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Capital city of New Mexico, United States
Photo: Christopher Michel, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Santa Fe, founded in 1607, is the capital of the state of New Mexico and its principal tourist destination, renowned for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (at least by American standards), cultural diversity, and extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining. With an elevation of 7000 ft, it is not only the United States' oldest state capital but its highest, sitting at the foot of the spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains. And with a population of about 85,000 (2019), it's not the most populous capital, but that's part of its charm. This is not a capital that bustles with politicians but one that bustles with tourists, who flood the narrow streets around the town's plaza in the summer months to take in the beautiful adobe architecture, the unique cultural heritage, and the spectacular art that make Santa Fe one of the world's top travel destinations.
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The oldest public building in the United States, the Palace of the Governors is a 17th-century building that once served as the main capitol building and now houses an excellent historical museum and shop, with exhibits on the history of the building and a functioning antique print press. Behind the Palace is the New Mexico History Museum, with three floors of exhibits on the history of New Mexico, including numerous artifacts from the prehistory to the present. While the Palace is being renovated (as of 2022), disruptions are minimal most days and exhibits are displaced but available. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal (covered facade) facing the Plaza. They are awarded a spot via an official lottery system.
Though it has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, this museum has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor.
Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. Only free after 5PM on the first Friday of every month, and only applies to New Mexico residents.
The Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA) is a long-standing Santa Fe institution that helps to promote the Santa Fe Indian Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). Their museum holds a superb collection of contemporary Indian art.
A private contemporary arts venue with an ongoing schedule of exhibitions of artists who merit international recognition - this is really cutting edge stuff.
Of particular delight in this museum is its massive Girard exhibition, which contains many large, colorful displays of toys, nativity scenes, textiles, model villages, and traditional arts from around the world. The museum also features a superb collection of local Hispanic art as well as a good roster of changing exhibits. Home of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market held in July (see under "Do"/"Festivals").
A large museum with American Indian artworks and exhibits on their culture and history, including a rather superb collection of pottery and displays of both historic and contemporary Indian life.
A small but splendid museum which showcases many Hispano artworks and artifacts from the original Spanish settlers of the area. The museum also sponsors the annual Spanish Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals").
Excellent Native American art collection, with a quaint little gift shop, the Case Trading Post, that sells superb examples of Native arts that reflect the quality of the collection. Frequent special events.
Many participatory exhibits and various accessible critters both inside and out; the indoor area holds several construction toy areas and a bubble-making area, while the outdoor area features a garden and greenhouse with plenty of kids' activities available.
A huge art creation in a warehouse. Prepare to be disoriented, confused, and delighted. 70 rooms of art created just for this realm. Expect to spend 2 hours at least. If you want, there is also a mystery narrative for you to uncover in The House of Eternal Return.
A massive outdoor "living history" museum portraying Spanish colonial days, with reconstructions of a village, farms, orchards, a vineyard, and a large water mill. In May you'll be dodging swarms of bored children on school field trips; visiting in the fall is better.
One of the "must-see" places in town, with an impressive interior and beautiful art both inside and out. A tip for the photographer: the main façade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures out front) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon.
Built in 1878 and modeled after the Gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris. An intriguing legend - the Miraculous Staircase - is attached below and serves as the highlight on the church. The Loretto is also a popular romantic wedding venue.
Thought to be the oldest surviving mission church in the United States, the San Miguel is a rather simple but lovely adobe structure. Behind the mission, along the narrow alleyway, is a small structure whose owners claim it to be the "oldest house in the U.S." built by Europeans; a claim which though inaccurate reflects the long history of the site.
A favorite musical venue, the Santuario is an excellent example of Spanish Colonial architecture and contains a superb collection of religious artworks.
A startling, bright pink Moorish-style building modeled after the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
One of the country's most unusual and striking state capitol buildings; usually open to visitors during working hours. It's known locally as "the Roundhouse," and even a casual look will tell you why.
At Rancho de las Golondrinas, taste and enjoy some of the finest wines in New Mexico in the beautiful outdoor setting of a living history museum
A huge gathering of folk artists from around the world showing their work on the Milner Plaza at Museum Hill.
With a series of internationally known musicians.
This annual mid-August event is the most significant Santa Fe festival for tourists and collectors. The entire downtown area is filled with vendors of American Indian arts and crafts, ranging from $10 tourist trinkets on up to breathtaking works of the highest quality. It advertises itself as the world's largest show for Native American artisans, and the description is probably accurate; an artisan who wins one of the top prizes in the juried competitions here is "made" as a significant folk art figure. Lodging is tight in town on Indian Market weekend, so if you're attending, make plans early.
