Before the European colonizers arrived, the Tanoan and Keresan people inhabited Albuquerque (first known as the Rio Grande). Until the 1500s, the area was home to roughly 20 Tiwa Puebloans. Still, there is evidence that the Navajo, Apache, and Comanche peoples also lived in what is now the modern-day Albuquerque area. Francisco Cuervo y Valdés was the founder of the La Villa de Alburquerque outpost in 1706, which he named after a town in Spain. The city had a thriving farming and shepherding community and acted as a trading and military outpost. By 1821, Mexico had commissioned a military presence in Albuquerque. Once the New Mexico area had become a part of the United States, the army built a federal garrison and quartermaster depot in the city. By 1859, the city's population had grown to 3,000. In 1862, Confederate troops occupied the city due to the Civil War. The Battle of Albuquerque against a detachment of Union soldiers also occurred that year. The city of Albuquerque had a population of roughly 8,000 by 1900 and became a modern city in its time. It had an electric street railway and built the University of New Mexico. In addition, Albuquerque erected several essential hospitals for the many tuberculosis patients who flocked to the city for its healthy, dry climate. The Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital were two of the hospitals built at the time. Route 66 ran through Albuquerque, encouraging the first travelers to appear in 1926. This route led to the birth of motels, restaurants, and gift shops to cater to these travelers, creating an economic boom, including establishing military bases and laboratories. For example, the army established the Kirtland Air Force Base in 1939, Sandia Base in the early 1940s, and Sandia National Laboratories in 1949. The city continued to grow and reached a population of 201,189 by 1960. By 2007, the population was 518,271, which prompted its listing as the sixth fastest-growing city in the United States.

Besides the earlier attractions, Albuquerque offers a range of activities and interests, such as:

ABQ BioPark: This attraction houses the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach. This BioPark offers fun and intrigue for all nature and animal lovers.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center: This center celebrates the living cultures and histories of the Pueblo people. It offers a museum, cultural events, lectures, workshops, and tours.

Petroglyph National Monument: The monument displays ancient images drawn by America's earliest inhabitants on the city's western edge.

Rio Grande Nature Center State Park: This park has outdoor spaces like gardens, ponds, wetlands, and bird-watching facilities north of downtown.