Arrive To: Hotel check-in any time after 3:00 PM. Register with your program's Group Leader in hotel designated area between 4:00 and 5:30 PM.

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining room from 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Evening: Program orientation and introductions in hotel meeting room from 7:00 to 8:30 PM

Lodging: Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Field Trip to Pecos National Historic Park/Travel to Santa Fe/Visit State Capitol Building Art Collection/Presentation by Native American award-winning musician

Note: Walking up to one mile over paved and packed dirt terrain during course of the day

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room and hotel check-out no later than 8:00 AM

Morning: From 8:00 until 10:15 AM, you'll have a class about the history of New Mexico. Have luggage to bus for loading no later than 10:15 AM. Bus departs for Pecos at 10:30 AM.

Lunch: Lunch at Frankie's in Pecos from 12:00 - 1:15 PM

Afternoon: From 1:30 - 3:00 PM, you'll explore beautiful Pecos National Historic Monument, an example of late Anasazi pueblo ruins and Spanish colonization. The site, on ranch land (the Forked Lightning Ranch) owned by the late Greer Garson and her husband, Buddy Fogelson, was donated with the hope that the monument would be preserved for visitors. The museum/visitors' center features a film narrated by Ms. Garson. A mile-long, paved hiking trail circles the site which has remains of pueblo dwellings, kivas and a mission church, all located on remarkably beautiful land in the Pecos valley 30 miles northeast of Santa Fe.

Bus departs for Santa Fe at 3:00 PM. Upon arrival, you'll visit the New Mexico State Capitol building and see some of its famous art collection.

Bus takes you to hotel at 5:00 pm for check-in at approximately 5:30 PM.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel from 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Evening: Lecture and performance from 7:00 - 8:00 PM, where you'll hear music of the southwest, taught by Native American professional musician and scholar, Ronald Roybal. Ron is an award-winning musician dedicated to the preservation of traditional Native American music as well as being a composer of some of his own. He's a fine singer, guitarist and Native American flute player, and your evening with him will be unlike any other evening of your life! He's a delightful presenter in every way.

Lodging: DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Fe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Museum of International Folk Art/Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Dinner on your own and free evening

Note: Walking up to one mile over the course of the day over paved terrain. Standing up to 30 minutes at a time at museums, with opportunities to sit.

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room from 7:00 to 8:00 AM

Morning: From 8:15 - 9:15 AM, hear a lecture about the history of Santa Fe in hotel meeting room. Depart at 9:30 for visits to the Museum of International Folk Art and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, both part of the State of New Mexico Museums system. The MIAC offers a huge collection of pottery, basketry, rugs, jewelry and artifacts, mostly from tribes of the southwest region. The exhibits are beautifully displayed and documented. The International Folk Art Museum features the huge collection of folk art of Alexander Girard. Displayed in charming scenarios, you'll be fascinated by this delightful museum. Both museums have great gift shops as well!

Lunch: Lunch from 11:30 - 12:30 at Museum Hill Cafe

Afternoon: Continue with museum visits until 1:30 PM, when the bus will take you downtown, where you'll have a walking exploration of the Plaza area followed by a free afternoon and evening. You'll receive passes to visit the State of New Mexico museums there as you choose, or you can browse in the Plaza area.

Bus departs from downtown at 5:00 PM to return to the hotel, or you may stay downtown for dinner on your own. You can get back to the hotel via taxi or city bus (schedules at front desk at hotel).

Dinner: Dinner on your own tonight. You may return to the hotel and dine at a restaurant close by if you wish, or remain in the downtown area where there are many fine restaurants.

Your group leader will have some suggestions for you, if you'd like restaurant recommendations. Return to the hotel after dinner on your own, via cab or city bus.

Evening: Free evening for more time in Santa Fe or rest and relaxation.

Lodging: DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Fe

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Walking up to two miles over the course of the day over packed dirt and paved terrain. Standing for up to thirty minutes at a time during site visits.

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room at 7:00 - 8:30 AM; check out of hotel and bring luggage out to bus no later than 8:30 AM

Morning: Bus departs at 8:45 AM for Taos, with a number of stops in between.

