17 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Albuquerque

Located near Old Town and the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, this institution focuses on the ancient geologic history of the area.

On the eastern edge of the city limits, Elena Gallegos Open Space is a 640-acre park set in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.

The Rio Grande Nature Center State Park is located on the east bank of the Rio Grande just north of downtown. Exhibits at the Education Center within the park introduce the ecology, geology, and history of the Rio Grande Valley.

Albuquerque isn't just a big city. It also hosts one of the most important environmental corridors in the Southwestern United States.

One of Albuquerque's best-known architectural landmarks, the KiMo Theatre was originally built in 1927.

Named after a legacy racing family in the Albuquerque area, the Unser Racing Museum features a wide range of motor vehicles from throughout the last century. While the vehicles look immaculate on the museum floor, many of the cars and motorcycles on display come straight out of the Unser family history and timeline.

For thousands of years, the numerous cultures of the Pueblo people called this area (now New Mexico) home. While dozens of pueblos disappeared with the coming of the Spanish, many remain vibrant.

Not far from Old Town, the ABQ BioPark is home to the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach. With its expansion and upgrades of the past decade, the zoo has become a premiere destination hosting hundreds of species (many endangered) and one awesome playground.

This impressive institution offers visitors an in-depth look into Albuquerque's past. Located at the edge of Old Town, this museum hosts a spectacular collection of cultural items from the past 400 years.

For 9 days in October, Albuquerque's bright blue skies are filled with a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes each morning as hundreds of hot air balloons drift upwards in a mass ascension.