This summer we had a blast for our girls getaway to celebrate my sister’s 40th birthday. She lives near Albuquerque, so that’s where we met up. Coming in just a few weeks is the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, so I wanted ya’ll to know about a few places you might want to add to your list of “to do’s” while you’re in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau was a great help to us while we planned our getaway and I’m grateful for their recommendations. Here are some must-see attractions and dining in Albuquerque.
You must set aside time to take the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top of the Sandia Mountains. You’ll climb 2.7 miles to a vantage point of 10,378 feet and view some of nature’s dramatic beauty. If possible, take the tram late in the day.
Watching the sunset over the Rio Grande Valley will not disappoint.
While you’re at the Peak, make sure to have reservations at the High Finance Restaurant. We enjoyed a wonderful meal, as the sun began to set, then went outside for the sun to dip below the horizon. It was spectacular!! High Finance had menu offerings for all tastes, including those of us who were eating low carb, and those choosing a plant based meal. The sweet potatoes were delicious. Dessert was a fun treat for us to share.
A trip to Albuquerque wouldn’t be complete without visiting El Pinto Restaurant. And if you’re attending the Balloon Fiesta, you won’t be far from the action. El Pinto is known for their great salsa! We could live for days on their sopapillas, flan and taco salad. Oh my! But more than that, I’d like to tell you what great service we had. Our every need was attending to by our wonderful server, Celeste. She made sure we tried all the great salsa’s and taught us how to order (green & red – Christmas salsa). Each dish was lovingly prepared and served beautifully. Each of us raved about our choices.
The El Pinto restaurant grounds are worth the visit alone. Their twelve acre property in Albuquerque’s north valley would be a wonderful place for any event you’re planning. You can sit by the waterfall in the cantina or enjoy a delicious meal on one the five patios. You truly get the feel of an old hacienda.
If you have the time, it might be fun to tour their on-site salsa operation. El Pinto uses 120 tons of chiles a year, making 4,000 cases of salsa a day in their 8,000 square foot salsa production facility. That’s a lot of great tasting salsa.
We had a great time, with great food, and great views on our Girl’s Getaway to Albuquerque.
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