Bernalillo real estate is one of the best markets to look into right now if you'd like find a great place to stay right on the edge of the Albuquerque metropolitan area, but would rather not contend with big city living by renting right in the heart of ABQ. The median list price for Bernalillo may seem a bit high, at $275,000, but this is only because the median square footage comes out to 2,073. In truth, there are plenty of great little homes for $50,000 and even less, but this is offset by a number of luxury homes ranging from $399,000 to over $1 million. Plenty of upper middle class families live here, but don't be fooled by that: The city is actually quite accessible and affordable for middle and working class folks as well.
Family households, including single-parent families and couples with children, make up about 29% of the homes in Bernalillo. This number isn't dramatically high or dramatically low. You'll find the number to be a little higher in planned communities and certain suburbs, and lower in Downtown areas and other hip neighborhoods. These numbers alone won't tell you whether or not Bernalillo is family-friendly, but a visit to Bernailillo will.
There are a lot of fun things to do with the family in Bernalillo. One of our favorites: Quiet Waters Paddling Adventures. You've seen videos of kayakers sliding sideways down raging rivers; well, Quiet Waters is what the name implies, a more laid back approach to kayaking. Paddling gently down the Rio Grande against the big red vistas of New Mexico is a great way to enjoy a day out with the kids. It's no wonder the attraction was rated Sunset Magazine's #1 outdoor trip in the ABQ area.
During the summer months, the city even hosts a summer camp for kids with a variety of educational and recreational activities to keep them busy.
If you're 21 or older, Silva's Saloon is one of the most iconic and historic bars in the country. The place is home to a lot of local legends of bootleggers and moonshiners. One story has it that the place is equipped with a secret tunnel for smuggling in booze. This isn't exactly true, but what is true is that the place used to host illegal card games, and the original owner kept nine guns hidden around the saloon just in case things got rowdy.
If you're a little younger, or if bars aren't your thing, The Adobe Performing Arts Theater at 9813 4th St NW is a great spot to take in some culture and watch amazing performances. You can also drive a short way out of town to get your history fix at the Coronado Historic Site, where you can view the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo and learn about past people and events of the Rio Grande Valley.
People have lived in the area of Bernalillo for over a thousand years, and local museums have the fossils to prove it. Although Albuquerque may be thought of as the cultural hub of New Mexico, Bernalillo has spent decades as the heart of the Land of Enchantment, being a major destination on the way across the Southwest for many travelers in the golden age of Route 66. Today the town honors its history in Native and Mexican culture and Americana, hosting Las Fiestas de San Lorenzo, a Summertime celebration dating back more than 300 years. Although the town's economy has generally grown slowly in comparison to Albuquerque's, it has become more of a commercial hub in recent years.
Bernalillo is far less busy a town than Albuquerque, though it gets its share of traffic. It's sort of the best of both worlds in that it has a lot of small town charm, neighbors who you can speak to on a first-name basis, but at the same time, if you want to head out for an all-night diner at three in the morning, you won't have to look very far to find one. The close proximity to Albuquerque makes the location even more convenient, offering Bernalillo residents immediate access to the big city with none of the inconveniences of having to live there. In Bernalillo you'll find a whole lot of locally owned establishments, affordable homes, a friendly, diverse population, scenic beauty, and a very distinctive local personality. What more could you ask for from a mid-sized city?
