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City of Santa Fe
—  Capital City  —
La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís
Santa Fe's Downtown Area
Nickname(s): The City Different
Location in Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Coordinates: 35°40′2″N 105°57′52″W / 35.66722°N 105.96444°W / 35.66722; -105.96444Coordinates: 35°40′2″N 105°57′52″W / 35.66722°N 105.96444°W / 35.66722; -105.96444
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Santa Fe County
Founded	ca. 1607-8
Government
- Mayor	David Coss
Area
- Capital City	37.4 sq mi (96.9 km2)
- Land	37.3 sq mi (96.7 km2)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	7,260 ft (2,134 m)
Population (2006)
- Capital City	72,056
- Density	1,927/sq mi (744/km2)
- Metro	183,782 (Santa Fe-Espanola CSA)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP codes	87500-87599
Area code(s)	505
FIPS code	35-70500
GNIS feature ID	0936823
Website	http://www.santafenm.gov/

Santa Fe (Navajo: Yootó) is the capital of the state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of Santa Fe County. Santa Fe (literally 'holy faith' in Spanish) had a population of 62,203 at the April 1, 2000 census; the estimate for July 1, 2006, is 72,056.^[1] It is the principal city of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Santa Fe County and is part of the larger Santa Fe-Española Combined Statistical Area.

History

Spain and Mexico

Santa Fe settlers are “churlish types” who are “accustomed to live apart from each other, as neither fathers nor sons associate with each other."

—Governor Fermín de Mendinueta, c. 1776.^[2]

The City of Santa Fe was originally occupied by a number of Pueblo Indian villages with founding dates between 1050 to 1150. The Santa Fe River provided water to people living there.

The "Kingdom of New Mexico" was first claimed for the Spanish Crown in 1540,^{[citation needed]} during the expedition of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado almost 70 years before the founding of Santa Fe. Don Juan de Oñate led the first effort to colonize the region in 1598, establishing Santa Fé de Nuevo México as a province of New Spain. Under Juan de Oñate and his son, the capital of the province was the settlement of San Juan de los Caballeros north of Santa Fe near modern Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. New Mexico's third Spanish governor, Don Pedro de Peralta, however, founded a new city at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in 1608, which he called La Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asís, the Royal Town of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi. In 1610, he made it the capital of the province, which it has almost constantly remained,^[3] making it the oldest capital city in what is the modern United States. (Jamestown, Virginia, is of similar vintage (1607) but is no longer a capital.) Santa Fe is at least the third oldest surviving American city founded by European colonists, behind the oldest St. Augustine, Florida (1565). (Although Santa Fe is not one of the oldest continuously occupied cities, as from 1680 - 1692 it was abandoned due to Indian raids. A few settlements were founded prior to St. Augustine but all failed, including the original Pensacola colony in West Florida, founded by Tristán de Luna y Arellano in 1559, with the area abandoned in 1561 due to hurricanes, famine and warring tribes. Fort Caroline, founded by the French in 1564 in what is today Jacksonville, Florida only lasted a year before being obliterated by the Spanish in 1565.)

Except for the years 1680–1692, when, as a result of the Pueblo Revolt, the native Pueblo people drove the Spaniards out of the area known as New Mexico, later to be reconquered by Don Diego de Vargas, Santa Fe remained Spain's provincial seat until the outbreak of the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. In 1824 the city's status as the capital of the Mexican territory of Santa Fé de Nuevo México was formalized in the 1824 Constitution.

Don Pedro de Peralta in a statue depicting events of 1610

San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe is said to be the oldest standing church structure in the US. The adobe walls were constructed around A.D. 1610

Palace of the Governors, established 1609-10

Santa Fe, 1846–1847

United States

I can hardly imagine how [Santa Fe] is supported. The country around it is barren. At the North stands a snow-capped mountain while the valley in which the town is situated is drab and sandy. The streets are narrow... A Mexican will walk about town all day to sell a bundle of grass worth about a dime. They are the poorest looking people I ever saw. They subsist principally on mutton, onions and red pepper.

—letter from an American traveler, 1849 ^[4]

In 1841, a small military and trading expedition set out from Austin, Texas, with the aim of gaining control over the Santa Fe Trail. Known as the Santa Fe Expedition the force was poorly prepared and was easily repelled by the Mexican army. In 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, and Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearny led the main body of his Army of the West of some 1,700 soldiers into the city to claim it and the whole New Mexico Territory for the United States. By 1848 the U.S. officially gained New Mexico through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Colonel Alexander William Doniphan under the command of Kearny recovered ammunition from Santa Fe labeled "Spain 1776" showing both the quality of communication and military support New Mexico received under Mexican rule, or that it was a peaceful city until Anglo-Americans arrived.^[5]

In 1851, Jean Baptiste Lamy arrived in Santa Fe and began construction of Saint Francis Cathedral. For a few days in March 1862, the Confederate flag of General Henry Sibley flew over Santa Fe, until he was defeated by Union troops.

Santa Fe was originally envisioned as an important stop on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. But as the tracks progressed into New Mexico, the civil engineers decided that it was more practical to go through Lamy, a town in Santa Fe County to the south of Santa Fe. The result was a gradual economic decline. This was reversed in part through the creation of a number of resources for the arts and archaeology, notably the School of American Research, created in 1907 under the leadership of the prominent archaeologist Edgar Lee Hewett. The first airplane to fly over Santa Fe was piloted by Rose Dugan, carrying Vera von Blumenthal as passenger. Together they started the development of the Pueblo Indian pottery industry, a major contribution to the founding of the annual Santa Fe Indian Market.

In 1912, New Mexico became the United States of America's 47th state, with Santa Fe as its capital.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.4 square miles (96.9 km²), of which, 37.3 square miles (96.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.

Santa Fe is located at 7,000 feet (2134 m) above sea level, making it the highest state capital in the United States. The highest state capitals are:^[6]

1. Santa Fe, New Mexico – 7,199 ft (2134 m) right through the center of the Capitol building
2. Cheyenne, Wyoming – 6,062 ft (1,848 m)
3. Denver, Colorado – 5,280 ft (1,609.3 m)
4. Carson City, Nevada – 4,802 ft (1,463 m)
5. Salt Lake City, Utah – 4,226 ft (1,288 m)
6. Helena, Montana – 4,058 ft (1,237 m)

Climate

Santa Fe is characterized by cool winters and warm summers. The average temperature in Santa Fe ranges from a low of 14°F (-10°C) to a high of 40°F (4°C) in winter, low of 55°F (13°C) to a high of 86°F (30°C) in summer. Santa Fe receives 2-3 inches (50–75 mm) of rain per month in summer and about 5 inches (13 cm) of snow per month in winter.

At 7,000 feet above sea level, Santa Fe has warm days and cool evenings during spring, summer and fall. Day temperatures reach an average high of 45 °F (7 °C) during the winter months and an average high of 84 °F (29 °C) during the summer.

Nights are cool year-round in this high desert city. Santa Fe usually receives 6 to 8 snowfalls a year between November and April. Heaviest rainfall occurs in July and August. Santa Fe has 300+ days of sunshine a year and an average relative humidity of 50%.^[7]

Santa Fe style and “The City Different”

This year we are making a studied conscious effort not to be studied or conscious. Santa Fe is now one of the most interesting art centers in the world and you, O Dude of the East, are privileged to behold the most sophisticated group in the country gamboling freely...

And Santa Fe, making you welcome, will enjoy itself hugely watching the Dude as he gazes. Be sure as you stroll along looking for the quaint and picturesque that you are supplying your share of those very qualities to Santa Fe, the City Incongruous... Be yourself, even if it includes synthetic cowboy clothes, motor goggles and a camera.

—1928 Santa Fe Fiesta Program^[8]

Capitol Building

The Spanish laid out the city according to the “Laws of the Indies”, town planning rules and ordinances which had been established in 1573 by King Philip II. The fundamental principle was that the town be laid out around a central plaza. On its north side was the Palace of the Governors, while on the East was the church that later became the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.

An important style implemented in planning the city was the radiating grid of streets centering from the central Plaza. Many were narrow and included small alley-ways, but each gradually merged into the more casual byways of the agricultural perimeter areas. As the city grew throughout the 19th century, the building styles evolved too, so that by Statehood in 1912, the eclectic nature of the buildings caused it to look like “Anywhere USA”.^[9] The city government realized that the economic decline, which had started more than twenty years before with the railway moving west and the Federal government closing down Fort Marcy, might be reversed by the promotion of tourism.

To achieve that goal, the city created the idea of imposing a unified building style – the Spanish Pueblo Revival look, which was based on work done restoring the Palace of the Governors. The sources for this style came from the many defining features of local architecture: vigas and canales from many old adobe homes, churches built many years before and found in the Pueblos, and the earth-toned, adobe-colored look of the exteriors.

