Santa Fe (New Mexico)

Santa Fe was once the capital of Spain's, and then Mexico's, territories north of the Rio Grande, but its visible history extends far beyond the arrival of the Spanish; it is thought to have been the site of Puebloan villages that had already been long abandoned by the time the Spanish arrived in 1607. It became the state capital when the territory of New Mexico achieved statehood in 1912.

In the early 20th century, the area attracted a number of artists, such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz. The region remains important on America's art scene. The arrival of Igor Stravinsky and the founding of the Santa Fe Opera, one of the world's leading opera companies, had a similarly invigorating and enduring influence on the musical community. Many people go to Santa Fe for spiritual gatherings and to practice meditative arts at the many spas and resorts that are in and around Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is rooted in paradoxes. On the one hand, it is one of the United States' oldest cities (by some reckonings the oldest), and many residents can trace their roots and property holdings in town back to the 17th century. On the other hand, it has also been the target of a teeming influx of wealthy immigrants since the mid-1970s that has spurred a great deal of new construction and created inflated prices for real estate—and drastically elevated taxes on old family properties, many of which are owned by families that can't afford the taxes. The tension between new and old, rich and poor, etc., is a persistent undercurrent in the community. These and other factors (not the least of which is a well-deserved reputation as a haven for flamboyant characters) contribute to Santa Fe's uniqueness.

Much of the city's attractiveness, from both scenic and cultural perspectives, arises from its setting in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This location produces a mild continental climate with four distinct seasons. Winters are pleasant, with day-time highs usually in the 40s °F (5–10 °C), often "feeling" warmer due to the sunny conditions. Snow varies wildly from year to year; some winters see almost no snow, while others will have several individual storms dropping a foot or more each. (The sun and high altitude mean that roads usually aren't clogged too badly, even by the big storms, for more than a day or two, as the snow melts rapidly.) Spring, usually dry and moderate in temperature, is still probably the least pleasant time to visit from a weather perspective, because of strong winds. Early summer (June, early July) is hot and dry, with highs around 90 °F (32 °C), but gives way around mid-July to a truly delightful climate as summer, monsoonal thunderstorms peel off the mountains and cool the afternoons down. Bring rainwear if visiting in July or August. The monsoons typically die out in early September leading to a fall with dry, sunny days and clear, crisp evenings; first frost is usually in October, with snow starting to stick in the mountains at about that time.

One caution: the elevation is high enough to challenge the lungs of the visitor freshly up from sea level. It's wise to spend your first day on relatively sedentary activities (museums, walking the downtown area) and move to more active things after you've had some time to acclimatize.

Santa Fe Tourism website

1 Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF IATA). American Eagle Airlines operates daily service from Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix, while United Express has daily service from Denver.

If you enter New Mexico via the larger Albuquerque airport, rent a car and drive, as there is no commuter air service connecting the two airports. Alternatively, you can also take the Rail Runner commuter train (see below) or one of the shuttle buses such as Groome Transportation, which will pick you up at the Albuquerque airport and drop you off at one of a handful of locations in Santa Fe.

A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, connects Santa Fe to Albuquerque and surrounding communities (from Downtown Albuquerque you can catch a shuttle to the airport, ABQ IATA). There are four stations in Santa Fe: the 2 Santa Fe Depot at the Railyards on Guadalupe Street near the Sanbusco Center, the South Capitol station off Cordova Road between Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive, the Zia Road station at Zia Road and St. Francis Drive on the south side of town, and the NM 599 station at I-25 and NM 599 southwest of town. The Santa Fe Depot is the most useful for sightseeing, as it puts you in the historic downtown area within relatively easy walking distance of the plaza. The other stations are meant more for commuters and are of little use to sightseers. The Rail Runner runs daily, although service can be limited outside the weekday rush hour periods. Fares are based on how far you ride; a day pass will usually be in the range of $5–10. Tickets can be purchased online or from ticket agents on the train.

The major Amtrak route across the Southwest, the Southwest Chief, stops at Lamy about 15 miles south of Santa Fe off US Highway 285. The once-daily trains stop in Lamy mid-afternoon, and a shuttle van service can take you to Santa Fe. The station in Lamy has an old cafe car serving lunch, food vendors on the platform, and picnic tables beneath shady cottonwoods. Travelers with bicycles may find the shuttle van to Santa Fe is unable to transport their bicycles unless special arrangements have been made; an alternative is to send any luggage ahead via the shuttle and ride the bicycle - there's a federally designated rail trail along an unused rail line between Lamy and Santa Fe, but between the Amtrak station and US 285 you must travel via the road, then north on US 285 to the trailhead.

Santa Fe lies along Interstate 25, which skirts the city. Be suspicious of weather conditions if coming to Santa Fe on this road. Santa Fe is nearly 1,500 ft (460 m) above Albuquerque, and on I-25, most of the elevation change is on a single long, steep hill known as "La Bajada." La Bajada hill is hairy to drive during winter snowstorms and is occasionally closed for periods of several hours. East of town, I-25 North goes over a moderate pass along the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains before heading out into the plains; this too can be closed during blizzards.

If conditions are good and you're not in a hurry, consider using back roads as an alternative to I-25 if coming from Albuquerque. State road 14 passes along the east side of the Sandia Mountains and through the quaint little towns of Madrid and Cerrillos before joining the interstate just south of Santa Fe.

Santa Fe was on the original Route 66, although it was bypassed during the 1930s as a result of some curious political shenanigans and the much shorter, modern Route 66 didn't go anywhere near here. See the Original alignment in New Mexico section of the Route 66 article for tips on how to get here "authentically." Coming from points east, you might also consider entering town via the Santa Fe Trail itinerary, which shares roads with the Route 66 itinerary near Santa Fe.

There is no long-distance scheduled bus service into Santa Fe. The nearest Greyhound stop is in Albuquerque, at the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown. From there, the most convenient option to Santa Fe is to take the Rail Runner train, which stops right next to the bus depot.

Both New Mexico Park and Ride and the NCRTD provide commuter bus service on weekdays with routes that connect Santa Fe to surrounding communities. Additionally, the NCRTD operates the Taos Express weekend service to Taos and the daily Mountain Trail route up Hyde Park Road between Santa Fe and Ski Santa Fe.

