Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is a semi-rural village tucked between Old Town and Corrales. It’s one of the oldest settled areas in the Rio Grande valley, and back in the mid-1800s it served as the Bernalillo County seat. It was also the original path of Route 66, pre-1937.
Nowadays, it’s a quiet neighborhood lined with cottonwood trees and acequias (irrigation ditches). Antique shops, art galleries, award-winning restaurants and popular breweries take up much of the real estate along Rio Grand Boulevard and Fourth Street (the nighborhood’s main thoroughfares).
It’s home to the 40-acre Larry P. Abraham Agri-Nature Center, which features farming classes, a community garden and some vibrant local wildlife. The Spanish villa-inspired Casa Rondena Winery is located in the village, as is the famed Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, famed for its vibrant lavender fields and James Beard-nominated cocktail program (the food ain’t bad either!)
Albuquerque’s famed 16-mile Paseo Del Bosque trail winds along the river through Los Ranchos, making it a popular weekend destination for bicyclists. During Balloon Fiesta, Los Ranchos hosts the Globito Glow in the Village, during which dozens of small, remote-controlled hot air balloons take to the skies. This new tradition was started last year, and is already one of the most popular events at Balloon Fiesta. It happens Monday, Oct. 5 this year, so get there early!
