Ten Things to Do in Santa Fe

Santa Fe, New Mexico is the second oldest city in the U.S., a place of abundant art and culture, and a gateway to the southern Rocky Mountains. Those who haven't visited Santa Fe may envision a desert community of swirling sand, cactus, and perennial summer. While the city does have abundant sun, 300 days annually, Santa Fe has four seasons, with snow in the winter, and has more fruit trees than it does cactus. The city is located at an elevation of 7,000 feet right at the base of the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies. It is both the oldest and highest capital city in the country and is surrounded by Native American communities. Santa Fe was the first UNESCO Creative City designated in the U.S. and was listed as a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There is a well preserved historic old town that's small enough to easily get around on foot but large enough to hold most of the city's 200+ galleries, many of its outstanding restaurants, and some of its most important museums. No one trip can hold all there is to do in and around Santa Fe, but here are some ideas.

The Plaza - This is the heart of the city where the Spanish first settled. The Plaza itself sits in the middle of downtown and is surrounded by shops, museums, and galleries. Taking time to wander around the several square blocks radiating from the Plaza provides a good start to discovering some of the city's nooks and crannies. Take a stroll along the portal at the Palace of the Governors where Native American artists sell their work most every day of the year. This is a good place to find authentic Indian craft and meet the artists in person. The Palace is the oldest public building in the country, built in 1610. Notice that most of the stores are independent shops, not those found in the malls of America. Take a moment to stand on the Plaza itself and think about it being a military parade ground, an agricultural field, and the end of both the Santa Fe Trail and Camino Real. www.santafe.org

Canyon Road - This old trail that lead into the mountains is now the center of Santa Fe's art scene and home to the city's greatest concentration of galleries. Santa Fe is filled with public art and nowhere is it more apparent than along Canyon. With over 200 galleries in town, Santa Fe has been ranked the fourth largest art market - by sales - in the country. Every Friday and Saturday evening there is a gallery crawl when art galleries host openings of new exhibits and artists receptions. Some of these events are at galleries in other parts of town, many will be on Canyon. There is also a First Friday event held in the West Palace Avenue galleries and a Last Friday event held in the galleries around the Santa Fe Railyard. These weekly gallery events are a fine tradition during which visitors and locals get to see new works and meet artists up close. The openings are listed every Friday in the Pasatiempo section of the "Santa Fe New Mexican," the local paper. A stroll up Canyon, peeking into galleries, exploring the various alleyways, and pausing to rest in a teahouse or restaurant, can easily fill a half-day. This may be the country's best street for window-shopping for art. www.canyonroadarts.com

Museum Hill - Four of Santa Fe's most popular museums are located a bit out of downtown on Museum Hill. The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian are all set next to the foothills within easy walking distance of one another. The Museum of Spanish Colonial art features the work of mostly local artists, historic and contemporary, working in the very regionally specific style that is Spanish Colonial art. The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is a must for anyone interested in Native American art, its history, and many influences. Lovers of folk art in all its forms will find the largest collection of folk art in the world at the Museum of International Folk Art. The Wheelwright Museum has rotating exhibitions of Native American art, typically focusing on one artist or specific form, and includes the very popular Case Trading Post. It's possible to spend a day exploring the hill with lunch at the Museum Hill Cafe and some quiet time sitting on Milner Plaza, the center of the area, gazing across the width of the Rio Grande Valley. www.museumhill.org

More Museums - The New Mexico History Museum combines the Palace of the Governors - the oldest public building in the country - with the newest building downtown to create a must see museum detailing the state's fascinating history. The museum is worth a visit for some context in understanding Santa Fe's long, winding path to becoming the state capital. The New Mexico Museum of Art - next door to the history museum and both right on the Plaza - is in one of the city's most iconic buildings and features both Western artists of note and special exhibitions. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, located three blocks from the Plaza, is the country's only museum strictly dedicated to one female artist. O'Keeffe's work has become synonymous with New Mexico but the museum shows much of her art not inspired by the state and brings her vision into context with the work by many of her contemporaries. The Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, located one block from the Plaza, is owned and operated by the Institute of American Indian Art and showcases modern Native American art and forms. Also notable is the Cathedral Basilica de St. Francis de Assisi and its small museum. The cathedral is the heart of the Catholic faith in the city and a French Romanesque architectural anomaly in this mostly adobe town. www.museumofnewmexico.org

