Placitas, Albuquerque & Santa Fe Guidebook

Lori
Placitas, Albuquerque & Santa Fe Guidebook

Food scene

Great food in a relaxed atmosphere. We recommend anything here, & they have a great breakfast.
16 locals recommend
Placitas Cafe
221 NM-165
16 locals recommend
Great food in a relaxed atmosphere. We recommend anything here, & they have a great breakfast.
Fine dining in a great atmosphere. They have a pretty patio for nice evenings.
19 locals recommend
Blades' Bistro
221 NM-165
19 locals recommend
Fine dining in a great atmosphere. They have a pretty patio for nice evenings.
This place has a fun vibe and a whole lot of unique food options. It's fun just for the experience, but also for the delicious food.
140 locals recommend
Sawmill Market
1909 Bellamah Ave NW
140 locals recommend
This place has a fun vibe and a whole lot of unique food options. It's fun just for the experience, but also for the delicious food.
There's a Tomasitas in both Santa and Albuquerque. It's a great place to get red chile enchiladas and true NM sopapillas with honey butter.
88 locals recommend
Tomasita's
500 South Guadalupe Street
88 locals recommend
There's a Tomasitas in both Santa and Albuquerque. It's a great place to get red chile enchiladas and true NM sopapillas with honey butter.
If you're going to Santa Fe, it's worth taking some time away from the plaza to eat at Harry's Roadhouse. The atmosphere and food are amazing.
123 locals recommend
Harry's Roadhouse
96 B Old Las Vegas Hwy
123 locals recommend
If you're going to Santa Fe, it's worth taking some time away from the plaza to eat at Harry's Roadhouse. The atmosphere and food are amazing.
Great pizza, gluten-free options. The best place to pick up something good & bring it back to the AirBnB to eat.
16 locals recommend
Placitas Cafe
221 NM-165
16 locals recommend
Great pizza, gluten-free options. The best place to pick up something good & bring it back to the AirBnB to eat.
Don't miss this place for chocolate truffles in every flavor (including sage-goat cheese, red chile, and prickly pear), chocolate elixers, candies and drinks.
45 locals recommend
Kakawa Chocolate House
1050 Paseo De Peralta
45 locals recommend
Don't miss this place for chocolate truffles in every flavor (including sage-goat cheese, red chile, and prickly pear), chocolate elixers, candies and drinks.

Neighborhoods

Close to UNM, you'll find cafes, coffee shops, and independent retail stores.
209 locals recommend
Nob Hill
209 locals recommend
Close to UNM, you'll find cafes, coffee shops, and independent retail stores.

