A Weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico
2.5 days in this fabulous art scene is NOT enough. We will be back, but here's what we loved (so far!!)
A quick weekend getaway to Santa Fe, New Mexico was made possible (in part) by watching the Fare Drop newsletter for low priced flights. (Thanks to my favorite YouTube travel couple Kara & Nate.) An easy flight on American from Madison (WI) through Dallas got us to Albuquerque by midday on Friday. About an hour drive from the rental car pick up—Santa Fe is an easy drive. For those of you who do not live at higher altitudes, Albuquerque is at 5,300 feet above sea level and Santa Fe is at 7,000. Given that we typically reside at less than 1,000 feet . . . we definitely felt that extra elevation. (Not as bad as our fall trip to Cusco, Peru at 11,000 feet—but still you’re aware of the lower oxygen.)
We stayed at the lovely Inn on the Alameda, easily walkable to the downtown area and the famed Canyon Road gallery area. This is a gem of a hotel. We stayed in a suite that was a little casita with a small sitting area with fireplace (wood provided), a kitchenette area with coffee maker/fridge, and a private outdoor patio area. Breakfasts were ample and way more than you typically get when it's included in your stay. Nice southwestern lunch/dinner restaurant menu available later in the day, too (Joe’s Tequila Bar). The free shuttle service around town was really appreciated as well. On one such jaunt out for dinner we ended up watching some well-dressed local high school kids enter their prom venue. Our driver explained that the high schools in the area are so small that many go together for a shared prom.
With the altitude a little bit of an issue for us, we did not head out of town for any real hikes, but we did walk up to the Cross of the Martyrs which offers a great view of the city. The path is paved and there are historical markers with great info along the way, which gives you an opportunity to learn a little more and make it less obvious that you might be ‘catching’ your breath. The cross itself honors the 21 Franciscan friars and the 380 Spanish colonists killed during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Yes – you read that year right. The history of this area is fascinating and complex. This revolt was an uprising of indigenous ‘pueblo’ people against Spanish colonizers, who treated the Pueblo people horrendously for years beginning in 1540. Through those decades Spanish troops killed or enslaved thousands of indigenous people. The Pueblo Revolt drove the settlers out of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo Mexico (an area larger than New Mexico today), but the victory was relatively short lived by historical measure. Even though the Spaniards returned twelve years later, the revolt shifted the power dynamic and “helped ensure the survival of Pueblo cultural traditions, lands, languages, religions, and sovereignty.”
To learn more about New Mexico’s rich history, I highly recommend a visit to the New Mexico History Museum, which is located on the downtown plaza, and gives an incredibly thorough look at the complex history of New Mexico with detailed exhibits that provide an understanding of the indigenous cultures and early history of the area through the Spanish colonization and beyond to the more modern history. Put this on your must-do list.
The other museum we loved was the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. With O’Keeffe having spent her early years in Wisconsin not far from where we live, this was a particularly fascinating place--wonderfully curated to present the life of this brilliant artist, showcasing her talent and changing mediums and subjects. A truly fascinating artist. Buy your tickets in advance! Only so many are allowed entry per hour.
There’s plentiful shopping around the downtown plaza and adjacent streets as well as the many fine galleries on Canyon Road. I fell in love with more than one piece that exceeded my budget, but gallery staff are gracious and love to share more about the artists they represent. This city is truly a mecca for art collectors if you fancy yourself one.
And the food . . . . so much excellent food. Here are our favorites:
Coyote Café’s Rooftop Cantina is a fun location with excellent southwestern-style menu. Delicious fish tacos and great margaritas. Nice, lively atmosphere and great service.
Paper Dosa – Yes, we did seek out some Indian cuisine! Paper Dosa is outside the downtown area, but worth the short drive. This place doesn’t take reservations and the tables fill up fast. Best to go a little later if you don’t want to wait. We were happy to snag two seats at the bar. The chai tea was fabulous--it comes unsweetened but they provide sugar syrup so you can make it to your taste. We loved everything we ordered -- the pakora, lamb dosa and spring vegetable dosa. The staff was awesome about offering alternatives to work around my eggplant allergy.
La Boca has an interesting Spanish tapas menu--many of the usual things prepared with a little twist--but also some unique items. Everything was delicious. Favorites were a flat iron steak with the unique sauces and the vanilla bean tart with the brandied cherries for dessert. It's making me hungry writing this!
Café Canyon was an awesome find while gallery hopping on Canyon Road. Wonderful hospitality from the owners who have created a delicious lunch/drink menu. Good spot for a break!
And finally, the most unique think we did was visiting Meow Wolf. This is listed as one of the top activities in Santa Fe and friends had recommended that we not miss it—but we REALLY didn’t understand what it was until we got into this place. It’s described on its website as a unique & immersive art installation with multimedia elements & a mysterious narrative throughout. That’s true but still – what DOES that mean?? I tried to explain it this way--It's like House on the Rock (WI) had a baby with a haunted house, amusement park, and interactive art installation combined with the puzzles of an escape room—except you don’t HAVE to solve the puzzles to move on. It’s just a way better experience if you follow the clues and watch the videos on the small-display screens scattered around. At the end there's a long video that helps you unravel things if you want the 'complete' story.. Amazing! Now, I want to see the other Meow Wolfs? Wolves? in other cities.
A great weekend getaway—BUT there’s so much we didn’t do. Daytrips outside the city are abundant, including gorgeous state and national parks, Georgia O’Keeffe’s house, Taos, Abiquiu, Bandalier National Monument, Valles Caldera National Preserve and so much more! Inside the city limits, we didn’t make it up to Museum Hill at all—that area houses four different museums and botanical gardens. Oh, well. I guess we’ll just have to plan a return trip.
I only spent a short afternoon in Santa Fe. I need to return and stick around a few days.
I've got friends who live in Santa Fe, and it's on my bucket list. Thanks for the recommendations. I know I would love it, too.