Santa Fe Route M. The free Santa Fe Pickup shuttle has been suspended indefinitely. Route M has been designated as the de facto replacement. It runs between the State Capitol, along East Alameda Street, and Museum Hill approximately every hour 7AM-7PM weekdays and 10AM-5PM weekends. (updated Dec 2022)

Santa Fe Trails, ☏ +1 505 955-2001. Limited, but improving, public transportation is available from the city's bus service. Bus fare is $1, a day pass costs $2, and a 31-day pass costs $20; youth under 18 ride free, half-fare for seniors/disabled. Buy fare or passes from the bus driver (cash only, exact change required). The most useful routes for tourists are #2, which runs along Cerrillos Road between downtown and the Santa Fe Place mall, and Route M, which runs between the Santa Fe train depot, downtown and Museum Hill.

Parking can be a problem during the summer, but look for parking lots (fee) near St. Francis Cathedral, the Convention Center, and between Water and San Francisco Streets west of the Plaza. If in town during any major event (Indian Market, Fiesta, etc.) plan on parking away from downtown and taking a shuttle, e.g. from De Vargas Mall.

The main roads through town are St. Francis Drive (US 84/285) from north to south, Cerrillos Road (NM SR 14) from the downtown area southwest to I-25 and beyond, Old Santa Fe Trail and its offshoot Old Pecos Trail from downtown southeast to I-25, and St. Michaels Drive and Rodeo Road and its offshoots, both connecting Old Pecos Trail and Cerrillos east to west. Most outlying attractions are accessible via one of these roads. The downtown area is a remarkable warren of small roads that you really don't want to drive on; park your car and walk. Streets there tend to wander (Paseo de Peralta, one of the main roads in the downtown area, almost completes a loop) and, even when apparently rectilinear, are not necessarily aligned to true north-south/east-west. Take extra care for pedestrians and cyclists, many streets have sharp turns.

If you're bound for the Santa Fe Opera from Albuquerque or points south, consider taking the Santa Fe Relief Route (NM SR 599), which leaves I-25 south of the Cerrillos Road exit, bypasses most of Santa Fe, and meets US 84/285 just south of the Opera. This can be a good way of getting to lodging and restaurants on the north side of town as well; although it's a few miles out of the way, the much less chaotic driving, particularly around rush hour, provides considerable compensation.

Once you get to Santa Fe, consider taking a tour of downtown. Several companies offer open-air tram tours, like Loretto Line Tours (available in the parking lot of the Loretto Chapel). These tours last about 1½ hours and give you a sense of the architecture, culture and history of the downtown area.

Santa Fe has a variety of interesting museums, most in the downtown area and easily reached on foot. Four of the biggest in Santa Fe (the Palace of the Governors, the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Museum of International Folk Art, and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture) are sub-units of the Museum of New Mexico, for which you can buy a shared pass for $20 that allows access to all four museums and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art within a four-day period. If you only have time for one, individual passes are available.

The following is a list of museums in the downtown area:

2 Palace of the Governors / New Mexico History Museum, 105 E Palace Ave (North face of Santa Fe Plaza), ☏ +1 505 476-5200. Daily 10AM-5PM, closed M Nov-Apr (open Fridays 5-7PM May-Oct and first Friday of each month Nov-Apr), Memorial Day-Labor Day. The oldest public building in the United States, the Palace of the Governors is a 17th-century building that once served as the main capitol building and now houses an excellent historical museum and shop, with exhibits on the history of the building and a functioning antique print press. Behind the Palace is the New Mexico History Museum, with three floors of exhibits on the history of New Mexico, including numerous artifacts from the prehistory to the present. While the Palace is being renovated (as of 2022), disruptions are minimal most days and exhibits are displaced but available. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal (covered facade) facing the Plaza. They are awarded a spot via an official lottery system. $12 adults, youth 16 and under free, youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies. (updated Jul 2022)

3 New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W Palace Ave (just west of the Palace of the Governors), ☏ +1 505 476-5072. Daily 10AM-5PM, closed M Nov-Apr (open Fridays 5-7PM May-Oct and first Friday of each month Nov-Apr). Though it has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, this museum has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor. $12 adults, youth 16 and under free, youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies. (updated Jun 2017)

4 Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson St (just north of downtown), ☏ +1 505 946-1000. Daily 9AM-5PM, F open until 7PM. Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. Only free after 5PM on the first Friday of every month, and only applies to New Mexico residents. $20 adults, youth 17 and under free, senior/youth discounts, free Friday nights after 5PM. (updated Dec 2022)

There are several photogenic churches in town, most of them open for visits during daylight hours when no church services are in progress (please be respectful and don't attempt flash photography):

13 St. Francis Cathedral, 213 Cathedral Pl (downtown area), ☏ +1 505 982-5619. One of the "must-see" places in town, with an impressive interior and beautiful art both inside and out. A tip for the photographer: the main façade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures out front) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon. Free; donation.

14 Loretto Chapel, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 982-0092. M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Su 10:30AM-4:30PM, until 6PM M-Sa during summer. Built in 1878 and modeled after the Gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris. An intriguing legend - the Miraculous Staircase - is attached below and serves as the highlight on the church. The Loretto is also a popular romantic wedding venue. $3.

15 San Miguel Mission, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 983-3974. Su 1PM-4:30PM, Summer M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Winter M-Sa 10AM-4PM. Thought to be the oldest surviving mission church in the United States, the San Miguel is a rather simple but lovely adobe structure. Behind the mission, along the narrow alleyway, is a small structure whose owners claim it to be the "oldest house in the U.S." built by Europeans; a claim which though inaccurate reflects the long history of the site. $1.

16 Santuario de Guadalupe, 100 Guadalupe (downtown area), ☏ +1 505 988-2027. M-F 9AM-4PM, Sa/Summer 10AM-4PM. A favorite musical venue, the Santuario is an excellent example of Spanish Colonial architecture and contains a superb collection of religious artworks. Free.

