A Niche New Mexico Guide for Art Student Sisters 🎨

One of us lives in New York, the other in LA—we brainstormed and decided to explore the American Southwest! Before the trip, we listed all the places we wanted to visit, figuring we’d see how many we could actually hit (it’s all about fate). In the end, we came back with tons of stunning photos. Our 5-day trip started in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here are our top picks: 1. National Museum of Nuclear Science & History The outdoor exhibition area has tons of aircraft and atomic bomb prototypes on display—every corner feels like a movie set, making it super easy to snap cinematic photos . We booked a Dutch colonial-style Airbnb, where we had the entire big house to ourselves—perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring. 2. Breaking Bad Spots (For Fans!) If you’re a first-time visitor to ABQ and a Breaking Bad fan, don’t miss these: Twisters Burgers and Burritos (the stand-in for Los Pollos Hermanos) 🍗 Dog House Drive-In (a classic spot from the show) The iconic car wash The Breaking Bad Store ABQ (stock up on show-themed merch)—check off every spot! 🎬 3. Spaceship UFO House Designed by architect Bart Prince, this unique house looks like a UFO. It’s a private residence now, but you can take photos of the exterior —its futuristic design is a hit for art lovers. 4. NRAO Very Large Array Located near Highway 54, this massive radio telescope array feels like a “base for astronomers.” Pull over on the nearby highway sections to take cool road photos with the telescopes in the background—total sci-fi vibes! 🛰️ 5. Santa Fe (The Artistic Town) Santa Fe is a quiet, artsy town with fewer crowds—ideal for slowing down. Here’s what we loved: Museums, home decor shops, art galleries, and restaurants everywhere. Indigenous jewelry stores: A simple silver necklace with turquoise can cost over $1,800—super pricey! 💎 Georgia O’Keeffe Museum: We fell in love with her style—semi-realistic, semi-abstract works featuring close-ups of flowers, rock textures, animal bones, and desolate American inland landscapes. As photography students, we couldn’t help but note: Her husband was Alfred Stieglitz—a pivotal figure in modern photography history and a key advocate for establishing photography as a form of contemporary art! 🏨 Accommodation: Inn & Spa at Loretto—the staff were incredibly friendly.🍜 Food Find: After eating Mexican food for days, we stumbled on The Wrap Santa Fe—a cute spot with light meals and ramen. They even offer gluten-free noodles as a substitute! 6. White Sands National Park Park your car at the entrance and walk into the park. In summer, sunset is around 7:45 PM—it gets really hot in the afternoon, so plan your visit around the sunset time to avoid the heat. The white dunes under golden light are pure magic for photos! 🏜️ Honorable Mentions (That We Missed, But Want to Visit Next Time) Los Alamos (the “Oppenheimer town”) Taos (known for art and Indigenous culture) Bisti Badlands (“Devil’s Basin”)—we heard its otherworldly rock formations are amazing! #SisterTrip #SisterPhotography #AmericanArchitecture #NewMexico #SantaFe #OffTheBeatenPath #NicheTravelGuide #PhotographyStudents