Tour
Itineraries in and around
Rio Rancho
Enchantment is just ahead. By car, bus, plane, bicycle or hot air balloon, Rio Rancho is centrally located in the heart of New Mexico, just north of Albuquerque. Every major attraction in the Land of Enchantment is accessible from Rio Rancho within a day’s scenic drive, including Santa Fe, Taos, Indian Country, and so much more. Check out our popular tour itineraries, consider special add-on attractions, or E-mail us to create a special tour just for your group!
Great Group Tours for All Ages
- Enchanting Destinations
- A Taste of New Mexico - Past and Present (8 hours)
- A Taste of New Mexico - Past and Present (12 hours)
- Get Your Kicks on Route 66
Enchanting Destinations
(Approximately 9 hours for entire tour)
Welcome to New Mexico! After an overnight and breakfast in Rio Rancho, it is
only appropriate that you start at the true beginning of the history of the
area, with a tour of Petroglyph National Monument.
More than 15,000 designs etched directly into lava rock were created centuries
ago by Native American artisans. (15 minutes from Rio Rancho hotels; tour is
45 minutes to an hour. Call (505) 899-0205 x 338 for information on a ranger-guided
tour.)
Head to Albuquerque's Old Town, where the city began in 1706. Stroll through the plaza (how the Spanish refer to a town square) and enjoy adobe shops, galleries and hidden treasures tucked away along side streets. Native American artisans spread blankets on the ground showcasing their handmade jewelry, pottery and textiles for sale. Standing like a fortress at the plaza's north end is San Felipe de Neri Church, almost 300 years old and still holding religious services. (Old Town is 20 minutes from the Petroglyphs; allow 2-2 ½ hours for walking tour and lunch at one of Old Town's many restaurants.)
(After lunch, select one of the two options below)
See Albuquerque from another point of view, from high atop the Sandia Mountains. Take the Sandia Peak Tramway 2.7 miles up to the 10,378-ft. peak. You'll pass through four of the earth's seven life zones, and may spot black bears or mule deer on the way up. Enjoy the spectacular view from the top! Interpretive Center/2 restaurants/gift shop. (30 minutes from Old Town; allow 2 hours for tram and exploration/sightseeing on top. For group rates; please call Deborah Owen (505) 856-6419.)
(OR)
Drive north along Rio Grande Boulevard, lined with beautiful haciendas (estates) and horse farms, lush with centuries-old cottonwoods. Enter the Village of Corrales, an enchanting trip along the 7-mile-long Corrales Road Scenic Byway. Enjoy a tour of Casa San Ysidro, a restored Spanish Colonial rancho complete with living quarters, cookhouse, and barn. A collection of more than 1,300 items is exhibited on the premises: religious objects, household items, furniture, blacksmith tools, early agricultural implements and Native American pottery and blankets. (25 minutes from Old Town; allow 2 hours for driving tour & tour of the Casa. For group reservations, please call Casa San Ysidro at (505) 898-3915.)
* Insider's tip at Mexican restaurants: When your server asks "red or green?" he/she is referring to the type of chile served in or over your meal. 'Hotness' varies, so just ask. If you're not sure, ask for both-on the side!
Whichever option you choose, relax at the end of the day. Dig into authentic New Mexican cuisine at one of many fine restaurants or enjoy fine Italian food at the Pasta House Italian Grill in Rio Rancho. (For group menus/reservations, please call Joe Guzzardi at (505) 892-3333.)
Summary: 9 a.m. leave hotel for Petroglyphs Nat. Monument; 10:30 a.m. leave Petroglyphs; 11 a.m. arrive Old Town, do walking tour and lunch. 2 p.m. leave Old Town. Tram Option: Leave Old Town 2 p.m., 2:30 p.m. arrive Tram, leave Tram at 4:30 p.m. Arrive El Pinto/Pasta House 5 p.m. for relaxed dinner. Corrales Option: Leave Old Town 2 p.m. Arrive Corrales area approximately 2:30 p.m. Allow 2 hours for driving tour of area and guided tour of Casa San Ysidro. Arrive Pasta House by 5 p.m.
A
Taste of New Mexico
Past and Present
Option 1
(Allow 8-9 hours for entire tour)
After overnighting and enjoying breakfast
in Rio Rancho, cruise over to J & R
Vintage Auto Museum, which houses about 65 restored cars and
trucks. Auto buffs will drool over the 1928 Model A Special Coupe, a 1918
Model T, and nine classic automobiles that have competed in the Great American
Race. Packard, Hupmobile, Marmon-it's all here along with books and die cast
toys. (15 minutes from Rio Rancho hotels; allow an hour for tour. Call toll-free
(888)-298-1885 for details.)