After 1912 this style became official: all buildings were to be built using these elements. By 1930 there was a broadening to include the “Territorial”, a style of the pre-statehood period which included the addition of portals and white-painted window and door pediments. The City had become “Different”. However, “in the rush to pueblofy”^[12] Santa Fe, the city lost a great deal of its architectural history and eclecticism”. Among the architects most closely associated with this “new” style is John Gaw Meem.

By an ordinance passed in 1958, new and rebuilt buildings, especially those in designated historic districts, must exhibit a Spanish Territorial or Pueblo style of architecture, with flat roofs and other features suggestive of the area's traditional adobe construction. However, many contemporary houses in the city are built from lumber, concrete blocks, and other common building materials, but with stucco surfaces (sometimes referred to as "faux-dobe", pronounced as one word: "foe-dough-bee") reflecting the historic style.

In 2005/2006, a consultant group from Portland, Oregon, prepared a “Santa Fe Downtown Vision Plan” to examine the long-range needs for the “downtown” area, roughly bounded by the Paseo de Peralta on the north, south and east sides and by Guadalupe Street on the west. In consultation with members of community groups, who were encouraged to provide feedback, the consultants made a wide range of recommendations in the plan now published for public and City review.^[13]

Government

The New Mexico State Capitol, "The Roundhouse"

City hall

The City of Santa Fe is a charter city.^[14] It is governed by a mayor-council system. The city is divided into four electoral districts, each represented by two councilors. Councilors are elected to staggered four-year terms and one councilor from each district is elected every two years.^{[14]:Article VI}

The municipal judgeship is an elected position and a requirement of the holder is that they be a member of the state bar. The judge is elected to four-year terms.^{[14]:Article VII}

The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and is a member of the governing body. The mayor has numerous powers and duties, but does not vote with the councilors except to break ties.^{[14]:Article V} Day-to-day operations of the municipality are undertaken by the city manager's office.^{[14]:Article VIII}

Federal representation

Joseph M. Montoya Federal Building and Post Office

The Joseph M. Montoya Federal Building and Post Office serves as an office for U.S. federal government operations. It also contains the primary United States Postal Service post office in the city.^[15] Other post offices in the Santa Fe city limits include Coronado,^[16] De Vargas Mall,^[17] and Santa Fe Place Mall.^[18] The U.S. Courthouse building, constructed in 1889, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[19]

Arts and culture

The Inn at Loretto, a Pueblo Revival style building near the Plaza in Santa Fe

The city is well-known as a center for arts that reflect the multicultural character of the city; and has been designated as a UNESCO Creative City.^[20]

Each Wednesday the alternative weekly newspaper, The Santa Fe Reporter, publishes information on the arts and culture of Santa Fe; and each Friday, the daily Santa Fe New Mexican publishes Pasatiempo, its long-running calendar and commentary on arts and events.

Visual art and galleries

The town and the surrounding areas have a high concentration of artists. They have come over the decades to capture on canvas and in other media the natural beauty of the landscape, the flora and the fauna. One of the most well-known New Mexico–based artists was Georgia O'Keeffe, who lived for a time in Santa Fe, but primarily in Abiquiu, a small village about 50 miles (80 km) away. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is devoted to exhibitions of her work and associated artists or related themes. As of early 2006, it holds over one thousand of her works in all media. O'Keeffe's friend, western nature photographer Eliot Porter, died in Santa Fe.

Canyon Road, east of the Plaza, has the highest concentration of art galleries in the city, and is a major destination for international collectors, tourists and locals. Santa Fe's art market is generally considered to be one of the three largest in the United States. The Canyon Road galleries showcase a wide array of contemporary, Southwestern, indigenous American, and experimental art, in addition to Russian, Taos Masters, and Native American pieces.

Sculpture

There are many outdoor sculptures, including many statues of Francis of Assisi, and several other holy figures, such as Kateri Tekakwitha. Given that Francis of Assisi was known for his love of animals it is not surprising that there are great numbers of representations of crows, bulls, elephants, livestock and other beasts, all over town. The styles run the whole spectrum from Baroque to Post-modern. Notable sculptors connected with Santa Fe include John Connell, Luis Jiménez, and Allan Houser.

Literature

Numerous authors followed the influx of specialists in the visual arts. Well-known writers like D.H. Lawrence, Cormac McCarthy, Douglas Adams, Roger Zelazny, Alice Corbin Henderson, Mary Austin, Witter Bynner, Paul Horgan, George R. R. Martin, Mitch Cullin, Evan S. Connell, Richard Bradford, John Masters, Jack Schaefer, Hampton Sides and Michael McGarrity are or were residents of Santa Fe. Walker Percy lived on a dude ranch outside of Santa Fe before returning to Louisiana to begin his literary career. Dayton Lummis, Jr., son of actor Dayton Lummis and himself a travel writer, resides in Santa Fe.

Music, dance, and opera

The interior of the Crosby Theatre at the Santa Fe Opera; viewed from the mezzanine

Music and opera are well represented in Santa Fe with the annual Santa Fe Opera productions, which take place between late June and late August each year, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival which is also held at the same time, mostly in the recently refurbished movie theatre, the Lensic Theater, now a major performing arts venue. Santa Fe has its own professional ballet company, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, which performs in both cities and tours nationally and internationally. The Santa Fe Jazz and International Music Festival was also held at the Lensic Theater for several years. Santa Fe New Music is a leading national presenter of new post-classical music and presents events year-round in many venues.^[21] GiG, a small performing arts center in Santa Fe, showcases jazz and world artists from all over the world year-round.^[22] The city's dance scene is quite varied, including the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the National Dance Institute of New Mexico, Moving People Dance Theatre, and many other small ensembles. Many well-known national dance companies, including the Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Complexions, and the New York City Ballet, have also performed at the Lensic regularly while on tour.

Museums

Santa Fe has many world-class museums. Many are located around the historic downtown Plaza or close by:

• New Mexico Museum of Art – collections of Southwestern Arts.
• Institute of American Indian Arts Museum – Native American arts with political aspects.
• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum – devoted to the work of O'Keeffe and others whom she influenced.
• New Mexico History Museum – located behind the historic Palace of the Governors, showcasing the history of New Mexico.
• Site Santa Fe – A contemporary art space, located at 1606 Paseo De Peralta. Known as the forefront for contemporary art presentation in the Southwest.

Others are located on Museum Hill^[23]

• Museum of International Folk Art – showcasing folk arts from around the world.
• Museum of Indian Arts and Culture – exhibits Native American arts.
• Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian – Native American art and history.
• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art^[24] – Tradition arts from the Spanish-colonial era to contemporary times.

Sports

The New Mexico Style were an American Basketball Association franchise founded in 2005, but reformed in Texas for the 2007-8 season as the El Paso S'ol (which folded without playing an ABA game in their new city). The Santa Fe Roadrunners were a North American Hockey League team, but moved to Kansas to become the Topeka Roadrunners. Rodeo De Santa Fe is held annually the last week of June. It is one of top 100 rodeos in the nation.^[25]

Science and technology

Santa Fe has had an association with science and technology since 1943 when the town served as the gateway to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a 45 minute drive from the city. In 1984, the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) was founded to research complex systems in the physical, biological, economic, and political sciences. It hosts such Nobel laureates as Murray Gell-Mann (physics), Philip Warren Anderson (physics), and Kenneth Arrow (economics). The National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR)^[26] was founded in 1994 to focus on research at the intersection among bioscience, computing, and mathematics. In the 1990s and 2000s several technology companies formed to commercialize technologies from LANL, SFI, and NCGR. This community of companies has been dubbed the "Info Mesa."

Due to the presence of LANL and SFI, and because of its attractiveness for visitors and an established tourist industry, Santa Fe routinely serves as a host to a variety of scientific meetings, summer schools, and public lectures, such as International q-bio Conference on Cellular Information Processing, Complex Systems Summer School,^[27] LANL's Center For Nonlinear Studies^[28] Annual Conference, and others.

Tourism

Touch the country [of New Mexico] and you will never be the same again.

—D.H. Lawrence, c. 1917.^[29]

After State government, tourism is a major element of the Santa Fe economy, with visitors attracted year-round by the climate and related outdoor activities (such as skiing in years of adequate snowfall; hiking in other seasons) plus cultural activities of the city and the region. Tourism information is provided by the convention and visitor bureau^[30] and the chamber of commerce.^[31]

Most tourist activity takes place in the historic downtown, especially on and around the Plaza, a one-block square adjacent to the Palace of the Governors, the original seat of New Mexico's territorial government since the time of Spanish colonization. Other areas include “Museum Hill”, the site of the major art museums of the city as well as the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, which takes place each year during the second full weekend of July. The Canyon Road arts area with its galleries is also a major attraction for locals and visitors alike.

Some visitors find Santa Fe particularly attractive around the second week of September when the aspens in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains turn yellow and the skies are clear and blue. This is also the time of the annual Fiestas de Santa Fe, celebrating the "reconquering" of Santa Fe by Don Diego de Vargas, a highlight of which is the burning Zozobra ("Old Man Gloom"), a 50-foot (15 m) marionette.

