Tanya & Elisa's New Mexico Road Trip - Part 4: Checklist of Sites

SANDIA PEAK TRAMWAY (Albuquerque) (photo by adam selby)

As of today, we have exactly three months till our Road Trip to New Mexico!  October 3rd is the big day that the "travelin' cousins" meet in Albuquerque.  So I thought it would be a good idea to do a review of our ToDo list for this trip and see what we can check off and what is left to still finalize:

• Plan Cities to Visit  - DONE (Albuquerque, Taos and Santa Fe)
• Book Accommodations - DONE (Hotel in Albuquerque and Private home Rentals in Taos and Santa Fe)
• Elisa's Rental Car - DONE
•  Tanya's Rental Car - DONE

So, that is what's is done - here is what we still have to do:

• Elisa to book airfare NY to Albuquerque (well, you've read my saga with this, so this is still a work in progress)
• Tanya to book Dave's airfare for both weekends (let's hope Tanya has better luck with airfare rates than her East Coast-based cousin!)
• Map out Driving Routes - We will be working on this together during the coming week
• Select restaurants for all three cities
• Purchase Balloon Fiesta Tickets
• Finalize Sites and Activities in all three cities and places along the driving route

This would pretty much finish off the trip!  But, as you can see, we have a ways to go.
Today, I want to talk about Sites and Activities!  That's the really fun part of any trip.     We created a very long list of possibilities, broken down by each city and those along the way.  Of course, we know that we will not have enough time in 8 days to see everything, but, for now, we are just reflecting on each and will narrow down the list over the coming weeks.  If you have any thoughts or experience with any of these, please comment and let us know. We would love the input!!
Albuquerque:

• Balloon Fiesta 

This is obviously a definite and the whole inspiration for the trip.  We are planning to go the first two days.  Balloon Fiesta is a LONG day. Up early, arriving by 4:30-5:00 AM to see the balloons take off; and then a fun, filled night with a fireworks show lighting up the night sky.  So, we've allocated two full days for this spectacular event.

Here are the other possible sites for Albuquerque:

• Albuquerque Biological Park
• Sandia Peak
• Petroglyph National Museum
• Tinkertown Museum
• Giant Red Arrow
• Hinkle Family Fun

On the Way from Albuquerque to Taos

• Bandelier National Monument
• Kasha Katuwe Tent Rock National Monument

Taos

• Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
• Kit Carson Home & Museum
• Taos Pueblo
• Manby Hot Springs
• Tree of Human Kindness
• Sants & Sinners Sign
• Ghost Town Museum

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THE VILLAGE OF CHIMAYO (Photo of El Santuario) Chimayo is the cluster of plazas made up of El Potrero de Chimayó (the plaza near Chimayó's communal pasture) and the Plaza del Cerro (plaza by the hill). It lies near Santa Cruz about 25 miles north of Santa Fe.

On the Way from Taos to Santa Fe

• Chimayo

Santa Fe

• Santa Fe National Forest
• Nambe Falls
• Loretto Chapel
• Jackalope
• Hollywood Western town
• Brontosaurus Family

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NAMBE FALLS, Santa Fe

So There you have it - some fun options for things to do on our road trip.  Till next "Travelin' Tuesday" and Part 5, 
~Elisa & Tanya

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