17 Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta (north of downtown but within walking distance of the Plaza), ☏ +1 505 982-4415 (main), +1 505 980-9304 (to schedule tours). Tours Tu & Th 10AM or 2PM, call to schedule. A startling, bright pink Moorish-style building modeled after the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. (updated Jul 2019)

18 The State Capitol Building, corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and Paseo de Peralta (south of downtown), ☏ +1 505 986-4589. Self-guided tours M-F 7AM-6PM, call for guided tours. One of the country's most unusual and striking state capitol buildings; usually open to visitors during working hours. It's known locally as "the Roundhouse," and even a casual look will tell you why. Free.

An enormous number of Santa Fe structures are on the National Register of Historic Places. Rather than recapping the whole list here, visit the web site. A good way of sampling the Historic Places is to start at the Plaza (itself one of the designated places) and work your way out. At least 40 places on the Register can be reached conveniently from here.

Santa Fe hosts a seemingly unending series of community fairs, festivals and celebrations, of which the most characteristic is the Fiesta de Santa Fe. This grand city-wide festival is held over the weekend after Labor Day in mid-September, after most of the summer tourists have left (and has been described as Santa Fe throwing a party for itself to celebrate the tourists leaving!). The celebration commemorates the reconquest of Santa Fe in 1692 by the Spanish after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Fiesta opens with a procession bearing a statue of the Blessed Virgin known as La Conquistadora to the Cathedral of St. Francis. Revelry starts with the Thursday night burning of Zozobra, also known as "Old Man Gloom," a huge, animated figure whose demise at the hands of a torch-bearing dancer symbolizes the banishing of cares for the year. Prepare for BIG crowds - this event is not for the faint of heart and can be downright scary for small children! The crowning of a queen (La Reina) of the Fiesta and her consort, representing the Spanish nobleman, Don Diego de Vargas, who played a key role in the founding of the city, is a matter of great local import. Revelry continues through the weekend and features such events as the hilarious children's Pet Parade on Saturday morning and the Hysterical/Historical Parade on Sunday afternoon. A Fiesta Melodrama at the Community Playhouse effectively and pointedly pokes fun at city figures and events of the year past. The Fiesta closes with a solemn, candle-lit walk to the Cross of the Martyrs.

A few of the other festivities during the year, arranged in (usual) chronological order through the year, are:

Santa Fe Community Days. mid-May.

Santa Fe Plaza Arts and Crafts Festivals. mid-June and Labor Day weekend.

Rodeo de Santa Fe. late June-early July.

Santa Fe Wine Festival. usually first weekend in July. At Rancho de las Golondrinas, taste and enjoy some of the finest wines in New Mexico in the beautiful outdoor setting of a living history museum

1 Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. early July. A huge gathering of folk artists from around the world showing their work on the Milner Plaza at Museum Hill.

Summer Antiquities Show. July.

Summer Spanish Market (in the Plaza). late July.

Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. July and August. With a series of internationally known musicians.

Mountain Man Rendezvous (Palace of the Governors). mid-August.

2 Santa Fe Indian Market. This annual mid-August event is the most significant Santa Fe festival for tourists and collectors. The entire downtown area is filled with vendors of American Indian arts and crafts, ranging from $10 tourist trinkets on up to breathtaking works of the highest quality. It advertises itself as the world's largest show for Native American artisans, and the description is probably accurate; an artisan who wins one of the top prizes in the juried competitions here is "made" as a significant folk art figure. Lodging is tight in town on Indian Market weekend, so if you're attending, make plans early.

Santa Fe is an important center for music and musical groups, the most illustrious being the Santa Fe Opera, although there are several other excellent venues in town.

3 Santa Fe Opera, 301 Opera Drive (off US 285 on the north side of town), ☏ +1 505 986-5900. The opera house is partially "open air," so that opera goers get attractive views of the Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos as an additional backdrop to what's on stage. The Santa Fe Opera is known around the world for staging American and even world premieres of new works, the operas of Richard Strauss, and promising new artists on their way up (and, to be fair, one or two aging superstars each season who are on their way down, not up). Opera season is the summer, with opening night (tickets are almost impossible to get) usually around July 1 and the last performances in mid-August. (Bring a light jacket/wrap and an umbrella to the later performances; the open-air nature of the house can make August performances nippy and drippy, although seats are protected from the rain.) Many performances sell out well in advance, so book early. (KHFM radio, frequency 95.5 MHz, airs a "ticket exchange" that may be helpful in finding tickets to sold-out performances, if you find yourself in town on the spur of the moment during opera season; they stream their broadcast online, so you can check the ticket exchange even before you arrive.) People-watching here can be as much fun as the opera itself; you'll see folks in the most expensive formal wear sitting next to others in jeans, which is typical of Santa Fe. Dressing up at least a little from jeans is a good idea, though. Pre-performance "tailgate dinners" in the parking lot, as though you were attending a football game or such, are part of the tradition and color; you can bring your own, or see under "Eat/Other/Splurge" below. (updated Aug 2016)

4 Center for Contemporary Arts (Armory for the Arts), 1050 Old Pecos Trail, ☏ +1 505 982-1338. Mainly theater.

5 GiG, 1808 Second St, ☏ +1 505 989-8442. A spinoff (they describe themselves as a "stepchild") of the Jazz Festival; coffee-house environment with jazz, folk music, etc.

6 Greer Garson Theatre, 1600 St. Michael's Dr, ☏ +1 505 473-6511. On the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design; visit the web site to see what's playing there. Comfortable, with good acoustics.

7 James A. Little Theater, 1060 Cerrillos Rd. On the campus of the New Mexico School for the Deaf, remarkably enough.

8 Lensic Performing Arts Center, 225 W. San Francisco St, ☏ +1 505 988-1234. Box-office. A converted movie theater with a pleasant atmosphere. As with most downtown sites, parking can be a pain, but there is a parking garage a block west that's usually OK in the evening.

There are several movie theaters and art houses spread around the city that play Hollywood flicks as well some of the more off-beat movies. In addition to the year-round offerings, film enthusiasts should check out the Santa Fe Film Festival, held every year in early December.

First-run Hollywood films can be seen at the Santa Fe Mall 12 Regal Cinemas on Cerrillos Road at Zafarano Drive (the later of which is newer and can screen 3D films).