Pairs wines from vintners around the world with the spicy foods for which Santa Fe is known. Winemakers' dinners, special tastings and the Grand Tasting on the Santa Fe Opera grounds make for a vintage weekend! This event is a sell-out for Santa Fe, so lodging is at a premium - reserve early.
The web site is usually updated in the fall to reflect the coming offerings.
A pre-Christmas commemoration of Mary's and Joseph's search for lodging taking place outdoors on the Plaza. This event takes place in mid December and is a truly unique experience. The audience "participates" in the play by holding candles and following Mary and Joseph in their search for lodging. El Diablo (the devil) appears on rooftops throughout the plaza and hurls insults at the crowd, which responds in kind. This is a wonderful family event.
A Christmas Eve walk around the historic areas of downtown Santa Fe, throughout which have been set farolitos, small brown bags filled with sand and a votive candle, to light the way for the Christ Child
The opera house is partially "open air," so that opera goers get attractive views of the Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos as an additional backdrop to what's on stage. The Santa Fe Opera is known around the world for staging American and even world premieres of new works, the operas of Richard Strauss, and promising new artists on their way up (and, to be fair, one or two aging superstars each season who are on their way down, not up). Opera season is the summer, with opening night (tickets are almost impossible to get) usually around July 1 and the last performances in mid-August. (Bring a light jacket/wrap and an umbrella to the later performances; the open-air nature of the house can make August performances nippy and drippy, although seats are protected from the rain.) Many performances sell out well in advance, so book early. (KHFM radio, frequency 95.5 MHz, airs a "ticket exchange" that may be helpful in finding tickets to sold-out performances, if you find yourself in town on the spur of the moment during opera season; they stream their broadcast online, so you can check the ticket exchange even before you arrive.) People-watching here can be as much fun as the opera itself; you'll see folks in the most expensive formal wear sitting next to others in jeans, which is typical of Santa Fe. Dressing up at least a little from jeans is a good idea, though. Pre-performance "tailgate dinners" in the parking lot, as though you were attending a football game or such, are part of the tradition and color; you can bring your own, or see under "Eat/Other/Splurge" below.
Armory for the Arts
Mainly theater.
A spinoff (they describe themselves as a "stepchild") of the Jazz Festival; coffee-house environment with jazz, folk music, etc.
On the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design; visit the web site to see what's playing there. Comfortable, with good acoustics.
On the campus of the New Mexico School for the Deaf, remarkably enough.
Box-office. A converted movie theater with a pleasant atmosphere. As with most downtown sites, parking can be a pain, but there is a parking garage a block west that's usually OK in the evening.
An outdoor amphitheater at the Santa Fe Indian School, popular for events in spring, summer and fall.
At the New Mexico Museum of Art (see above).
Santa Fe's premier flamenco troupe performing six nights a week June through September.
Many groups based in Albuquerque do performances in Santa Fe as well; this one specializes in music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque, performed with period instruments as well as voices.
One of the best of the many "community-based" choral groups drawing on the enormous pool of skilled singers in northern New Mexico. Two repertoires per year (usually Christmas, with a well-regarded dinner concert, and spring), as well as special events throughout the year.
Fully professional choral music, with summer and winter programs, including works specifically commissioned for the ensemble.
Chamber orchestra, multiple performances from September through April.
Classical and contemporary works performed September through May, including interpretive lectures and occasional youth concerts.
A 12-voice choral group, performances Christmas and spring.
Yet another choral group with a September-to-May schedule.
Plays a mixture of Hollywood, classic, and indie films.
Adjacent to the Armory for the Arts (listed above), plays a good selection of indie films and documentaries.
Screens a selection of foreign, indie, and art house films.
A brand new movie house which plays first-run Hollywood films. All seats are reserved (reserving online ahead of time is recommended) and there is a full-service restaurant and bar in the building, with the option of taking your food into the theater. Food is prepared on order, so if you want to eat while watching the movie, be sure to arrive well ahead of screening.
A well-regarded bike shop. They have just about everything you'll need for riding in the area, including recommendations, but unfortunately, they don't have rental bikes.
A "semi-private" course that welcomes the public and includes tennis courts; call for tee times.
The "municipal" course in town—well, almost in town, as it's off the Santa Fe Relief Route a good eight miles from the Plaza.
Contains three swimming pools, an ice rink, a gymnasium, and a fitness center.
The Santa Fe Farmers Market represents over 100 active vendors and features hundreds of different agricultural products. To further meet Santa Fe's demand for fresh, local produce, the Market began operating year-round in 2002, and with more and more farmers using extended growing techniques, the "off season" becomes more successful every year.
