Kevin and I just got back from spending 5 days in New Mexico for the July 4th holiday. It was tough narrowing down what to do, especially since I kept coming up with one day trip after another. But one spot quickly topped my list — a day trip to the Very Large Array, one of the world’s top astronomical radio observatories, part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. While scientists geek out about the site’s technology, it’s probably best known by regular folks (or at least me!) as the eerie backdrop to the 1997 film Contact, based on the Carl Sagan novel about alien communication.
I wish I could go back and reenact the poster. Maybe next time?
But what is there to see? How much time do you need? And will we make contact with aliens? Well, follow our journey and find out along our great American road trip — that manages to be both quirky and educational all at once. And okay, I have to admit, just a little weird.
Stop #1: Start Your Day Trip from Albuquerque With Breakfast
Enjoying the chilaquiles at Frontier ABQ and a big side of salsa on our Albuquerque day trip.
We woke up early (for us!) at 8 AM to hit the road. The drive from Old Town Albuquerque, the closest city, to the Very Large Array takes about 2 hours and is in the middle of nowhere. I mean, we’re talking nothing but empty desert in all directions here people.
When I began researching this trip I knew it would take us slightly off track (okay, VERY!) of our journey from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. But Kevin and I were just so intrigued to learn more. Before you leave the comfort of Albuquerque, we recommend getting a quick breakfast to fuel up for the day. We headed to the local landmark Frontier, located across from the University of New Mexico. The spot specializes in breakfasts, burritos, roasted green chile, homemade flour tortillas, but most famous of all, the Sweet Roll.
Frontier Sweet Roll is what draws most folks to Frontier Restaurant in Albuquerque.
Was it the best breakfast ever? Definitely not. But it was cheap — and very quick. We had a long trip so it worked out well. The historic spot has been around since 1971 and has a loyal following. We were told that at peak hours, it has a line wrapping through the entire place. It’s definitely worth the stop for the experience.
Kevin is excited to try the sweet roll — be sure to eat it while it’s hot.
Stop #2: Mile Marker for a Legendary Power Woman From History
This next stop is a quickie, but well worth it, especially if you need to use the bathroom. Priorities, right? We were on the road for an hour as Kevin announced he had “to go” (making me question whether I should ration his Diet Dr. Pepper supply?). Anyway, we pulled off Interstate 25 at the Walking Sands Rest Area near San Acacia, NM, in Socorro County. It’s on Google Maps, so be sure to plug it into your iPhone before leaving civilization and cell reception.
The sign at the rest stop pretty much caused me to freak out at any extension cord for the rest of the trip.
We weren’t expecting this rest stop to be educational. We were pleasantly surprised to learn about one of New Mexico’s early “power women” from the Spanish Entrada of 1598 named Doña Eufemia. Turns out that she rallied 22 women to defend the northern territory’s capital of San Juan when soldiers were away. Because of this, she received the nickname “La Valerosa”, the valiant one, for her courage. And a cool little mile marker and plaque. Hey, and a call out in this blog post!
Stop #3: The Biggie, Making it to the Very Large Array
So I’m gonna just lay out right now — the Very Large Array doesn’t offer anyone the chance to call E.T. and phone home. What? The movie Contact was all a lie?
Jodie Foster, you weren’t talking with Aliens here! I guess that’s good acting.
Turns out the site uses something called “radio astronomy” or large dishes to observe naturally occurring radio emissions from space. The technology maps out distant stars, planets, galaxies and clouds of dust and molecules. And here I was ready to talk with some aliens. Oh well. It turns out that the site was pretty fun and educational regardless.
The visitors center is open to the public where you can do a self-guided tour most days. Or join a 50-minute guided tour, which happen on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month at 11 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM. No reservations are required, simply show up at the Very Large Array Visitor Center 30 minutes before the desired tour time.
If you’re doing a self-guided tour like us, I recommend starting off in the very first room that gives an overview of the filming of Contact. It turns out the weather was horrible and pretty much rained most of the production. And it looked so calm in the movie.
Movie magic – you’d never know Jodie Foster was basically shooting this thing under umbrellas most of the production.
Next, we headed into the screening room to watch a 24-minute film about the location. I was nervous Kevin would fall asleep. But the film was actually really good. Basically, you’ll get a chance to learn about the operation and achievements of the Very Large Array, which has been at the forefront of astrophysical research since 1980. You’ll also get to see the major undertaking to keep it functioning — and watch the transporter crew move these behemoths over railroad tracks across the empty desert.
But if you have youngsters in tow (or just fall asleep in documentaries), you might want to spend most of your time exploring the outdoor exhibits with interactive science displays.
Heading outside to check out the satellites and all the fun science stuff.
Walking along the path to get a close-up look.
The total walk outside took us about 1 hour, but you could do it probably in 20 minutes. We basically were reading every sign along the way. For the final stop along the self-guided trip, you’ll need to hop in the car. Though, we were completely lost and quickly were stopped by security. As you might imagine, security is tight here!
Checking out “the barn,” a spot to do routine maintenance on the dishes.
Stop #4: Get Caffeinated for the Ride back to Albuquerque, at the Cutest Coffee Shop in the Desert
Blink and you’ll miss it – the exterior of a tiny coffee shop called Espresso near the Very Large Array.
What a full day! And yes, a long one with all this driving. After checking out the Very Large Array, you’ll head back the same way you came through the tiny town of Magdalena. I recommend a quick stop to peruse the coffee drinks, chai tea, Italian sodas and lemon sodas at Espresso. It’s a gem of a spot and is a cafe and type print shop all in one. It’s like we’re back in West Hollywood.
Inside the coffee shop/print shop in Magdalena, NM. A great stop along the way home from the Very Large Array.
And there you have it — a quirky and unique trip well worth the detour from Albuquerque. Be sure to check out more stories to come, including fun New Mexico day trips, from our mini July 4th getaway.
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