Need a soulful getaway with desert beauty and artistic flair? Head to Santa Fe! Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, Santa Fe blends centuries of history, vibrant art, Pueblo-style architecture, and mouthwatering Southwest cuisine. Whether you're gallery-hopping on Canyon Road, exploring adobe chapels, or soaking in a mountain hot spring, this capital city offers a uniquely magical experience.
Santa Fe, NM Highlights:
- For Adventurous Travelers: Hike the Dale Ball Trails or Atalaya Mountain – Enjoy sweeping views, piñon forests, and high-desert sunshine just minutes from town.
- For History Buffs: Visit the Palace of the Governors – Explore the oldest public building in continuous use in the U.S., dating back to 1610.
- For Shoppers: Browse Canyon Road’s art galleries – Discover world-class Southwestern, Native American, and contemporary art in a charming adobe-lined district.
- For Couples: Stroll the Santa Fe Plaza at sunset – Sip local wine, listen to live music, and admire historic architecture and street vendors.
- For Families: Experience immersive fun at Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return – Step into a surreal art installation and discovery space like no other.
Best Time to Visit Santa Fe, NM
The best time to visit Santa Fe is from September to November or March to May, when temperatures are pleasant, and the city comes alive with art festivals and crisp mountain air. Summer is popular for opera and outdoor events, while winter draws skiers to nearby slopes.
How to Get to Santa Fe, NM
- By Air: Fly into Santa Fe Regional Airport (SAF) or Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ), about an hour south.
- By Car: Santa Fe is located off I-25, about 60 miles northeast of Albuquerque.
- By Train: The New Mexico Rail Runner Express connects Santa Fe to Albuquerque and surrounding towns.
Where to Stay in Santa Fe, NM
- La Fonda on the Plaza – Historic luxury hotel right on the Plaza with handcrafted details and a rooftop bar.
- Inn of the Five Graces – Lavishly decorated boutique inn blending Silk Road textures with Southwestern warmth.
- El Rey Court – Stylish retro motor inn turned modern boho hotel with a mezcal bar and hot tub under the stars.
Best Things to Do in Santa Fe, NM
1. Check out Santa Fe's famous Canyon Road Arts
Rating: ★★★★★
After arrive in Santa Fe, I always go for a stroll in this area to see what's change since I was last there!
Nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Canyon Road Arts is a picturesque trail showcasing the heritage of Santa Fe’s famous art scene, with a fantastic selection of arts, crafts, shopping and cuisine to explore.
Traditional adobe architecture reflects old world charm along the half-mile route, which is home to over 100 galleries, artist’s studios, quirky clothing boutiques, stylish jewelry shops and handcrafted furniture stores.
Art collectors will delight in the variety of genres, ranging from modern and abstract to figurative and Native American, displayed in the galleries along the way, as well as an array of other art, sculptures and graphics.
If you are wondering what to see in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Canyon Road is a great place to start exploring.
Handmade gold jewelry and traditional Santa Fe silverwork glistens on display, while beautiful pieces of handcrafted furniture, Native American pottery, handwoven rugs and colorful Folk Art highlights the history of the region.
If you are wondering what to do in Santa Fe, Canyon Road is a great place to start exploring. A number of restaurants and cafés along the trail offer delicious local and international cuisine in elegant or casual settings, with beautiful views of the surrounding landscape.
2. Admire regional at the New Mexico Museum of Art
The New Mexico Museum of Art is the oldest art museum in New Mexico and showcases traditional, regional and contemporary artworks.
Designed in a traditional pueblo style, the building in which the museum is housed played an important role in the ‘Pueblo Spanish Revival’ style of architecture, for which Santa Fe is well known.
Home to a permanent collection of over 20,000 works, the museum features works by Southwestern artists from the historic Taos and Santa Fe colonies, such as the Cinco Pintores collection, and the Taos Society of Artists, as well as new-age contemporary art from around the world.
Contemporary collections include works by Gustave Baumann and Lucy Lippard, as well as well-known American photographer Jane Reeves and some Georgia O’Keeffe paintings.
Located within the museum is the St. Francis Auditorium, which hosts a variety of cultural and musical organizations, including the Santa Fe Community Orchestra.
107 West Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-476-5072
3. View over 1,000 works at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
I can't imagine a Santa Fe itinerary without a visit to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
The museum is home to the largest single collection of O'Keeffe's work in the world - over 1,000 works, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures dating from 1901 to 1984. It took me about an hour to see the museum, but I wished I had more time.
You'll recognize O’Keeffe’s images anywhere in their large abstract forms.
The museum also displays works of her famous contemporaries, such as Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock, as well as by living artists of distinction.
217 Johnson St, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-946-1000
4. View Spanish Colonial art at Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum
Nuevo Mexicano Heritage Arts Museum is the United States' only museum focusing on the art of the Spanish Colonial period, with an emphasis on works created by Hispanic Southwest artists.
The museum, which was opened to the public in Santa Fe in 2002 in a beautiful Spanish Pueblo Revival-style building designed by architect John Gaw Meem, showcases an impressive collection of visual art, furniture, and textiles, including collections of devotional and decorative artworks.
