Del Rey - Albuquerque, NM

Del Rey resides in a relatively modern part of Albuquerque, with much of the development as recent as the 1990s and later. Paseo Del Norte in the north with its bridge over the Rio Grande served as one of the city's main thoroughfares for east-west traffic. With the traffic came commerce, and the Paseo Del Norte corridor hosts one of the fastest-developing retail and commercial sectors in the city. Paseo Del Norte's retail jobs and ease of access comprise two main reasons why this neighborhood flourishes. Residents head downtown to check out the earlier history of the area at the Albuquerque Museum, which includes artifacts from the ancient Puebloan culture that inhabited the area before European settlement started in earnest in the 1600s. Guests of the museum enjoy world-famous exhibits from around the world that have included artifacts from the Titanic and Tutankhamen’s tomb.

A few blocks west, Paseo Del Norte hosts the majority of area dining and nightlife. Its eateries include Papa Nachos, a Mexican eatery with ultra-fresh fish and shrimp. This family affair hand-chops vegetables and slow simmers beans each morning, and the selection of premium burritos and mariscos averages $10 per entrée. Residents celebrate good fortune at China Luck with edibles from the Orient, including sweet and sour chicken and broccoli beef for around $12. For a special treat, try the chef’s specialties, which include steamed Chilean sea bass and red snapper for $26, best washed down with sake. Original creations flow from the tap at Sandia Chile Grill. Entrees only cost around $7, or grab a platter of the tacos for around $35 — it includes 20 of the crunchy favorites. Live music of all kinds and beer on tap draws locals to the Barley Room. Favored bar food includes burgers, and Karaoke specials each Wednesday include $3.50 pints of barley IPA — its signature brew — and $7.50 for a whopping pound of chicken wings. To see the latest Hollywood movies in 3-D and IMAX, head to Century Rio 24 northwest of the area and enjoy dozens of additional dining and nightlife spots in the area, or head south to Cinemark Movies 8, which shows second-run movies for as little as $2 per ticket.

Albuquerque residents generally drive, and the inhabitants of Del Rey usually do as well. Quick freeway access bolsters the east-west conduit of nearby Paseo Del Norte. Parking remains easy to find and free in the area like throughout most of the city. While some tree-lined residential streets of eastern Del Rey stay walkable, many of the trailer communities in the west of the neighborhood have long property lines with fences spanning the length, making walking inconvenient. Taxis can be scheduled, but they stick closer to downtown and the airport and can't be relied on in a pinch. Uber drivers exist in abundance throughout the city. Albuquerque has an excellent public transit system that charges $2 per one-way ticket anywhere in the city, and Del Rey residents quickly hop on it from Louisiana Boulevard. The gentle slope of the Rio Grande Valley assists cyclists with its gentle slope toward the center of town. Albuquerque’s award-winning system of bicycle trails has been hailed as visionary and forward-thinking by expert urban planners, totalling over 400 miles of maintained surfaces for commuting and recreation. Dozens of city streets have safe and dedicated bicycle lanes that interconnect with the system.

Jade Park sits in the north of Del Rey, and more expansive Loma Del Norte lies just east. Heritage Hills park resides a little farther away — about a quarter mile east — and hosts softball fields and playgrounds for kids to enjoy. Half a mile to the south of Del Rey, Arroyo Del Oso Park’s 300 acres of grass and golf provides one of the largest open spaces in the city, with plenty of room for dogs, and if that’s not big enough, the desert and mountains lie minutes away. Area parks — and of course the desert — never charge admission and all feature free on-site parking facilities. Residents of Del Rey ski in the winter and cycle in the summer, and during the fall, they gather in area parks to watch the International Balloon Fiesta rise in the northern sky. Another fun annual event comes in the form of the Rio Grande Community Farm Maize Maze — a great place for kids to learn about agriculture while trying to escape corridors of 6-foot corn.

At $1,069 for a one-bedroom residence, rent in Del Rey hovers above average for Albuquerque. Its proximity to Interstate 40 to the west and the foothills neighborhoods to the east make it a compelling compromise for people who want convenience and quiet living. Beer in the area averages around $7 and meals average roughly $10 - both above average for the city - making the cost-of-living also notably higher than other parts of Albuquerque. Drivers in spread-out Albuquerque enjoy gas prices around 9 percent lower than the national average, and a bus ticket anywhere in town costs just $2.

Paseo Del Norte's constant swarms of traffic in the north of the area bring visitors and commerce, and local shopping centers have experienced tremendous growth in the last decade. Stop by Squeezed Juice Bar before or after a workout and try some of its original Albuquerque-inspired juice blends and acai bowls, including the popular Tango Marango bowl with raspberry, kale and mango for around $7. The juice creations here don't come overstuffed with fruit and sweeteners, and the owners take pride in using farm-to-table produce from local growers whenever possible. For groceries and household essentials, Albertson's sits just east of the area at Wyoming and Harper, with a next-door Walgreens, and other convenience stores dot the area. Smith's lies a few blocks to the northeast, with a Trader Joe's beyond. Just across the river about 5 miles west, local restaurant Farm and Table features a Saturday growers market that sells produce sourced from the same local cultivators as the dishes on its celebrated menu.