The state of New Mexico might be entirely surrounded by land, but in the city of Albuquerque, you can still visit a beach.
Tingley Beach, located east of the Rio Grande, isn’t your typical beach. It’s really more of a lake and it’s part of ABQ BioPark, New Mexico’s top tourist destination. But I decided to carve out some time to take a walk there based on a recommendation from a staff member of Route 66 Hostel, where I stayed. Getting there by foot involved a nice 1-mile walk through what appeared to be an affluent neighborhood with large houses and a country club.
The beach is open from sunrise to sunset every day and it’s free to the public. When I arrived, the sun was just about to set, so I just walked around a bit and soaked in the relaxing scenery.
According to Visit Albuquerque, there’s a train that runs daily at Tingley Beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I missed that, unfortunately, but if it sounds like something fun to do if you’re ever in the area in that time frame.
Other activities at the beach include fishing at three ponds (though a valid New Mexico fishing license is required), boating, picnicking, and hiking.
It’s always refreshing to find pockets of nature in cities, and as a huge fan of nature and the outdoors, I enjoyed the brief hour I got to spend at Tingley Beach. I would have loved to hang around even longer, and if I’m ever back in the area, this is a spot I wouldn’t think twice about coming back to.