Albuquerque, New Mexico

douglau5
Living in Albuquerque
2y ago
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I love this city.

It’s big enough that you still have big city amenities like late night eats, an airport, etc.

It’s small enough that traffic congestion isn’t really an issue. Even rush hour isn’t that bad.

Is it perfect? Of course not, but nowhere is.

You can be anywhere in the city and be less than a 20 minute drive to wilderness.

300 days of sunshine and relatively mild weather, yet there is skiing/snowboarding within a short drive (Sandia peak, Santa Fe, Sipapu, Angel fire, Taos, Red River, etc).

We’re rooted in a “live and let live” style of living so everyone is generally cool with each other.

The food is great. Red and green chile on everything!

We’ve got an active local brewing scene if you’re into craft brews.

We’re a 6 hour drive/ 1 hour flight from Denver and Phoenix so big cities aren’t terribly far.

Natural beauty might be the best part.

If you get a chance to go up Sandia peak before you leave, do it. You can drive up the back way or take the tram. Over 10,000 ft at the top. Looking east is grassland; west is ABQ and desert; north and south is mountains.

peculiarpuffins
Living in Albuquerque
2y ago
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I moved here from the Seattle area. I've really enjoyed it, but I know many people with similar stories who haven't. I think you have to like what Albuquerque has to offer. I found the hiking/adventure spots much more accessible here. In a weird way, I've found a lot of basic city amenities more accessible here too since I'm on a budget. To buy a house in the Seattle area under 400k you really have to be HOURS outside of Seattle, and with the traffic actually getting to Seattle sucks. Here I was able to buy a house for 200k and be in the center of town in 20 minutes.

I love the desert, the sun and the warmth. I love the food and the culture. Albuquerque also feels more "little pond" to me and I have access to opportunities here that I may not have been able to qualify for in a bigger city.

As I said before, most of the other people I know who moved here from other places don't like it. The most common complaints I have heard are about the lack of trees and water. The wind in the spring sucks if you have allergies. Albuquerque is not great for shopping and everything closes early. I haven't been personally bothered by the crime, but it looks like we have a literal serial killer on the loose, so YMMV.

radiofreenewport
Living in Albuquerque
2y ago
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Quick answers:

Pros: Natural beauty, access to great hiking and cycling, cool/chill people, excellent breweries, friendly music scene, the NM culture which is different from what I'm used to (white Midwest), and lots of things that we have just enough of to make me happy.

Cons: Crime, though it hasn't affected us yet. The closest most touring bands come is Denver or Phoenix.

Yes -- we gave up a comfortable situation in a big friend network in Ohio to come here a year ago. Love it.

It's not coastal, but I've lived in Chicago. Prefer ABQ.

Spiritual_Ad5449
Living in Albuquerque
5mo ago
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The sunsets and beautiful views of the mountain still thrill me after almost 28 years here. There’s much to love about living in Albuquerque: generally chill people, art and murals everywhere, diversity, unique culture, good to great weather (keep that part quiet), easy access to outdoor activities right in or just outside the city. I live downtown and one of my favorite things is biking on the paseo del bosque trail along the river. I see fields full of geese and cranes in the winter, and later bask in the golden leaves of the cottonwoods in the fall. It’s an incredible urban amenity all year round.

5 Pros And Cons of Living In Albuquerque New Mexico - Why you should move to Albuquerque, New Mexico