The former Woolworths on the Plaza was said to be the birthplace of the "Frito Pie"; it has since been replaced by the Five and Dime. The Frito Pie consists of a bag of Fritos corn chips topped by meaty red chile and cheddar cheese, with onions and jalapeños as a garnish, served in the original Frito bag.
The quintessential New Mexican lunch spot. "Traditional" New Mexican food (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc.) in a rustic setting.
Sister restaurant of The Shed. It is open evenings and is on an obscure side street close to the main drag of St. Francis Drive, well outside the downtown area. Serves "traditional" New Mexican food (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc.) in a rustic setting. Reservations are recommended. Entrees from $15-$25.
This is primarily a catering/retail-sales outfit (delivery throughout town, sometimes delivering very large orders, and by parcel) of long standing and good reputation, but has opened two fast-food-style outlets for their wares. It's definitely not fine dining, but a reasonable representative of basic New Mexican fare for those in a hurry. Entrees $5-10.
An old standby a stone's throw from the vendors on the Portal. Open for all meals, but particularly recommended for lunch, although it's crowded.
Breakfast and lunch daily; much loved by locals for breakfast.
A well known New Mexican establishment with typical Santa Fe fare. Frequented by many locals, another great stopping point for a quick meal or a casual dinner.
Considered by many to serve the definitive "traditional" New Mexican food. Expect to wait, as it's enormously popular. Entrees around $9–11, but splurge a little and get the sangria too.
Margaritas are a specialty here, but the traditional New Mexican cuisine is also good, if a bit heavier than at Tomasita's. Parking, though ample, is a pain to get to; approach from the east, on Camino de los Marquez rather than Cordova.
An example of "Southwestern" cuisine—the merging of traditional New Mexican preparation and presentation with more modern, creative ingredients (sometimes a little too creative). Reservations recommended.
Another highly-regarded "Southwestern" dining experience. It's an excellent restaurant, if an expensive one -- $50 per person for dinner, including wine/dessert and tip, is not unusual. Reservations recommended.
Enjoy views of the Loretto Chapel and Old Santa Fe trail while dining.
A fast-food, take-out or dine-in Chinese restaurant. Built into an old gas station, it looks like the kind of place that you should stay a mile away from, and that's what makes it so good.
Delicious food served in a diner-type setting. The waitstaff are super friendly, and the portions are humongous. The customers fill the small front quickly in the mornings, but seats are often available at the bar (which serves delicious milkshakes, even before noon).
Good Greek/Mediterranean lunches. Nothing fancy, just good, casual food. Don't bother with reservations, but call to check on hours. Lunches from $5 or so; occasional belly-dancing entertainment. Now also open in Los Alamos if your travels take you in that direction.
Across Cordova Road from Pyramid and offers tolerable sandwiches, soups, etc., for lunch, but don't go just for the lunch (or breakfast); grab a dessert while you're there, these being what it's known for. Can be very busy at lunchtime on weekdays, with chaos on all quarters. Call-in orders welcome.
Inside of Garrett's Desert Inn. Known for their green chile cheeseburgers.
Occupies the space formerly "Dave's Not Here." Local hangout featuring the owners' Guatemalan cuisine with a New Mexican flavor. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The location, near the main St. Francis Drive artery, is more convenient for the through traveler than to downtown.
Widely considered to serve the best (American-style) pizza in town. Free delivery, but if practical, consider dining in instead; Old Santa Fe Trail is one of the main tourist drags, and you get a chance to combine pizza munching with people watching.
A barbecue chain centered in Arkansas and Louisiana, but with two New Mexico outlets (the other is in Albuquerque); fast-food-meets-steakhouse format, but the BBQ is high-quality by any standards. Try the "Volcano" BBQ sauce (you'll have to ask for it at the counter) and see if it's hotter than the New Mexican cuisine elsewhere in town. If it blows you away, sauce #3 also has some kick and is tasty. Lunches (handy as it's in the pandemonious Cerrillos Road shopping area) from $5.05.
Santa Fe mainstay where tourists and locals alike flock for some semblance of nightlife in Santa Fe. Decent food, 4 red pool tables ($12/hour, 7'), decent prices, and live music every night, except Mondays- Karaoke. Indoor and outdoor seating. The BBQ ain't bad, either.
Indian cuisine with lunch buffet and relatively convenient parking.
Popular Afro-Caribbean fusion food from James Beard-nominated chef Ahmed Obo.
An example of the difference between "Mexican" and "New Mexican" cuisine; this restaurant definitely serves the former, with an emphasis on seafood prepared as in Old Mexico. (You definitely won't find the Pulpo—octopus—dishes on the menu at their New Mexican counterparts!) Nothing special as regards ambience/presentation, but good, authentic food.
