The Ultimate Santa Fe Experience: Art, History and Adventure

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We went in two different directions. My friend and I were on the same flight to Santa Fe, New Mexico and spent a week soaking up the sun and the sites. Only her sites were different from mine.

She’s an artist, so she bathed in the galleries and art museums. My husband and I find archaeology and history fascinating, so we tore around the countryside.

It’s all there. Santa Fe offers abundant choices.

A Bit of Santa Fe History

Santa Fe was occupied by the Pueblo Indians until the Spanish found their way there and established a capital in 1598. The Spanish and Franciscan missionaries sought to convert the Indians, but in 1680, the Indians revolted and sacked and burned most of the buildings, except the Palace of the Governors.

The Indians occupied Santa Fe until 1692 when Don Diego de Vargas reconquered the region. At that time, Spanish authorities formed an alliance with Pueblo Indians and maintained a relatively peaceful coexistence. New Mexico gained statehood in 1912 becoming the oldest capital city in the United States.

Santa Fe’s Beloved Georgia O’Keeffe

My friend’s favorite arts-related find was The International Museum of Folk Art. It houses the world’s largest collection of international folk art with more than 135,000 pieces from 100 countries.

She then focused on Georgia O’Keeffe, Santa Fe’s beloved historical figure. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum has the largest repository of her work and personal materials, including items from her historic houses.

Also, an hour’s drive north from Santa Fe to Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiu Home is worth the venture. It was the artist’s primary residence from the late 1940s through the end of her life. Advanced reservations are recommended.

O’Keeffe’s Ghost Ranch, an educational retreat, has special tours to see the landscape that inspired many of Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic works. It has a small museum/display plus some great hikes.

Art Galleries and Exhibits Galore

Other opportunities to view fine art include Canyon Road, host to more than 100 Galleries, boutiques and restaurants on a half-mile street.

The New Mexico State Capitol houses a permanent, public collection of contemporary art by New Mexico artists. Its collection expands into the Capitol Complex–the main building, the Annex walkway, the North Annex and the grounds.

Then there’s Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return which features over 70 rooms made by local and community artists. The sculpture garden at Nedra Matteucci Galleries was an immersive experience, especially welcome in the mid-70s weather we experienced in September.

So Many Santa Fe Museums

Strolling to those galleries might scratch your itch for art, but then there are so many museums around Santa Fe that are equally stroll-worthy. The one we enjoyed most was the New Mexico History Museum which weaves together the stories of the state’s rich histories and cultures.

Included in the tour is the Palace of the Governors which dates back to 1610 when it was the capitol building. It’s the oldest public building in the U.S. 

The best place to shop is in front of the building beneath the exterior log beams that create a portal for Native American vendors to sell authentic Indian Jewelry, crafts, baskets & other native handcrafts. The building forms one side of the Santa Fe Plaza, the heart of downtown Santa Fe.

On the next block is 109 E. Palace, the nondescript office where J. Robert Oppenheimer’s assistant ran the office for the secret weapons laboratory, The Manhattan Project, at Los Alamos. The office is behind storefronts, but it’s worth searching out. More later on this.

Museums are bountiful. There’s the Museum of Indian Art and Culture, Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, Santa Fe Botanical Garden on Museum Hill and Santa Fe Children’s Museum with over 35 exhibits and daily programs.

Go From the Market to the Opera

The most boisterous among the preservation of antiquities is the Santa Fe Railyard, a hub of entertainment, shopping, food and events. The covered fresh market began in the early sixties with a handful of local farmers and is now open every day.

Over 150 vendors line the railyard for the Saturday market. For lunch there we had pupusas at Blue Corn—warm pinto beans and cheese wrapped in blue corn tortillas.

Santa Fe holds international recognition as one of the world’s great centers for the visual and performing arts. One of its most noteworthy performances is the Santa Fe Opera whose schedule runs in the summertime. Vistas beckon from every side in the stunning outdoor setting where you can take a backstage tour from June through August. 

Visit the historic part of Santa Fe and see if you can find where Billy the Kid was imprisoned. Hint: it’s now a coffee shop. We enjoyed many of Santa Fe’s offerings like these, but where we departed from my friend’s arts overview was in our seeking adventures in the surrounding area.

Sights Near Santa Fe

We drove south 1 ½ hours to Albuquerque where we discovered petroglyphs at Boca Negra Canyon. One step up the path, and there they were—500-800-year-old canvases of communication.

The Rio Grande called to us, and we thought we’d get a good feel of it from the Rio Grande Nature Center, but what we observed was the trickle of a tributary. We’ll need to go again in the spring.

Driving north delivered us to many sites, beginning with Bandelier National Monument, less than an hour from Santa Fe. Bandelier’s history extends back to 11,000 years ago when the Ancestral Puebloans built dwellings in the rockery. We climbed ladders to investigate the dugouts, many with blackened ceilings from their fires.

Historic Taos Pueblo

Another fascinating excursion 1 ½ hours north was Taos Pueblo where visitors are free to wander among the multi-storied adobe buildings that have been inhabited for over 1000 years., It’s the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark.

