Day 1 •WatchthesunrisefromthebasketofyourhotairballoonasyoufloatoverandalongtheRioGrandeandSandiaMountains.
• SpendtherestofyourmorningvisitingOldTown.See the plaza and its historic church; take awalkingtourtolearnthehistoryofthearea.Havelunch in one of the unique cafés or authenticrestaurantsliningtheplaza.
• Visit one of Old Town’s Museums: theAlbuquerqueMuseumofArt&History,theNewMexicoMuseumofNaturalHistory,Explora, theRattlesnakeMuseumortheTurquoiseMuseum.AshortdistanceawayyouwillalsofindtheBioParkBotanicGardens,ZooandAquarium.
• Get your kicks having dinner at a Nob HillrestaurantalongRoute66.
Day 2 • Discover arts and crafts from the 19 nativepueblos of New Mexico at the Indian PuebloCultural Center; dances are held on weekendsyear-round.Thecenterhasarestaurant,museumandgiftshop.
• ContinueyourNativeexperienceashortdistancewestonI-40attheoldestcontinuouslyinhabitedcommunity – Acoma Pueblo. Sky City featuresmuseumexhibitsandaguidedtouroftheancientvillagecrowningsandstonecliffs.
• SandiaPeakAerialTramwaywhisksyou2.7milestotheobservationdeckatop10,378footSandiaPeak in the Cibola National Forest affordingpanoramicviewsoftheRioGrandeValley.
Day 3 • DepartthismorningforVirginGalactic’sGatewayto Space at Spaceport America, the firstspaceport facilitydesignedandbuilt specificallyfor space travel and commerce. Access to thisuniquesiteisexclusive.BesuretomakeadvancearrangementswithFollowtheSunTours.
• Arrive in sunny Las Cruces, located in theMesillaValleyatthebaseofthemajesticOrganMountains.Head straight toHistoricMesilla. Itsplaza, anchored byBasilica SanAlbino, is linedwith unique shops and two great restaurants:La Posta, offering reasonably priced Mexicanfood in a festive environment and the DoubleEagle,famousforagedsteaksandawardwinningmargaritas.
Day 4 • Experience living history at the Farm & RanchHeritageMuseumwithmilkingandblacksmithingdemonstrations in this facility devoted tochroniclingourstate’srichagriculturalpast.
• Visit the world’s only Chile Pepper Institute,dedicatedtoeducationandresearchofCapsicum,theheatstimulatingchemicalfoundinourstatevegetable.
•AuthorandplaywrightDeniseChávezoftheCasaCaminoRealCulturalCenterwillregaleyourgroupwith storiesonavarietyof topics fromoutlawBillytheKidtoLaFronteraandlocalcuisine.
• Vineyardsand tasting rooms follow thepathofSpanishexplorersalongNewMexico’sWineTrail,theoldestwinegrowingregioninthecountry.
Day 5 • Depart for White Sands National Monument,encompassing275squaremilesofgypsumwhitedunes,thisiconicparkoffersranger-guidedtourseveryday.
• Continue to Alamogordo for the New MexicoSpaceHistoryMuseumandNewMexico’s onlyIMAX Theatre where visitors learn about thehistory,science,andtechnologyofspace.
•HeartoftheDesertPistachioFarmandWineryhasdailyfarm,factoryandplanttours,withfreetastingsofcourse!
• ContinuepastValleyofFiresNationalRecreationArea, one of the youngest lava flows in thecontinental U.S. and into Socorro’s Bosque delApache Wildlife Refuge, home to more than100,000 water fowl during their semi-annualmigration.
•DepartfromElPasoInternationalAirport,justanhoursouthofLasCruces,returntoAlbuquerqueor continue to Santa Fe for more authenticexperiences.
featuring hot air ballooning and spaceport america
New Mexico - North and South
Rochelle Miller-Hernandez | 575-541-2169 | [email protected]
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