//
New Mexico, United States
Photo: Bill Johnson - User: (WT-shared) Bill-on-the-Hill at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
North Central New Mexico is Georgia O'Keeffe country — the high desert with the amazing colors. This is a region of incredible scenic variety and fascinating cultural nuances, with two gorgeous mountain ranges separated by the valley of the Rio Grande. One of the world's great travel destinations, Santa Fe, serves as the southern gateway to the region and is famed for its beauty, culture, and art.
The nearest major airport is in Albuquerque. Santa Fe has very limited air service that, so to speak, comes and goes; check the Santa Fe page for current status.
Read in the guideDrive; the area is too big and hilly for there to be viable alternatives.) can be few and far between in this region, reliably found only in towns of substance — that is, Española, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and Taos.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Taos · Regional · TSM
Loading places around the airport…
The capital and principal tourist destination of the state, with a wealth of attractions for visitors: several excellent art and history museums, lovely examples of local architecture, historic churches, many festivals, a vibrant performing arts community, numerous fine restaurants, and a smorgasbord of art galleries await.
Noted for its colorful scenery and its historical connection to Georgia O'Keeffe — nearby Ghost Ranch was a home to O'Keeffe and today serves as a retreat with a pair of small museums on-site and several hiking trails into the red-rock country that O'Keeffe's paintings made famous.
A resort town in the mountains east of Taos that holds a popular ski resort in the winter and many outdoor activities in the summer, as well as a noted memorial to veterans of the Vietnam War.
Near the Colorado border on the northwestern corner of the region, this small town is locally famed for its scenic narrow-gauge railroad.
At the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this old Hispanic village is home to the Santuario de Chimayo, a centuries-old church reputed for miracles that is the focus of an annual pilgrimage every Easter.
A small resort town situated on the shores of pleasant Eagle Nest Lake, set at the bottom of a beautiful mountain valley east of Taos.
The most prominent community between Santa Fe and Taos, Española has few tourist attractions but serves as a local commercial center and a useful staging point for trips around the region.
The "Atomic City" where the first atomic bomb was created during WWII, Los Alamos is still the home of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and feels far removed from the rest of New Mexico. Visitors will find a museum devoted to atomic weapons and energy, attractions related to the history of the town, and pleasant mountain scenery.
An old mining town in the high desert country south of Santa Fe, now home to a small but thriving art colony.
Along I-25 east of Santa Fe, this small community serves as a gateway to the southernmost reaches of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and is home to Pecos National Historic Park, which preserves the ruins of an abandoned Indian pueblo and Spanish mission.
A small pueblo that primarily serves as a stopping point on the road between Santa Fe and Española.
A resort community nestled in a canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Taos that's home to a ski resort and draws a very Texan crowd.
A prominent community in the northern portion of the region and set between the steep Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the spectacular gorge of the Rio Grande, Taos is something of a smaller, more laid-back Santa Fe. The town and its surrounding communities are noted for a thriving art colony, the popular Taos Ski Valley resort, the iconic Taos Pueblo, and the area's general hippie vibe.
A large national monument near Los Alamos that preserves the remnants of a set of striking ancient cliff dwellings that were carved into the cliffs of a scenic canyon, as well as a scattering of other archaeological sites and a large wilderness of canyons and mesas.
A major mountain range to the west of Santa Fe and the Española Valley, home to Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument, and a smattering of scattered attractions as well as plenty of recreational opportunities.
A BLM-administered national monument that covers a spectacular stretch of gorge along the Rio Grande west of Taos that's popular for hiking, sightseeing, and whitewater rafting.
The highest mountain range in the state, running west of Santa Fe, the Española Valley, and Taos, offering plenty in the way of outdoor recreation, including most of the state's ski resorts.
This UNESCO world heritage site and national historic landmark has been continuously inhabited by Puebloans for over 1000 years.
A spectacular unit of the national parks system that preserves a scenic grassland within a vast volcanic caldera in the midst of the Jemez Mountains.
Articles and travel topics about North Central New Mexico and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
9 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.