🇺🇸 Travel Guide: ABQ & Santa Fe Day Trips 🗺️

New Mexico has SO much to explore—but it’s spread out! Saving some spots for next time (maybe during the Balloon Fiesta 🎈). 🏜️ Itinerar Day 3: Alamogordo → Santa Fe (3.5-hour drive) Day 4: Santa Fe (fly out at 5 PM)Bandelier National MonumentSanta Fe Old TownKasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks (hidden gem! 😯 Tickets are hard to get—reopened 11/21, but seasonally closes 12/15. Didn’t make it this time.)Note: This schedule was light because we hoped to visit Kasha. Alternatively, you couldstay in Alamogordo and day-trip to Carlsbad Caverns—but you’d miss some Santa Fe highlights.🏠 Santa Fe Old Town Larger than expected! Full of photogenic corners—especially the strings of dried chili peppers hanging everywhere 🌶️. Shops sell crafts, toys, and local goods (no strong recommendations—just browse!). Even stumbled upon a "going out of business" sale (not sure if legit 😅).✈️ Santa Fe Airport Tiny! Baggage claim is in a separate building, rental car counters are small, and it’s easy to get lost. Security is strict (maybe due to outdated equipment/proximity to Mexico?). If flights aren’t significantly cheaper, fly into ABQ instead!🍴 Food HighlightEl Callejón: Great tacos, open late! 🌮👌⛰️ Bandelier National MonumentPueblo Loop Trail (1.5 miles)Covered by National Park Pass 🎫Non-profit gift shop (no tax!)Cultural site with 500-700-year-old cliff dwellings 🏞️One cave is open for climbing—others are off-limits (stay on the trail!). 50-minute drive from Santa Fe.🔥 Albuquerque (Day 0)Skipped most Breaking Bad spots, but worth mentioning:Balloon Museum 🎈Petroglyph National Monument (hikes with hundreds of ancient rock carvings 🪨)Old Town (small—optional visit) #NewMexico #SantaFe #ABQ #TravelGuide #HiddenGems #USA #Southwest #OffTheBeatenPath #Wanderlust #NatureLovers