Within easy striking distance for day-trips is the town of Taos, about 70 mi (113 km) North and the historic Bandelier National Monument about 30 mi (48 km) away. Santa Fe's ski area, Ski Santa Fe, is about 16 mi (26 km) north of the city.

Architectural highlights

Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, 1869

• New Mexico State Capitol
• Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
• Loretto Chapel
• Palace of the Governors
• San Miguel Mission and the rest of the Barrio De Analco Historic District
• Santuario de Guadalupe
• Oldest House in the USA

Demographics

As of the census^[32] of 2000, there were 62,203 people, 27,569 households, and 14,969 families living in the city. The population density was 1,666.1 people per square mile (643.4/km²). There were 30,533 housing units at an average density of 817.8/sq mi (315.8/km²). According to the Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey, the racial makeup of the city was 75% White, 2.5% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 16.9% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 44.5% of the population.

There were 27,569 households out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.6% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals living alone and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,392, and the median income for a family was $49,705. Males had a median income of $32,373 versus $27,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,454. About 9.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Sister cities

Santa Fe has seven sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

• Bukhara, Uzbekistan
• Parral, Mexico
• Zacatecas, Mexico
• Santa Fe, Spain
• Sorrento, Italy
• Tsuyama, Japan
• Holguín, Cuba

Transportation

Air

Santa Fe is served by the Santa Fe Municipal Airport. Currently, American Eagle provides regional jet service to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which began on June 11, 2009. An additional flight to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was added on November 19, 2009 alongside a new flight to and from Los Angeles International Airport. Many people fly into the Albuquerque International Sunport and connect by other means to Santa Fe.^[33][34]

Road

Santa Fe is located on I-25. In addition, U.S. Route 84 and U.S. Route 285 pass through the city along St. Francis Drive. NM-599 forms an expressway bypass around the northwestern part of the city.

In its earliest alignment (1926–1937) U.S. Route 66 ran through Santa Fe^{[citation needed]}.

Public transportation

Santa Fe Trails operates a number of bus routes within the city and also provides connections to regional transit.

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail service operating in Valencia, Bernalillo (including Albuquerque), Sandoval, and Santa Fe Counties. In Santa Fe County, the service uses 18 miles of new right-of-way connecting the BNSF Railway's old transcontinental mainline to existing right-of-way in Santa Fe used by the Santa Fe Southern Railway. Santa Fe is currently served by three stations, Santa Fe Depot, South Capitol, and Santa Fe County/NM 599. A fourth station, Zia Road, is under construction and does not yet have a planned opening date.

New Mexico Park and Ride, a division of the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and the North Central Regional Transit District operate primarily weekday commuter coach/bus service to Santa Fe from Torrance, Rio Arriba, Taos, San Miguel and Los Alamos Counties in addition to shuttle services within Santa Fe connecting major government activity centers.^[35][36] Prior to the Rail Runner's extension to Santa Fe, New Mexico Park and Ride operated commuter coach service between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Rail

Along with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, a commuter rail line serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the city or its environs are served by two other railroads. The Santa Fe Southern Railway, now mostly a tourist rail experience but also carrying freight, operates excursion services out of Santa Fe as far as Lamy, 15 miles (24 km) to the southeast. The Santa Fe Southern right-of-way is one of the United States' few rails with trails. Lamy is also served by Amtrak's daily Southwest Chief for train service to Chicago, Los Angeles, and intermediate points. Passengers transiting Lamy may use a special connecting coach/van service to reach Santa Fe.

Trails

Multi-use bicycle, pedestrian, and equestrian trails are increasingly popular in Santa Fe, for both recreation and commuting. These include the Dale Ball Trails,^[37] a 30 mile network starting within two miles of the Santa Fe Plaza; the long Santa Fe Rail Trail to Lamy; and the Santa Fe River Trail, which is in development. Santa Fe is the terminus of three National Historic Trails: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail.

Education

Santa Fe Public Library

The public schools in Santa Fe are operated by Santa Fe Public Schools, with two major high schools, Santa Fe High School and Capital High School. The city has two private liberal arts colleges: St. John's College and the College of Santa Fe and a community college, Santa Fe Community College. Santa Fe is home to the Institute of American Indian Arts, which has expanded to a four-year college in recent years. The city has six private college preparatory high schools: Santa Fe Waldorf School,^[38] St. Michael's High School, Desert Academy, New Mexico School For The Deaf, Santa Fe Secondary School, and Santa Fe Preparatory School. It is also home to Santa Fe Indian School, an off the reservation school for Native Americans. There are also several charter schools, including Monte Del Sol, the Academy for Technology and the Classics and Charter School 37. The city boasts numerous private elementary schools as well, including Rio Grande School, Desert Montessori School,^[39] La Mariposa Montessori, Santa Fe School for the Arts, and The Tara School.

Notes

Dinosaur family sculpture, south of I-25 off Cerrillos Road, 2008.

Further reading

• Acuna, Rodolfo, Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, New York: Harper Collins, 1987 ISBN 006040163X
• Hammett, Kingsley, Santa Fe: A Walk Through Time, Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2004 ISBN 1-58685-102-0
• Larson, Jonathan, "Santa Fe", RENT, 1996
• Wilson, Chris, The Myth of Santa Fe: Creating a Modern Regional Tradition, Albuquerque, NM: UNM Press, 1997 ISBN 0826317464

External links

• City of Santa Fe official website
• Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau official tourism website
• Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
• Santa Fe travel guide from Wikitravel

Municipalities and communities of Santa Fe County, New Mexico County seat: Santa Fe Cities Espanola‡ | Santa Fe Town Edgewood CDPs Agua Fria | Canada de los Alamos | Cedar Grove | Chimayo‡ | Chupadero | Cuartelez | Cundiyo | Cuyamungue | El Rancho | El Valle de Arroyo Seco | Eldorado at Santa Fe | Galisteo | Glorieta | Jaconita | La Cienega | La Puebla | Lamy | Los Cerrillos | Madrid | Pojoaque | Rio Chiquito | Rio en Medio | San Ildefonso Pueblo | Santa Cruz | Sombrillo | Tesuque Unincorporated communities Nambé Pueblo | Seton Village | Stanley | Waldo Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

State of New Mexico Santa Fe (capital) Topics Culture · Economy · Education · Geography · Government · History · Landmarks · Military · Natural history · New Mexicans · Politics · Settlements  · Transportation · Tribes · Visitor Attractions Regions Central New Mexico · Colorado Plateau · Eastern New Mexico · Llano Estacado · Northern New Mexico · Permian Basin · Sangre de Cristo Mountains · San Luis Valley · Southwestern New Mexico Cities Alamogordo · Albuquerque · Artesia · Carlsbad · Clovis · Corrales · Deming · Española · Farmington · Gallup · Grants · Hobbs · Las Cruces · Las Vegas · Los Alamos · Los Lunas · Lovington · Portales · Raton · Rio Rancho · Roswell · Ruidoso · Santa Fe · Silver City · Socorro · Sunland Park · Taos · Tucumcari Counties Bernalillo · Catron · Chaves · Cibola · Colfax · Curry · De Baca · Doña Ana · Eddy · Grant · Guadalupe · Harding · Hidalgo · Lea · Lincoln · Los Alamos · Luna · McKinley · Mora · Otero · Quay · Rio Arriba · Roosevelt · Sandoval · San Juan · San Miguel · Santa Fe · Sierra · Socorro · Taos · Torrance · Union · Valencia

From Wikitravel

Santa Fe [1] , founded in 1607, is the capital of the state of New Mexico in the United States. With an elevation of 7000 feet, it is not only the United States' oldest state capital but its highest. With a population of about 70,000, it's not the most populous capital, but that's part of its charm. Santa Fe is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (at least by American standards), cultural diversity, and extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining.

Statue of Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Francis Cathedral

Understand

Santa Fe was once the capital of Spain's, and then Mexico's, territories north of the Rio Grande, but its visible history extends far beyond the arrival of the Spanish; it is thought to have been the site of Puebloan villages that had already been long abandoned by the time the Spanish arrived in 1607. It became the state capital when the territory of New Mexico achieved statehood in 1912.

In the early 20th century, the area attracted a number of artists, such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz. The region remains important on America's art scene. The arrival of Igor Stravinsky and the founding of the Santa Fe Opera, one of the world's leading opera companies, had a similarly invigorating and enduring influence on the musical community. Many people go to Santa Fe for spiritual gatherings and to practice meditative arts at the many spas and resorts that are in and around Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is rooted in paradoxes. On the one hand, it is one of the United States' oldest cities (by some reckonings the oldest), and many residents can trace their roots and property holdings in town back to the 17th century. On the other hand, it has also been the target of a teeming influx of wealthy immigrants in the last 30 years or so that has spurred a great deal of new construction and created inflated prices for real estate -- and drastically elevated taxes on old family properties, many of which are owned by families that can't afford the taxes. The tension between new and old, rich and poor, etc., is a persistent undercurrent in the community. These and other factors (not the least of which is a well-deserved reputation as a haven for flamboyant characters) contribute to one of Santa Fe's enduring and proudly-worn nicknames: "The City Different."

