Good news— the guided Breaking Bad tour in Albuquerque is back! Fans of the AMC crime series were disappointed several months ago when a popular tour company stopped taking visitors to the show’s film locations. But interest in Breaking Bad tours remains high, so Luigi— a former driver for the show’s cast and crew— recently launched his own firm to meet the demand. It’s the only guided Breaking Bad tour in town, and business is booming.
(Be sure to see the photo gallery below.)
The Breaking Bad Story
Breaking Bad tells the story of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a brilliant but terminally ill high school chemistry teacher. To secure his family’s financial future, White partners with a former student, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), to manufacture and sell high-grade crystal meth. Meanwhile, White’s brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris)— a local DEA agent— hunts the source of the unusually pure drug. And naturally, rival drug dealers want a piece of the action.
Breaking Bad – Set and Filmed in Albuquerque
Breaking Bad was set and filmed almost entirely in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The show aired from 2008 to 2013 and spawned a television prequel, Better Call Saul. The prequel ran from 2015 to 2022 and incorporates some of the same characters and film sites. So a Breaking Bad tour will appeal to fans of both series.
Critical Acclaim for Breaking Bad
If you’re not already a fan, you can binge watch all five seasons (62 episodes) of Breaking Bad on Amazon, Netflix, and other streaming services. You’ll soon see why the show has a cult following, with 16 Emmys, two Golden Globes, and numerous other awards to its credit. In fact, Breaking Bad was the most watched show on American cable television. And many critics consider it one of the greatest TV series of all time. So it’s no wonder the Breaking Bad tour remains popular!
Privileged Access to the Breaking Bad Set
Luigi has worked as a driver for the television and film industry for years. His famous clients included Breaking Bad’s cast and crew for the show’s entire run. Consequently, Luigi had privileged access to the series’ film locations, and he has the photos to prove it. He shares those pics and behind-the-scenes stories during each Breaking Bad tour. And between stops, he plays clips from the show to refresh the group’s memory about key scenes.
Film Sites Included in Breaking Bad Tour
In just over three hours, the tour visits 18 of Breaking Bad’s most popular film locations. For example, you’ll see Jesse Pinkman’s house, the car wash, the site of the BMW explosion, and Washington Park, where the DEA arrested Badger. Tuco’s headquarters (Java Joe’s in real life) still has the original, exterior wall mural commissioned by Breaking Bad’s producers. And you’ll stop at the Dog House, where Jesse sold drugs and bought the gun.
Film Location for Los Pollos Hermanos
Just save your appetite for a light snack (included with the tour) at the restaurant that served as Los Pollos Hermanos in Breaking Bad. In real life, it’s a Twisters franchise. But you’ll easily recognize the place, inside and out— it’s virtually unchanged, apart from the signage. And you can sit in the same booths used by the actors.
Walter White’s House in Albuquerque
No Breaking Bad tour would be complete without a stop at Walter White’s house. And although the producers paid a large sum to the owner for permission to film the exterior of the home, she apparently regrets the decision. Now, a chain link fence with warning signs surrounds the yard, and orange cones prevent cars from stopping at the curb. Security cameras record everyone who approaches. And tales abound— online and from locals— about the owner flipping off tourists, yelling at gawkers, and using a hose to discourage photographers.
I’m sympathetic— to a point. Once the show became popular, thrill seekers constantly knocked at the door, tossed pizzas on the roof, and otherwise trespassed on the property. After a while, it became intolerable. But the owner reportedly turned down a generous offer to buy the place, so maybe the attention isn’t all bad?
Respect for Privacy
Note that Luigi does not let passengers out of the vehicle at Walter White’s home or at any other private residences that served as film locations for Breaking Bad. However, passengers do disembark at the laundry that served as Walter White’s state-of-the-art lab, at the car wash, and of course at Los Pollos Hermanos.
At all other locations, he slows the minibus for passengers to take photos through the oversized (and very clean!) windows. So be sure to snag a window seat if you can. And note that about half the time, the film location will be on the opposite side of the vehicle— still easily visible, but sometimes with a partially obstructed view if you’re taking photos.