The Lensic Performing Arts Center (listed above) occasionally holds a screening in addition to their regular performing arts lineup.

13 Jean Cocteau Cinema, 418 Montezuma Ave (west of Guadalupe, around the corner from the Santa Fe Depot), ☏ +1 505 466-5528. Plays a mixture of Hollywood, classic, and indie films.

14 Center for Contemporary Arts. Adjacent to the Armory for the Arts (listed above), plays a good selection of indie films and documentaries.

15 Garson Studios, 1600 St Michaels Dr (on the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design), ☏ +1 505 473-6494. Screens a selection of foreign, indie, and art house films.

16 Violet Crown Cinema, 1606 Alcaldesa St (in the Santa Fe Railyards), ☏ +1 505 216-5678. A brand new movie house which plays first-run Hollywood films. All seats are reserved (reserving online ahead of time is recommended) and there is a full-service restaurant and bar in the building, with the option of taking your food into the theater. Food is prepared on order, so if you want to eat while watching the movie, be sure to arrive well ahead of screening. (updated Jun 2015)

As one might expect from its location between mountain and desert, Santa Fe is rich in outdoor activities, particularly hiking, cycling, and horse riding. Most are slightly outside town itself and are covered in the "Go next" section and pages cited there, but there are a few in-town possibilities:

There are a number of great trails around town:

The 17 Cross of the Martyrs is a good short walk, on a hill just northeast of Downtown. From Paseo de Peralta, the paved walkway ascends to the top of the hill, where a cross honoring the Spanish martyrs of New Mexico has been placed. Unfortunately, getting to the entrance to the trail involves uncomfortably close proximity to car traffic, as one has to walk along a narrow but extraordinarily busy street on very narrow sidewalks, but the view of Santa Fe makes it all worth it. 18 Old Fort Marcy Park, at 300 Kearney Ave, is just around the corner a short walk from the cross, and is an in-town (one really can't call it "urban") park suitable for a short hike to begin getting your cardiovascular system adjusted to the 7000-foot altitude.

The 19 Santa Fe River Park runs along the so-called Santa Fe River (it rarely has more than a trickle of water), with access convenient to the plaza area along Alameda Street, which cuts through the downtown area between the Plaza and the State Capitol. You'll share the path with myriad walkers, bikers, and some boarders and horse riders.

The campus of 20 St. John's College, 1160 Camino Cruz Blanca, is the starting point for several hikes of lengths ranging from 2 to 7 miles, the latter being the ascent of Atalaya Mountain, one of the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos that rises just east of town. Park at the visitors' parking lot and choose your hike.

A trail along the railroad to Lamy south of Santa Fe can be hiked, biked, and ridden on horseback. It is a nationally designated Rail with Trail, and plans are underway to further develop its trail facilities. It's paved from the Railyard to Rabbit Road (continuation of St. Francis Drive on the south side of I-25), continuing as a dirt path along the tracks to Lamy. Keep an eye out for trains.

The Santa Fe National Forest covers the mountains east of town and offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. 21 Ski Santa Fe is a short distance outside town, at the end of NM 475 (Hyde Park Road) in the high country of the forest (seriously high—even the base of the runs is above 10,000', so think carefully whether you want to go there if you have respiratory problems or are prone to altitude sickness). In addition to the obvious skiing, the lifts often operate during the summer, taking visitors to near the top of 12,000'-plus Tesuque Peak for great views. The road to the ski area goes through an aspen grove with spectacularly golden foliage (and hordes of people looking at the trees—don't expect privacy) in the fall, and several trails lead into the national forest from trailheads along the way. Some of the trails turn into interesting Nordic ski tracks in the winter.

Santa Fe is a designated UNESCO Creative City and is one of the best places in the world to shop specifically for Native American Indian arts and crafts. How to proceed depends on what your goals are and how much you want to spend.

If your goal is jewelry, note that the price for turquoise stones has risen dramatically in the 21st century, as demand has risen at the same time that the mining of new stones has declined. Most new turquoise jewelry, and all of the inexpensive jewelry, uses "stabilized" turquoise, rather than the rarer types that are naturally hard enough and mined in the American Southwest. Gem-grade natural American turquoise can cost more than $100 per carat, and more than that for a choice piece from a favored mine, such as the world-famous Lander Blue turquoise mine in Nevada.

The place of choice for most travelers seeking Native folk art is the Native American artists who sell their own art on the "Portal" (accent on second syllable) in front of the Palace of the Governors. The jewelry, pottery, and other works are available for a reasonable price, you know that the money goes directly to the artist, and – unlike the many cheap shops around town that import Native-style objects that were made in Asia – the authenticity is guaranteed through a rigorous licensing system. Most artists are happy if you ask questions about the symbolism and materials used, but don't haggle over the prices here. The vendors rotate in and out on a lottery system, so there are some different sellers each day. Pickings may be a bit thin on Sundays, and the vendors leave after 5:30.

A word of warning: do not patronize the similar vendors on sidewalks out around town unless you know they're okay, or you don't care what you're buying. If they're not on the Portal, there's a reason, and one common reason is that they're passing off non-Indian junk as authentic. Some authentic local artisans may be off the Portal, but caveat emptor.

For higher-quality (and -priced) Native art, art galleries cluster around the Plaza. Some reputable ones (there are more) are:

1 Allan Houser Gallery, 125 Lincoln Ave. Suite 112, ☏ +1 505 982-4705. M-Sa 10AM-5PM. Showcases sculptures, drawings, and paintings by Allan Houser. A sculpture garden south of Santa Fe with more work by Houser is open for tours.

2 Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, 100 W. San Francisco, ☏ +1 505 986-1234. Summer M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-6PM; Winter M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Museum quality Native American pottery.

3 Blue Rain Gallery, 130 Lincoln Avenue, Suite D, ☏ +1 505 954-9902. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, closed Su. Specializing in contemporary Native American art, including pottery, paintings, glass sculpture, jewelry and mixed media.