Exhibits include La Casa Delgado, which recreates the estate inventory of noted captain and merchant Manuel Delgado.
Young visitors can try on traditional historical outfits at the museum's Costume Corner, including Spanish Colonial and 19th-century pioneer garb. Rotating special art exhibits are showcased, including national traveling exhibits focusing on Spanish Colonial art.
750 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-982-2226
5. Stroll through the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market
Established in the late 1960s by a small group of farmers, the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market now represents over 150 vendors and is New Mexico’s largest farmers’ market.
Operating year-round on Saturdays due to the demand for fresh, local produce, the market offers an incredible variety of agricultural products, from farm-fresh produce and nursery plants to handcrafted items and baked goods.
If you are wondering what to do in Santa Fe on a Saturday morning, this is a great place to soak up the local vibe.
All of the products at the market are grown or made in New Mexico.
Since reselling is not allowed, all the products are grown or made by the vendors selling them, supporting sustainable farming and the local surrounding communities. If you are looking for things to do in Santa Fe with kids, this is a great place to visit.
1607 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-983-4098
Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:
6. Check out the Santa Fe International New Media Festival
Santa Fe International New Media Festival is an annual media festival that takes place in Santa Fe that unites and celebrates both established and emerging artists from all over the world.
The festival showcases artists’ works through a variety of mediums, including exhibitions, presentations, panels and workshops, and multi-media performances, all of which are free to the public to enjoy.
Historically renowned for being a destination for the arts and technology, as well as its exceptional environmental beauty, New Mexico has fast become a popular gathering place for new media artists from around the globe to join forces and work towards the development and enhancement of art, science and technology.
7. Take a guided tour with Heritage Inspiration Santa Fe
Heritage Inspirations provides all-inclusive guided itineraries deep into New Mexico, combining adventure, culture, art, heritage, and nature of this magical part of the country.
Their exclusive tours can be a full or half day and include meals, lodging, activities, and transportation.
The tours of the Santa Fe region include the Bandelier National Monument Hiking Tour, Kasha – Katuwe Tent Rocks plus Wine Tasting Hiking Tour, Historic Architecture & Interiors Walking and Wine Tasting Tour, the Fashionista Shopping and Wine Tasting Tour, and Magical Heirlooms of Chimayó Tour.
The groups are small in order to provide full attention to each client. The tours are luxurious, authentic, and sophisticated and introduce a New Mexico that regular tourists do not experience. Phone: 575-779-5516
8. Take the kids to La Lecheria
La Lecheria is one of Santa Fe's most unique ice cream parlors, founded by executive chef Joel Coleman, noted for his work at local eatery Fire and Hops.
All of the company's ice creams are prepared traditionally without stabilizers or other artificial ingredients, crafted with milk from Albuquerque's Rasband Dairy.
Classic flavors include chocolate sea salt, mint chip, vanilla bean, and coffee prepared with Diesel roast from neighboring Iconik Coffee Roasters.
Unique specialty flavors are also served up throughout the year, ranging from unusual savory variants such as sweet corn or green chile to internationally-inspired flavors like vegan coconut miso.
A selection of locally-sourced soups and sandwiches is also available at the parlor's downtown location.
101 West Marcy Street, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, Phone: 505-205-1595
9. Grab a treat at Kakawa Chocolate House
Kakawa Chocolate House is an artisanal chocolate company in Santa Fe that produces and sells exquisite handmade chocolates, rich drinking chocolate elixirs, and homemade ice cream.
Drawing inspiration from chocolate’s long history, Kakawa fuses original Mesoamerican and Colonial chocolate recipes with fresh, seasonal ingredients to recreate new and innovative delights, including one-of-a-kind truffles and dark chocolates, rich drinking chocolate elixirs, regional agave caramels, and melt-in-your-mouth homemade ice cream.
The chocolate aficionados boast a variety of contemporary flavors, such as Cherry-Chili and Acai, Pomegranate, Hibiscus flower, and Mescal, as well as an array of classic European-style truffles, such as Earl Grey, Espresso, and Classic French Dark. If you are looking for things to do in Santa Fe NM with kids, this is a great stop.
1050 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, Phone: 505-982-0388
10. Go on a date at Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen
Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen is a global fusion dining spot in Santa Fe.
The seasonally-inspired restaurant offers excellent breakfast and lunch fare served up in an airy space in the city's Midtown district, crafted with fresh, natural ingredients that are sourced organic and sustainable whenever possible.
High-quality dinner entrees include East Indian daal, chile rellenos, Salmon donburi, kimchi fried rice, and bison burgers, served up alongside shareable plates such as Korean-style drunken shrimp, patatas bravas, and yucca root flatbread pizza.
Many vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, and gluten-free dishes are offered to accommodate diners of all dietary needs. An extensive menu of craft brews is available, served up alongside imported sakes and organic and biodynamic wines.
1512 Pacheco St Bldg B, Santa Fe, NM 87505, Phone: 505-795-7383
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