Sightseeing

Just down the road in Bernalillo, you'll find these historic Tewa Indian ruins and a pretty view of the Rio Grande.
13 locals recommend
Coronado Historic Site
485 Kuaua Rd
13 locals recommend
Just down the road in Bernalillo, you'll find these historic Tewa Indian ruins and a pretty view of the Rio Grande.
Downtown Santa Fe has the best New Mexico restaurants (some are world famous) including The Shed, Pasqual's, and The Pink Adobe. And you'll find lots of great shopping! Don't miss the downtown Santa Fe Plaza if you haven't been there.
233 locals recommend
Santa Fe
233 locals recommend
Downtown Santa Fe has the best New Mexico restaurants (some are world famous) including The Shed, Pasqual's, and The Pink Adobe. And you'll find lots of great shopping! Don't miss the downtown Santa Fe Plaza if you haven't been there.
Placitas has lots of trails on BLM public land and in the Cibola National Forest lands.
Placitas Trailhead
Forest Loop Road
Placitas has lots of trails on BLM public land and in the Cibola National Forest lands.
The Biopark has a zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, Tingley beach, and close by is the Rio Grande Bosque which runs 16 miles for bikes or walking.
263 locals recommend
ABQ BioPark
903 10th St SW
263 locals recommend
The Biopark has a zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, Tingley beach, and close by is the Rio Grande Bosque which runs 16 miles for bikes or walking.
This is an intriguing place, full of history both fascinating and sometimes unsettling.
81 locals recommend
The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
601 Eubank Blvd SE
81 locals recommend
This is an intriguing place, full of history both fascinating and sometimes unsettling.
There are three trails from the visitor centers that are different lengths & difficulties.
71 locals recommend
Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center
6510 Western Trail NW
71 locals recommend
There are three trails from the visitor centers that are different lengths & difficulties.
Look into taking the Rail Runner train if you want to go to Santa Fe and back. It's a beautiful, relaxing 1-hour ride from the station in Bernalillo.
Rail Runner Avenue
Rail Runner Avenue
Look into taking the Rail Runner train if you want to go to Santa Fe and back. It's a beautiful, relaxing 1-hour ride from the station in Bernalillo.
There are two Jackalope's (1 in Santa Fe & 1 in Albuquerque) carrying imports & lots of items with local flavor (including plants & garden, home decor, furniture, etc).
Jackalope Albuquerque
6400 San Mateo Blvd NE
There are two Jackalope's (1 in Santa Fe & 1 in Albuquerque) carrying imports & lots of items with local flavor (including plants & garden, home decor, furniture, etc).
You can find two entrances to the Cibola National Forest in Placitas. Three miles east of Placitas Village, highway 165 turns into a forest road, and you'll find another entrance off 165 several miles west of the village. The roads are very rough and not really maintained, so you need a good SUV and dry roads. The entrance to the west of the village has several hiking & mountain biking trails.
13 locals recommend
Cibola National Forest
13 locals recommend
You can find two entrances to the Cibola National Forest in Placitas. Three miles east of Placitas Village, highway 165 turns into a forest road, and you'll find another entrance off 165 several miles west of the village. The roads are very rough and not really maintained, so you need a good SUV and dry roads. The entrance to the west of the village has several hiking & mountain biking trails.
You can drive to Sandia Peak or take the tramway. Either way it's a beautiful view.
502 locals recommend
Sandia Peak Tramway
30 Tramway Rd NE
502 locals recommend
You can drive to Sandia Peak or take the tramway. Either way it's a beautiful view.
Known as "The Turquoise Trail", this highway runs from Santa Fe to I-40 south of Albuquerque. You'll go through Madrid and other small towns with great local shops & restaurants. This is a popular & well-loved route.
New Mexico 14
New Mexico 14
Known as "The Turquoise Trail", this highway runs from Santa Fe to I-40 south of Albuquerque. You'll go through Madrid and other small towns with great local shops & restaurants. This is a popular & well-loved route.
Chaco Canyon may be the oldest ruins in the United States. The story behind them is mysterious & fascinating.
23 locals recommend
Chaco Canyon
Navajo Service Route 14
23 locals recommend
Chaco Canyon may be the oldest ruins in the United States. The story behind them is mysterious & fascinating.
This may be a day trip, but a gorgeous one. New Mexico has more volcanos than any other U.S. state, and the Valles Caldera is our supervolcano.
13 locals recommend
Valles Caldera
13 locals recommend
This may be a day trip, but a gorgeous one. New Mexico has more volcanos than any other U.S. state, and the Valles Caldera is our supervolcano.
Albuquerque hosts the International Balloon Fiesta every fall, but the museum is open year-round.
62 locals recommend
Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
9201 Balloon Museum Dr NE
62 locals recommend
Albuquerque hosts the International Balloon Fiesta every fall, but the museum is open year-round.
For a museum experience like no other. www.meowwolf.com George R.R. Martin helped develop the story and concept for the original Meow Wolf located in Santa Fe. Now, Meow Wolfs are being built in other cities.
423 locals recommend
Meow Wolf
1352 Rufina Cir
423 locals recommend
For a museum experience like no other. www.meowwolf.com George R.R. Martin helped develop the story and concept for the original Meow Wolf located in Santa Fe. Now, Meow Wolfs are being built in other cities.
The museum, events, shopping and restaurant are all focused on the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. A great place to explore indigenous history and culture from the past and today.
158 locals recommend
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
2401 12th St NW
158 locals recommend
The museum, events, shopping and restaurant are all focused on the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. A great place to explore indigenous history and culture from the past and today.

City/town information

Corrales has a lot of modern shopping, but it also has four wineries, some farms, beautiful adobe homes and some cute shops on the main street. If you're out driving around, it's worth a look.
31 locals recommend
Corrales
31 locals recommend
Corrales has a lot of modern shopping, but it also has four wineries, some farms, beautiful adobe homes and some cute shops on the main street. If you're out driving around, it's worth a look.

City advice

Customs and culture

With Covid-19, pueblos & some casinos may still be closed

Call or check online before you make plans to go to a national monument. Most places are open, but if they're located on a pueblo they might still be closed.