If you have any interest at all in "Anglo" art, make sure you walk down Canyon Road (an easy stroll from downtown), which is full of unique, quirky and just plain fun art galleries. Other galleries are west and south of the Plaza in the downtown area itself. A small sampling to give you a sense of what's there (opening hours at these can be somewhat erratic and are not always posted):

Axle Contemporary, variable locations and hours; check website for daily updates, ☏ +1 505 670-5854. A mobile gallery of contemporary art, featuring works on paper and installation in a beautiful custom-retrofitted 1970 aluminum stepvan. Art by both established and emerging New Mexico-based artists.

6 Chuck Jones Gallery, 135 W. Palace Ave, ☏ +1 505 983-5999. Hours apparently "flexible". Amid the galleries featuring the scenic and cultural beauty of the Southwest and Native Americana, you can find this one featuring the "beauty" of ... Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner!? This gallery memorializes the great cartoon artist and his successors in animation art, with many originals. Not what you might think of as typical of the Santa Fe art scene, but highly entertaining.

7 Gerald Peters Gallery, 1011 Paseo de Peralta, ☏ +1 505 954-5700. M-Sa 10AM-5PM. One of Santa Fe's "high-end" galleries, with works by some famous artists (Hurd, Remington, Miro, etc.), bearing six-digit price tags in some cases. If you're looking for inexpensive "souvenir" art, look elsewhere, but the serious art collector should definitely check this one out.

8 Glenn Green Galleries, 136 Tesuque Village Rd (in Tesuque, 5 miles north of the Plaza), ☏ +1 505 820-0008. M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Sunday by appointment. Established in 1966, 5 acre sculpture garden and gallery. Contemporary sculpture, paintings, prints and wall art by artists such as Allan Houser (whom the gallery represented from 1974-1994), Khang Pham-New, Eduardo Oropeza, Melanie Yazzie, etc.

9 Manitou Galleries, 123 W. Palace Ave, ☏ +1 505 986-0440, toll-free: +1-800-283-0440. M-Sa 9:30AM–5:30PM, Su 11AM-5PM. One of the relatively few Santa Fe galleries open 7 days a week. Mid-range ($100 to $20,000) work, mainly with a Southwestern theme; nice bronzes.

10 Mark White Fine Art, 414 Canyon Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-2073. Daily 10AM-5PM. Meditative wind sculptures. Inside the gallery you can view radiant and unique paintings on metal.

11 Nedra Matteucci Galleries, 1075 Paseo de Peralta, ☏ +1 505 982-4631. M-Sa 9:30AM–5PM. A gallery by a well-known Santa Fe entrepreneur, with an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century work, including a number of works from the art colony at Taos.

In downtown Santa Fe there are quite a few specialty stores for toys, book stores, clothes and a variety of other stores with handmade goods such as purses and jewelry.

On the south side of the city there is an 15 outlet mall at the intersection of I-25 and Cerrillos Road and a large gathering of newer, big-box stores like Best Buy and Target on Zafarano Road near Cerrillos and Rodeo Roads, across the road from the enclosed 16 Santa Fe Place mall. A second (and slightly smaller) enclosed mall, the 17 DeVargas Center, is at Paseo de Peralta and Guadalupe, just north of the downtown area.

There are so many good New Mexican restaurants in town that a description here can barely scratch the surface. Half of the writers on New Mexican food claim that green chile is hotter than red, while half claim it's the other way around. In reality, the best authority on the spiciness of the chile at the particular restaurant you eat at is the restaurant itself, so if you're concerned about the chile being too hot, simply ask; you'll get a straight answer far more often than not. One thing that's definitely true, however, is that green tends to be fleshier than red, and adds a bit more substance to the dish, independent of the heat level.

2 Five and Dime, 58 E San Francisco St, ☏ +1 505 992-1800. The former Woolworths on the Plaza was said to be the birthplace of the "Frito Pie"; it has since been replaced by the Five and Dime. The Frito Pie consists of a bag of Fritos corn chips topped by meaty red chile and cheddar cheese, with onions and jalapeños as a garnish, served in the original Frito bag. (updated Dec 2024)

3 The Shed, 113½ E Palace Ave (In a little plaza off East Palace Avenue in the heart of the downtown area, recessed off the street and hard to find, but worth the effort to poke around the several side plazas until you locate it.), ☏ +1 505 982-9030. M-Sa 11AM-2:30PM and 5:30PM-9PM. The quintessential New Mexican lunch spot. "Traditional" New Mexican food (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc.) in a rustic setting. Lunch entrees from $7 or so, dinners from $9.

4 La Choza, 905 Alarid St. Sister restaurant of The Shed. It is open evenings and is on an obscure side street close to the main drag of St. Francis Drive, well outside the downtown area. Serves "traditional" New Mexican food (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc.) in a rustic setting. Reservations are recommended. Entrees from $15-$25.

5 Posa's El Merendero, 1514 Rodeo Rd (secondary location at 3538 Zafarano Dr, ☏ +1 505 820-7672. M-Sa 7AM-8PM, Su 8AM-3PM. This is primarily a catering/retail-sales outfit (delivery throughout town, sometimes delivering very large orders, and by parcel) of long standing and good reputation, but has opened two fast-food-style outlets for their wares. It's definitely not fine dining, but a reasonable representative of basic New Mexican fare for those in a hurry. Entrees $5-10.

6 Plaza Cafe, 54 Lincoln Ave, ☏ +1 505 982-1664. 7AM-9PM daily. An old standby a stone's throw from the vendors on the Portal. Open for all meals, but particularly recommended for lunch, although it's crowded.

7 Tia Sophia's, 210 W San Francisco St, ☏ +1 505 983-9880. M-Sa 7AM-2PM, Su 8AM-1PM. Breakfast and lunch daily; much loved by locals for breakfast.

8 Tortilla Flats, 3139 Cerrillos Rd, ☏ +1 505 471-8685. Su-Th 7AM-9AM, F Sa 7AM-10PM. A well known New Mexican establishment with typical Santa Fe fare. Frequented by many locals, another great stopping point for a quick meal or a casual dinner. Less than $15. (updated Jul 2022)

9 Tomasita's, 500 S Guadalupe St (just south of downtown in an old railroad station), ☏ +1 505 983-5721. M-Sa 11AM-10PM. Considered by many to serve the definitive "traditional" New Mexican food. Expect to wait, as it's enormously popular. Entrees around $9–11, but splurge a little and get the sangria too.

