New Mexico’s star cities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos are all famous for a reason. In Albuquerque, where hot-air balloons fly high almost year-round, groups can catch bird’s-eye views of the mountains.
In Santa Fe, a well-known artists’ colony, delegates can stroll into gallery after gallery in between conference sessions. And up north in Taos, a destination known for its quiet atmosphere, groups can relish outdoor beauty as well as the locale’s rich heritage and history.
In addition to properties evoking the area’s cultural and scenic appeal—from the quaint Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town and Hotel Santa Fe to the all-encompassing Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa—the region is graced with intriguing off-site options.
Southwestern style, architecture and cuisine can be felt around every corner of Albuquerque. The city showcases its Native American heritage with everything from museums to hotels, and there are plenty of interesting off-site options.
Los Poblanos
505.344.9297
Just north of downtown Albuquerque in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque sits a historic gem of a venue that is now open to meeting groups. Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Cultural Center sits on 25 picturesque acres and features places for retreats, workshops, serious sit-down meetings and private dining occasions.
The site was built in the early 20th century and functioned as the estate for the Simms Family as well as an experimental farm, raising sugar beets, alfalfa, oats, corn and barley. Today, there is a lavender farm, an organic farm, a cultural center with an art gallery and a bed- and-breakfast on-site.
"Los Poblanos is absolutely breathtaking," says Larry Atchison, interim vice president, convention sales, service, sports for the Albuquerque CVB. "To get there, you drive through a 90-year-old Elm-covered driveway. The trees are 80 feet tall. You forget that you are in the desert. Peacocks stroll the grounds. The whole place lends itself well to a great reception or a high-end board meeting, with indoor and outdoor space."
Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
505.768.6020
Besides tasty cuisine and incredible turquoise jewelry, one of Albuquerque’s main claims to fame is its International Balloon Fiesta. Held every year during the first week of October, more than 600 hot-air balloons take off in the early morning, filling the sky with color. During this time, visitors are encouraged to take hot-air balloon flights for the best view of the area and the striking Sandia Mountains.
If you can’t get to Albuquerque in October but still crave a healthy dose of hot-air balloon action, head over to the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. The facility is located on the fiesta grounds and offers a myriad of exhibits detailing the history of ballooning in New Mexico, which dates back to August 1978.
The museum has spaces for group events, including many that overlook the mountains.
"There is a window in the building that is shaped like a balloon inflating," Atchison says. "The windows give a great view of the Sandia Mountains, and groups always come back saying they had a great experience."
Group-friendly spaces include a conference room, outside grounds and spaces with outdoor patios. The entire museum can also be rented out for a group of up to 500 guests.
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
505.843.7270
Developed by 19 area Native American pueblos in 1976, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a local treasure. The center is anchored by a 10,000-square-foot museum that details the history of Pueblo culture, past and present.
The locale offers more than 24,000 square feet of meeting space for groups of up to 550 people. The center offers dance troop performances, storytelling, bonfire sessions, and art and food demonstrations.
"The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is a great place for groups and they recently renovated their facilities to offer additional meeting space," Atchison says. "Now you have a two-level dining facility with an outdoor balcony that faces the Sandia Mountains. It is a great place to go for a breakfast or dinner meeting.
Santa Fe
Ahh, Santa Fe. Meeting planners who take a stroll through the beautiful destination’s downtown maze of shops, restaurants and galleries soon feel as though they are on vacation. The air is crisp, the mountains rise high in the distance, and the colors of art on street corners, in shops and dangling around patrons’ necks glitter in the sun.
Complementing its aesthetic appeal are some interesting off-sites.
Gerald Peters Gallery
505.954.5700
Art is a huge part of Santa Fe’s culture, with world-class galleries around almost every corner. One of the most famous art spots in town, Gerald Peters Gallery, is open to groups for off-site events.
"It is so Santa Fe," says Keith Toler, executive director of the Santa Fe CVB. "They have an outdoor sculpture garden and the inside gallery can hold up to 250 people for an event. Exhibits are always changing, and art is sold there at prices from $10,000 up to $1 million."
The gallery, founded in 1972, features 19th and 20th century art, many of the pieces depicting life in New Mexico.
Santa Fe Farmers Market
505.983.4098
Located near downtown in the Santa Fe Railyard, the Santa Fe Farmers Market is a city institution. The market started in the 1960s as an informal gathering of farmers selling their wares, and over the past 50 years has grown to one of the largest markets in the nation.
In 2008, the market completed a new building that measures more than 9,000 square feet of space, where groups of up to 600 attendees are welcome to set up shop for conferences, concerts, trade shows, receptions and food events.
"Our farmers market goes on year-round, and there is even an art market on the weekends," Toler says. "Groups love renting out the facility when the farmers are gone. It is a great spot for big groups."
The Lensic
505.988.7050
Back in 1931, The Lensic opened as a movie and vaudeville theater center, eventually closing in 2000. In 2001, the building went through a $9 million renovation and reopened as an 821-seat performance venue with all of the architectural touches of the past well preserved.
"It is very ornate," Toler says. "If you look at the exterior, The Lensic is nothing like any building in Santa Fe because it is not adobe. Once inside, you see a lot of impressive ornamentation. Groups often do receptions there, or private shows or presentations."
Taos
Situated in the northern reaches of New Mexico, the town of Taos offers a unique ambience for groups.
"Taos has a lot of authenticity," says Steve Fuhlendorf, CEO of the Taos County Chamber of Commerce. "It has a tremendous history. The Taos Pueblo, for example, has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years. The Hispanic community has been here for more than 400 years and the Anglos came in the late 19th century. We have so many cultures that made up the area. We’d like to think we can offer the closest thing to traveling abroad without leaving the United States because of all of the influences you have here."
The selection of off-site venues reflects that diversity.
Hacienda de Los Martinez
575.758.1000
In 1804, a man named Severino Martin came to Taos to establish the community as a trading hub. That year, he built Hacienda de los Martinez (he later changed his last name to Martinez) in a fortress style. For years, he lived at the Hacienda, but also opened it up to the community as a trading center, a place for celebrations and a place for community members to meet.
Today, the Hacienda is preserved in its original, traditional form and offers indoor space for up to 25 people and outdoor space for up to 100 guests.
"The site has been re-created from its early 1800s roots, even with furniture from that time period," Toler says.
Millicent Rogers Museum
575.758.2462
Located about four miles north of Taos Plaza, the Millicent Rogers Museum opened in 1956 and features Native American and Hispanic art and history from the Southwest.
"They have many gallery rooms and a central courtyard for receptions," Toler says.
In addition to the central courtyard, the facility offers an east lawn for groups with spectacular views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
The Harwood Museum of Art
575.758.9826
"Just off the Taos Plaza at the University of Mexico, Harwood has space for groups," Toler says. "It has several different galleries that groups can use."
The museum houses exhibits highlighting the country’s Western heritage through mediums such as sculpture and paint.
Plans are in the works to open a 10,000-square-foot expansion to the museum in December. The addition will include a 130-seat auditorium and a new gallery, all open for group events.
Katie Morell is a Chicago-based freelance writer and former Meetings Media editor. She will never forget the sight of sunrise while in a hot-air balloon over Albuquerque.
