Albuquerque Travel and Things to Do Guide

Welcome to Cvent's Albuquerque meeting planning guide – an Albuquerque city guide for meeting planners. Bursting with culture and entertainment options, Albuquerque is also a city of many surprises that will have planners thinking twice before passing over this diamond in the Southwest. Albuquerque was named the 5th best U.S. destination in Money magazine's “Best in Travel 2017” list, and ranked as the 6th favorite city in America for 2016 by Travel + Leisure. Such accolades surely encourage the 6.2 million people visiting the city annually, but tourists are not the only ones reaping the benefits. SmartAsset named Albuquerque the 7th best city for conferences in 2016.
For meetings and conventions, the Albuquerque Convention Center provides everything needed to conduct a successful event. This multi-purpose facility has over 600,000 square feet dedicated to meeting and convention space, making it capable of hosting over 9,000 attendees. A modern, attractive and well-planned building located downtown, the center is just a short distance away from 900 hotel rooms within walking distance as well as restaurant and nightlife options. Free Wi-Fi access, in-house catering offering custom and themed menus and covered parking spaces top an extensive list of first-class amenities.
In addition to a state-of-the-art convention center, Albuquerque provides visitors with a number of venues and activities suitable for private functions. The city's excellent public transportation system offers easy access to almost anywhere within the city. Visit Sandiago's Mexican Grill to enjoy traditional Mexican and New Mexican cuisine. Located at the base of Sandia Peak, Sandiago's offers 3,000 square feet of space and is capable of seating up to 150 guests. Or, for a one-of-a-kind outing, several of Albuquerque's famed balloon companies offer both themed and corporate adventures. Participants in these hot air extravaganzas will delight in spectacular bird's eye views of the Rio Grande Valley.
Albuquerque is also an ideal spot for a trip to a winery, as it is the oldest wine making region in the nation. Spanish missionaries planted grapes in the Rio Grande Valley 150 years before California was even producing wine. Host a memorable and elegant event at the Casa Rodeña Winery or Gruet Winery, situated just inside the city limits.
Affordability has long defined Albuquerque as a favorite destination for visitors and businesses alike This budget-friendly city was named one of the Top 50 Best Value Cities in 2015 by Trivago.com.
Albuquerque is a hub for a number of large high-tech research companies including the University of New Mexico, Intel, Sandia National Laboratory and Sandia Technology Park. The University of New Mexico, one of the two largest state universities in New Mexico, is also located in Albuquerque.