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Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico

Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque on Route 66

If you’re traveling the Mother Road in Albuquerque, consider stopping for a bite to eat at Frontier Restaurant.  Opening in 1971, this isn’t one of those places that have been there from the beginning; it seems to have sprung up as a college student haven for those attending the University of New Mexico right across the street. However, as more people discover the nostalgic adventure of driving Route 66, the Frontier Restaurant is just as likely to serve up its New Mexican cuisine or American favorites to travelers as to locals. When planning our road trips, I’m also on the lookout for something unusual for us to experience along the highway. When I discovered I could sample some New Mexican fare while my pickier travel companions could have something familiar, I knew this was a place for us. After settling in at our home for the night at El Vado…

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El Vado Motel in Albuquerque. New Mexico on Route 66
New Mexico

Staying a Night at the El Vado Motel-ABQ on Route 66

One of the most adorable places we’ve ever stayed is along Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The historic El Vado Motel originally opened in 1937 as a motor court with open garage spaces to park your car, not unlike many motor inns along Route 66, including the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari. Built in the Spanish Pueblo Revival style, this motel makes your imagination a reality as you experience the Southwest corner of the U.S. In 2005, the El Vado Motel closed, its future uncertain. For a while, it looked like demolition would be the motel’s fate, but in 2008, the City of Albuquerque made it a city landmark. Then, in 2028, the El Vado Motel reopened as a boutique motel that honored the motor inn’s past while giving it a fresh, new vibe. On a road trip in 2022, we gave the motel a try. “El Vado…

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Rattlesnake Museum and Gift Shop Albuquerque New Mexico
New Mexico

Visiting the Rattlesnake Museum in Old Town Albuquerque

When exploring Old Town Albuquerque, be sure to make a stop at the Rattlesnake Museum and Gift Shop. While visiting, you’ll see rescued rattlesnakes of all kinds, and you’ll get to see some fun displays honoring those in popular culture that have dealt with rattlesnakes in some way. We had a great time, and I think you will, too! Old Town Albuquerque Whether you visit the Rattlesnake Museum and Gift Shop or not, Old Town Albuquerque is a beautiful place to experience New Mexican culture. You’ll find plenty of dining options. And it’s worth checking out the shopping in the area. You’ll feel like you’re in another era. I guess that’s why it’s called Old Town. It was also cool to see the wares of local artists and craftspeople. We parallel-parked in front of this historic church in Old Town. The San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church is over 300 years…

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Kakawa Chocolate House Santa Fe
New Mexico

Chocolate Elixir and More at Kakawa Chocolate House in Santa Fe

As we researched places to visit in Santa Fe, especially places for tasty treats, one place continued to pop up on my radar–Kakawa Chocolate House. When I discovered that you could taste rich chocolatey elixirs or devour a variety of truffles, I knew Kristin and I had to go and get our chocolate on. So, after an exciting morning at Santa Fe’s Meow Wolf attraction, it was lunchtime. And what could be better for lunch than all things chocolate? About Kakawa Chocolate House Okay, maybe we didn’t exactly have lunch there. But Kakawa Chocolate House was right along our route back to our hotel room at the Guadalupe Inn, an adorable little place (it only has 12 rooms!) that was near downtown and some pretty great places to eat. So, before we headed back to downtown and Santa Fe Plaza, we needed to satisfy our need for chocolate. There are…

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El Rancho Hotel
New Mexico

Staying a Night at the Historic El Rancho Hotel on Route 66

If you spend enough time driving Route 66 and learning about the highlights along the way, you’ll inevitably stumble upon the El Rancho Hotel and its movie star history. When we found ourselves driving through the American Southwest, we couldn’t resist staying a night. Located right on Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico, this historic hotel is not only a fun place to sleep, it’s also a fun Route 66 attraction that will have you looking in every nook and cranny for its surprises. History of El Rancho Hotel In the 1930s, a man named R.E. Griffith, known as Griff, came to Gallup. He liked the area enough that he decided to build a hotel, so he hired Joe Massaglia to build the hotel on Route 66. In 1936, the hotel was completed. Griff’s brother, movie director D.W. Griffith, used the hotel to house movie stars and production crews that…

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Meow Wolf Santa Fe
New Mexico

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole at Meow Wolf Santa Fe

When we began planning our visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico, we had no idea that a place like Meow Wolf even existed. How do you describe Meow Wolf? It’s an art installation. It’s interactive. It’s immersive. It’s imaginative. And, it’s air-conditioned! This indoor attraction allows you to try to solve a mystery or just explore. The more I read about Meow Wolf, the more I knew that my family would love it! And I was right. This place ranks high as one of the highlights of our most recent road trip. As I read more about Meow Wolf, I discovered that there are currently two more in other cities: Las Vegas and Denver.  Two more are in the works in Texas. Each are completely different; the one in Santa Fe is known as the House of Eternal Return. We loved our experience at Meow Wolf so much that we…

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Blue Swallow Motel
New Mexico

Blue Swallow Motel: Stay a Night on Historic Route 66

If you’re taking a road trip in the Southwest, and you’re traveling along Route 66 or nearby, why not stay at a historic Route 66 roadside motel, like the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, New Mexico? For this road trip, we opted for unique and nostalgic lodging, and we couldn’t have had more fun taking in the details and imagining what it used to be like to travel America’s iconic highway just a few decades ago. Blue Swallow Motel: The Property The lobby of the Blue Swallow is like a time capsule. You’ll see all kinds of details from yesteryear, and if you look closely, you’ll see items from other locations along Route 66. I was surprised to see a pop bottle from Cozy Dog Drive-In in Springfield, Illinois. The fireplace is fun to check out, too. So cozy! The property is intimate and adorable. When the neon comes on in…

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