Though Route 66 officially disappeared from road maps in 1985, the legendary 2,500 mile Mother Road lives on in the hearts and minds of many today who travel the highways and byways of America.
In its heyday, Route 66 ran east to west, from Los Angeles to Chicago, and through eight states including New Mexico. Just outside of Albuquerque there’s a nod to the past: Route 66 RV Resort.
“My back-in site. It is spacious with a fire ring, picnic table, and a level concrete pad.” – via ArmandV on CampgroundReviews.com
This is one very nice park! A few have complained about road noise from Interstate 40, but how many RV parks offer 100 amp electrical? In addition to 100 sites, Route 66 RV Resort offers additional 20/30/50 amp electrical, water, sewer, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a camp store, pet area, clubhouse, picnic shelter, a pool, playground, rec room, a gym and workout facilities, a nice putting green, and Wi-Fi.
A short walk from the park is Route 66 Casino, which offers gambling, dining, entertainment, and more.
Route 66 RV Resort. Photo via CampgroundReviews.com
If you’re looking to play a round of golf, one of the best public courses in the state is the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque. Opened in 1967, the par 72, 18-hole course stretches to a whopping 7,555 yards from the championship tees and sits at an elevation of 5,300 feet. The university also offers the nine-hole North Course that measures 3,305 yards. It’s also open to the public.
For a spectacular view of the expansive Albuquerque area, take the Sandia Peak Tramway to the 10,378-foot crest of the Sandia Mountains. The 15-minutes tram ride to the top unfolds a panoramic view of the surrounding area. While at the top, you can hike trails, have lunch, take innumerable photos, and even snowshoe or ski in the winter.
Take the Sandia Peak Tramway. Photo via Mike McBey, Flickr Creative Commons
Mike McBey, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Albuquerque is one of the cultural centers of the Southwest. There are many museums to visit, including the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, National Atomic Museum, Albuquerque Museum, University of New Mexico Fine Art Museum, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History.
A fun fact about the city: Albuquerque was the home of famed war correspondent Ernie Pyle who wrote, “If we could have only one house, then it has to be in New Mexico, and preferably in Albuquerque.” Pyle’s home in Albuquerque is now a memorial library.
For more details about the greater Albuquerque area, check out visitalbuquerque.org. You can also learn more about Route 66 RV Resort on CampgroundReviews.com.
See also:
- 18 Kickass Places You Need To Experience On Route 66
- 5 Places To Camp In New Mexico’s Gila National Forest
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
GOOD LUCK GETTING IN THERE DURING “BALLOON WEEK”. THEY PRE-SAVE SITES FOR CARAVAN/M/H GROUPS, DON’T ALWAYS BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAY ON THEIR WEB SITE.
THERE’S A NICER CAMPGROUND THAT’S MORE CAMPER FRIENDLY ABOUT 40 MINS. AWAY !!!
We stayed one night on our way back to Texas from Utah.
Nice wide and level spaces. Would stay again if in the area.
Great park a little open not many trees but very well layed out. Washrooms very nice and very clean. We got casino dollars when checking in , played that night won enough to pay for buffet. BEST BUFFET EVER. Very friendly staff . We were on a ski trip in Colorado on way to Whistler BC but wanted to see ancient cliff dwellers and some of New Mexico. Going to try to get back to Route 66 Casino again.
Do they have cable.Answer no.
We stayed here a couple of years ago, and it was great. One caution, however. Their water pressure is quite high. We had a connection in our RV leak significantly, although we’d never had a problem in multiple parks in the past. If you stay there, be sure to use a pressure regulator on your water inlet hose (always a good idea anywhere).