Route 66 will turn a century old next year. Smart celebrants will take the Mother Road straight to Albuquerque, where the sky is big, the Sandia Mountains gleam and the burgers arrive dressed in green chiles—the only way in ’Burque. Beautiful inside and out, Albuquerque is diverse, authentic and culturally stacked. There are more than 100 galleries to explore, the historic KiMo theater and even an opera scene. Its Museum of Natural History & Science (ranked #21) just announced a renovation this year, and cultural festivals dot the city calendar. In a city rich in cultural heritage from Spain, Mexico and local Indigenous Americans, an ascendant restaurant scene shouldn’t surprise anyone. Perfect enchiladas, roasted hatch chiles and plenty of breweries to match propel its Restaurants rank to #40, up from #52. ABQ shopping remains a local secret and ranks #17—outclassing places like Boston and D.C. Looking ahead, the city’s Downtown 2050 Plan sets out to enhance the heart of the city, attract investment and tackle the housing challenge as more newcomers arrive, enticed by opportunities from Intel, Sandia and the U.S. Air Force. Netflix is growing its presence in town, too, having announced an expansion of its production studio in 2024.