First, visit Santa Clara Pueblo, where you'll visit the pottery studio of Paul and Rosalda Speckled Rock at 9:30 AM. Santa Clara is one of the most popular pueblos for visitors. Its tribal members are among the most artistically active of all the pueblos, and fine works by Santa Clara artists can be found in a large number of shops and studios in the village. Santa Clara ancestors most likely migrated south from the Four Corners region, eventually reaching the Pajarito Plateau on the eastern slope of the Jemez Mountains between A.D. 1100 and 1300. Today, Santa Clara is home to about 2600 people. The tribe's 47,000 acres still supports some farming. A small casino and bowling center in Espanola should help fund additional tribal endeavors. Bus departs for Taos at 10:30 AM. On arrival in Taos, there will be a brief stop at San Francisco de Asis Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos.

Lunch: Lunch at the Trading Post Cafe in Taos

Afternoon: This afternoon you'll visit the Martinez Hacienda (2:15 PM visit), an example of a Spanish/Mexican Hacienda with many outbuildings, all representing the Spanish Colonial era. Bus travels to hotel for check-in about 3:45 PM.

After checking in, there will be a class about Taos, it history, and local personalities.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel from 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Evening: Free evening

Lodging: The Sagebrush Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge/Millicent Rogers Museum/Blumenschein Home/Taos Pueblo (if open)

Note: Walking up to two miles over the course of the day over paved and packed dirt terrain. Standing for up to 30 minutes at a time (with some opportunities to sit) at museums and at Taos Pueblo.

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room from 7:00 - 8:30 am.

Morning: Pick up boxed lunches. Bus departs at 8:30 AM for a trip to Taos Pueblo (if it's open to visitors--it's closed once in awhile for funerals, special pueblo meetings, etc. and we seldom know more than a day in advance and sometimes not at all). After the Pueblo, the bus will travel to the Millicent Rogers Museum, scheduled for a 10:30 AM visit. Here, visitors enjoy many outstanding historical collections of Native American art and jewelry, contemporary paintings, weavings, and pottery, including the Maria Martinez family collection. Also showcased are Hspanic textiles, metal work and sculpture, as well as a wide range of contemporary Anglo-European Southwestern Art. The bus then departs for the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, locally known as the "High Bridge." This is a cantilever truss bridge across the Rio Grande Gorge 10 miles northwest of Taos. At 650 feet above the Rio Grande, it is the fifth highest bridge in the United States.

Lunch: You'll have a boxed lunch at the picnic area at Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Afternoon: Bus departs at 1:00 PM to meet your Taos guide, then goes on for a visit to the Ernest Blumenschein Home. This was the home of painter Ernest L. Blumenschein, a co-founder of the Taos Art Colony and one of the "Famous Seven." It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

You'll then have some free time to explore Taos Plaza and nearby Bent Street.

At 5:00 PM, walk to a restaurant near the Plaza for dinner.

Dinner: Dinner at Antonio's "A Taste of Mexico" from 5:30 - 7:00 PM

Evening: Bus departs for the hotel, arriving by 7:30 PM. Free evening for rest and relaxation.

Lodging: The Sagebrush Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walking up to two miles over the course of the day over paved or packed dirt terrain. Standing up to 1 hour at museums with opportunities to sit).

Breakfast: Breakfast in hotel dining room from 7:00-8:00 AM and hotel check-out. Have luggage to bus for loading no later than 7:45 AM, please!

Morning: Bus departs at 8:30 AM for the northern New Mexico village of Chimayó. This Hispanic village is much as it has been for the last two hundred years. Stop to visit the Santuario de Chimayó, famous for the healing earth found inside. The Santuario also offers some remarkable folk art, from its beautiful retablos, stations of the cross, and bultos (statues of the saints). This little church is a very special one with a fascinating history; it's a great example of the simple faith of northern New Mexicans.

You'll also visit one of the shops in Chimayó to see some examples of the beautiful weavings, produced by families in Chimayó that have created these works of art for centuries.

Bus departs for lunch destination at 11:00 AM.

Lunch: Lunch at Rancho de Chimayo

Afternoon: Bus continues on to Albuquerque after lunch.

You'll gain an overview of the geological aspects surrounding the city as well as learning some interesting facts about its history.

Upon arrival, about 2:30 PM, you'll visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, dedicated to preserving and perpetuating Pueblo culture and advancing understanding by presenting with dignity and respect, the accomplishments and evolving history of the Pueblo people of New Mexico.

After the visit, bus will depart for Old Town Albuquerque at 4:00 PM. This charming area offers many examples of authentic adobe architecture; the beautiful old church there is open for you to visit, and you can explore Old Town with your group leader's guidance.

