Montgomery Plaza Albuquerque, NM

Practically in the center of Albuquerque, Montgomery Plaza benefits from the diversity of the city. As Native American and Hispanic cultures merged and crept east from the Rio Grande in the early 1700s, these and other European influences seasoned the city with a worldly outlook and tolerance that exists today.

The neighborhood’s distinguishing cultural characteristic is the sheer number of people who drive through or stop to shop every day. It holds some of the most sought-after retail space in the city, and commerce on that scale imparts a culture of its own.

A popular place for families and groups to bond over creativity is Art Attack where for less than $15, you can select an unpainted ceramic piece and make it your own using the provided paints and glazes. Head to the Anderson-Abruzzo Balloon Museum to get a close-up look at the history and technology behind the balloons.

Two outstanding aspects of Montgomery Plaza are its dining and nightlife. Local eateries like San Pedro Middle East Restaurant and Cafe Jean Pierre draw hungry patrons with first-rate homemade ethnic dishes, and entertainment-seekers can play mini-golf or catch a matinee. Bars and other nightspots include the exciting and diverse Billy’s Long Bar or the monstrous rock ‘n’ roll-themed Rock and Brews.

San Pedro Middle East is a family-run jewel that serves what the name suggests. Guests rave about the lamb shawarma, a spit-roasted Arab treasure served with house-made pita bread and hummus, and often duck into the shop out back to grab a few packages of the pillowy pita bread to take home. Your Palestinian hosts seat you with a smile, and you’ll walk out with a full stomach and a smile of your own after spending around $10.

Families and couples play arcade games at Putt-Putt, an Albuquerque recreation landmark with three fun, themed miniature golf courses that can occupy an afternoon for around $10 per person. Also within walking distance is one of the best values for movies in town: Cinemark Movies 8. The theatre is known for selling tickets for as low as $2. Although the movies aren’t in their first run, the seats are comfortable, parking is usually plentiful. This makes for inexpensive and stress-free fun.

If you’re in the mood for a rowdy round or two of drinks, Billy’s Longbar caters to all sorts of locals. The selection of beer has been hailed as one of the best around, and everyone from hipsters to bikers can be seen at the bar literally lined with TV’s playing sports. The waitresses are known for being engaging and happy, and the bar food is also well-regarded. Expect to pay around $6 for a pint of local craft brew and $10 for an entree or appetizer to share.

Rock and Brews is a theme restaurant founded by Gene Simmons of KISS, it lives up to its hard-rocking heritage. The restaurant fills with a high-energy atmosphere and wall-to-wall TVs. With an emphasis on music, the 80's rock music draws in a big crowd. Guests sip draft beer averaging around $6 and enjoy an array of appetizers including hot wings and other standard fare in this Southern California-style mega bar.

Albuquerque’s public transit system is inexpensive and wide ranging, and Montgomery Plaza benefits from being along two of the main axes of travel in the city. While the neighborhood is walkable, residents can hop on a bus and get almost anywhere in town for about $2. Also, drivers find plenty of free parking as well as easy Interstate access in the area.

Uber enjoys municipal and public support, and people wanting a fast ride will want to turn to it as roving taxis are rare. Bring your bike when you’re in the neighborhood — Albuquerque’s extensive and award-winning system of bicycle and pedestrian trails forms a web in and around the city of over 400 miles of safe, well-maintained surfaces.

Parks and other free recreational opportunities abound in Montgomery Plaza. At Montgomery Park, five acres of grassy hills house sports fields and playgrounds as well as the Paseo del Nordeste recreation trail. This trail provides access to Albuquerque’s wide-ranging system of bicycle and pedestrian trails.

Arroyo del Oso Park one of the city’s great dog parks, and at just a mile to the northeast of the neighborhood’s center is a quick walk for you and a four-legged furbearer. Every October, residents look skyward as the city’s airspace is filled with the largest gathering of hot-air balloons in the country at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Walking outside for a newspaper and being caught off guard by the colorful display never gets old.

At about $603 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, rental rates are about average for Albuquerque. A pint of beer will set you back around $5, and a meal can cost less than $10 for a burger at Billy’s Long Bar or up to $100 for a French feast with wine for two at Cafe Jean-Pierre, including gratuity. Two dollar gets you aboard a bus with a one-way ticket to anywhere in town, and gasoline is around 9 percent lower than the national average.

Known for its shopping opportunities, Montgomery Plaza has hundreds of thousands of square feet of national retail tenants and local brands that thrive in the heavily visited area.

Renowned for its handmade classical guitars, Pimentel and Sons Guitarmakers builds all its guitars on site, and the family's craftsmanship has been used in classical concerts all over the world. The business provides lessons from the very individuals that design and build these famous works of musical art, and the establishment has been described as part of the city's musical history.

Known as the city's go-to source for hard-to-find kitchen gadgets, Now We're Cooking also stocks a wide array of interesting cooking equipment. The shop features an entire wall of kitchen gizmos of every kind, and it also carries high-quality brands, including KitchenAid and Le Creuset.

Residents can grab groceries and household essentials at the Albertsons in the center of the neighborhood or head a few blocks north to the Sprouts Farmers Markets for organic and specialty foods. Small yet stocked with a great selection, Village Farmer's Market carries produce fresher than what you find at chain stores.