Categories
50 State Series USA

Family travel in New Mexico

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - worth every BIT of hype you've heard (photo by Sheila Scarborough)I took a 50 state series hiatus there for awhile, but we’re back!

Until we run out of states, I’ll be posting about family-friendly vacation ideas, attractions and events in each one of the US states, taking input mostly from Twitter and Facebook.

Yes, I know how to search for travel ideas on a destination or attraction Web site, but a tweet or a Facebook Wall recommendation is a much more engaging and public way to spread the word.

Please don’t email suggestions to me; that’s nice but it is one-to-one communication. Tweet me and/or Facebook me, so that all of our networks can see what’s cool about your state.

We’re going in alphabetical order but started with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming, then we investigated WisconsinWest Virginia,  Washington,  Virginia,  Vermont,  UtahTexas,  Tennessee,  South Dakota,  South Carolina,  Rhode Island,  Pennsylvania,  OregonOklahoma,  OhioNorth Dakota,  North Carolina, New York and now we’re moving on to….New Mexico!

Their state tourism organization is on Twitter at @NMTourism. I found a Facebook Fan Page for New Mexico but I’m not certain that it is controlled by the state’s tourism office (they should fill out the front page bio to confirm that.)  There’s a Flickr Group Pool for New Mexico, but no YouTube channel, although I did find Albuquerque tourism on YouTube.

When I asked for ideas, here’s what came in….

Twitter Travel Tips for New Mexico

***  From Elmer Boutin via @rehor on Twitter:  I love Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, NM. Carlsbad Caverns is fun, too. Deming is a great little town, though not really a touristy place.

***  From Debbie Dubrow via @DeliciousBaby on Twitter: Explora Science Museum in Albuquerque has tons of hands-on fun. (More on ABQ and New Mexico on this page of her site and here is her Santa Fe info.)

***  From Donna L. Hull via @DonnaLHull on Twitter: You might consider El Morro National Monument for your New Mexico blog post.

***  From Betsy Drager via @BetsyDrager on Twitter: Christmas at Taos Pueblo is awesome; brings all peoples together.

*** From Rachel Farris via @MeanRachel on Twitter: White Sands, museum of the horse in Riudoso, hiking in the Lincoln National Forest, Casa de Patron B&B in Lincoln-Billy the Kid town!

*** From Kara S. Williams via @karasw on Twitter: Santa Fe Children’s Museum has loads of hands-on exhibits. Climbing into cliff dwellings at Bandelier Natl Monument – fun for kids.

Facebook Travel Tips for New Mexico

***  From Marilyn McCray on Facebook  —  New Mexico has so much for families. Start with the pueblos….

Categories
Photos USA

Video of the Week: Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

It’s almost time for that amazing annual event in the desert, the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico October 4-12 2008.

I went to Fiesta last year, and it was simply incredible. Do get the family there before sunrise at least one day, to see the flames lighting up all of the brightly-colored balloons.  Later that day, do NOT miss seeing special performances at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center there in Albuquerque; they always have lots of activities during Fiesta that are kid-friendly.

Here’s a short video by Edwin Villanueva from the Viddler site (Viddler is another site like YouTube for sharing videos.) I thought he did a nice job of showing the variety of balloons, and how many there are.

Check the Balloon Fiesta video page for even more.

Categories
Blog Photos

Photo of the week: Chile Pepper Christmas

                 Chile pepper decorations at the Sichler farm stand, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Scarborough photo)

This is a colorful group of chile pepper decorations for fall and the holiday season, sold at the Sichler Farms produce stand in Albuquerque, New Mexico (820 San Mateo NE, 2 blocks south of Lomas. (505) 255-3338.

The produce stand is open daily August through October, and when I visited this past October, they were roasting chiles in big tumbling barrel roasters in the parking lot, and it smelled divine. 

It’s a typical fall scent in this part of New Mexico; grab some freshly-roasted peppers if you’re ever in town during the season. 

Technorati tags: travel, family travel, Albuquerque, New Mexico, chile peppers

Categories
USA

Look, Mom, up in the sky – Balloon Fiesta!

                     Early morning at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Balloon Fiesta (Scarborough photo)

Hundreds and hundreds of incredibly colorful balloons, cheering spectators and the sun rising over the Sandia Mountains and pink desert of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It’s Balloon Fiesta, a spectacular event.

My Internet connection will be rather spotty for the next few days, but I had to find some WiFi and upload a couple of photos for you.

                                       A panda balloon, one of many special shapes balloons at Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque (Scarborough photo)

Technorati tags: travel, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Balloon Fiesta, ballooning