Step even further back into history at Coronado State Monument. In 1540, Spanish conquistador Coronado encountered the Kuaua Pueblo people at this site along the Rio Grande River. The monument contains ruins of the ancient village. An interpretive tour allows you to try on Spanish armor, grind corn, and descend into a circular underground kiva just like those used today by New Mexico's pueblos for ceremonial purposes. Spectacular view of the Rio Grande River and Sandia Mountains. Closed Tues. (10 minutes from J & R; allow an hour for tour. Discount for 10 or more seniors call (505) 867-5351.)
Travel northwest on Hwy. 550 toward the Jemez Mountains. On the right you'll see Santa Ana Pueblo, a progressive business-oriented pueblo that runs a Las Vegas-style casino, restaurants, and a resort. Leaving civilization behind, pass dramatic high mesas and deep arroyos that lead to the Rio Grande River. Pass Zia Pueblo, pop. 646 (birthplace of the familiar ancient sun symbol, which can be seen on New Mexico's state flag). At the village of San Ysidro, you'll begin following the Jemez River upstream to the towering cliffs of Canyon de San Diego, and the Jemez Pueblo. (The Pueblo is 30 minutes from Coronado.)
Jemez Pueblo operates the Walatowa Visitor Center, where a Native American guide will interpret the cultural exhibits, and show you a replica ancestral field house, photo exhibit and nature walk. A gift shop showcases Jemez-made pottery. (Walatowa Visitors Center is open daily from 8-5. Allow 45 minutes for tour. Call (505) 834-7235 for more info.)
Leaving the pueblo, you will begin traveling the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway. In the town of Jemez Springs (known for therapeutic hot springs), enjoy lunch at Los Ojos Restaurant & Saloon. A few blocks north, the ruins of a 500-year-old Indian village and 17th century Catholic mission comprise Jemez State Monument. You'll tour the heritage center, where the voices of the Jemez people tell the story of the site. A short interpretive trail winds past the massive stone ruins. Closed Tuesdays. (Jemez Springs, and Jemez State Monument, are approximately 15 minutes from the pueblo. Admission info call (505) 829-3530.)
As you head further (up!) into the mountains, the natural wonder Soda Dam is on the right. Here, water from natural hot springs flows to the surface, and has deposited a 300-foot-wide mineral deposit dam that blocks the Jemez River. The river bursts through the deposit, creating a waterfall. (2 miles north of Jemez Springs via NM 4.)
Returning back through Jemez Springs, turn left onto State Route 290 to Ponderosa. The Ponderosa Valley Vineyard offers free tasting of their award-winning vintages in a cozy, rustic atmosphere. Rock on the porch with a resident kitty or pooch at your feet, and watch hundreds of hummingbirds in the summer and fall. (20 minutes from Jemez Springs; Ponderosa Valley Vineyards, 3171 Hwy. 290. Call (800) WINE-MKR for info.) Retrace your path to NM 4, head back to Rio Rancho for dinner and your hotel.
Summary: Leave hotel 8 a.m. for J & R, leave J & R at 9:15 a.m. Arrive Coronado 9:30 a.m., leave Coronado at 10:30 a.m. for Jemez area. Arrive Walatowa Visitor Center by 11:30 a.m. Leave Walatowa by 12:30 p.m., lunch at Los Ojos. Leave Los Ojos by 1:30 p.m., Jemez State Mon. is 5 minutes away. Leave Jemez Monument by 2:30 p.m. to drive further up the mountain. See Soda Dam, turn around and arrive at Ponderosa Vineyards by 3:30 p.m. Leave Ponderosa at 4:30, arrive back in Rio Rancho before 5:30 p.m.
A
Taste of New Mexico
Past and Present
Option 2
(Allow 12 hours for this tour)
After passing Soda Dam, continue
up the Jemez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway.
A few miles north, Battleship Rock looms
dramatically up from the trees.
At La Cueva, head east to the Valles Caldera National Preserve. In private hands for 140 years, it is now public domain. It is one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world, 14 miles across, with 11,254-foot Redondo Peak dominating the center. Bring binoculars; the chances of seeing elk here are excellent! (The Preserve is approximately halfway between Jemez Springs and Los Alamos. Allow an hour for the drive and a stop for a chance to spot elk and other wildlife. For more info call (505) 661-3333.)
After the highway skirts the southern lip of the great volcanic bowl, the road enters the pine forests again and passes the once-secret city of Los Alamos. The remote mesa-top city was the site Robert Oppenheimer selected for the Manhattan Project, the development of the world's first atomic bomb. Although the city is no longer off-limits, notice the concrete guard "shacks" and remains of barricades that once blocked the road into town.
