Things to do in New Mexico

Some suggestions from our colleagues.

Bill Loomis writes:

Besides walking around the lovely streets along the river that runs through the town:

• 1) Canyon Road is on the other side of the river and is the arts part of town
• 2) Off Canyon road there is a great restaurant - The Colony
• 3) Further up Canyon Road - about 2 miles - is the Georgia O'Keefe's house - I am not sure it is open to the public
• 4) Near-by is the American Indian Museum - a must see

Out of town (about 40 miles)

• 5) Going West is Bandelier National Monument - wonderful old ruins in a great canyon
• 6) Los Alamos is further up that road
• 7) In another direction (North) you go about 50 miles to Taos. The old Pueblo is well worth a visit. There are galleries and restaurants.
• 8) Going East you start up the mountain - Walks along the way are beautiful. There is a ski tow at the top which I think is open in the summer if the fire-hazard is not too high.

Margaret Clarke writes:

Art galleries: At the top of list is the Nedra Matteuchi Gallery on Paseo de Peralta. It has a truly wonderful sculpture garden that no one should miss, as well as a collection of paintings and sculptures that you would expect to find in a museum. A half a block away on Paseo de Peralta is the Gerald Peter's Gallery, whose changing exhibits periodically include some of my favorite living artists. The Blue Rain Gallery primarily displays the works of contemporary Native American artists, all outstanding. The length of Canyon Road contains dozens of small art galleries with something for every taste.

Museums: There are numerous museums covering a range of subjects; several of them can be visited with single pass. Some are clustered around or near the plaza; others are up on Museum Hill, a location worth visiting for its spectacular views of the city, as well as for the museums located there. My particular favorites are the O'Keefe Museum (a few blocks from the plaza) and the Wheelwright Museum (on Museum Hill).

If the weather is pleasant, a great introduction to the city is a walking tour. I have taken two of these, one a historical tour that departed from the La Fonda Hotel and ended on Canyon Road. The other was an art tour (there is a great deal of wonderful art in public buildings) that departed from the Museum of Fine Arts. Both were led by knowledgeable guides who provided a fascinating window into the history and culture of Santa Fe. Each tour consisted of two or more hours of leisurely walking.

The food in Santa Fe is superb. There are so many good cafes and restaurants that recommendations are superfluous; the competition is so fierce that nothing mediocre survives. In the morning, we enjoy picking up a newspaper and a coffee at Downtown Subscription on Garcia Street a couple of blocks off Canyon Road; this place has an awesome selection of newspapers and magazines and is always packed with locals. For a breakfast treat, Café Paris offers French pastries, lattes, etc. at outdoor (or indoor) tables in Burro Alley. For a special lunch, the O'Keefe Café has wonderful food and wine, and pleasant outdoor tables in good weather. Excellent not-so-expensive food can be had at Bumble-Bee's Baja Grill or at Tomasita's, the latter being a popular Mexican restaurant that is best visited at off-hours and with a large appetite. I won't even try to list the possibilities for dinner.

For those with cars, consider Taos (don't miss Nicolai Fechin's house), Taos Pueblo, and the High Road that links Santa Fe and Taos (best driven north to south for the views), Bandelier (already on your list), Shidoni (bronze casting), Abiquiu (Georgia O'Keefe's home), Ghost Ranch and the surrounding vistas that she painted, etc. For those with more time and ambition, the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon are splendid (but avoid driving the entrance road in rainy weather).

Enjoy!