What to Expect: Holiday Traditions in Old Town

Join us for an unforgettable holiday experience in the heart of Albuquerque. Steeped in culture and tradition you will experience the true spirit of Albuquerque on these enchanting evenings. December in Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town is the perfect season to open your senses to the magic of New Mexico.

The first half of your evening will include an immersive and enchanting two-hour walking tour that celebrates the mixture of influences and cultures that make up the heart of Albuquerque’s 18th Century Historic Old Town. This tour is a shared journey where guests get a glimpse into Albuquerque’s past and still living history. During your walk, our discussion will focus on how Albuquerque has grown over the last three hundred years and bloomed into the city it is today and how the traditions have evolved with this growth.

After our walk, we will enjoy a festive dinner at the High Noon Restaurant and Saloon, a legend in the Duke City. As you enter the restaurant, you will feel the merging of cultures from the Wild West, to the Spanish, Victorian and Native American heritages that inhabited this building. This location, a local’s favorite, opened its doors in July of 1974. Originally constructed as a home sometime in the mid to late 1700s, legend has it that the structure has served as a gambling parlor, a brothel and apartments over the past several centuries. Its final two residents were a Spanish furniture maker and Catholic nun who worked at the nearby convent.

After our hearts are full and our belly’s content we will journey to the Albuquerque Botanical Gardens to enjoy the magic and delight of the River of Lights. An illuminating experience with over 600 3D and LED light displays. There will be millions of lit up, sparkling lights, animatronic light sculptures and multiple synchronized music and light shows that create an enchanting holiday experience.