While we were in Taos, my husband couldn’t resist seeing Kit Carson’s house. It was a good opportunity to see a Spanish Territorial-style home built around 1825 with thick adobe walls.  

Kit and his wife, Josefa, lived there until their deaths.

We had lunch in Taos at Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery, a down-home, wood-paneled throwback that claims, “If we have it in the kitchen, we’ll make it.” That includes double orders of chili cheese fries.

Secrets of Los Alamos

Our most intriguing venture was to Los Alamos, less than an hour north of Santa Fe. Los Alamos was a town of thousands that sprang up to develop the atomic bomb during World War II. The government sequestered residents, primarily scientists and their families, there to conceal the mission.

It was one of three secret sites of The Manhattan Project whose goal was to produce the first nuclear weapons. The other sites were Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Richland, Washington.

The nucleus of this once-secret city is still Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the world’s largest and most advanced scientific institutions.

The Los Alamos community took over the Los Alamos Ranch School that was originally on the site. Today visitors can walk through Fuller Lodge, one of the main structures of the school that served as a cafeteria and community center during the Manhattan Project.

Worth visiting also are the Los Alamos Historical Museum and Bradbury Science Museum where visitors can experience more than 40 interactive exhibits. 

Hiking, Biking and Spas

There is so much more to appreciate about the area. Camel Rock, which absolutely resembles a camel, is minutes from Santa Fe. It’s an easy walk on a paved pathway.

Hikes abound at places like Tent Rocks and Tsankawi. Bike Paths cover a wide range of abilities. For mountain bikes and hiking there are La Tierra Trails and the Galisteo Basin bike trails. Rio Grande Nature Center has flat biking trails.

Hot pools and spas at 10,000 Waves or Ojo Caliente Santa Fe might be the perfect break after a hike or bike ride.

Tasty Southwest

We enjoyed Southwest cuisine at many restaurants and came to accept that take-out places like Bumble Bee Baja Grill served tortillas with their meals. Other low-cost restaurants include Piccolino (Italian), Whole Hog (barbeque), Cafecito, India House, Paper Dosa (South Indian), Arroyo Vino and Jambo Café (African).

Medium-range spots are Mucho Gusto (Mexican), The Shed and Osteria D’Assisi. Los Potrillos and Andiamo. High-end choices include The Compound, Geronimos, Sazon, Restaurant Martine, Anasazi and Bistro 315. Classics are The Cowgirl, Pasquels (breakfast) and La Choza.

For bakery treats try Clafoutis (French), Mille, Sage Bakery and Chocolate Maven.

Whatever your inclination, entrust it to Santa Fe. You’ll fulfill your artistic leanings and curiosity, and you’ll be invigorated by your outdoor activities. That’s all in seasons other than winter. We haven’t even considered the Taos Ski Valley, world-renowned for its steep runs of powdery, dry snow. Come any season–with any interest–to this land of abundant choices.

Santa Fe Suggestions

My friend Judy, with whom we stayed, helped vet the following list:

Museums

• Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
• New Mexico History Museum
• Museum of Indian Art and Culture
• Santa Fe Children’s Museum
• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art
• Museum of International Folk Art
• Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
• Santa Fe Botanical Garden on Museum Hill

Arts

• The International Museum of Folk Art
• Canyon Road
• New Mexico State Capitol
• Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return
• Nedra Matteucci Galleries
• Santa Fe Opera

Sites

• Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiu Home
• 109 E. Palace
• Santa Fe Railyard
• Boca Negra Canyon–Albuquerque
• Rio Grande Nature Center—Albuquerque
• Bandelier National Monument
• Taos Pueblo
• Kit Carson’s house—Taos
• Los Alamos
• Camel Rock

Biking and Hiking

• Tent Rocks and Tsankawi
• La Tierra Trails
• Galisteo Basin bike trails
• Rio Grande Nature Center

Hot Pools and Spas

• 10,000 Waves
• Ojo Caliente Santa Fe

Where to Eat in Santa Fe

Affordable

• Piccolino (Italian)
• Whole Hog (barbecue)
• Cafecito
• India House
• Paper Dosa (South Indian)
• Arroyo Vino
• Jambo Café (African).

Medium-Range

• Mucho Gusto (Mexican)
• The Shed
• Osteria D’Assisi
• Los Potrillos
• Andiamo
• Michael’s Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery—Taos

High-End

• The Compound
• Geronimos
• Sazon
• Restaurant Martine
• Anasazi
• Bistro 315

Classics

• The Cowgirl
• Pasquels (breakfast)
• La Choza

Bakeries

• Clafoutis (French)
• Mille
• Sage Bakery
• Chocolate Maven

Read More:

• A Weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Top 10 Things to Do in Santa Fe, NM
• A Weekend in San Antonio, Texas
• Ski Santa Fe: Winter Adventure in “The City Different”

Author Bio: Marcia McGreevy Lewis (she/her) lives in Seattle and is a retired feature writer for a Washington newspaper. She writes for literary journals, magazines, travel sites and books. Reach her on Facebook and Instagram: marcialewis25, Twitter: @McGreevyLewis and Linkedin: marcia-lewis.