10-Nights Historic Trains Of The Old West With Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Globus

If the closest thing to time travel is train travel, then you’ll love riding the rails into the unspoiled scenic past of Colorado. This off-the-beaten path tour of the U.S. West is just the ticket to chug through the untamed beauty of the Royal Gorge aboard the Royal Gorge Route Railway; through the magnificent mesas and canyons of San Juan National Forest aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad; and through the rugged splendor of the Rockies aboard the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad. You’ll also pick up steam with visits to Colorado Spring’s Garden of the Gods, Mesa Verde’s ancient cliff dwellings, Chimayo’s famous pilgrimage site, and Glenwood Spring’s historic Hotel Colorado, a favorite of President Theodore Roosevelt’s. Train buffs will also enjoy time in Durango’s D&SNG Railway Museum. All aboard! For one week in October, chasing rainbows is easy as hundreds of hot-air balloons take flight and turn the already stunning atmosphere of New Mexico into a kaleidoscope of dizzying color. Add the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to your U.S. West vacation to witness the incredible Mass Ascension, fiery Balloon Glow, evening fireworks, and other colorful rituals of the world’s largest balloon event.

Featured Destinations

Santa Fe Santa Fe Even though Santa Fe is capital of New Mexico, the state's third largest city, and has been around longer than all but one other city in America, it is still relatively unknown to many U.S. travelers. The city history spans almost 400 years yet much of Santa Fe is unexpected, including its Rocky Mountain climate and geography and the cultural diversity created by a mix of Native American, Hispanic and European traditions. Theater, dance, and music all play a significant role in Santa Fe's past and present and the importance of art has made the city one of the country's largest art markets. Surrounded by millions of acres of National Forest and public land, the city offers diverse outdoor activities. For the sightseer, the beauty of the area offers an amazing diversity of scenery and places to discover. Take some time to do some world class shopping or investigate why the city is a major center for alternative healing. Every visitor should explore the local cuisine.	Destination Guide
Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Founded in 1871, Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-largest city, has evolved from a quaint, Victorian spa resort to a sophisticated city, with a charming "small town" ambiance. With over 50 attractions, Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region are the gateway to Southern Colorado's "Outdoor Adventure Play Land." Located 80 miles south of Denver's International Airport and 1 and 1/2 hours east of world-class skiing, Colorado Springs is a vacation mecca, drawing over 6 million visitors annually.	Destination Guide
Glenwood Springs Glenwood Springs Glenwood Springs is located in Colorado's Rocky Mountains and is a magical recreational paradise where visitors can enjoy biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, skiing, skydiving, zip lining and much more. This mountain resort town is most known for the restorative powers its hot springs hold, soothing aches, pains and stresses. The bubbling hot springs and geothermal caverns have been a popular destination for health seekers since the early 1880's, and have been popular ever since.	Destination Guide
Durango Durango Durango was established in 1881 as a frontier mining town. But many of the old-time settlers discovered they got more out of the scenery than the mines. Nestled in the Animas River Valley, in the afternoon shadows of the San Juan Mountains, people still get pretty much the same feeling. There’s something about being where picture-postcard beauty circles like an old wagon train. It tends to slow folks down a notch or two and let their best side catch up to them.	Destination Guide
Albuquerque Albuquerque Albuquerque, New Mexico, could be the place to fulfill dreams of a southwestern getaway. A centuries-old Spanish church anchors the city's plaza, chili-pepper-spiked delicacies are found on almost every menu, and residential neighborhoods are chock-full of both real adobe houses (made of mud and straw) and adobe-style look-alikes (made of concrete and stucco). Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city and definitely different from other cities in the state: It is a bustling, working town that doesn't run the risk of becoming too precious or too exclusive. Albuquerque's size has also helped it to develop a fine lineup of attractions, such as the Albuquerque Zoo and Old Town Albuquerque—many of which are located close together near the downtown area. Even if you don't have a lot of time to spend in town, you can see several excellent sites in the span of a short drive and a few hours.	Destination Guide
Denver Denver Denver is not only the perfect gateway to the Rocky Mountains and the American West - it is also a major tourism destination, filled with world-class attractions, excellent accommodations, over 2,000 restaurants and the finest shopping in the region. Just a few of its new projects include: Coors Field, Prehistoric Journey, and Six Flags, just to name a few. Denver has amusement parks, sightseeing, fine dining, AAA basketball, museums, and that is not all. Nighttime entertainment includes: music and dance clubs with music ranging from smooth sounding jazz to lively disco, comedy clubs, concerts, theater, opera, symphony and movies. Even with all there is to do, virtually no one comes to Denver without visiting the Colorado Ocean Journey.	Destination Guide

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