Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a wide variety of nightlife venues - Country Western, Rock and Roll, dining or Opera - all the evening entertainment hotspots are listed here.
Whether it is nighttime sightseeing, fiestas, events, art openings, performances, bars, lounges, or dance clubs you can find just about everything you want in Albuquerque's nightlife.
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
Downtown is the city's hotspot for entertainment. It is filled with nightclubs, bars, lounges, restaurants and live entertainment. Central Avenue, which is the old Route 66, runs right through the middle of Albuquerque's Downtown District and boasts some of the city's older and more elegant architecture. Walking is encouraged, so park on the edge of downtown and head in.
On any weekend night you can encounter the hip-hop crowd pouring out of a live performance, the college crowd filling the dance clubs, the sophisticated community headed for a live dance or arts performance at the historical KiMo Theater, and any number of locals and visitors headed for a late night movie at the new state of the art 14-screen theater.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AND NOB HILL
The University and Nob Hill areas are just as popular as the Downtown District. Adjacent to one another, the University area tends toward the college and twenties crowd. Nob Hill is a great place for the thirties-and-above crowd to wander during the evening hours.
Both areas are filled with restaurants and bars, and some have spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains. Sandwiched between the two areas is an independent movie theatre that caters to limited showings of alternative, foreign and historically important films. You will also find shopping open until nine at night, galleries having art openings and open air dining.
The University has a performance hall that provides a venue for performance, opera, Broadway shows, and the symphony. Both areas also boast local performance venues for jazz and rhythm and blues as well as poetry slams and people watching.
WEST SIDE
West Albuquerque caters to the car-driving crowd. You need to know where you are going when you head in this direction but once there you will find the same enthusiasm as any other part of the city offers - a crowd that likes to have a great time. The west side offers a series of local bars with weekend events (check the local alternative papers for listings), movie theaters and restaurants. You will find a lot of the chain restaurants in this area as well as locally owned eateries.
NORTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE AND NORTHEAST I-25
The same goes for Northeast Albuquerque and the Interstate 25 neighborhoods. - the best chain restaurants are to be found in these areas. In addition, Northeast Albuquerque reveals some of the larger dance clubs, both western and contemporary, some great local restaurants and restaurant entertainment like belly dancing and live music.
Stretches of main thoroughfares in the Northeast are popular teenage cruising areas, so if you find yourself in a bit of a traffic jam on a Friday night at ten o'clock check out the inhabitants of the cars surrounding you.
LOCAL THEATER
Albuquerque has a budding small theater community that is fast becoming a city treasure. The local alternative papers can lead you straight to these performances. Many play to packed houses, so check for times and dates. You won't be disappointed with the variety of performances available.
CASINO'S, HOTELS AND AMPHITHEATERS
Surrounding the city of Albuquerque are Native American owned casinos, hotels and restaurants. These venues offer Las Vegas style entertainment including comedy, music, and performance. The casinos, of course, are opened twenty-four hours and most are visible from the highway.
Some of the local hotels offer entertainment as well starting with Happy Hour and continuing throughout the evening. Check local listings for times and dates.
The most elaborate and largest venue sits south of the city. Known as The Journal Pavilion, this amphitheater is the site of pop concerts, rock concerts and entertainment that draws large crowds. The weather in the area is seasonal but mild which means the amphitheater is used throughout most of the year.
The city of Albuquerque boasts an active Hispanic nightlife as well. Search the local listings for shows, performances and dancing opportunities involving mariachi, salsa and tango.