10 Maria's New Mexican Kitchen, 555 W Cordova Rd, ☏ +1 505 983-7929. M-F 11AM-10PM, Sa Su noon-10PM. Margaritas are a specialty here, but the traditional New Mexican cuisine is also good, if a bit heavier than at Tomasita's. Parking, though ample, is a pain to get to; approach from the east, on Camino de los Marquez rather than Cordova.

11 La Casa Sena, 125 E Palace Ave, ☏ +1 505 988-9232. M-Sa 11:30AM-3PM and 5:30PM-10PM, Su 11AM-3PM and 5:30PM-10PM. An example of "Southwestern" cuisine—the merging of traditional New Mexican preparation and presentation with more modern, creative ingredients (sometimes a little too creative). Reservations recommended.

12 Coyote Cafe, 132 W Water St, ☏ +1 505 983-1615. 11:30AM-close daily. Another highly-regarded "Southwestern" dining experience. It's an excellent restaurant, if an expensive one -- $50 per person for dinner, including wine/dessert and tip, is not unusual. Reservations recommended.

13 Luminaria, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail (inside the Inn at Loretto), ☏ +1 505 984-7915. 7AM-2PM and 5-10PM daily. Enjoy views of the Loretto Chapel and Old Santa Fe trail while dining.

Santa Fe has plenty of standard chain restaurants (Olive Garden, Outback, Red Lobster, etc.), but why bother? There are enough excellent "local" ones that you can save your trips to these more ubiquitous eateries for cities less well-endowed from a culinary point of view. All restaurants below are uniquely Santa Fean in their character and cuisine.

14 Chopstix, 238 N Guadalupe St, ☏ +1 505 820-2126. Su-F 10:30AM-8PM. A fast-food, take-out or dine-in Chinese restaurant. Built into an old gas station, it looks like the kind of place that you should stay a mile away from, and that's what makes it so good.

15 Pantry Restaurant, 1820 Cerrillos Rd (corner of Cerrillos & 5th), ☏ +1 505 986-0022. M-Sa 6:30AM-9PM, Su 7AM-9PM. Delicious food served in a diner-type setting. The waitstaff are super friendly, and the portions are humongous. The customers fill the small front quickly in the mornings, but seats are often available at the bar (which serves delicious milkshakes, even before noon). $5-$10.

16 Pyramid Cafe, 505 W. Cordova Rd (in a strip mall on Cordova Road south of downtown), ☏ +1 505 989-1378. Daily 11AM-9PM. Good Greek/Mediterranean lunches. Nothing fancy, just good, casual food. Don't bother with reservations, but call to check on hours. Lunches from $5 or so; occasional belly-dancing entertainment. Now also open in Los Alamos if your travels take you in that direction.

17 The New Baking Company, 504 W. Cordova Rd, ☏ +1 505-557-6435. M-Sa 6AM-8PM, Su 6AM-6PM. Across Cordova Road from Pyramid and offers tolerable sandwiches, soups, etc., for lunch, but don't go just for the lunch (or breakfast); grab a dessert while you're there, these being what it's known for. Can be very busy at lunchtime on weekdays, with chaos on all quarters. Call-in orders welcome.

18 Santa Fe Bite, 311 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 982-0544. Tu-Th 8AM-8PM, F Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 8AM-5PM. Inside of Garrett's Desert Inn. Known for their green chile cheeseburgers.

19 Tune-Up Cafe, 1115 Hickox St, ☏ +1 505 983-7060. M-F 7AM-10PM, Sa Su 8AM-10PM. Occupies the space formerly "Dave's Not Here." Local hangout featuring the owners' Guatemalan cuisine with a New Mexican flavor. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The location, near the main St. Francis Drive artery, is more convenient for the through traveler than to downtown.

20 Upper Crust Pizza, 329 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 982-0000. Winter daily 11AM-10PM, summer daily 11AM-11PM. Widely considered to serve the best (American-style) pizza in town. Free delivery, but if practical, consider dining in instead; Old Santa Fe Trail is one of the main tourist drags, and you get a chance to combine pizza munching with people watching.

21 Whole Hog Cafe, 320 S. Guadalupe, ☏ +1 505 474-3375. Daily 11AM-8:30PM. A barbecue chain centered in Arkansas and Louisiana, but with two New Mexico outlets (the other is in Albuquerque); fast-food-meets-steakhouse format, but the BBQ is high-quality by any standards. Try the "Volcano" BBQ sauce (you'll have to ask for it at the counter) and see if it's hotter than the New Mexican cuisine elsewhere in town. If it blows you away, sauce #3 also has some kick and is tasty. Lunches (handy as it's in the pandemonious Cerrillos Road shopping area) from $5.05.

22 Cowgirl, 319 S. Guadalupe, ☏ +1 505 982-2565. M-F 11AM-Midnight, Sa 10AM-midnight, Su 10AM-11PM; Drinks served until 1:30AM M-Sa, midnight on Sundays. Santa Fe mainstay where tourists and locals alike flock for some semblance of nightlife in Santa Fe. Decent food, 4 red pool tables ($12/hour, 7'), decent prices, and live music every night, except Mondays- Karaoke. Indoor and outdoor seating. The BBQ ain't bad, either. $12-20 entrees. (updated Jul 2022)

23 India House, 2501 Cerrillos Road, ☏ +1 505 471-2304. Indian cuisine with lunch buffet and relatively convenient parking.

24 Jambo Cafe, 2010 Cerrillos Road, ☏ +1 505-473-1269. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. Popular Afro-Caribbean fusion food from James Beard-nominated chef Ahmed Obo. Entrees $15-25. (updated Dec 2022)

25 Marisco's La Playa, 537 W. Cordova Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-2790. Daily 11AM-9PM. An example of the difference between "Mexican" and "New Mexican" cuisine; this restaurant definitely serves the former, with an emphasis on seafood prepared as in Old Mexico. (You definitely won't find the Pulpo—octopus—dishes on the menu at their New Mexican counterparts!) Nothing special as regards ambience/presentation, but good, authentic food.