Much of the city's attractiveness, from both scenic and cultural perspectives, arises from its setting in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This location produces a mild continental climate with four distinct seasons. Winters are pleasant, with day-time highs usually in the 40s (Fahrenheit), often "feeling" warmer due to the sunny conditions. Snow varies wildly from year to year; some winters see almost no snow, while others will have several individual storms dropping a foot or more each. (The sun and high altitude mean that roads usually aren't clogged too badly, even by the big storms, for more than a day or two, as the snow melts rapidly.) Spring, usually dry and moderate in temperature, is still probably the least pleasant time to visit from a weather perspective, because of strong winds. Early summer (June, early July) is hot and dry, with highs around 90, but gives way around mid-July to a truly delightful climate as summer, monsoonal thunderstorms peel off the mountains and cool the afternoons down. Bring rainwear if visiting in July or August. The monsoons typically die out in early September leading to a fall with dry, sunny days and clear, crisp evenings; first frost is usually in October, with snow starting to stick in the mountains at about that time.

One caution: the elevation is high enough to challenge the lungs of the visitor freshly up from sea level. It's wise to spend your first day on relatively sedentary activities (museums, walking the downtown area) and move to more active things after you've had some time to acclimatize.

Get in

By plane

American Eagle Airlines [2] serves the Santa Fe Municipal Airport (IATA: SAF) [3] with two daily flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, and one from Los Angeles. All of the flights use Embraer 140 regional jets.

If entering New Mexico via the larger Albuquerque airport, simply rent a car and drive, as there is currently no commuter air service connecting the two airports. You can also take the Rail Runner commuter train (see below) or one of the shuttle buses such as Sandia Shuttle [4], which will pick you up at the Albuquerque airport and drop you off at one of a handful of locations in Santa Fe.

By rail

A commuter rail line, the New Mexico Rail Runner Express [5], connects Santa Fe to Albuquerque and surrounding communities (from downtown Albuquerque you can catch a shuttle to the airport, ABQ). There are currently three stations open in Santa Fe: the Santa Fe Depot at the railyards on Guadalupe Street near the Sanbusco Center, the South Capitol station on Alta Vista Drive between Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive, and the NM 599 station at I-25 and NM 599 southwest of town. The Santa Fe Depot will be more useful for sightseeing, as it puts you in the historic downtown area within relatively easy walking distance of the plaza, with a shuttle circulating around the downtown area if you don't want to walk. The South Capitol and NM 599 stations are meant more for commuters. The Rail Runner runs daily, although service can be limited outside the weekday rush hour periods. Fares are based on how far you ride; a day pass will usually be in the range of $5-$9. Tickets can be purchased online [6] or from ticket agents on the train.

The major Amtrak route across the Southwest, the Southwest Chief [7], stops at Lamy about 15 miles south of Santa Fe off US Highway 285. East and west bound trains both stop at Lamy mid afternoon. A shuttle van service is available between Lamy and Santa Fe. For a different shuttle van to Los Alamos, see Los Alamos. There is an excursion train from Santa Fe to Lamy; it is popular with travelers who will board an Amtrak train at Lamy, but it returns to Santa Fe before either Amtrak train arrives there. On a siding at Lamy an old cafe car serves lunch, both eat-in and take-away, and on the platform vendors sell hot food and snacks. Picnic tables are located beside the station, beneath shady cottonwoods. Near the tables is a hitching rail, often used by horse riders who wish to expose their horses to trains. A short distance west of Lamy, south of the road between the village and US 285, is a much larger and little used picnic area. It has no toilets but does offer a close and unobstructed view of the passing trains.

Travelers with bicycles may find the shuttle to Santa Fe is unable to transport their bicycles unless special arrangements have been made. An alternative is to send any luggage ahead via the shuttle and ride the bicycle.

The shortline used by the excursion train from Santa Fe is a federally designated rail trail (see WikiPedia:Santa Fe Southern Railway) but currently between Lamy and US 285 you must travel on the tracks themselves (not recommended) or detour via the road. From US 285 to downtown Santa Fe there is a bicycle/pedestrian/equestrian trail parallel to the tracks.

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. Santa Fe is nearly 1500' (half a kilometer) above Albuquerque, and on I-25, most of the elevation change is on a single long, steep hill known as "La Bajada." La Bajada hill is hairy to drive during winter snowstorms and is occasionly closed for periods of several hours. East of town, I-25 North goes over a moderate pass along the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains before heading out into the plains; this too can be closed during blizzards.

If conditions are good and you're not in a hurry, consider using back roads as an alternative to I-25 if coming from Albuquerque. State road 14 passes along the east side of the Sandia Mountains and through the quaint little towns of Madrid and Cerrillos before joining the interstate just south of Santa Fe.

Travelers following the Route 66 itinerary should note that Santa Fe was on the "original" Route 66, although it was bypassed during the 1930s as a result of some curious political shenanigans and the much shorter, "modern" Route 66 didn't go anywhere near here. See the "Original alignment in New Mexico" section of the Route 66 article for tips on how to get here "authentically." Coming from points east, you might also consider entering town via the Santa Fe Trail itinerary, which shares roads with the Route 66 itinerary near Santa Fe.

Downtown map

Overview map

Santa Fe has a small but vibrant downtown that is not only walkable, but walked, often, by many people late into the nights, particularly in summertime when the tourists flood in. Parking can be a problem during the summer, but look for parking lots (fee) near St. Francis Cathedral, the new Convention Center, and between Water and San Francisco Streets west of the Plaza. If in town for the Santa Fe Indian Market, plan on parking away from downtown and taking a shuttle, e.g. from De Vargas Mall. Limited, but improving, public transportation is available at other times via Santa Fe Trails [8], the city's bus service.

The main roads through town are St. Francis Drive (US 84/285) from north to south, Cerrillos Road (NM SR 14) from the downtown area southwest to I-25 and beyond, Old Santa Fe Trail and its offshoot Old Pecos Trail from downtown southeast to I-25, and St. Michaels Drive and Rodeo Road and its offshoots, both connecting Old Pecos Trail and Cerrillos east to west. Most outlying attractions are accessible via one of these roads. The downtown area is a remarkable warren of small roads that you really don't want to drive on; park your car and walk. Streets there tend to wander (Paseo de Peralta, one of the main roads in the downtown area, almost completes a loop) and, even when apparently rectilinear, are not necessarily aligned to true north/south/east/west. Take extra care for pedestrians and cyclists, many streets have sharp turns.

If you're bound for the Santa Fe Opera from Albuquerque or points south, consider taking the Santa Fe Relief Route (NM SR 599), which leaves I-25 south of the Cerrillos Road exit, bypasses most of Santa Fe, and meets US 84/285 just south of the Opera. This can be a good way of getting to lodging and restaurants on the north side of town (e.g. Gabriel's, cited below) as well; although it's a few miles out of the way, the much less chaotic driving, particularly around rush hour, provides considerable compensation.

Once you get to Santa Fe, consider taking a tour of downtown. Several companies offer open-air tram tours, like The Loretto Line Tours [9] (available in the parking lot of the Loretto Chapel). These tours last about 1.5 hours and give you a sense of the architecture, culture and history of the downtown area.

See

Like many towns initiated by the Spanish, Santa Fe has a central square that is a gathering place for all types. For hours of entertainment, pull up a bench and people watch; you'll rapidly gain an appreciation for how the "City Different" nickname applies. Especially nice in the summer evenings as the temperatures drop (although rain may drop as well) and the people come out.

• Santa Fe Southern Railway, 410 S. Guadalupe St., +1 505 989-8600, [10]. Offers sightseeing railroad rides from the railroad station in the middle of town, to Lamy to the south (with the Amtrak station). The good news is that there are several departures, some involving food service (check the web site), and the train itself is interesting and colorful. The bad news is that the route that it follows, although advertised by the railway as featuring "the subtle beauty of the high desert," is generally not as scenic as the really scenic high country to the north and east, or simply walking around the downtown area. Fares start at $32 round-trip for adults, with discounts for seniors and children.

• Ghost Ranch (Ghost Ranch), 401 Old Taos Highway (corner of Paseo de Peralta and Old Taos Highway), ☎ 1-800-821-5145, [11]. A retreat and educational center with locations in Santa Fe and Abiquiu. The Abiquiu location is the former home of the artist Georgia O'Keeffe. Three museums: The Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology, The Florence Hawley Ellis museum of Anthropology and Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitors center (formerly known as the Ghost Ranch Living Museum) All offer a glimpse into the history of northern New Mexico. Georgia O'Keeffe tours also available.  edit

Museums

Santa Fe has a variety of interesting museums, most in the downtown area and easily reached on foot. Museum Hill [12], south of downtown, is accessible via public transportation. The first five listed below are sub-units of the Museum of New Mexico, [13], for which you can buy a shared pass for $20 that allows access to all four museums and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art within a four-day period. If you only have time for one, individual passes are available.

