A fusion of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American influences, Santa Fe is one of the country’s most culturally and historically significant destinations.
Nicknamed “the City Different,” it is the oldest capital in the United States, originally founded as a Spanish colony in 1610. It enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year and is nestled at 7,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, surrounded by gorgeous mountain views. The city is also famous because the historic Route 66 passes through here.
Santa Fe is a beautiful city, renowned for its enchanting Pueblo-style architecture picturesque scenery, and crooked historic streets that wind past cultural adobe landmarks.
Art and culture lovers will be enthralled with the city’s world-famous museums, eclectic art markets, and galleries. Combining Native American and Mexican traditions, Santa Fe cuisine is internationally famous as well as delicious.
Santa Fe at a Glance
- Elevation: 7,199 feet
- Population: 84,418 (2020)
- Founded: 1610
Santa Fe is an appealing city that will charm you with its style, rich history and culture, delicious gastronomy, and historic downtown. Here are the 10 best things to do in Santa Fe.
10 Indian Festival
Santa Fe is known for its dozens of events and festivals and my favorite is the iconic Indian Market. Founded in 1922 as the first annual Southwest Indian Fair, more than 1000 juried indigenous artists exhibit and sell their textiles, pottery, basketry, silver and turquoise jewelry, painting, sculpture, and wood carvings.
Located on the Plaza the festival also showcases Native dance performances and delicious authentic food such as fry bread, Navajo tacos, and roasted corn. The market takes place in August and draws over 150,000 people
9 San Miguel Mission
Dorothy Harris, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The oldest church of Santa Fe, San Miguel Chapel is a small but mighty Spanish colonial mission church. Historical records indicate that the adobe chapel was built by Franciscan Missionaries from Spain between 1605 and 1610. The church was rebuilt twice, once in the mid to late 17th century after it was set on fire in an uprising, and again in 1710 following the Pueblo Revolt. The chapel is conveniently located in the national historic district of Santa Fe.
8 Meow Wolf
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Photo by Larry Lamsa, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Located in an abandoned bowling alley, Meow Wolf is a 20,000-square-foot arts and entertainment collective that creates immersive and interactive experiences including immersive art installations, 3D rooms, boundary-pushing video and music productions, and other mind-bending content.
The highlight of the über -quirky Meow Wolf is House of Eternal Return, a mysterious and magical house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and mesmerizing art exhibits. Meow Wolf also offers a children’s learning center, a café and bar, and a highly-rated music venue.
This museum, which debuted in 2016, received funding from George Martin, the author of the Games of Thrones – how can you not love that?
7 Tequila Tasting
They say good tequila is so smooth that it would be a sin to disguise it in a margarita. One way to find out if this is true is to take a tequila-tasting tour. Such tours will allow you to taste all manner of related products from mescal to top-shelf tequila.
Tequila can only be produced in Mexico, and size matters – the quality of the tequila is directionally proportional to the percentage of pure blue agave. The lesser quality of the liquor uses no less than 51% agave, but with other sugars making up the remainder.
As a bonus, you’ll also get to sample an excellent menu of traditional New Mexican dishes to pair with them.
Read my full article on my tequila-tasting experience:
6 Georgia O’Keefe Museum
Santa Fe is blessed with 14 major museums and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum downtown is a must-see. The museum showcases more than 3,000 works including oil paintings, drawings, and other artworks of O’Keeffe and her contemporaries.
O’Keeffe, one of the most influential artists of the entire 20th century, is known for her portrayals of American Southwest landscapes. She fell in love with New Mexico after visiting the state in 1929 and eventually moved there permanently.
Throughout her career, she received critical acclaim for her contributions to American modernism. With a portfolio of thousands of works, O’Keeffe is recognized as one of the most prolific American artists.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is one of the busiest museums in Santa Fe and requires a reservation.
5 Canyon Road
As already stated, art is a major part of life in Santa Fe, and the most famous gallery area is on the famous Canyon Road – a destination in itself, teeming with energy and creativity. There are more than 100 historic adobe galleries, museums, and shops here where artwork can be purchased or just take in the authentic Southwestern charm.
Canyon Road is an art-lovers mecca, featuring everything from artwork by famous artists to silver and turquoise jewelry, hand-woven Navajo rugs, and Southwestern wood carvings.
4 International Folk Art
Art history is an important part of Santa Fe. Just a short drive from the Plaza is Museum Hill where you can find a collection of some of Santa Fe’s most interesting museums.
Visiting the Museum of International Folk Art was one of my favorite things to do in Santa Fe. The museum exhibits colorful and eclectic exhibits from folk artists around the world and rotates regularly. The museum is delightful for both adults and children, as there are several areas designed with kids in mind, such as the Tree of Life toy lounge which contains puppets, discovery boxes, and books.
