Introducing Albuquerque

This bustling crossroads has an understated charm, one based more on its locals than on any kind of urban sparkle. In New Mexico's largest city, folks are more than happy to share history, highlights and must-try restaurants – making this much more than just the dot on the Route 66 map where Bugs Bunny should have turned left.

Centuries-old adobes line the lively Old Town area, and the shops, restaurants and bars in the hip Nob Hill zone are all within easy walking distance of each other. Good hiking is abundant just outside of town, through evergreen forests or among panels of ancient petroglyphs, while the city's modern museums explore space and nuclear energy. There's a vibrant mix of university students, Native Americans, Hispanics and gays and lesbians. You'll find square dances and yoga classes flyered with equal enthusiasm, and see ranch hands and real-estate brokers chowing down beside each other at hole-in-the-wall taquerías (Mexican fast-food restaurants) and retro cafes.