The Best Sight in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Background Illustration for Sights

Albuquerque's terrain is diverse. Along the river in the North and South valleys, the elevation hovers at about 4,800 feet. East of the river, the land rises gently to the foothills of the Sandia Mountains, which climb to over 6,000 feet; the 10,378-foot summit is a grand spot from which to view the city below. West of the Rio Grande, where Albuquerque is growing most aggressively, the terrain rises abruptly in a string of mesas topped by five volcanic cones. The changes in elevation from one part of the city to another result in corresponding changes in temperature, as much as 10°F at any time. It's not uncommon for snow or rain to fall on one part of town but for it to remain dry and sunny in another, and because temperatures can shift considerably throughout the day and evening, it's a good idea to bring along a couple of layers when exploring.

Rail Yards Market & Wheels Museum

Barelas Fodor's Choice

Vibrant with growers and maker wares, the sprawling Sunday market here (May from October, 10–2) is a fine excuse to explore this wondrous, light-filled, almost cathedral-like space, said to have been the largest steam locomotive repair facility in the country in its heyday. The early-20th-century Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe buildings here, built on the Atlantic & Pacific originals from the 1880s, put you at the center of how Downtown (or New Town, as it was then known)—and modern Albuquerque—came to be. The market occupies the 1917 Blacksmith Shop. Nearby, the railyard's 1914 Storehouse building now houses the growing Wheels Museum, which captures local rail history with model train equipment and lots more ( www.wheelsmuseum.org). A spectacularly massive 1944 AT&SF Steam Locomotive (No. 2926) is currently under restoration in the Sawmill neighborhood and may be visited during limited public hours; it may eventually find its home here as well ( www.2926.us).