3 White Water Rafting
The rivers in the region are famous and offer tours appealing to both expert and novice whitewater enthusiasts. The experience is unsurpassed in beauty as well as a memorable adventure.
There are plenty of raft guide companies to choose from and trips for all skill levels, whether you’re looking for fast and furious rapids or smooth, family-friendly rafting.
2 Puye Cliff Dwellings
Photo by Mike Fisher, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
About 40 minutes north of Santa Fe, the Puye Cliff Dwellings are the ruins of an abandoned pueblo, located in Santa Clara Canyon. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966, Puye Cliffs was once home to 1,500 Pueblo Indians who dwelled, farmed, and hunted game from about 1250 to 1577 A.D.
Inhabitants of Puye Cliff Dwellings became ancestors of today’s Santa Clara people. Drought forced the villagers to leave for locations nearer the Rio Grande, who now live at Santa Clara Pueblo, 10 miles east of Puye Cliff Dwellings. These decedents continue to speak the Tewa language, of which the name Puye translates to “pueblo ruin where the rabbits assemble or meet.”
There are two levels of cave dwellings cut into the cliff face, as well as dwellings on the mesa top. Cave dwellings on the mesa top were part of a single, multi-storied complex built around a large, central plaza.
Puye Cliffs, the first of the ancient pueblos of the Rio Grande Valley to be excavated, was unearthed in the summer of 1907 by Edgar Hewitt in cooperation with the Southwest Society of the Archeological Institute of America.
1 Santa Fe Plaza
Santa Fe Plaza aka the “Heart of Santa Fe” resembles many traditional Spanish Colonial cities in North America and has been the central gathering place of the town throughout history.
Originally established in 1610 as a fort, the national historic landmark has been the heart of Santa Fe for more than 400 years, with pre-colonial roots stretching back thousands of years.
The plaza is surrounded by exquisite galleries, quaint boutiques, vibrant restaurants, bookstores, museums, historical sites, and hotels. There’s often something going on in the Plaza, from live music and festivals to the Native American Art Market held each day at the Palace of the Governors.
Here are some sites of interest located within the square.
Cathedral Basilica of St Francis Assisi
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi’s French Romanesque architecture is a striking contrast to the surrounding adobe buildings, dominating the cityscape. Built between 1869 and 1886 in hopes of bringing Catholicism to the Southwest the non-adobe structure presents harmony among its elements, including the rose window, the imposing granite baptismal font, and the Corinthian columns.
If you visit at sunset you will be treated to the structure highlighted by an alluring golden glow.
Palace of Governors
Palace of the Governors, a Spanish-Pueblo Revival Style palace that previously housed government offices, was built in 1610 by the order of Governor Pedro De Peralta. It is the oldest standing structure built by European settlers in the United States and is currently the New Mexico History Museum.
Under the covered portico of the Palace of Governors, Native American artists representing 41 tribes sell handmade jewelry and artwork daily.
Before the creation of formal markets in the 20th century, the Palace of the Governors portal was used as a market for produce, game, pottery, and basketry.
Today, the palace hosts the state’s history museum.
La Fonda
Located on the plaza is the iconic La Fonda, a world-famous landmark. A stunning example of Pueblo Revival architecture, the historic hotel has been a favorite for many early-20th-century writers, artists, and dignitaries.
The adobe hotel contains shops, restaurants, and lounges with music. The hotel’s rooftop bar is arguably the best place in the city to watch a legendary Santa Fe Sunset.
The art collection at La Fonda rivals many museums. If you can’t stay at La Fonda, at least stop in for a scrumptious margarita, arguably the best in the U.S. (and priced accordingly).
What to Eat
Salmon taco
Santa Fe is the Southwest capital of food, drawing visitors to its delicious gastronomy. Chili reigns supreme in New Mexico, and varieties include red, green, or Christmas (both red and green) chili peppers.
Other local culinary staples include green chili stew, posole (tasty pork stew) Frito pie (chili, cheese, and corn chips), and bizcochito (crisp butter cookie, flavored with sugar, cinnamon, and anise).
Excellent traditional street foods, such as chili, tacos, tortillas, and fajitas are also widely available.
Conclusion
Once called the “Dancing Ground of the Sun” by early Native Americans, is a stunning jewel of the Southwest. From the town’s architecture to its art to its 400-year-old history, eclectic old-world charm, and outdoor activities, this is the place to experience a unique Wild West adventure.
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About the Author
Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.
She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the new few months.
Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.
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