I dedicate my #1400 review to my latest travel crush: Santa Fe!…read more I always wanted to visit, for me it seemed like an exotic destination and not the obvious type. It lured me with its vivid arts scene, cool history and the Pueblo style architecture, the Spanish colonialism mixed with the Native culture, a very spiritual place and the list could continue. Santa Fe's closest airport is in Albuquerque, so you can rent a car to get here, a straight forward drive longer than an hour. Even if it's mostly a walkable place (if you book a place downtown), it's helpful to have a car handy for some other attractions: Museum Hills, Meow Wolf and day trips. Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico since 1610. Most museums and stores are open, but check before you go, the hours might differ from what you see online. I loved walking the downtown area, stroll the cute streets, pop inside art galleries, museums and take advantage of art fairs during the weekend. After a week, I feel like I barely scratch the surface and need to go back and dig deeper. Some pueblos and parks are still closed unfortunately, so some other visit, hopefully. Many beautiful places around the Plaza: Palace of the Governors, Loretto Church, Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, The Oldest House in the US, Georgia O'Keefe museum, New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, New Mexico History Museum. Cool stores, bookstores, art galleries everywhere and a whole row on Canyon Rd, record stores, restaurants. If you love Mexican food with a New Mexican twist (lots of chilis), you are in the right place, I gained a few pounds. Breweries, a margarita trail and lots of charm. Cons- the altitude, Santa Fe is higher up than Denver, so expect a few headaches, we had them. Transportation within the city it's lacking the shuttle so it's harder to get around. While you can walk to some places, it's harder to orient yourself to get to others and I love walking, but being hot and having a lot of road work makes it tougher (I stumbled and fall while looking for an ice-cream place), so be careful. Thunderstorms in the summer afternoons! That being said, Santa Fe is a city like no other, with dried chilis hanging down everywhere, beautiful architecture, nice people, art everywhere and delicious food. There are many day trips you can take, Taos, The Turquoise Trail among many. They have cool festivals all year around, you can hike, ski or just chill by the pool side with a margarita. Wear comfy shoes and bring your sense of adventure. A different world will open to you!

I edit on Friday 7 24 2026. I went to the History museum…read more Which i loved. But couldn't find a place to eat. Two expensive restaurants near tge Governors palace. It was completely dead. No vendors or stores open. Waste of time.

Santa Fe Plaza is a must-see and is in a bustling area with beautiful buildings, shops, and…read moreentertainment. The history and architecture is amazing. Note: Street Parking is a bit challenging and the area can get quite busy, but it's a fun spot.

I love that Santa Fe's Historical District restrictions allow the Plaza to retain its old world…read morecharm and wide accessibility for the community. The rest of metro Santa Fe might be their version of suburbia, but the heart that anchors Santa Fe is right here. Yes, the shopping on the adjacent streets is a bit high end, but the classy charm of the plaza and the Tribal merchants across the street at the Inn of the Governors grounds the experience. Besides the interesting mix of people at the Plaza, I note 2 interesting experiences: 1. The Classic Car show on Friday night that circled the entire Plaza on the outside, accented by "Low Riders" occasionally circling. Our friend Laurie even found the model of car that her family drove around during her childhood. 2. The Santa Fe Plaza Obelisk, historically known as the Soldiers' Monument, was toppled by protestors in 2020 and its pieces are slated for a museum. What will become of the Monument proper is in community committee hands, which will probably go round and round without much meaningful progress short term.

I am a complete sucker for roadside attractions, oddities and little museums. Such explorations…read morehelp you really get to know the culture of the area you're touring. This chapel just off the Plaza did not disappoint! Out of curiosity, I read a couple of the other reviews before I began writing about my own experience. It's a chapel, so I wasn't expecting the tour I had at the Vatican. It's small and quaint, which is reflective of most religious edifices in the West built in the mid-1800s. The story of the stranger, the staircase and the miracle is fascinating. Whether you are a believer or not, the spiral structure is a delightful marvel. The detail and craftsmanship of the room itself are inspiring for anyone interested in architecture. It just glows and feels sacred. The cover is $5, which is nothing. I'd trade a burger for another trip through those doors.

This chapel charges a fee to enter, most likely because of the staircase. The chapel was…read moreovercrowded with people who weren't being very respectful and there was an automated message over the loudspeaker, which made it feel like this beautiful chapel was now a tourist trap. The staircase was pretty, but it wasn't anything to marvel at for longer than a few seconds. The only "neat" thing about it was that it was modeled after St. Etienne in Paris, which I have been to and loved. NOTE: They do have a great giftshop!

Directions from Yelp drops you off in the middle of the Pueblo town and at the start of a dirt…read moreroad. I didn't come across the falls in the Pueblo, found a simple, but nice Catholic Church at the entrance to the Pueblo. The parking lot of the church affords you some nice view of the snow capped mountains beyond it at least.

This review is for the waterfall area…read more I'm a planner, especially on vacation. You know those people that are like, "Oh, let's roll into town and go from there." Yeah, that's not me. I think I read 3 books on New Mexico before our visit and may or may not have created a spreadsheet. While driving on the high road from Taos to Santa Fe, my husband spotted a sign for Nambe Lake Falls. It was not on the agenda and a little out of the way. I grudgingly agreed to this detour. We drive to the ranger's station and pay our $10 to drive back to the start of the trail that leads to the waterfall. It starts to rain. You can imagine how happy I am. There are several families in campers there enjoying the peaceful and scenic area. It's a 15 minute hike to the falls and things got a little slippery and muddy. Once we arrived at the damn and falls, it was worth the short hike. Exercise+scenic area+photo op = worthwhile.