26 Paper Dosa (551 W Cordova Road), ☏ +1 505-930-5521. Tu-Su 5PM-9PM. South Indian food in a cozy space. Parking is tight but usually manageable. Entrees $13-27. (updated Dec 2022)

27 Pasqual's, 121 Don Gaspar, ☏ +1 505 983-9340. Breakfast and lunch daily 8AM-3PM; dinner daily from 5:30PM. An old standby in the downtown area. As with many Santa Fe restaurants, the menu blends New Mexican cuisine with more traditional American fare. Reservations recommended for dinner, which approaches "Splurge" territory, and recommended particularly for breakfast, when it's far better value for dollar than the restaurants at the several nearby hotels.

28 Pink Adobe, 406 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 983-7712. Daily 11:30AM-9PM. A long-time Santa Fe standard, near the downtown area. A mix of continental and New Mexican cuisine that borders on "Splurge" territory.

29 Pranzo Italian Grill, 540 Montezuma Ave (in the Sanbusco Center), ☏ +1 505 984-2645. Su noon-10PM, M-Sa 11:30AM-3PM and 5-11PM. May be the best Italian restaurant in town. Reservations advisable. Expect it to be loud.

30 Wok, 2860 Cerrillos Rd, ☏ +1 505 424-8126. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-9:30PM, closed Sundays. Chinese food is a weakness (at least relatively speaking) in Santa Fe, but this unpretentious place has some supporters.

31 315, 315 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 986-9190. Lunch F 11:30AM-2PM; dinner Su-Th 5:30-9PM, F Sa 5:30-9:30PM. A restaurant whose name is also its street number. Reservations advised. French/Continental cuisine in a sidewalk-bistro-like setting. Good wine list, and save room for the crème brûlée dessert. You can easily drop $50 a person here and feel good about it.

32 The Compound, 653 Canyon Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-4353. M-F noon-2PM, 6PM-. On Canyon Road near the art galleries. Although the Compound once enforced a dress code of jacket and tie, new chef/owner Mark Kiffin eliminated any formal dress requirement. Southwestern cuisine. Entrees from $25–40; reservations strongly advised.

33 Geronimo, 724 Canyon Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-1500. Daily 5:30–9:30PM. Another fine restaurant amid the galleries. The menu tends toward Continental but is entertainingly diverse and changes frequently. Dinner reservations are recommended and can be placed via the (unnecessarily ostentatious) web site. $40 per person will get you an excellent dinner.

34 AGAVE Restaurant & Lounge, 309 W. San Francisco (in the Eldorado Hotel), ☏ +1 505 995-4530. Dinner nightly from 5:30PM. AAA Four Diamond restaurant that Zagat honored as New Mexico’s best. Contemporary global cuisine featuring seasonal and regional ingredients, with Southwestern and Asian influences and a great wine selection. Expect to spend around $50 per person.

35 Osteria d'Assisi, 58 S. Federal Pl (three blocks north of the Plaza), ☏ +1 505 986-5858. Lunch M-Sa 11AM–3PM, dinner nightly from 5PM. Prices range from about $10–12 for a simple Neapolitan-style pizza to $70 or more for a grand 5-course dinner with wine (come hungry and expect to leave full), or anything in between.

36 Santacafe, 231 Washington Ave, ☏ +1 505 984-1788. Lunch daily 11:30AM-2PM, dinner daily from 5:30PM; brunch Su 11AM-2:30PM. One of Santa Fe's big-name restaurants, and you probably pay a little extra for the celebrity, but the American/Continental fare is creative and well presented, with attentive service. Excellent matchbooks, too. Expect to spend around $50 per person.

Budget hotels and motels in Santa Fe are few and far between. The economy-rate chains all have franchises in town, but it's not clear that most can really be considered "budget" lodging. Try one and write it up here.

1 Santa Fe International Hostel, 1412 Cerrillos Rd, ☏ +1 505 988-1153. Check-out: noon. An independently owned, traditional hostel and boarding house offering dormitory accommodations and private rooms. It has been around for several decades and is still going strong. Offers a lot of free food, well beyond a continental breakfast, pay phones, laundry facilities, maps, a lounge, and internet use (for an additional daily fee). Dorms $20, private rooms $25-35 plus $10 each additional person, apartment $45-55. (updated Feb 2018)

2 Santa Fe Sage Inn, 725 Cerrillos Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-5952, toll-free: +1-866-433-0335, fax: +1 505 984-8879. A no-frills "motor lodge". Closer to the downtown attractions than other Cerrillos Road lodging. From $50.

There are a number of bed and breakfast establishments beyond the ones shown here. Rates vary not only seasonally but also with the room, as each establishment will have a range of room sizes and accommodations; larger and more luxurious rooms are likely to reach the "Splurge" category. In addition to B&Bs, one can also rent furnished homes, large or small ("casitas") which allows you to prepare at least some of your own meals, and enjoy a little more space, both indoors and outdoors. Here are a couple of agencies, followed by classic bed & breakfast choices.

AQUI Santa Fe Luxury Vacation Rentals, ☏ +1 505 577 6774, caroline@aquisantafe.com. A small but select group of luxuriously furnished and equipped houses and casitas, some with art collections, all with gourmet kitchens, Frette bedding, fireplaces, patios or gardens. From $200/night. (updated Oct 2018)

3 Santa Fe Bed & Breakfast, 105 Paseo de la Cuma, ☏ +1 505 216-7516. Check-in: 3PM to 5PM, check-out: 11AM. Nice B&B with mountain views, full hot gourmet breakfast and just 4 blocks to the Plaza.

4 Pueblo Bonito Inn, 138 W Manhattan Ave, ☏ +1 505 984-8001. Secluded behind its thick adobe walls, Pueblo Bonito Inn is a true historic bed and breakfast.

5 Zona Rosa Suites, 429 W San Francisco St, ☏ +1 505 988-4455. One, two and three-bedroom suites, each appointed with a Kiva fireplace, saltillo tile floors, and viga ceilings.

6 Dunshee's B&B, 986 Acequia Madre, ☏ +1 505 982-0988, fax: +1 505 982-1547, sdunshee@aol.com. A small bed and breakfast near the Canyon Road art district.