At 5:15 PM depart for dinner destination.

Dinner: Dinner at Sweet Tomatoes restaurant from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Sweet Tomatoes offers an enormous salad bar, with many selections of breads, meats, desserts and more.

Bus departs at 6:30 PM for hotel and check-in.

Evening: Check in at the hotel. From 7:30 - 8:30 PM, we'll show an optional video in a hotel meeting room.

Lodging: Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walking up to two miles over paved or uneven packed dirt terrain over course of the day. Standing for 15-30 minutes at a time during guide lectures when visiting Petroglyphs and Pueblo.

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room from 7:00 - 8:00 AM

Morning: After a brief lecture about the history of Albuquerque from 8:15-9:15 Am, bus departs for Boca Negra Petroglyphs (ranger lecture at 10:00 AM). This area features a wide expanse of fragile, unique cultural resources that can never be replaced and are part of the National Park system. Four to seven centuries ago, the Rio Grande's Pueblo people carved or painted images into the boulders along the 17-mile long section known as the West Mesa. As you listen to the ranger and walk some of the trails, you'll speculate what these images mean, why they were created and what the people who made them were like.

We'll depart at 11:30 AM for Acoma Pueblo.

Lunch: Lunch at the Yaak'a Café from 12:45 - 1:45 PM at the Sky City Cultural Center at Acoma Pueblo

Afternoon: After lunch, you'll have a chance to see the pueblo's visitors' center prior to exploring, with a Native American guide, the mesa-top where the ancient part of Acoma Pueblo (2:00 PM) is located,

Acoma Pueblo, known as "Sky City," was settled possibly as early as A.D. 900. It is situated on top of a 376 foot high sandstone bluff. You'll learn about the Spanish conquistadors who occupied it in 1599, the filmmakers who helped build the road that goes to the top of the mesa, and the 6,000 residents who today either live in two nearby villages or in the Pueblo itself. You'll walk through the ancient village, see the large mission church and meet some of the pueblo residents during your field trip.

Bus departs for Albuquerque at 4:00 PM, arriving at the hotel about 5:30 PM.

Dinner: Dinner from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at the hotel, followed by a free evening - we'll be getting you up early tomorrow morning to depart for Balloon Fiesta, so you might want to get some extra sleep tonight!

Lodging: Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walking up to one mile over the course of the day over unpaved, dirt terrain. Standing for up to two hours at a time at Balloon Field, although you can walk around as much as you like.

Breakfast: Breakfast is always a bit of a problem when going to Balloon Field early events, so we've found that the best thing we can do is have the hotel provide a cold boxed breakfast (muffin, juice, fruit - and maybe some coffee!) and when you get to Balloon Park, you're on your own. You can go to the Hospitality Tent and have some hot beverages and a donut if you want. There are also many vendors at the Park that sell all kinds of things for breakfast - including delicious New Mexican-style burritos and much more for you to choose from and purchase on your own.

Morning: Bus departs at 4:45 AM for Balloon Fiesta Park. Dawn Patrol will ascend at 5:45 AM to check the wind speed, and if all is well, there will be a 6:30 AM Morning Balloon Glow when the balloons fire up from ground level - as it's usually before dawn, this is a beautiful sight! At 7:00 AM, the first Mass Ascension of all balloons participating in the event will ascend (weather permitting) - and there are usually over 200 balloons going up during this part of the Fiesta. Other events take place during the morning and vary by year, and we'll include as many of those as possible. The bus will return to the hotel about 10:00 AM. We would advise that you take a little nap after getting back to the hotel.

Lunch: Bus departs at 11:30 AM for lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch, bus will take you to the Museum of Natural History in Old Town for a visit. Bus departs at 3:00 PM for return to the hotel.

Dinner: We'll have a buffet style dinner and a program closing at the hotel (we know it's early, but we have to depart at 5:00 PM for Balloon Fiesta Park). If you want more food later, you can find more at Balloon Park!

Evening: Bus departs for Balloon Park at 5:00 PM. The evening's activities will include the Night Magic Balloon Glow at 5:45 PM and the AfterGlow Fireworks Show at 8:00 PM. The bus will return to the hotel, arriving at approximately 10:00 PM.

Lodging: Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Hotel check out and Departure. Hotel check-out is no later than 12:00 noon.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at the hotel between 7:00 - 9:00 AM

Meals Included: Breakfast