Breaking Bad in Albuquerque
"I can't imagine 'Breaking Bad' being anywhere else. I can't imagine the show would be nearly as interesting as it is if it were set anywhere else... When I think of Albuquerque, I think of clouds, just those beautiful floating cumulus clouds. The skies. These are skies you just don't see in Southern California.”
— Vince Gilligan
About
Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city and located in high desert. It's the hot air balloon capital of the world, part of the Route 66 network AND the filming location for my favourite TV shows, 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul'.
Photos
I've wanted to do the 'Breaking Bad' RV tour for years and got up at 5:30am to take the Rail Runner Express service from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, a 1.5 hour trip which only cost $7 for a day pass.
The name 'Rail Runner' is a play on 'Roadrunner', which is a type of cuckoo and the state bird of New Mexico (one for your next pub quiz!).
My carriage was empty for almost the entire journey - bliss.
Some of the scenery passing through Bernalillo, Sandia Pueblo, and Los Ranches.
Arriving at the official store and museum for our 10am pickup.
The tour takes place in an actual Fleetwood Bounder motorhome, exactly like the show, and we visited around 30 different filming locations.
The interior is really authentic with glassware, boiling flasks, gas masks - everything you need for a mobile meth lab!
The experience was created in 2014 and is run by Frank and Jackie, a local couple who work as background actors (they both had small parts in the show).
The iconic 'Los Pollos Hermanos', chicken restaurant and front-organisation for Gus Fring's meth distribution empire.
Inside the restaurant, where we got drinks and yummy breakfast burritos.
Me at Walter's booth, where he first tried to request a meeting with Gus.
TV comparison.
Driving past Jesse Pinkman's house, which is in the Albuquerque Country Club neighbourhood.
The 'Dog House' drive-in, where Jesse sold meth in 'Breaking Bad' and Saul tried to sell burner phones in 'Better Call Saul'.
Tuco Salamanca's hideout and office, where Walter created the fulminated mercury explosion. In real-life, this building is a coffee shop called 'Java Joe's'.
Saul Goodman's strip mall law office, which is a bar called 'The Bourbon House'.
"When the going gets tough, you don't want a criminal lawyer. You want a criminal lawyer."
The Crossroads Motel is an actual real-life, roadside motel. It was used in several scenes, including Hank and Walter Jr's ride-by and Wendy's drug hangout.
The famous A1A car wash, where Walter first worked as a cashier and later purchased with Skyler to launder millions of dollars in meth earnings.
'El Michoacáno', the front and gathering spot used by the Salamanca family.
One of the best spots saved till last, Walter White's house (the flowers are for RJ Mitte, who played Walter Jr and sadly passed away last month).
The owner had to install a perimeter fence around the property due to fans trespassing and throwing pizzas on the roof (to replicate the famous scene). It's recently been sold to a streamer, who plans to refurbish the interiors to match the show and turn it into an Airbnb.
TV comparison.
Returning to Santa Fe, after an amazing day I'll remember forever.
Sunset scenery from the train.
Thanks for reading - next up, I'll be in Moab, Utah, to visit the Arches National Park.