• Palace of the Governors, 105 E Palace Ave (on Santa Fe Plaza), +1 505 476-5100, [14]. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM .The oldest public building in the United States, this 17th-century building houses a historical museum and museum shop. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal [15] $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• New Mexico History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave (behind the Palace of the Governors) +1 505 476-5200, [16]. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now,is divided into six sections. Five represent chronological periods from the pre-colonial era to the present. The sixth offers a panorama of New Mexico today, presented primarily through the voices and stories of its people. As the section titles imply, each is set apart by time frames and contrasting views from first-person accounts of the people who lived during the different periods. $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• New Mexico Museum of Art, 107 W Palace Ave (just west of the Palace of the Governors), +1 505 476-5072, [17]. Tu-Th, Sa-Su 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. It has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, but 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. $9 adults, youth 16 and under free. (youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Museum of International Folk Art, 706 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1200, [18]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. Of particular delight in this museum is its massive Girard exhibition, which contains many large, colorful displays of toys, textiles, village scenes, and traditional arts from around the world. The museum also features changing exhibits, many of which are fascinating. Home of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market [19] held in July (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (several discounts and occasional free days; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, 710 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 476-1250, [20]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM.In the Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Open daily 10AM to 5PM. A large museum with American Indian artworks and exhibits on their culture and history. $9 adults, youth 16 & under free! (several discounts and free admission on occasion; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies.

• SITE Santa Fe, 1606 Paseo De Peralta, +1 505 989-1199, [21]. Th-Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-7PM, Su 12PM-5PM. SITE Santa Fe is a private contemporary arts organization. It meets this commitment by providing an ongoing venue for exhibitions of artists who merit international recognition, as well as offering education and multidisciplinary public programs. Its International Biennial is a crucial part of this mission. $10.

• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), +1 505 982-2226, [22]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Newest of the Museum Hill museums, this museum showcases many Hispano artworks and sponsors the Spanish Market[23] (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). $6 (discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies).
• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street (just north of downtown), +1 505 946-1000, [24]. Sa-Th 10AM-5PM, F 10AM-8PM. Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. $8 (senior/youth discounts, free Friday nights after 5PM).
• Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo (on "Museum Hill"), Toll-free: 800-607-4636, [25]. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. 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. Free.
• Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, 108 Cathedral Place (downtown across the street from St. Francis Cathedral), +1 505 983-8900 or +1 888 922-4242 (toll free), [26]. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. The Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA, [27]) is a long-standing Santa Fe institution that helps to promote the Santa Fe Indian Market [28](see under "Do"/"Festivals"). Adults $5, students and seniors (62+) $2.50; discounts for New Mexico residents and tribal members.
• Rancho de los Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos Road (well outside the center of town), +1 505 471-2261, Fax: +1 505 471-5623, [29]. June-Sep W-Su 10AM-4PM. A massive outdoor "living history" museum portraying Spanish colonial days. In May you'll be dodging swarms of bored children on school field trips; visiting in the fall is better. Adult $5, Senior/Teen 13-18/Military $4, Children 5-12 $2 (more during special events).
• Santa Fe Children's Museum, 1050 Old Pecos Trail (a mile or so south of downtown), +1 505 989-8359, Fax: +1 505 989-7506, children@santafechildrensmuseum.org, [30]. W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Many participatory exhibits and various accessible critters. $8 (discount for residents); adults should be accompanied by children (sic!).

• There are several photogenic churches in town, most of them open for visits during daylight hours when no church services are in progress (please be respectful and don't attempt flash photography):

St. Francis Cathedral

• St. Francis Cathedral, 213 Cathedral Place (downtown area), +1 505 982-5619. One of the "must-see" places in town. A tip for the photographer: the main facade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures such as the one at the top of this page) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon.

• Loretto Chapel, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 982-0092, [31]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10:30AM-5PM. Built in 1878 and modelled after gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Intriguing legend - The Miraculous Staircase - attached below. Also a popular romantic wedding venue.
• San Miguel Mission, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 983-3974. Su 1PM-4:30PM, Summer M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Winter M-Sa 10AM-4PM. Thought to be the oldest surviving mission church in the United States. Admission: donation.
• Santuario de Guadalupe, 100 Guadalupe (downtown area). A favorite musical venue.
• Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta (north of downtown but within walking distance of the Plaza). Startling, bright pink.

• The State Capitol Building, corner of Old Santa Fe Trail and Paseo de Peralta (south of downtown), +1 505 986-4589, [32]. Self-guided tours M-F 7AM-6PM, call for guided tours. One of the country's most unusual and striking state capitol buildings, and is usually open to visitors during working hours. It's known locally as "the Roundhouse," and even a casual look will tell you why. Free.
• An enormous number of Santa Fe structures are on the National Register of Historic Places [33]. Rather than recapping the whole list here, visit the web site. A good way of sampling the Historic Places is to start at the Plaza (itself one of the designated places) and work your way out. At least 40 places on the Register can be reached conveniently from here.

Theaters

There are many movie theaters spread around the city, and lots of art houses that play some of the more off-beat and humorous movies.

Do

Festivals

Santa Fe hosts a seemingly unending series of community fairs, festivals and celebrations, of which the most characteristic is the Fiesta de Santa Fe [34]. This grand city-wide festival is held over the weekend after Labor Day in mid-September, after most of the summer tourists have left (and has been described as Santa Fe throwing a party for itself to celebrate the tourists leaving!). The celebration commemorates the reconquest of Santa Fe in 1692 by the Spanish after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Fiesta opens with a procession bearing a statue of the Blessed Virgin known as La Conquistadora to the Cathedral of St. Francis. Revelry starts with the Thursday night burning of Zozobra, also known as "Old Man Gloom," a huge, animated figure whose demise at the hands of a torch-bearing dancer symbolizes the banishing of cares for the year. Prepare for BIG crowds - this event is not for the faint of heart and can be downright scary for small children! The crowning of a queen (La Reina) of the Fiesta and her consort, representing the Spanish nobleman, Don Diego de Vargas, who played a key role in the founding of the city, is a matter of great local import. Revelry continues through the weekend and features such events as the hilarious children's Pet Parade on Saturday morning and the Hysterical/Historical Parade on Sunday afternoon. A Fiesta Melodrama at the Community Playhouse effectively and pointedly pokes fun at city figures and events of the year past. The Fiesta closes with a solemn, candle-lit walk to the Cross of the Martyrs.

A few of the other festivities during the year, arranged in (usual) chronological order through the year, are:

• ArtFeast, Edible Art Gallery Tour, [35], February 22-25, 2007
• Santa Fe Community Days, mid-May
• Santa Fe Plaza Arts and Crafts Festivals, mid-June and Labor Day weekend
• Rodeo de Santa Fe, late June-early July
• Santa Fe Wine Festival, [36], usually first weekend in July, located 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
• Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, [37], early July, a huge gathering of folk artists from around the world showing their work on the Milner Plaza at Museum Hill
• Summer Antiquities Show, July
• Santa Fe Jazz Festival, [38], mid- to late July
• Summer Spanish Market [39], late July in the Plaza
• Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival [40] with a series of internationally known musicians, July and August
• Mountain Man Rendezvous, mid-August, Palace of the Governors
• Santa Fe Indian Market [41]. 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 -- Indian Market weekend in 2008 is August 23-24.
• Thirsty Ear Music Festival [42], August-September, Eaves Movie Ranch
• Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta[43] , in late September, 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.
• Santa Fe Film Festival [44], early December; the web site is usually updated in the fall to reflect the coming offerings
• Winter Spanish Market[45] , early December
• Las Posadas, 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.
• Farolito Walk, 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
• Winter Antiquities Show, late December

In addition, many of the Native American pueblo communities nearby schedule dances and other ceremonies to celebrate specific feast days throughout the year that welcome tourists (along with a few that are for tribe members only).

Hear

Santa Fe is an important center for music and musical groups, the most illustrious of which is the Santa Fe Opera [46]. The opera house is on US 285 on the north side of town and 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 currently stream their broadcast on-line at [47], 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.

