61. National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (505) 245-2137
Address: 601 Eubank Boulevard SE
Description: Historic planes, rockets, and missiles are displayed in the 9-acre Heritage Park outside the museum, and inside there are hands-on activities for junior boffins, including Little Albert’s Lab, where an Albert Einstein puppet helps kids understand scientific principles through interactive exhibits. In the Energy Encounter section, you produce a chemical reaction by cranking a handle, in order to thrust a Ping-Pong ball into the air. Admission is free for children 5 and under. Open seven days a week.
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1801 Mountain Road NW
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 121 Sandia Crest Road / Highway 536
64. ELEPHANT BAR RESTAURANT
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (505) 884-2355
Address: 2240 Louisiana Boulevard NE
Description: This kid-friendly chain restaurant is exotically themed with jungle animals and prints, and a children’s menu for under-10s includes an entrée, beverage, and ice cream at less than $5. Aside from the spot-the-safari-animal fun, it’s grown-up enough to keep parents happy, too, with Asian dishes and steak, fish, burgers, and salads on the broad menu. It can get quite busy and noisy at peak times. The price code is for the more expensive adult entrées; you can get away for less. Open seven days.
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 3416 Central Avenue SE
66. I Scream Ice Cream
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (505) 268-0139
Address: 2000 Carlisle Boulevard NE
Description: Kid heaven with ice cream, this fun and colorful café is wildly decorated and packed with games, puzzles, and toys, plus plenty of nostalgic memorabilia for parents, too—Rubik’s Cube, anyone? You can pretty much have a play date on your own. In addition to ice creams with tons of toppings, you can enjoy coffees, shakes, splits, and malts. Open seven days.
67. 66 Diner
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (505) 247-1421
Address: 1405 Central Avenue NE
Description: This neon 1950s-style diner on Route 66 has an old-fashioned soda fountain where kids can order thick malts, shakes, floats, and ice cream sodas. If you need to get something sensible into them, too, there’s a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu, including superburgers and blue plate specials such as spaghetti and meatballs. There’s also a children’s menu, with generous portions, at an average of $3.99 a meal. The best fun is to sit on a stool at the counter to enjoy the nostalgic decor evocative of Happy Days, listen to the jukebox, and watch the busy waitresses dressed in ’50s bobby-soxer style. The price code is for an adult full-sized entrée. Open seven days.
68. Tomato CafE
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (505) 821-9300
Address: 5920 Holly Avenue NE
Description: This smart Italian café serves an all-you-can-eat buffet that kids love, as they can help themselves to around six types of pizza, multiple pastas and pasta sauces, a choice of soups and side dishes, and a salad bar. Ice creams and toppings are also included. The food is fresh and high quality, and the restaurant also serves wine for parents. The price code is for an adult lunch buffet; it’s slightly more at dinner. Kids’ meals vary by age. As a guide, lunch and dinner buffets for 5- to 10-year-olds are $4.99 as we write. Tots 2 and under eat free. Tomato Cafe has recently relocated and is just east of I-25, Paseo del Norte exit, across from Target and Lowe’s. Lunch and dinner is served every day.
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1701 4th St. SW,
City: Albuquerque, NM
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 1701 Mountain Rd. NW