During my mid-year Christmas in July holiday, I ventured out south with my sister to the Land of Enchantment. From ancient natural wonders to Pueblo Indian and Southwestern culture, to adobe architecture and chile galore, New Mexico is one of the most unique places I’ve ever visited in America.

Our first stop: Albuquerque.

Some things I really enjoyed doing in our two days there:

• Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, for educating us on the Pueblo Indian culture, history, and art

• The ABQ BioPark Zoo, to get super close to giant gorillas and playful chimps

• Old Town, where we took colorful pictures at Poco a Poco Plaza, browsed souvenir specialty shops, and visited the one-of-a-kind Breaking Bad store

• Not Made in China Pottery Studio, a local non-profit pottery studio where I tried my hand at a pottery wheel for the first time ever (Thank you Patrick for being so patient with us)

• Church Street Cafe, for amazing Southwestern food and a nice outdoor dining experience

• The Frontier, another popular Southwestern restaurant

• Cheba Hut, for quick, easy, and delicious sandwiches

We stayed at a quaint little Airbnb near Rio Grande, in a renovated in-law unit on a large property that allowed us to roam, meet furry friends, and seek shelter from the late afternoon thunderstorms. Our host Brent was gracious enough to let us borrow his bikes to explore the neighborhood, where we found our way to the river through the enchanting Paseo del Bosque Trail. Just look at that sky — isn’t it the most magical sight?

When traveling I always seek out unique sites that showcase the history of humankind. Petroglyph National Monument is one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers over 500 years ago. We hiked Boca Negra and Piedras Marcadas Canyon, where messages and religious symbols appear on the surfaces of large rocks, telling stories that involve animals, people, brands, and other images that held meaning for the people who inhabited this land.

Seeking out these carvings was delightful as we tried to make our best guesses about what they mean. As a designer, I also appreciate seeing where icon design originated. Since rock carving was so strenuous, how did they go about using a minimal amount of strokes to visually demonstrate an idea?

Bandelier National Monument

One highlight of our time in New Mexico was Bandelier National Monument, a national park that preserves the homes of the ancestral Pueblo peoples who inhabited the area thousands of years ago. Knowing the park’s rising popularity amongst travelers seeking outdoor adventure during this post-pandemic time, we headed out before 7am to beat the crowds.

Remnants of ancient Pueblo communities greeted us as we started our morning hiking (and climbing) the Main Loop Trail. We stepped around foundations of ancestral Pueblo dwellings, which once housed large groups of families and communities, who lived in this area over 10,000 years ago. Up ahead, a rugged canyon with voids in the cliff walls and reconstructed entry ladders allowed us to peek into “cavates,” excavated cliff alcoves carved out by those who lived in the canyon walls. Along the trail you can see large doorways and smaller holes that indicate where the floors and roofs once stood.

We continued along an extended portion of the trail that leads to the Alcove House. This pueblo stands 140 feet above the canyon floor, contains a ceremonial kiva, and was once the home of around 25 pueblo peoples. We climbed stone stairs and four sets of steep ladders to reach the alcove. Luckily neither of us are afraid of heights and I actually found ladder climbing to be more fun than I expected.

Thank you archaeologists, for preserving this magnificent piece of human history.

A few more travel tips:

• Rent a car! You’ll need to drive around to get places, in the city and around New Mexico if you plan on visiting Santa Fe or national parks. I tried Turo for the first time and it was great!

• Albuquerque does have higher crime neighborhoods, so do your research beforehand and keep valuables out of (or at least covered up) in your car

• Drink lots of water! Adjust to the high elevation by staying hydrated

• Try both red and green chiles! Different restaurants make them differently so one may be spicier than the other. New Mexico hatch chiles are so unique in their flavor, so don’t miss out

• Go to a Trader Joe’s to buy breakfast ingredients to prep a healthy filling meal before you start your travel days (my go-to is soy milk, chia seeds, and fruit)

• Be prepared for late afternoon thunderstorms and plan an indoor activity during that time

• Visit during October to catch the world famous hot air balloon festival

Stay tuned for the next stop of this trip - Santa Fe!