In December of 2024, over the Christmas Holiday, we flew into Albuquerque for a 5-night stay in New Mexico. We spent our first two nights, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. After heading north to Santa Fe for two nights, we returned to Albuquerque for a day exploring the Old Town area’s shops and Museums.

Staying In & Around Albuquerque

Additional options for hotels in Albuquerque included the neighborhoods of Old Town (convenient walking distance to shops and museums), and Uptown (chain hotels near large suburban shopping and restaurant district).

Albuquerque is also a great jumping off point to getting out into the surrounding foothills of the Sandia mountains. For this experience, we chose two nights at the  Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana.

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa

Santa Ana Pueblo

We flew into Albuquerque on Christmas Eve and drove 25 minutes north for our 2-night stay at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa  . The resort was the perfect relaxing getaway for the Christmas holiday. Even with cooler weather, most of the outdoor amenities were still available (just the Kiva pool was closed, but the heated family pools and hot tub were still open).

One of the key aspects of the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa is its focus on educational experiences about both the history of Tamayeme people and the active relationship between the resort and the local Pueblo tribe members who live there today.  Exhibits, videos and recreated structures with live demonstrations are found throughout the resort. On the resort website, guests can pre-book classes for Jewelry making,  pottery, and bread baking. (These were understandably limited during our stay over the Christmas Day holiday.) 

The 550 acre property offered hiking areas through The Bosque (Spanish for “woods” or “forest”) cottonwood habitat with interpretive signage. Bikes were also free with the stay.

We walked to the The Stables at Tamaya, a small ranch that is home to over 50 rescued horses. The non-profit partners with the resort to offer trail rides. Tee shirts and donation sites are also in the gift shop and lobby of the resort for guests who want to support its mission.

Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque

We stayed at the Hotel Andaluz Albuquerque, Curio Collection by Hilton in downtown Albuquerque. The historic hotel, which opened in 1939, was the first built by Conrad Hilton in New Mexico. It is located walking distance from the lively late-night entertainment district along a neon-lit iconic stretch of Route 66.

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Old Town Albuquerque

Old Town Albuquerque has been a center of activity for the town since its founding in 1706. Today, it’s a draw for both tourists and locals, with a section of walkable blocks for shopping, dining and museums just outside the commerce area. 

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Museums in Albuquerque

ABQ BioPark Aquarium

The Aquarium was a one-way path from the entrance to the exit. The first exhibit was a good introduction to the local ecology, with tanks and interpretation about the Rio Grande River and the animals that live in and around it. We continued through the museum’s ray tanks, jellyfish aquariums, other marine exhibits. The tunnel that led to the large reef and shark tanks was decorated with fish models to scale with many of those in the tank, and we enjoyed being able being to use them for identification and comparison purposes. 

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ABQ Biopark- Botanical Garden

The BioPark Botanical Garden is far larger than we expected. While the winter in Albuquerque doesn’t allow for many seasonal outdoor displays, there was still a lot to see. The 32 acres allowed for a lengthy walk after the 2-hour drive from Santa Fe.  Like many gardens, the BioPark was in a “nocturnal” focus period, with crowds visiting each night for the River of Lights holiday event. The Mediterranean and Desert Biome Conservatories were open, with the added holiday decoration of potted poinsettias.

The BUGarium was a fun addition to our visit, especially to a Botanic Garden, where butterfly houses are common but not full-scale insect exhibits. 

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Albuquerque Museum

The Albuquerque Museum was an ideal stop for a family who knew very little about the history of the area before our visit. Before going into the museum (admission was included as part of our ROAM reciprocal membership), we had lunch and drinks at the Slate at the Museum café.  The museum’s collection included both historical and artistic pieces that represent the people of the city and region. .

The “Only in Albuquerque” galleries perfectly covered the history and culture of the region through four sections: Spirited, Courageous, Resourceful and Innovative

One of the highlights of our visit was the temporary exhibition (closing on March 2, 2025) Broken Boxes: A Decade of Art, Action, and Dialogue, curated by Ginger Dunnill and Josie Lopez. Clips of each artist’s interview on the podcast Broken Boxes accompanied their contribution to the exhibit. 

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