Other important musical/performing-arts venues in town are:

• Armory for the Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail; mainly theater.
• GiG, 1808 Second St., +1 505 989-8442, [48], a spinoff (they describe themselves as a "stepchild") of the Jazz Festival; coffee-house environment with jazz, folk music, etc.
• Greer Garson Theatre, 1600 St. Michael's Drive, +1 505 473-6511. On the campus of the College of Santa Fe [49]; visit the web site to see what's playing there. Comfortable, with good acoustics.
• James A. Little Theater, 1060 Cerrillos Road. On the campus of the New Mexico School for the Deaf, remarkably enough.
• Lensic Performing Arts Center, 225 W. San Francisco Street, box-office phone +1 505 988-1234. 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.
• Paolo Soleri Theater, 1501 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 989-6300. An outdoor amphitheater at the Santa Fe Indian School, popular for events in spring, summer and fall.
• St. Francis Auditorium, at the New Mexico Museum of Art (see above).
• In addition, many churches host concerts of various kinds, among them St. Francis Cathedral and the Santuario de Guadalupe downtown, and the remarkable Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Community far out on the south side of town (11 College Avenue) -- extraordinary acoustics at the latter.

Some of the musical groups using these spaces are:

• Aspen Santa Fe Ballet [50]. A professional ballet company that splits its time between Santa Fe and Aspen, Colorado. Three or four performances a year, usually at the Lensic.
• Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company, [51]. Santa Fe's premier flamenco troupe performing six nights a week June through September.
• Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco/Institute for Spanish Arts [52]. Internationally renowned Spanish/flamenco dance and music, they also offer classes (+1 505 955-8562 for class information).
• Moving People Dance [53] A contemporary dance company that throws the annual Santa Fe Dance Festival [54] each June.
• Musica Antigua de Albuquerque [55]. 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.
• MusicOne: The Santa Fe Concert Association [56]. Not a performing group but rather the body that brings in many visiting artists.
• Sangre de Cristo Chorale [57]. 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.
• Santa Fe Desert Chorale [58]. Fully professional choral music, with summer and winter programs, including works specifically commissioned for the ensemble.
• Santa Fe Pro Musica [59]. Chamber orchestra, multiple performances from September through April.
• Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus [60]. Classical and contemporary works performed September through May, including interpretive lectures and occasional youth concerts.
• Santa Fe Women's Ensemble [61]. A 12-voice choral group, performances Christmas and spring.
• Serenata of Santa Fe. Yet another choral group with a September-to-May schedule.

There are others; if you hear one you like, add it.

Hike/bike/ride/etc.

As one might expect from its location between mountain and desert, Santa Fe is rich in outdoors activities, particularly hiking, cycling, and horse riding. Most are slightly outside town itself and are covered in the "Get out" section and pages cited there, but a few in-town possibilities:

• The Cross of the Martyrs is a good short walk, located on a hill just northeast of Downtown. From Paseo de Peralta, the paved walkway ascends to the top of the hill, where a cross honoring the Spanish martyrs of New Mexico has been placed. Unfortunately, getting to the entrance to the trail involves uncomfortably close proximity to car traffic, as one has to walk along a narrow but extraordinarily busy street on very narrow sidewalks, but the view of Santa Fe makes it all worth it. Old Fort Marcy Park and Prince Park Commemorative Walkway, at 300 Kearney Ave, is just around the corner a short walk from the cross, and is an in-town (one really can't call it "urban") park suitable for a short hike to begin getting your cardiovascular system adjusted to the 7000-foot altitude.
• Santa Fe River Park runs along the so-called Santa Fe River (it rarely has more than a trickle of water), with access convenient along the south side of the downtown area. You'll share the path with myriad walkers, bikers, and some boarders and horse riders.
• The campus of St. John's College, 1160 Camino Cruz Blanca, is the starting point for several hikes of lengths ranging from 2 to 7 miles, the latter being the ascent of Atalaya Mountain, one of the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos that rises just east of town. Park at the visitors' parking lot and choose your hike. (Note: if you get lost on these or one of the other trails nearby, take solace from the fact that St. John's College is also the home of a nationally-recognized search and rescue team.)
• The entire route of the Santa Fe Southern Railway (see above under "See") can be hiked, biked, and ridden on horseback. It is a nationally designated Rail with Trail, and plans are underway to develop its trail facilities. There are trailheads on Rabbit Road (continuation of Old Pecos Trail on the south side of I-25) and on County Road 660 ("Nine Mile Road"). Needless to say, keep an eye out for trains.
• Geocaching has become popular in Santa Fe, as might be expected from the general atmosphere of the city. The geocaching.com web site [62] lists hundreds of caches in and near town, sufficient to keep even the most ardent cacher busy for a while. One caution: Santa Fe's reputation as a playground for the rich and famous has created a number of closed and gated neighborhoods, many of them quite intolerant of trespassers and aggressively patrolled. If your route to a cache leads you to a closed gate, take it seriously, and either look outside the perimeter for your quarry, or seek a different cache.
• Horse riding is available at several stables on the west side of town, and at Bishops' Lodge. If you have your own horse, or contract with an outfitter, your choice of places to ride is enormous. Popular trail systems in the Santa Fe area include the Santa Fe National Forest, Pecos Wilderness, Caja del Rio, Cerrillos Hills Historical Park, and Pueblos (access requiring a permit). A little farther afield is Los Alamos, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and the Carson National Forest.
• Genoveva Chavez Community Center [63], 3221 Rodeo Road, 505-955-4000. Contains three swimming pools, an ice rink, a gymnasium, and a fitness center.

if you're cycling, thorn-resistant tires and tubes are almost mandatory owing to the ubiquitous "goat's head," a weed whose seeds seem custom-made to puncture bike tires. A well-regarded bike shop is Rob and Charlie's, 1632 St. Michaels Drive, +1 505 471-9119. They have just about everything you'll need for riding in the area, including recommendations, but unfortunately, they don't have rental bikes. For rentals, try Mellow Velo (formerly Sun Mountain Bicycles), 102 E. Water St., +1 505 982-8986, [64]; they also offer guided rides on some of the mountain-bike routes in the mountains. For hiking, trail running and climbing goods and services, check out Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works, 328 S. Guadalupe St., +1 505 984-8221, [65].

Golf, etc.

Golf and other sports are less accessible in Santa Fe than in some other cities, as many of the golf courses are either private and reserved for residents of adjoining gated communities, or out of town at one of the nearby pueblos and in Los Alamos. Santa Fe Country Club, Country Club Road (off Airport Road), +1 505 471-0601, [66], is a "semi-private" course that welcomes the public and includes tennis courts; call for tee times. Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe, 205 Caja del Rio Road, +1 505 955-4400, [67], is 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. Golf in Santa Fe is "challenging;" the altitude may tire you (although the thin air may also help the ball fly farther and straighter), and weather can interfere, with strong winds in the spring and afternoon thunderstorms in the summer. Still, Santa Fe is a great place to get outside, and that includes golf and other sporting activities.

Buy

Folk art

Santa Fe is a designated UNESCO Creative City [68], and is one the best place in the world to shop for specifically Native American Indian arts and crafts. How to proceed depends on what your goals are and how much you want to spend. If your goal is to obtain mementos of no great intrinsic value, check out the Native American vendors on the "Portal" (accent on second syllable) in front of the Palace of the Governors; the jewelry and pottery is inexpensive (of course, you get what you pay for) and its authenticity is guaranteed. Pickings may be a bit thin on Sundays, and the vendors pick up and go home after 5:30. A word of warning: do not patronize the similar vendors on sidewalks out around town unless you know they're OK. If they're not on the Portal, there's a reason, and one common reason is that they're passing off non-Indian junk as authentic. Some authentic artisans may be off the Portal, but caveat emptor.

Vendors on the Portal at the Palace of the Governors

For higher-quality (and -priced) Indian art that you'll feel good about when you get it home, galleries cluster around the Plaza. Some reputable ones (there are more) are

• Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, 100 W. San Francisco, +1 505 986-1234, info@andreafisherpottery.com, [69]. Summer M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 12PM-6PM; Winter M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su Noon-5PM. Museum quality Native American pottery.
• Packard's, 61 Old Santa Fe Trail (at the southeast corner of the Plaza), +1 505 983-9421, Toll-free: 800-648-7358, Fax: +1 505 984-8174, packards@packards-santafe.com, [70]. An old standard with an excellent, diverse collection and some "Anglo" work as well
• Ortega's on the Plaza, 101 W. San Francisco, +1 505 988-1866.
• Steve Elmore Indian Art, 839 Paseo de Peralta, suite M (between Palace & Alameda), ☎ 505-995-9677, [71]. 10AM-5PM. Specializing in Native American antiques with an emphasis on historic Pueblo pottery, Navajo weavings, kachinas, and old pawn jewelry.  edit

• Blue Rain Gallery, 130 Lincoln Avenue, Suite D, ☎ 505-954-9902, [72]. 10AM-6PM, closed Sun. Specializing in contemporary Native American art, including pottery, paintings, glass sculpture, jewelry and mixed media.  edit

There are other good ones as well; if you find one that you think offers particularly good value for dollar, please expand this list. You can spend as little as $100 for a small piece, or spend more money than you have for something that's literally one-of-a-kind.

