Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Puebloan culture. Many good hikes and
bike rides are found in the area, and
there's also a campground. See p. 135.
Bandelier National Monument (NM):
These ruins provide a spectacular peek
into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloan
culture, which flourished in the area
between a.d. 1100 and 1550. The most
dramatic site is a dwelling and kiva (a
room used for religious activities) in a
cave 140 feet above the canyon floor—
reached by a climb up long pueblo-style
ladders. See p. 193.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (NM):
Owned and operated as a nonprofit
organization by the 19 pueblos of New
Mexico, this is a fine place to begin an
exploration of Native American culture.
The Albuquerque museum is modeled
after Pueblo Bonito, a spectacular 9th-
century ruin in Chaco Culture National
Historic Park, and contains art and
artifacts old and new. See p. 250.
Heard Museum (AZ): This Phoenix
institution is one of the nation's premier
museums devoted to Native American
cultures. In addition to historical exhib-
its, a huge kachina collection, and an
excellent store, it has annual exhibits of
contemporary Native American art as
well as dance performances and demon-
strations of traditional skills. See p. 434.
Tonto National Monument (AZ):
Reached via the Apache Trail scenic
road, this historic site has one of Ari-
zona's few easily accessible cliff dwell-
ings that still allows visitors to walk
around inside the ruins; you don't have
to observe from a distance. See p. 462.
Montezuma Castle National Monu-
ment (AZ): Located just off I-17, this is
the easiest cliff dwelling to get to in
Arizona, but visitors cannot go inside
the ruins. Nearby Montezuma Well also
has some small ruins. See p. 502.
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5 THE BEST FAMILY EXPERIENCES
Santa Fe Children's Museum (NM):
Designed for the whole family to expe-
rience, this museum offers interactive
exhibits and hands-on activities in the
arts, humanities, science, and technol-
ogy. Most notable is a 16-foot climbing
wall that kids can scale when outfitted
with helmets and harnesses. A 1-acre
Southwestern horticulture garden fea-
tures animals, wetlands, and a green-
house. Family Life magazine named this
one of the 10 hottest children's muse-
ums in the nation. See p. 172.
Albuquerque Aquarium (NM): For
those of us born and raised in the des-
ert, this attraction quenches years of
soul thirst. Exhibits focus on sea areas
fed by the Rio Grande River. You'll
pass by many large tanks and within an
eels' den. The culminating show is a
285,000-gallon shark tank, where many
species of fish and 15 to 20 sand, tiger,
brown, and nurse sharks swim around
looking ominous. See p. 252.
Rio Grande Zoo (NM): More than
250 species live on 64 acres of riverside
bosk among ancient cottonwoods.
Open-moat exhibits with animals in
naturalized habitats are a treat for zoo-
goers. Major exhibits include the polar
bears, the giraffes, the sea lions (with
underwater viewing), the cat walk, the
bird show, and ape country, with its
gorilla and orangutans. See p. 254.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
(NM): Truly one of the world's natural
wonders, these caverns swallow visitors
as they embark on what feels like a
journey to the center of the earth. Noc-
turnal creatures thrive, and water drips
onto your body. Kids won't like the fact
that they can't climb on the formations,
 
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