Guadalupe Street - This is the old railroad warehouse district. Now mostly shops and restaurants, the area along the rail line has been developed into the Santa Fe Railyard. At over 50 acres, it is home to a 10 acre park, a performance area, permanent year-round home for the truly wonderful Santa Fe Farmers Market, retail center, underground parking, green space, and housing. The project opened in the fall, 2008 and is still being completed in places. There are new businesses, a consortium of galleries, and several new restaurants. The area is home to SITE Santa Fe, a contemporary art museum without a permanent collection, and a must visit for anyone interested in cutting edge contemporary art. The Museo Cultural event center, Santa Fe Southern Railroad, and the shops and restaurants along Guadalupe Street and at Sanbusco Market Center are other anchors. The Railyard is the terminus for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, a commuter train linking Santa Fe to Albuquerque and cities to the south with multiple daily runs. It is also home to the Santa Fe Southern Rail Road, an excursion line that runs a train of vintage cars out to the town of Lamy and back. There are different themed trips - sunset or a holiday train or an adult oriented cocktail train - that run throughout the year except for a period in the winter. www.railyardsantafe.com ; www.sitesantafe.org

Outdoors - Santa Fe is surrounded by public land and is the stepping off point for a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, camping, fishing, white water rafting, horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking, road cycling, and more. The Santa Fe National Forest is over 1.6 million acres and its boundary lies just seven miles from downtown Santa Fe. For a quick hike, the Dale Ball Trail System on the city's edge offers 30+ miles of maintained trails that interconnect, making it easy to pick just the right distance. The Aspen Vista Trail is higher up in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and provides more of a challenge and outstanding views, as do the network of trails connecting to the Winsor Trail. Ski Santa Fe is 16 miles from the Santa Fe Plaza and provides 660 acres of alpine skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. Many of the warm-weather hiking trails become Nordic ski and snowshoe trails when the snow falls. The importance of the mountains to Santa Fe can't be overstated. They set the city in natural beauty, provide inspiration for artists and outdoor enthusiasts alike, and help define the city's weather throughout the year.
www.santafe.org/Visiting_Santa_Fe/Things_to_Do/Outdoor_Activities/index.html

Native Americans - Long before the Spanish first came to the area in the 16th and early 17th centuries, the ancestors to the Pueblo Indians called it home. Today there are 19 Pueblo tribes in the state, in addition to the Navajo Nation in Western N.M. and two Apache tribes. North of Santa Fe are 8 Pueblo tribes that offer a view into both the past and the present. San Ildefonso Pueblo has been in its present location for over eight centuries and welcomes visitors throughout the year. This Pueblo community is on the way to Bandelier National Monument, a huge cliff dwelling occupied for several centuries by the ancestors of the Pueblo culture and worth seeing. A visit to both Bandelier and San Ildefonso offers a thorough primer in Native American history and is a good day trip. In town, the Native American Artisans program, held each day under the portal at the Palace of the Governors, is an excellent place to find authentic Native American craft at reasonable prices and provides a chance to meet with dozens of local Native artists. www.santafe.org/Visiting_Santa_Fe/Indian_Pueblos/index.html

Food - With over 200 restaurants featuring foods ranging from the region's savory cuisine to modern southwestern fare to internationally inspired meals, Santa Fe has evolved as a destination for food lovers of all kinds. The city's year 'round farmers market has been recognized as one of the top markets in the country providing restaurants and home chefs with the freshest of locally grown products. Events such as ArtFeast, Taste of Santa Fe, and the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta are perfect opportunities to sample the range of styles the city's restaurants offer. In addition, the Santa Fe School of Cooking offers classes to help master the art of cooking with chile, the city's most ubiquitous ingredient, plus other themed classes and culinary walking tours. www./santafe.org/Visiting_Santa_Fe/Dine/index.html

Creative Tourism - Santa Fe is one of America's premier cities for Creative Tourism. With more than 90 experiences to choose from, Santa Fe Creative Tourism makes available the city's artists, performers, history, and heritage through a fun, meaningful, hands on way. This up close and personal contact brings the city to life by working directly with artisans to learn glass blowing or ceramics or weaving, taking a guided walk in Santa Fe's beautiful landscape to explore the area's Native American and Spanish history, or by experiencing Santa Fe through dozens of other activities. Find out how to make a one on one connection with some of the city's most creative community members and discover Santa Fe through a new and memorable experience. www.santafecreativetourism.org

Santa Fe Day Trips - There are many wonderful places to visit in Northern New Mexico and Santa Fe is an ideal stepping off point. Whether it's a trip to Taos for its art, Pueblo culture, and scenic beauty, a visit to Abiquiu and the home of Georgia O'Keeffe, a excursion around the Jemez Mountain Trial and the remarkable Valles Caldera, a drive down the Turquoise Trail for a visit to Cerrillos and Madrid, or a visit to nearby Spanish villages such as Chimayo there are plenty of options. www.santafe.org/Visiting_Santa_Fe/Things_to_Do/Day_Trips/index.html