Other art

If you have any interest at all in "Anglo" art, make sure you walk down Canyon Road (an easy stroll from downtown), which is full of unique, quirky and just plain fun art galleries. Other galleries are west and south of the Plaza in the downtown area itself. A small sampling to give you a sense of what's there (note that opening hours at these can be somewhat erratic and are not always posted):

• Chuck Jones Gallery, 135 W. Palace Ave., +1 505 983-5999, [73]. 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. Hours apparently "flexible."
• Gabriel Gallery, 6 Banana Lane (off US 285 north of town), +1 505 455-9230. Paintings, sculpture, jewelry; across the parking lot from the excellent Gabriel's restaurant (see below), and combines well with a meal there.
• Gerald Peters Gallery, 1011 Paseo de Peralta, +1 505 954-5700, [74]. Open M-Sa 10AM-5PM. 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.
• Glenn Green Galleries, 136 Tesuque Village Road (in Tesuque, 5 miles north of the Plaza), +1 505 820-0008, [75]. Open M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Sunday by appointment. 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.
• Jane Sauer Gallery, 652 Canyon Road, +1 505 995-8513, [76]. M-Sa 10:00AM-5:30PM; Sun Noon-5:30PM; closed on Sun in winter. One of the top "material-based" galleries in the country showing the work of over 70 internationally-acclaimed artists using fiber, glass, clay, and sculptural materials to create their art.
• Klebau Photography Gallery, 220 E. Santa Fe Ave., +1 505 954-4777, [77]. The proprietor of this photography-oriented franchise is also deeply involved with Santa Fe's classical-music scene, and may be able to give you tips on what's playing if he's there (buying something doesn't hurt, of course).
• Manitou Galleries, 123 W. Palace Ave., +1 505 986-0440 or +1 800 283-0440, [78]. Mid-range ($100 to $20,000) work, mainly with a Southwestern theme; nice bronzes. 9:30-5:30 M-Sa, 11-5 Sundays -- one of the relatively few Santa Fe galleries open 7 days a week.
• Nedra Matteucci Fine Art, 555 Canyon Road, +1 505 983-2731, [79]. Traditional paintings and sculpture by contemporary European and American artists.
• Nedra Matteucci Galleries, 1075 Paseo de Peralta, +1 505 982-4631, [80]. M-Sa 8:30AM–5PM. Another gallery by the well-known Santa Fe entrepreneur, this one with an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century work, including a number of works from the art colony at Taos.
• Shidoni Arts, Bishops Lodge Road (at the outlying village of Tesuque), +1 505 988-8001, [81]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. 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.
• William R. Talbot Fine Art, 129 W. San Francisco St. (upstairs), +1 505 982-1559, [82]. Specializing in antique maps and prints.
• Winterowd Fine Art, 701 Canyon Road, +1 505 992-8878, [83]. Open M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-4PM. A reasonable (if comparatively conservative) example of the many Canyon Road galleries; friendly and helpful service.

This listing barely scratches the surface of the art scene in Santa Fe; the community phone book lists over six pages of galleries. There are some tourist traps among them, but far more good stuff than tourist junk. If you see a gallery you like, add it to this list.

• In downtown Sante Fe there are quite a few specialty stores for toys, book stores, clothes and a variety of other stores with handmade goods such as purses and jewlry.

• On the west side of the city there is an outlet mall ([84]) and card-holder-only stores like Sam's Club. Nearby on Zafarano Road, there is a large gathering of newer stores like Border's, Best Buy, Target and Starbucks. Other enclosed malls in town are Santa Fe Place andd De Vargas Center north of the downtown area.

• A Santa Fe institution is the flea market just north of the Santa Fe Opera along highway 285. It's open on weekends except during the winter, and offers cut-rate shopping for just about anything you can get elsewhere in town. Visit to look for random memorabilia (although you may wonder why you bought them when you get home!) and also for some entertaining people-watching.

Eat

Santa Fe, and the rest of New Mexico, is known for its huge and spicy plates full of Southwestern food. Restaurants in Santa Fe run from expensive haute Southwestern to down-home fast-food style plates, where you will be asked "red or green" (chile). You can try a mix of both red and green chile peppers by asking for your dish "Christmas". However, Santa Fe also has a number of excellent restaurants offering other cuisines -- possibly too many of them, in fact, as the highly competitive marketplace forces even some very good ones out of business before their time. It is almost impossible to overstate the dining possibilities here; they far outstrip those in most American cities ten times Santa Fe's size. As with several other New Mexico towns, restaurants in this description are broken into the sub-categories "New Mexican" (which, note, is not the same as "Mexican" by any means) and "Other." Meals (exclusive of drinks and tips) will usually cost $10/person or less at the "Budget" places, $10 to $25 at the "Mid-range" ones, and more -- sometimes much more -- at the "Splurges." Note that many Santa Fe restaurants are somewhat "casual" as regards business hours; if a place doesn't have hours listed below, inquire locally as to when it's open, as the hours may change erratically.

• Santa Fe Farmers Market, 1607 Paseo de Peralta (Paseo de Peralta at Guadalupe), ☎ (505)983-4098, [85]. 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.  edit

New Mexican

There are so many good New Mexican restaurants in town that a description here can barely scratch the surface. A note on red and green chile: half of the writers on New Mexican food claim that green chile is hotter than red, while half claim it's the other way around. In reality, the best authority on the spiciness of the chile at the particular restaurant you eat at is the restaurant itself, so if you're concerned about the chile being too hot, simply ask; you'll get a straight answer far more often than not. One thing that's definitely true, however, is that green tends to be fleshier than red, and adds a bit more substance to the dish, independent of the heat level.

Budget

• 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, 58 E. San Francisco, +1 505 992-1800. The original chef is purported to still serve them there. The Frito Pie consists of a Fritos corn chips topped by meaty red chile and cheddar cheese, with onions and jalapenos as a garnish, served in the original Frito bag.
• The Shed, 113 1/2 (sic) East Palace Avenue, +1 505 982-9030. The quintessential New Mexican lunch spot. In a little plaza off East Palace Avenue in the heart of the downtown area, recessed off the street and hard to find, but worth the effort to poke around the several side plazas until you locate it. Its sister restaurant La Choza, 905 Alarid Street, +1 505 982-0909, is open evenings and is on an obscure side street close to the main drag of St. Francis Drive, well outside the downtown area. Both serve "traditional" New Mexican food (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, etc.) in a rustic setting. Lunch entrees from $7 or so at both, dinners from $9.
• Cafe Dominic, 320 S. Guadalupe, +1 505 982-4743, is a relatively new entry near the beautiful Santuario de Guadalupe. A breezy, informal place with an artsy-craftsy atmosphere. Open 7 days for all meals, but try this one particularly for breakfast; the breakfast burritos and Santa Fe omelettes with green chile are excellent. Breakfast from $5 or so.
• Felipe's Tacos, 1711-A Llano Street, +1 505 473-9397. Huge burritos, tacos and very, very authentic Mexican food for as little as two dollars. It's located only a few blocks from Santa Fe High, so after school can be a little crowded, but it's worth the wait. Open Mon-Sat, closes at 4:30.
• El Merendero (Posa's), in two locations: 1514 Rodeo Rd, +1 505 820-7672, and 3538 Zafarano, +1 505 473-3454, [86]. This is primarily a catering/retail-sales outfit (delivery throughout town, sometimes delivering very large orders, as well as by parcel) of long standing and good reputation, but has recently 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. 7 days, lunch and dinner; entrees $5-10.
• Plaza Cafe, 54 Lincoln Ave., +1 505 982-1664. An old standby a stone's throw from the vendors on the Portal. Open 7 days for all meals, but particularly recommended for lunch, although it's crowded.
• Tecolote Café, 1203 Cerrillos Road +1 505 988-1362. Breakfast only 7AM - 2PM, Tuesday-Sunday. Great New Mexican and traditional American breakfast fare. No toast.
• Tia Sophia's, 210 San Francisco St., +1 505 983-9880. Breakfast and lunch 7 days; much loved by locals for breakfast.
• Tortilla Flats, 3139 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 471-8685. 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. Open 7 days; hours "subject to change" but listed as 7AM-9AM Su-Th, 7AM-10PM F-Sa. Less than $10.

Mid-range

• Tomasita's, 500 S. Guadalupe (just south of downtown in an old railroad station), +1 505 983-5721. 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.
• Blue Corn Cafe, in two locations, 133 Water Street downtown, +1 505 984-1800; and 4056 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 438-1800, [87]. Lunch and dinner 7 days a week. A curious combination of New Mexican cuisine and a microbrewery.
• Maria's New Mexican Kitchen, 555 W. Cordova Road, +1 505 983-7929 (reservations accepted, but many walk-ins), margaritas a speciality, but the traditional New Mexican cuisine is also good, if a bit heavier than at Tomasita's. Lunch and dinner 7 days. Parking, though ample, is a pain to get to; approach from the east, on Camino de los Marquez rather than Cordova.