One of my favorite national parks that I have ever been to and hiked! STUNNING. I love that you can…read morehike up the ladders on one of the hikes here. That hike definitely is not for the faint of heart and pushed my limits at the top (you are high and it seems scary) but it is one of my most memorable hikes all around for the scenery and unique experience. A must visit! For those who don't to do the ladder hike, you can still walk to the bottom of it and look up and get a good view. So there is something for all levels here. The scenery is gorgeous. It does get windy here sometimes (we had a lot of wind blasting us as we were climbing the ladders) so be careful and be prepared for that. The nature all around is beautiful. Additionally, there are some tables so you could bring a picnic. Staff in the visitor center is very friendly and has lots of great recommendations of what to do here or nearby. A must do! This was the highlight of my trip to this area and I can't recommend it enough :)

Without a doubt one of the best national parks or monuments I've ever been to! Highly, highly…read morerecommended if you are in the Santa Fe area. A couple notes: 1. Parking looks like it might get tough on busy weekends, mid-week we didn't have an issue early, and but when we left in the early afternoon, the main lot was pretty full. 2. The main Pueblo Loop trail was well maintained and quite accessible up to and just past the Big Kiva and Tyuonyi. The top-back part of the loop was a little more broken up, but still a pretty easy stroll. 3. The trail out to the Alcove House was absolutely beautiful! It's not paved, but it's a well maintained gravel. The ladders to the alcove itself are an interesting experience. If you don't love heights, there are some benches at the bottom of the ladder to sit on and relax. 4. Helpfully, there is a well-maintained pit toilet about halfway out, in case you need it. 5. The restaurant at the visitor center might not be the most efficient place, but the food was much better than you would expect!

Take a number...BUT if you have an existing order which can be obtained by calling ahead you can…read moreget thru rather quickly! I had an existing order for a death certificate but they claim no check was included when I mailed everything (NOT) since these are $5 each and the cancel check order to my bank is $35...I went directly in to pay the $15 so they could close out the order should that check pop up some other time! Also, you can save time by filling out ur request form once you take ur number, at the counter immediately to ur right upon entering their tiny waiting area and go right when they open at 8 to avoid long waiting times!

Santa Fe is a cool town but I was only excited for a few things there before visiting. When coming…read moreacross this place, I suddenly found myself in some type of wonder world. Walk around Santa Fe and you never know what could be around the next corner. This place isn't exactly a tourist destination. While I took pictures and walked around the place, I'm still not entirely sure of its purpose. It's my understanding that this church is named after a virgin from Mexico. Forgive my ignorance on the subject. You would think that a virgin church in the middle of many other churches(ONE OF THEM HAS TO BE HAS TO LIKE HER, RIGHT? RIGHT??)... virginity is rare so it has that going for it. Hook up with one of those other churches already! The place was locked as it was a mid-week weekday. We also weren't chased off by any type of security guard so we were able to snap pictures and view the outside. I wish it would've been opened so I could've checked it out.

Beautiful church away from the touristy Plaza. The grounds are covered with the most beautiful…read moreblooming rose bushes. The statue of Guadalupe catches your eye, but immediately in front of Guadalupe is a life size Rosary shown as pavers on the ground for the Rosary beads. Definitely a working church, as there were parishioners lining up for weekend mass while Hubby and I were visiting. We did not visit the sanctuary because of mass, but thought the grounds were beautiful.

The Los Alamos area has *so* many phenomenal parks and trails, but if you're pressed for time and…read morecan only choose one, and the weather is good for it, I highly recommend the Tsankawi Section of Bandolier National Monument. It's less than 20 minutes away and you can have a great 1.5 mile loop hike with cool history & stunning vistas in less than 2 hours. The hike isn't really strenuous, but there are some ladder climbs & descents, as well as several instances of unprotected paths along an open cliffside, a little nerve-wracking for those with fear of heights. If there's ice on the ground, I'd recommend a different trail. Note that there is no shade or shelter at all, so wear appropriate cover & sunscreen, and don't go if any storm is forecast. Watch out for snakes, and beware of the possibility of splinters in your hands from the ladders - use gloves there if you have them. At Tsankawi, you will see wonderous 360-degree views of colorful mesas, valleys, skies, and mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for ancient petroglyphs carved into boulders along the way. Some of the hike is on sandy or gravel paths, while other parts are along deeply grooved ruts in stone, worn by 1000s of years of footfalls. Eventually you will reach hollowed out cave dwellings with soot covered ceilings, the remains of the Tewa people's pueblo homes from another era. Official hours are 9a - 5p daily, but I've heard that sunrise and sunset are amazing from this mesa. As of November 2024, you'll pay $25 for the per-vehicle parking pass, and this will be good for 1 week of entry to all of Bandolier. You can pay with credit card at the covered kiosk near the trailhead and receive a receipt to display on your dashboard. Of course, if you're planning to see other national parks this year, you might as well spend the $45 to get the annual pass.

Spectacular! It was the highlight of our day. Only about dozen or so parking spots. I'm shocked…read moreit's not more known. I think it's better that way. Less the better. We went to cliff dwellings at Bandelier day prior. That was nice too but we enjoyed the ruggedness here more. The rocks are easy to climb. And we probably saw 6 other people the whole time we were there. The highlight is to climb that second ladder for mind blowing views from the top.