My Favorite Things to Do in Albuquerque with Kids
I would say when we’re traveling to a new place as a family and trying to find things to do we generally do a mix of places geared towards kids (where you usually have to pay a fee to get in), and stuff to do and explore outside. As I was thinking of places we like to go and things we like to do, all of them fell under these two categories, so that’s how I’ll be organizing this post. First up, paid places and museums!
Places and museums that require a fee
1.ABQ Biopark
In case you didn’t know, ABQ is how us locals shorten our city name so it doesn’t take a year to type out, ha! The Biopark is probably the first thing that comes up in a google search of things to do, but it comes up for a reason! There are three parts of the Biopark: the zoo, the aquarium, and the gardens.
The aquarium and gardens are right next to each other, and tickets to the aquarium include entry to the gardens so you’ll want to do those on the same day. The aquarium is a bit small, but they’ve done a good job with it! We’ve been dozens and dozens of times over the years and my kids still enjoy going and looking at all the marine animals. The gardens are fantastic and so fun! There’s a whole section for kids that is really fun to walk through-think giant carrots, giant ants, a huge pumpkin, a castle, etc. There’s also a mini train area where they are constantly switching up which trains are going (usually doing the summer, only during specific times in the off season), as well as a Bugarium, Butterfly Pavilion, and lots of gorgeous themed gardens to explore. There’s sooo much to do there! I’d recommend getting there right when they open and doing the gardens first while it’s cooler, and then heading to the aquarium.
The zoo is also fantastic! I was pleasantly surprised when we first moved here at the low ticket price AND how extensive the grounds are. There are lots of different things to see, and they are constantly improving and building new exhibits. The most recent addition was penguins, which are sooooo cute. They also have a carousel that my kids LOVE to ride as just an extra fun thing to do there.
*You CAN do a ticket to see all three places in one day, you definitely will need a full day to do it though. If you’ve got younger kids, you may want to break it up. They recommend getting tickets in advance here.
2.Explora museum
Another obvious choice that no doubt came up on your google search, but we all LOVE Explora! I’ve got kids from 11 down to 2 and there is something for everyone there. Because of that, they only let kids in free that are 12 months and below, but this is another spot where you could spend all day. They’ve done a really good job making things super interactive and fun, but also educational. Bonus: most of it is indoors, so if you happen to come when it’s a bit colder this is still a great option. The only downside is when everyone has the great idea to come it gets a bit busy and crowded. The earlier you go, the less crowded it will be. They don’t allow food in the museum, but feel free to pack a lunch and snacks-there’s an outside play area where you can eat and re-fuel.
3.Urban air adventure park
There are a ton of trampoline parks in every major city, and you probably have one very similar to Urban Air close to you. BUT if you’re really looking for a way for your kids to get some energy out this is the place! It’s more than just a trampoline park, and there are lots of fun things to do. It’s also just a bit pricey getting in. In my opinion, you should at least go for the deluxe ticket-it includes the trampolines, obstacle courses, a big indoor jungle gym, and some other games. If you want to do the Skyrider, which is a zipline that goes throughout the whole play area, you’ll want to get the Ultimate ticket. Here is more info on what everything includes. We’ve been here three different times, and while we didn’t love the price getting in, our older kids (and my husband) played for HOURS and had a blast.
4.Natural history museum / Nuclear Science Museum
I’m including these together because both of these places are fun, but we don’t love them. However, we aren’t big history buffs or science buffs, and the last time we went was a couple years ago when my kids were younger. Because of that they were fun to go to, but not our favorite. They aren’t as interactive and there’s not as much to see, especially for younger kids. If you’ve got older kids that are into history and science, then these will be perfect for you! Things to note: 1. if you want to see some dinosaur skeletons, the Natural History Museum is where you’ll want to go, and 2. If you love airplanes there are a lot to see outside at the Nuclear Science Museum. The couple of times we’ve gone to both of these places we got in free so it was worth it. I honestly don’t know if I would pay to go in personally with how young my kids are and their interests. Just my opinion!
5.Ride the Tram
If you’re scared of heights, this is probably not the thing for you. This tram is the world’s longest passenger tramway, and takes you all the way to the top of the crest in the Sandia Mountains. Once you get up there and are done admiring the view, there are a couple trails, as well as a restaurant. Once you’re done exploring you can take the tram back down the mountain.
6.*Bonus: Meow wolf in Santa Fe
If you can make the trek out to Santa Fe for this experience, DO IT! It is the most amazing/weird/cool art museum/exhibit/experience that I’ve ever seen/done. It’s so unique I don’t even know how to describe it or talk about it. You just have to go, it’s totally worth it.
Outdoor and free places to explore
1.The backside of the Sandia Mountains
There are lots of fun hikes and areas to explore on the backside of the Sandias. You’ll take I-40 East to the Tijeras exit, turn left, and follow signs for the crest. On the way up to the top (yes, the same area where the tram drops you off) there are lots of spots to stop and explore. My favorite area is Sulphur Canyon, it is just gorgeous up there! If you follow the road all the way back as far as you can, there’s a trail that has a little spring that we’ve stopped and played in before. If you have the time, the Crest is absolutely gorgeous too! I was recently featured in an article on Redfin along with other residents of Albuquerque recommending favorite places to go, so that is a great resource to check out as well:
Exploring the Sandia Mountains of Albuquerque: Why Locals Love Them and You Will Too
2.The Foothills
The foothills is the area of the mountains that are on the Albuquerque side. There are a lot of areas with super close to the city, so it doesn’t take very long to get to some good kid-friendly hikes. All of these places are north of Tramway, you’ll be able to see them on google maps. The areas we’ve frequented most are Manitoba, Candelaria (lots of big rocks to climb), Spain, and Indian School (these are the names of the roads you’ll travel on East of Tramway). These are not the only areas, so feel free to find other spots by poking around on Google Maps.
3. Alameda Open Space
This is a fun area to explore the Rio Grande. There are two areas we like to go. The first you’ll get to by going following a path right next to the parking lot that goes East towards the mountains for a short while, then turns South. There’s an little viewing area to watch ducks in a pond, a bridge where we often feed ducks and see turtles in the water, and then a grassy field with trees and bench swings. The second area you’ll access by following a path that starts in the northwest corner of the parking lot and goes under a bridge (back towards Alameda Blvd). You’ll go under the bridge, and then take a right. You’ll get to walk in the Cottonwoods and there are a couple places that get you right to the banks of the river. These are nice easy trails for kids to walk on and explore too. You can even take a stroller up to a point-the trail gets really sandy the farther you go and it gets hard to push (we’ve totally still done it though).
4. Rio Grande Nature Center
This is another spot to explore the Rio Grande. They have some observation spots, a visitor’s center, and more paved trails. There’s also trails that run right along the river, and some that go through the Cottonwood forest (locals call this area the Bosque).
There are lots of fun areas to go that take a couple hours or a day to get to from Albuquerque, so maybe I’ll do another post about those, but for today, I’m leaving it here. Hopefully this was helpful to you! I really hope you were able to explore some fun areas of Albuquerque.