South Indian food in a cozy space. Parking is tight but usually manageable.
An old standby in the downtown area. As with many Santa Fe restaurants, the menu blends New Mexican cuisine with more traditional American fare. Reservations recommended for dinner, which approaches "Splurge" territory, and recommended particularly for breakfast, when it's far better value for dollar than the restaurants at the several nearby hotels.
A long-time Santa Fe standard, near the downtown area. A mix of continental and New Mexican cuisine that borders on "Splurge" territory.
May be the best Italian restaurant in town. Reservations advisable. Expect it to be loud.
Chinese food is a weakness (at least relatively speaking) in Santa Fe, but this unpretentious place has some supporters.
A restaurant whose name is also its street number. Reservations advised. French/Continental cuisine in a sidewalk-bistro-like setting. Good wine list, and save room for the crème brûlée dessert. You can easily drop $50 a person here and feel good about it.
On Canyon Road near the art galleries. Although the Compound once enforced a dress code of jacket and tie, new chef/owner Mark Kiffin eliminated any formal dress requirement. Southwestern cuisine.
Another fine restaurant amid the galleries. The menu tends toward Continental but is entertainingly diverse and changes frequently. Dinner reservations are recommended and can be placed via the (unnecessarily ostentatious) web site.
AAA Four Diamond restaurant that Zagat honored as New Mexico’s best. Contemporary global cuisine featuring seasonal and regional ingredients, with Southwestern and Asian influences and a great wine selection.
Prices range from about $10–12 for a simple Neapolitan-style pizza to $70 or more for a grand 5-course dinner with wine (come hungry and expect to leave full), or anything in between.
One of Santa Fe's big-name restaurants, and you probably pay a little extra for the celebrity, but the American/Continental fare is creative and well presented, with attentive service. Excellent matchbooks, too.
One of the best places for people-watching in all of Santa Fe. The crowd tends to be more sedate here than at some other places. Two great guys to look for here, Daniel and Chris, both award winning mixologists.
Included in its rates is an afternoon wine and cheese reception, and with its location at the base of Canyon Road, it offers an easy way to relax after a day of gallery-hopping.
Brewpub, with live music most evenings Thursday-Sunday and art exhibits (this is Santa Fe, after all) at other times. They've been fined in the past by the state of New Mexico for permitting consumption of alcohol off grounds, so they may be sticklers for keeping your drink on-site. There's also a secondary location, Second Street Brewpub at the Railyard, at 1607 Paseo de Peralta #10 (behind the Farmer's Market).
An independently owned, traditional hostel and boarding house offering dormitory accommodations and private rooms. It has been around for several decades and is still going strong. Offers a lot of free food, well beyond a continental breakfast, pay phones, laundry facilities, maps, a lounge, and internet use (for an additional daily fee).
A no-frills "motor lodge". Closer to the downtown attractions than other Cerrillos Road lodging.
A small but select group of luxuriously furnished and equipped houses and casitas, some with art collections, all with gourmet kitchens, Frette bedding, fireplaces, patios or gardens.
Nice B&B with mountain views, full hot gourmet breakfast and just 4 blocks to the Plaza.
Secluded behind its thick adobe walls, Pueblo Bonito Inn is a true historic bed and breakfast.
One, two and three-bedroom suites, each appointed with a Kiva fireplace, saltillo tile floors, and viga ceilings.
A small bed and breakfast near the Canyon Road art district.
Within easy walking distance of downtown and the Plaza. Authentically furnished casitas and great gourmet breakfasts -- the chicken-and-apple-sausage quiche is worth the trip in and of itself.
On a quiet downtown side street. Gourmet breakfasts and afternoon teas.
A compound of adobe cottages. Hot breakfast served every morning.
Near the Railyard District. Complimentary hot breakfast, free wireless.
Notable for accepting (attended) pets.
A short walk to the Plaza, galleries, spas, unique shops, and wonderful restaurants. The gardens and courtyards surround the three houses that comprise the Inn and cover half the block. The Inn offers 10 spacious suites and rooms.
As the closest hotel to the art galleries of Canyon Road, the Inn offers an ideal location for exploring all the attractions of the Santa Fe Plaza area, with its setting at the edge of one of the city's nicest residential areas. resulting in a more peaceful hotel stay. Spread across three acres, this is downtown Santa Fe's most value-added property, with a lavish complimentary continental breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese reception served daily, free parking and wi-fi access, and parking and local and toll-free calls all at no charge. Two pets under 100 pounds are accepted in dedicated pet rooms with a non-refundable nightly deposit.
