True fans of the full of the Route 66 tour, and anyone interested in the art and architecture (and food!) of the American Southwest, will want to make the detour to the state capital, Santa Fe. The original Route 66 alignment ran north from Albuquerque along the I-25 corridor, then curved back south from Santa Fe, along what’s now US-84, to rejoin I-40 west of Santa Rosa.
The best sense of this old route across old New Mexico comes just north of Albuquerque, at the historic town of Bernalillo. Route 66 here follows the much older El Camino Real, which linked the Spanish colonies 400 years ago. The heart of Bernalillo contains two great stops, poles apart from each other in ambience but together capturing the essence of the place. First of these is ancient-feeling Silva’s Saloon (505/867-9976) at 955 Camino del Pueblo, whose walls, coated in layers of newspaper clippings, old snapshots, and other mementos form a fabulously funky backdrop for a cold beer, a burger, or an evening listening to local live music alongside cowboys, bikers, and other characters. Up the street is the stylish Range Cafe (505/867-1700), at 925 Camino del Pueblo, where a spacious dining room has very good “New New Mexican” food (try the bread pudding!) and a sophisticated, big-city air.
An hour away via I-25 or its old road equivalents, Santa Fe itself is one of the most popular and heavily promoted tourist destinations in the country; for further information on the city, contact the Santa Fe visitors center (505/984-6760 or 800/777- 2489).