Advantages of a Guided Breaking Bad Tour
I took the tour four days ago, and we covered a lot of ground in three hours. The short video clips were helpful reminders of precisely what happened at each iconic spot. And Luigi’s insider stories and photos from the set really brought the places to life and gave us a personal, albeit indirect, connection to the series. But no spoilers here— the stories are Luigi’s to tell.
Along the way, Luigi tested our knowledge of Breaking Bad trivia and rewarded contest winners with show-themed prizes. And everyone walked away with a sample of the rock candy that served as crystal meth in the show. (More on that in a bit.)
Extra Breaking Bad Film Locations
In fact, I had so much fun on Luigi’s tour that I struck out on my own to find still more film sites from Breaking Bad. The private residence that served as Hank Schrader’s house is about 20 minutes east of downtown at 4901 Cumbre del Sur Court NE in Albuquerque. (The address is widely published online, so I might as well include it here.)
And the real-life Rio Rancho High School at 301 Loma Colorado Boulevard NE in Rio Rancho (20 minutes north of Albuquerque) doubled as J.P. Wynne High School, where Walter White taught chemistry.
Location of DEA Headquarters in Breaking Bad
In central Albuquerque, I made a special trip to 400 Gold Ave SW. The office building there served as DEA Headquarters in the series. Fans will recognize the stenciled address above the main entrance. And you can’t miss the unusual spiral staircase in the lobby.
Breaking Bad Tour – Schedule
Luigi’s Breaking Bad tours depart Thursdays through Mondays at 10:00 and last just over three hours. Ticket holders meet at 09:45 in front of Southwestern Handcrafts and Gift Store, 1919 Old Town Road NW, Suite 11, in Old Town Albuquerque. (Tour participants get 20% off Breaking Bad merchandise here.) There’s a public parking lot just around the corner. Luigi picks you up in a comfortable, air-conditioned minibus that accommodates 14 passengers.
Our tour was sold out. Participants ranged in age from their 20s to 60s. As further testament to the show’s broad appeal, they came from throughout the United States and as far away as Hungary.
Breaking Bad Tour – Tickets
You can purchase tickets in advance at the tour’s website. The cost per person is $95 plus tax. Only 12 tickets per tour are available for purchase online. Luigi keeps two seats in reserve for walk-up customers at the time of departure— cash only, first come, first served. Given the tour’s popularity, it’s best to book in advance if you can.
Note— Luigi will be on vacation from January 2025 through March 2025, and there will be no Breaking Bad tours during that time.
The Candy Lady’s Connection to Breaking Bad
The Candy Lady at 424 San Felipe NW in Old Town Albuquerque (not far from the tour’s meeting point) is an old-fashioned confectioner with every imaginable treat for sale. Breaking Bad’s producers hired the owner to produce blue-tinted rock candy for use as crystal meth in the show. As soon as you enter the shop, you’ll spot a display of the fake drug, where you can take a souvenir photo with cut-outs of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman looking over your shoulder.
Breaking Bad Store in Albuquerque
The Breaking Bad Store is also in Old Town Albuquerque at 2047 South Plaza Street NW. It sells every conceivable show-themed souvenir for both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. My favorites included faux license plates matching vanity tags featured in the two series, including Saul’s LWYRUP and Jesse’s CAPN COOK.
The shop also displays a wide assortment of props and wardrobe from both shows, with certificates of authenticity to identify the seasons and episodes in which they appeared. And you can even take a photo in Hector Salamanca’s wheelchair— with the bell still attached!
Visit the store website to order merchandise online and check for scheduled visits by actors from the series.
Final Thoughts
I flew to New Mexico this weekend for the opening days of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (More about that in an upcoming post.) Luckily, I discovered Luigi’s Breaking Bad tour at the last minute— it was a highlight of my visit. Luigi efficiently introduced us to as many popular sites as logistically possible in three hours— and kept everyone entertained the entire way. I had a blast seeing in person so many key scenes from one of my favorite shows, and learned a lot in the process. In fact, I’m now rewatching the entire series— it’s really that good!
