ROUTE

TIJERAS TO WEST ALBUQUERQUE 

• Roughly 30 miles •
Nob Hill, Central Avenue, Fourth Street

EAT. Housed in a former Phillips service station, the Route 66 Diner channels the 1950s, with burgers, shakes, a jukebox, a soda fountain, and images of Elvis Presley and Betty Boop. For a stylish meal, the Grove Cafe & Market’s breakfast and brunch includes avocado toast and other modern fare. Don’t hit the road without a cup of java and a breakfast burrito from Barelas Coffee House.

A Route 66 original, El Vado Motel has been reborn as a boutique stay with live music and delicious eats.

STAY. One of New Mexico’s first Route 66 motels, the 1927-built El Vado Motel has been renovated into a trendy spot for travelers and locals, offering live music and food, including the James Beard Award–nominated Buen Provecho. The Imperial, its sister motel, is equally in vogue with a facelift that includes the Dive food hall and cocktail bar. A newly renovated boutique hotel, Arrive Albuquerque pays tribute to its Downtowner Hotel roots with the DWTNR Cocktail Bar & Lounge. Didn’t bring your RV? Rent a ’63 Winnebago or a ’69 Airstream at Enchanted Trails RV Park & Trading Post. Let Lady Luck take the wheel at the Route 66 Casino Hotel.

And Stuff Retail Collective, in Albuquerque.

DO. And Stuff Retail Collective, in Nob Hill, is a hip place for clothing, jewelry, art, and other treasures. Opened in 1927, the landmark KiMo Theatre hosts music, theater, dance, and film. Travel back centuries at Albuquerque’s historic Old Town, just off Central Avenue. Explore narrow streets near the old plaza with unique shops and restaurants, and admire the San Felipe de Neri Church, which dates to the Spanish Colonial period. Ditch the car for a tour of the Wheels Museum, housed in the historic Albuquerque Rail Yards, once the city’s locomotive repair shop. A big shopping bag comes in handy at the Albuquerque Rail Yards Market, where more than 170 vendors gather on Sundays from May to October. 

ROADSIDE ATTRACTION. Any fear of snakes will slither away at Old Town’s Rattlesnake Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of rattlers. Find out how fascinating these reptiles are and the critical role they play in the wild.

Read more: Travel the 1926 route for an extra dose of history, culture, and hospitality.