At Bandelier National Monument south of Los Alamos, sheer, dramatic cliffs of volcanic tuff shelter ancestral Pueblo dwellings scratched into the surface, and scattered about the tree-lined valley. (Allow 1 to 1 ½ hours if your group chooses to do the moderately-difficult, paved trail through the ruins. Admission varies, call the park for details at (505) 672-3861. Guided interpretation available.)
Enjoy dinner in the Santa Fe area, or in Rio Rancho. Return to Rio Rancho via Interstate 25 South. (1 ½ hours for the scenic drive back, and an additional hour for dinner.)
Summary: After passing Soda Dam (approximately 2:45 p.m.), pass Battleship Rock, then stop along NM Hwy. 4 at Valle Caldera Preserve for wildlife spotting. Leave Valle Caldera by 3:30 p.m. Arrive Bandelier National Monument at 4 p.m. Leave Bandelier by 5 p.m. Arrive at restaurant in Santa Fe area by 6 p.m. Leave restaurant by 7:15 p.m. Arrive back in Rio Rancho by 8 p.m. Or eat in Rio Rancho.
Get Your Kicks on Route 66
(Approximately
9-10 hours for entire tour)
After breakfast in Rio Rancho, cruise over to J & R
Vintage Auto Museum.
Car buffs will adore the 60 restored cars and trucks, which include a 1928
Model A Special Coupe, a 1918 Model T, and nine classic automobiles that have
competed in the Great American Race. Let the owners of the museum (who actually
raced) tell you all about it. Books, die cast toys in the gift shop. (15 minutes
from hotels; allow an hour for tour. Admission info call toll-free (888) 298-1885.)
Coronado National Monument sits alongside the Rio Grande River and offers stunning views of the river and Sandia Mountains. This is the site where Spanish conquistador Coronado encountered the Kuaua Pueblo village in 1540. The monument contains ruins of the ancient village. An interpretive center and tour allows participants to try on Spanish armor, grind corn, and descend into an underground ceremonial kiva. (10 minutes from J & R Museum, allow one hour for tour. Discounts 10 or more seniors call (505) 867-5351.)
See Santa Fe-style run amok at Jackalope, a wild and wacky store featuring high-quality Mexican folk art, pottery, furniture, rugs and more. (5 minutes from Coronado; allow 30-45 minutes to browse.)
Next, travel along an original stretch of Route 66 through the town of Bernalillo, then cruise up the hill to Rio Rancho and lunch at the Pasta Café. (Bernalillo is about 5-10 minutes from Coronado; the Pasta House another 15 minutes; allow 2 hours for lunch including the drive there. For Pasta Café group menus/reservations contact Joe Guzzardi, (505) 892-3333.)
After relaxing at the Pasta Café, head south on Hwy. 528 until it becomes Alameda. Turn right onto Rio Grande Blvd. South. Travel south on Rio Grande Boulevard, lined with haciendas (estates) and horse farms. Take Rio Grande all the way to Albuquerque's Old Town, where the city began in 1706. Stroll through the plaza (how the Spanish refer to a town square) and enjoy adobe shops, galleries and hidden treasures tucked away along side streets. Native American artisans spread blankets on the ground showcasing their handmade jewelry, pottery and textiles.
(Approximately 45 minutes travel time from Bernalillo to Old Town; allow an additional 1 ½ hours to stroll Old Town area. Call Greg at Rio Rancho CVB, 1-888-746-7262 for suggestions on additional things to do in this area.)
See the entire city and surrounding mountain ranges from high atop Sandia Peak. The Sandia Peak Tramway ascends 2.7 miles to the 10,378-foot summit, passing four of the earth's seven life zones along the way. Enjoy the sunset from the balcony. (Allow 1 ½ hours for the tram ride and exploration at the top. Group rates; Call Deborah Owen at (505) 856-6419. Your group can also eat dinner at the top; ask about dinner/tram packages.) Return to Rio Rancho for dinner and your hotel. (20 minutes from Tram to Rio Rancho.)
Summary: Leave hotel 8:45 a.m. to drive to J&R. Arrive J &R at 9 a.m. Leave J &R at 10 a.m. Ten minutes to Jackalope. Leave Jackalope by 10:45. Arrive Coronado at 11 a.m. Leave Coronado by 12:10 p.m. Arrive Bernalillo and Range Café by 12:40 p.m. Leave Range Café, headed for Old Town, by 2 p.m. Arrive Old Town by 2:30 p.m. and leave 4:30 p.m. Arrive Tram 5 p.m. Allow 2 ½ hours for ride and dinner. Leave bottom of mountain at 7:30 p.m. Arrive Rio Rancho hotels before 8 p.m.
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