Breaking Bad Tour – Self Guided

Breaking Bad Tour: By now, most of you have either binge-watched Breaking Bad or know someone who has. I think it’s safe to say most people are familiar with this phenomenal series. I loved this show; for me, it was epic. I don’t watch anything for very long,  I have a brief interest/attention span, and I fall asleep watching TV in most cases. To date, Breaking Bad is the only series I have ever seen every episode of. I would consider myself one of the die-hard fans of this cult classic.

The Breaking Bad show was primarily filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the United States. Who would have known? And guess what, you can take a guided tour. You might be tempted to; if tours are your thing, go for it.

The real deal is you don’t need to pay to take a Breaking Bad tour if you have a car. You can do a self-guided tour to most of the locations used for filming. There are mainly three sections to cover, Northern Heights, Downtown, and North.

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About Breaking Bad

“Breaking Bad” is a television drama series that aired on AMC from 2008 to 2013. The show was created by Vince Gilligan and tells the story of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. 

The show follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher living in New Mexico with his wife (Anna Gunn) and cerebral palsy-affected son (RJ Mitte). A prognosis of two years is given to White after he is diagnosed with Stage III cancer. Due to his medical prognosis, White gains a new sense of fearlessness and ascends to power in the world of drugs and crime. 

To provide for his family after his death, Walter begins manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student, Jesse Pinkman. The show explores the consequences of Walter’s decisions and actions as he descends into the dangerous drug production and distribution world. The series showcases how a fatal diagnosis like White’s releases a typical man from everyday society’s daily concerns and constraints and shows his transformation into a drug kingpin.

The show was widely acclaimed for its writing, acting, and cinematography and has been considered one of the greatest television dramas ever. It starred Bryan Cranston as Walter White, Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman, and Anna Gunn as Walter’s wife, Skyler White.

Northern Heights – Breaking Bad Tour 

Do the Northern Heights section together as they are in the suburbs:

Walt & Skyler’s House

3828 Piermont Dr. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111

Walt’s House is probably the number one stop for most! Infamous for the pizza scene, this is an actual residence. Don’t try to recreate the scene and throw pizza on the roof!

The family that lives here is less than impressed with the attention and has installed a fence around the entire perimeter. There are also construction cones blocking parking and signs everywhere, asking you to take your photos and go.

Naturally, we were not the only tourists capturing a snap. What I found odd is why the family that lives there has not cashed in on this. If It were me, I would offer guided tours through the house or at least a peek in the window or charge for a pool view. I mean, tour buses are trekking through the neighborhood daily, so why not profit from it?

The best way to visit the filming set of Walt & Skyler’s House is with a quick drive by! Drive over, get your photo and be on your way.

Saul Goodman’s Office

9800 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111

A mile away from Walt & Skyler’s House, the office is on the Montgomery Blvd and Eubank Blvd intersection. If you are unfamiliar with Saul Goodman, he’s the corrupt lawyer Walter and Jessee use. This location is also featured in the follow-up show Better Call Saul on AMC.

Better Call Saul – The Prequel

“Better Call Saul” is a television drama series that premiered on AMC in 2015. It is a prequel to the critically acclaimed show “Breaking Bad” and is set in the early 2000s in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The series follows the life of James Morgan “Jimmy” McGill, a struggling lawyer who later becomes the infamous criminal lawyer Saul Goodman, known for his catchphrase “Better call Saul!” The show explores Jimmy’s transformation into Saul, his relationships with his brother Chuck, his love interest Kim Wexler, and his association with drug kingpin Gus Fring.

The show has received critical acclaim for its writing, direction, and acting, particularly for Bob Odenkirk’s portrayal of Jimmy/Saul. It has also been praised for its ability to stand on its own while being a worthy successor to “Breaking Bad.”

The show has six seasons, the last airing in 2022.

Hank and Marie Schrader’s House

4901 Cumbre del Sur Ct. Albuquerque, NM 87111

Just three miles away from Walt & Skyler’s house, this location gives you a glimpse of the Sandia Mountains. The show portrays this place as swankier than Walt & Skyler’s house. This spot is an not just great for the house but it’s excellent place for views of the Albuquerque suburbs.

Another private residence, so please be respectful to the owners.

The White’s A1 Car Wash

9516 Snowheights Cir NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

Formerly known as The Octopus Car Wash, now Mister, this is the car wash that Walter and Skyler owned on Breaking Bad. As you know, they used it to launder money – the irony!

Breaking Bad Self-Guided Tour Map

In my humnle opinion, this is the way to go. You can take a tour with a company and you’ll have the benefit of tour guides, however I don’t think you really need a guide if you’ve seen the show. One of the best parts of talking the self guided tour is that you are not on someone elses schedule, you can see the sights in an order you choose and no crowd!

Follow this map, it’s one of the easiest ways to navigate the tour solo.

Downtown – Breaking Bad Tour

Los Pollos Hermanos

Los Pollos Hermanos on the show is a is in fact, an Albuquerque chain that serves up New Mexican fast food specialties, from burritos to burgers. In real life, it is Twisters. A great place to stop and have lunch.

4500 Central Ave SE Albuquerque, NM 87108

Loyola’s Family Restaurant

The diner where Mike and Jesse refuel in Season 4.

Walters Apartment

3932 Silver Ave SE Albuquerque, NM 87108

Gertrude Zachary Jewelry

3300 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106

Remember the scene where Marie shoplifted? This is the place where it happened!

Jesse & Jane’s Duplex

The address of Jesse’s house(duples) is 323 Terrace St SE Albuquerque, NM 87106

Crossroads Motel

1001 Central Avenue NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

Known as the “The Crystal Palace” in Breaking Bad, it was home to Wendy, the prostitute. It was used many times throughout the series, located along Central Avenue (Old US 66), next to Interstate 25.  You will see the sign on the highway.

Ironically, there is a sign saying you must pay to take a photograph. Total nonsense – it’s a public building. Ignore the warning and take all the photos you like.

And, if you are a die-hard fan, you can stay at this hotel, although be warned that the reviews are terrible, and by all accounts, it’s a dump. This said, how many people can say they stayed at the motel featured in Breaking Bad? I think it’s worth roughing it for a night to complete your experience.

El Camino – A Breaking Bad Movie

An American neo-Western crime thriller film, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (or El Camino for short) was released in 2019. A sequel and epilogue to the television series Breaking Bad, it is part of the Breaking Bad franchise. A crystal meth empire is built by Jesse Pinkman and Walter White in Albuquerque through the course of the series.

Photo Credit: Netflix

With a duration of 50 days, most of the filming took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico between November 2018 and February 2019. There were fewer pages of script filmed per day for El Camino than for Breaking Bad. The shooting pace for El Camino was more relaxed. It provided the actors with more time to improvise on set, as well as the crew with more time to film a wider range of shots and get more camera coverage because of the less-pressured schedule. The slower pace allowed Gilligan to feel a greater sense of finality when filming his creation.

FAQ’s

Closing Thoughts

Every fan wants to take a Breaking Bad tour, and you should! It’s not often that shows like this are filmed in public areas that you can visit. As a fan, you will relish seeing these sites for yourself, and touring will give you a renewed connection to the show!

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