A little more distant from the Plaza than some of the others, hence a little less expensive, and still within comfortable walking distance of most of the good stuff.
An old standard, one of the few downtown hotels that doesn't raise its rates during the tourist season. No longer an "elegant" hotel, but not bad at all. A great place for conferences too.
Atmospheric, and close to the downtown attractions. Good, if sedate, people-watching at the bar (see under "Drink"). On the National Registry of Historic Places. Reflects a Franciscan Missionary style.
Just north of the city but only 3-5 minutes from the Plaza. Every summer they feature the Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company live performances. Complimentary shuttle downtown, an onsite restaurant, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, complimentary Wi-Fi, and event spaces.
A full-service resort in the beautiful Tesuque Valley features horseback riding, spa, tennis courts, summer children's programs, and more in a peaceful setting away from the hubbub of the Plaza, but not so far away as to be inconvenient. Complimentary shuttle to and from the Plaza.
A large and spectacular property convenient to the downtown attractions. Rooms are well done and atmospheric. The Old House restaurant was honored as Zagat's top pick for dining in New Mexico. Lively lounge with frequent live entertainment, and many amenities. Nidah Spa is in the hotel.
Art galleries and a full service day spa, in addition to the lodging.
This four-star Santa Fe luxury hotel offers fine dining, a business center, and Southwestern style boutique accommodations.
The quintessential Santa Fe hotel, with the Plaza on one corner, beautiful Saint Francis Cathedral across the street, and several interesting and not-too-touristy shops on the premises. They have their own parking garage, no small advantage in the downtown area.
157-room boutique resort and full-service spa offering adobe-style rooms and suites, many with fireplaces and patios. Downtown and two blocks from the historic Plaza, art galleries, and shopping.
Showcases sculptures, drawings, and paintings by Allan Houser. A sculpture garden south of Santa Fe with more work by Houser is open for tours.
Museum quality Native American pottery.
Specializing in contemporary Native American art, including pottery, paintings, glass sculpture, jewelry and mixed media.
Specializing in fine historic Pueblo pottery from the eight northern pueblos, including Native American clay pots, dough bowls, vases, olla pots, and storyteller pottery.
Specializing in Native American antiques with an emphasis on historic Pueblo pottery, Navajo weavings, kachinas, and old pawn jewelry.
A mobile gallery of contemporary art, featuring works on paper and installation in a beautiful custom-retrofitted 1970 aluminum stepvan. Art by both established and emerging New Mexico-based artists.
Amid the galleries featuring the scenic and cultural beauty of the Southwest and Native Americana, you can find this one featuring the "beauty" of ... Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner!? This gallery memorializes the great cartoon artist and his successors in animation art, with many originals. Not what you might think of as typical of the Santa Fe art scene, but highly entertaining.
One of Santa Fe's "high-end" galleries, with works by some famous artists (Hurd, Remington, Miro, etc.), bearing six-digit price tags in some cases. If you're looking for inexpensive "souvenir" art, look elsewhere, but the serious art collector should definitely check this one out.
Established in 1966, 5 acre sculpture garden and gallery. Contemporary sculpture, paintings, prints and wall art by artists such as Allan Houser (whom the gallery represented from 1974-1994), Khang Pham-New, Eduardo Oropeza, Melanie Yazzie, etc.
One of the relatively few Santa Fe galleries open 7 days a week. Mid-range ($100 to $20,000) work, mainly with a Southwestern theme; nice bronzes.
Meditative wind sculptures. Inside the gallery you can view radiant and unique paintings on metal.
A gallery by a well-known Santa Fe entrepreneur, with an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century work, including a number of works from the art colony at Taos.
8 acres of sculpture garden display the diverse and eclectic—some would say peculiar—work of the locally-celebrated Shidoni Foundry, along with furniture, ceramics, photography, etc.
Historic maps, regionalist prints and paintings.
A reasonable (if comparatively conservative) example of the many Canyon Road galleries; friendly and helpful service.
By rail
A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, connects Santa Fe to Albuquerque and surrounding communities (from Downtown Albuquerque you can catch a shuttle to the airport, ABQ).
By car
Santa Fe lies along Interstate 25, which skirts the city. Be suspicious of weather conditions if coming to Santa Fe on this road.
By bus
There is no long-distance scheduled bus service into Santa Fe. The nearest Greyhound stop is in Albuquerque, at the Alvarado Transportation Center in downtown.
By bus
By car
Parking can be a problem during the summer, but look for parking lots (fee) near St. Francis Cathedral, the Convention Center, and between Water and San Francisco Streets west of the Plaza.g.
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