
Interpretative signs provide meaningful education along self-guided tour routes. The 1.2-mile Main Loop in Frijoles Canyon is a relatively easy walk that passes through the ruins and then alternately climbs stone steps and meanders footpaths alongside tall cliffs. At three different points it's possible to climb wooden ladders into cliff dwellings for a unique perspective.
Two drive route options stretch between Santa Fe and Taos: the Rio Grande route and the High Road to Taos. Both options offer scenic views with interesting geological formations. But to maximize your enjoyment travel italy rail cost of these views—so that the best vistas stretch ahead in the windshield rather than appear in the review mirror—I recommend taking the Rio Grande from Santa Fe to Taos and the High Road in the other direction (which retains the name "High Road to Taos" even when traveling from Taos to Santa Fe).
Taos' historic plaza is surrounded by restaurants and retail shops that carry arts, crafts travel italy rail cost and local products. Among the five museums in Taos is La Hacienda de Los Martinez and Harwood Museum of Art University of New Mexico. The No. 1 must-see attraction is Taos Pueblo, the largest existing multi-storied Pueblo travel italy rail cost structure in the United States, travel italy rail cost a UNESCO World Heritage site listed on the National Register of Historic travel italy rail cost Places. Taos Pueblo has been continuously inhabited for centuries. Many shops are located throughout, with vendors selling both traditional and contemporary artworks such as pottery, painting, photographs, T-shirts, drums, beadwork, jewelry and leather goods. Traditional foods and entertainment travel italy rail cost are also available upon occasion. San Geronimo Church (built in 1850) is a Registered National Historic Landmark in Taos Pueblo; photography inside is prohibited, but it's a sight to remember.
An 85-mile loop north of Taos, the Enchanted Circle passes through alpine mountains (which were blanketed with a fresh coat of snow during my visit), valleys, mesas and national forest. Atop the 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak, peer down at the trout-rich lakes in the valley below. Ski (in season) travel italy rail cost at any of four ski areas. Prefer to relax? Drive through the Carson National Forest to Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs and while away the hours basking in waters travel italy rail cost ranging from 80 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit in any number of the 10 different pools naturally augmented with minerals: lithium, arsenic, iron and soda. (Upgrade to a private pool to experience the ultimate in relaxation.) En route be sure to stop to admire the Rio Grande Gorge, a vista that's travel italy rail cost arguably one
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