7 El Farolito Bed and Breakfast, 514 Galisteo St, ☏ +1 505 988-1631, toll-free: +1-888-634-8782, innkeeper@farolito.com. Within easy walking distance of downtown and the Plaza. Authentically furnished casitas and great gourmet breakfasts -- the chicken-and-apple-sausage quiche is worth the trip in and of itself.

8 El Paradero Bed and Breakfast Inn, 220 W Manhattan Ave, ☏ +1 505 988-1177, toll-free: +1-866-558-0918, info@elparadero.com. On a quiet downtown side street. Gourmet breakfasts and afternoon teas.

9 Casa Del Toro Santa Fe Bed and Breakfast, 229 McKenzie St, ☏ +1 505 715-6861, toll-free: +1-866-476-1091, casadeltoro@swcp.com. A compound of adobe cottages. Hot breakfast served every morning.

10 Santa Fe Motel & Inn, 510 Cerrillos Rd, ☏ +1 505 982-1039, toll-free: +1-800-930-5002, fax: +1 505 986-1275, info@santafemotel.com. Near the Railyard District. Complimentary hot breakfast, free wireless.

19 Bishop's Lodge Resort, 1297 Bishop's Lodge Rd (north of town), ☏ +1 505 983-6377. A full-service resort in the beautiful Tesuque Valley features horseback riding, spa, tennis courts, summer children's programs, and more in a peaceful setting away from the hubbub of the Plaza, but not so far away as to be inconvenient. Complimentary shuttle to and from the Plaza. Rates from $900, seasonal variations. (updated Jul 2022)

20 Eldorado Hotel & Spa, 309 W San Francisco St (two blocks west of the Plaza), ☏ +1 505 988-4455. A large and spectacular property convenient to the downtown attractions. Rooms are well done and atmospheric. The Old House restaurant was honored as Zagat's top pick for dining in New Mexico. Lively lounge with frequent live entertainment, and many amenities. Nidah Spa is in the hotel.

21 Inn and Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☏ +1 505 988-5531. Art galleries and a full service day spa, in addition to the lodging. From $229, with substantial seasonal variations.

22 Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, 113 Washington Ave (just northeast of the Plaza), ☏ +1 505 988-3030. This four-star Santa Fe luxury hotel offers fine dining, a business center, and Southwestern style boutique accommodations. Rooms from $200, seasonal variations.

23 La Fonda Hotel, 100 E San Francisco St (on the Plaza, at the end of the Santa Fe Trail), ☏ +1 505 982-5511. The quintessential Santa Fe hotel, with the Plaza on one corner, beautiful Saint Francis Cathedral across the street, and several interesting and not-too-touristy shops on the premises. They have their own parking garage, no small advantage in the downtown area. Rooms from $219, with (atypically for downtown hotels) no seasonal adjustments; occasional package deals.

24 La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa, 330 E Palace Ave, ☏ +1 505 986-0000, toll-free: +1-866-331-7625. 157-room boutique resort and full-service spa offering adobe-style rooms and suites, many with fireplaces and patios. Downtown and two blocks from the historic Plaza, art galleries, and shopping.

There are several commercial campgrounds in town (25 Los Sueños de Santa Fe RV Park & Campground, 26 Rancheros de Santa Fe, 27 Santa Fe KOA, 28 Santa Fe Skies RV Park), but the camping is much more rewarding along the road to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. There are several campgrounds in Santa Fe National Forest on this road, and there is also good camping at the very pretty 29 Hyde Memorial State Park between forest and city. If you're planning on using the national-forest or Hyde Park campsites, make sure you have enough clothing and bedding to stay warm; they're in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and get cold at night.

One of the major contributors to Santa Fe's fame is the large number of American Indian Pueblos (towns) nearby. Several are important centers for folk art; most permit visitors at dances and other tribal ceremonial events; and from a more contemporary perspective, several host casinos with gambling, night life, etc. There are also, however, some pueblos that jealously guard the privacy of their residents and admit visitors only grudgingly, if at all. Nearly all pueblos charge a fee for photography, video, sketching, etc., as an attempt to mitigate the impact of tourism on the private life of the inhabitants. For more detailed info on each pueblo, see the New Mexico Pueblos page.

Among the nearby pueblos, Cochiti Pueblo and Santo Domingo Pueblo are southwest of town off I-25, both centers of folk art, with Santo Domingo excellent for pottery and jewelry. North of town, there are a couple of pueblos along US 84/285; Tesuque is the closest to Santa Fe and has a casino, but the pueblo itself is closed to the public. Continuing north takes you to Pojoaque, which has an interesting museum and gaudy casino. Further beyond off the main road is Nambe Pueblo, which has a pleasant campground and waterfall, while San Ildefonso Pueblo is off the main road to Los Alamos and is a major pottery center. More pueblos are in the vicinity of Española and Taos even further north.

Taos, known for its art colony, the iconic Taos Pueblo, as well as a superb downhill ski area, is about a two-hour drive north of Santa Fe. The trip up is quite scenic, with a couple excellent drives possible; see the North Central New Mexico page for detailed directions.

Pecos is a small town about 20 miles east of Santa Fe just off I-25, and is the home of the Pecos National Historic Park, a small NPS site that preserves the ruins of an abandoned Indian pueblo and Spanish mission from the 17th century, as well as the Glorieta Pass Battlefield, site of a major Civil War battle in the West.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument just south of town near Cochiti Lake in the central region, and is covered in that region's article. Many guidebooks of the area omit this little gem, which is open for day use and includes a trail through a short but spectacular bit of slot canyon. Highly recommended for the hiker with half a day to spend. After several years of negotiation with the pueblo on which it is located, visitors must now make a reservation on recreation.gov and purchase a Cochiti Pueblo Tribal Access Pass.

A trip to Los Alamos and nearby Bandelier National Monument is a great excursion from Santa Fe. If you want to make a day of it, you can continue on into the Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera National Preserve (plan ahead, as the Preserve's more interesting activities require advance reservations).

If you're not tired of the art scene by the time you leave, head south on SR 14 to Madrid, an old mining town turned art colony, significantly lower-key than Santa Fe itself. Albuquerque lies beyond, with its own attractions; getting to Albuquerque via SR 14 is slower than the direct route on I-25, but compensates with far reduced traffic and nice scenery.