Splurge

• La Casa Sena, 125 E. Palace Ave., +1 505 988-9232, is an example of "Southwestern" cuisine -- the merging of traditional New Mexican preparation and presentation with more modern, creative ingredients (sometimes a little too creative). Open 7 days for lunch and dinner; reservations recommended.
• Coyote Cafe, 132 W. Water St., +1 505 983-1615 (reservations recommended, can be placed on-line [88]), is another highly-regarded "Southwestern" dining experience, although there has been a recent tendency for chef Mark Miller to use his restaurant to engage in puffery on behalf of his big-city franchises elsewhere. It's still an excellent restaurant, if an expensive one -- $50 per person for dinner, including wine/dessert and tip, is not unusual. Don't let the typos on their web site put you off; the chef is much better at attention to detail than the webmaster.
• Gabriel's, on State Road 285 (exit 176) north of town (past the opera) near the outlying village of Pojoaque; +1 505 455-7000 (reservations advised but not essential). Lunch M-Sa, dinner seven days, hours vary. As much "Old" Mexican as New Mexican. The guacamole appetizer is fantastic, as are the fajitas. Dinner with guacamole and sangria will cost $25 or so. The art gallery across the parking lot is worth a look too, when you're done with your meal.
• Luminaria, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, ☎ 505-984-7915, [89]. In the Inn at Loretto. Enjoy views of the Loretto Chapel and Old Santa Fe trail while dining.  edit
• Ore House on the Plaza, 50 Lincoln Ave., +1 505 983-8687, [90]. Lunch 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM; dinner from 5:30 PM. Combines Northern New Mexico cuisine and steakhouse offerings, with balcony dining on the second floor. Reservations strongly recommended, as it's crowded during tourist season. The cantina (bar) is a popular watering hole as well.

Other

Santa Fe has plenty of standard chain restaurants (Olive Garden, Outback, Red Lobster, etc.), but why bother? There are enough excellent "local" ones that you can save your trips to these more ubiquitous eateries for cities less well-endowed from a culinary point of view. All restaurants below are uniquely Santa Fean in their character and cuisine.

Budget

• Bobcat Bite, 420 Old Las Vegas Highway, +1 505 983-5319. An utterly unpretentious burger joint on the way into town from the east, far from the downtown area. Nothing fancy here, just huge and tasty burgers, etc., in a setting that evokes a 1950s small-town diner. No credit cards accepted, unless they've changed policy recently. Lunch and dinner, Wednesday through Saturday.
• Chopstixs, 238 N Guadalupe St, +1 505 820-2126 , 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. Be careful during the school year at lunch time, as this is a popular high-school lunch spot.
• The Pantry Restaurant, 1820 Cerrillos Rd (Corner of Cerrillos & 5th), ☎ 505 986 0022. 6:30 AM-2:30 PM. Delicious food served in a diner-type setting. The waitstaff are super friendly, and serve humongous portions with bright smiles. 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.) $5-$10.  edit
• Pyramid Cafe, 505 W. Cordova Rd., +1 505 989-1378, [91]. In a strip mall on Cordova Road south of downtown; 11AM - 9PM 7 days according to current information, but hours seem to vary. 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.
• Santa Fe Baking Company, 504 W. Cordova Rd., +1 505 988-4292, is 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.
• Santa Fe Steamer, 3242 Cerrillos Rd., +1 505 438-3862. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. Seafood, breezy and informal yet with attentive service. The fare is quite good considering that the nearest ocean is about 500 miles away; some creativity. Portions are not large, but in a weight-conscious age, they're large enough.
• "Torinos'@Home", 227 Don Gaspar Avenue. Daily 8:30AM-4PM. An Italian Bistro in downtown. Fresh pasta made every morning in front of you, soups, organic salads; all meat-hormone free and all natural.
• Tune-Up Cafe, 1115 Hickox. Formerly "Dave's Not Here." Local hangout featuring burgers with a New Mexican flavor. Open for breakfast and lunch, with plans for dinner pending liquor license approval. The location, near the main St. Francis Drive artery, is more convenient for the through traveler than to downtown.
• Upper Crust Pizza, 329 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 982-0000 (seriously), is 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.
• Whole Hog Cafe, 3006 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 474-3375, [92]. 11AM - 9PM 7 days. 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.

Mid-range

• India Palace, 227 Don Gaspar Ave., +1 505 986-5859, and India House, 2501 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 471-2304. Surprisingly excellent Indian cuisine, both operated by the same family, with essentially identical menus. India Palace is more "atmospheric," India House more convenient (better parking), and the sag paneer at both is to die for. India House may have entertainment for some dinners. Hours at both sites: 11:30AM-2:30PM and 5PM-10PM, open 7 days. Figure $15-20 a head, and worth every penny.
• Mariscos La Playa Restaurant, in two locations: 537 W. Cordova Rd., +1 505 982-2790, and 2875 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 473-4594. An example of the difference between "Mexican" and "New Mexican" cuisine; these restaurants definitely are 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. Lunch and dinner, W-M (closed Tuesdays).
• Mu Du Noodles, 1494 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 983-1411, features noodle/pasta dishes from around the world, but most of the dishes are from China or Southeast Asia. Parking can be a challenge.
• Pasqual's, 121 Don Gaspar, +1 505 983-9340, [93]. An old standby in the downtown area. As with many Santa Fe restaurants, the menu blends New Mexican cuisine with more traditional American fare. Open 7 days for all three meals (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.
• Pink Adobe, 406 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 983-7712, [94]. A long-time Santa Fe standard, near the downtown area. A mix of continental and New Mexican cuisine that borders on "Splurge" territory. Dinner 7 nights, lunch M-F.
• Pranzo Italian Grill, 540 Montezuma Ave., +1 505 984-2645, may be the best Italian restaurant in town. In the Sanbusco Center just southwest of downtown. Lunch and dinner 7 days; reservations advisable. Expect it to be loud.
• Chinese food is a weakness (at least relatively speaking) in Santa Fe, but the unpretentious Wok, 2860 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 424-8126, has some supporters. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-9:30PM, closed Sundays.

Splurge

• 315, 315 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 986-9190, [95]. 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 creme brulee dessert. You can easily drop $50 a person here and feel good about it. Dinner 7 nights; lunch schedule unclear.
• Angel Food Catering, +1 505 983-2433, [96]. Not a restaurant, but rather a catering service that specializes in the very popular "tailgate dinners" for the Santa Fe Opera (see above). Phone in your order (reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance), then pick it up at the kiosk on the Santa Fe Opera grounds. Menu is American/Continental with Southwestern influence. Expect to pay about $35-40 per person; wine is not included.
• The Compound, 653 Canyon Rd., +1 505 982-4353, [97]. Located 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. Lunches M-F, Noon-2; dinner nightly beginning at 6; entrees from $25-40; reservations strongly advised.
• Geronimo, 724 Canyon Road, +1 505 982-1500, [98]. Another fine restaurant amid the galleries. The menu tends toward Continental but is entertainingly diverse and changes frequently. Brunch(?) and dinner 7 days. Dinner reservations are recommended and can be placed via the (unnecessarily ostentatious) web site. $40 per person will get you an excellent dinner.
• El Mesón, 213 Washington Ave., +1 505 983-6756, [99]. Spanish cuisine, well prepared and attentively served; the paella is excellent. Diners used to sangria New Mexico-style may find this restaurant's version a bit dry. Tu-Sat 5PM - 11PM; live entertainment most evenings. Expect to pay $40 per person or more.
• Las Fuentes at Bishop's Lodge Resort, Bishop's Lodge Road, +1 505 819-4035 (reservations). At the pricey Bishop's Lodge Resort (see under "Sleep"/"Splurge"), north of downtown on the way to the village of Tesuque. One of the few "Splurge" restaurants that offers three meals a day, including a Sunday brunch. Eclectic cuisine, basically American.
• Osteria d`Assisi, 58 S. Federal Place (three blocks north of the Plaza), +1 505 986-5858, [100]. Lunch M-Sa 11:00AM - 3:00PM, dinner nightly from 5:00PM. If Pranzo (above) isn't the best Italian restaurant in town, this one may be. 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.
• Ristra, 548 Agua Fria St., +1 505 982-8608, [101]. Dinner nightly from 5:30. Despite its name, the menu is primarily Continental with French tendencies, although there are New Mexican overtones. Service is attentive to the point of being almost intrusive, but not quite; on parle français, and probably other major languages as well, as it's popular with opera goers and the manager and waitstaff have international backgrounds. Expect to spend around $70 per person.
• Santacafe, 231 Washington Ave., +1 505 984-1788, [102]. 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. Lunch and dinner seven days (hours vary); Sunday "brunch" 11AM-2:30PM during the summer. Expect to spend around $50 per person.
• The Old House Restaurant 309 W. San Francisco, +1 505 995-4530, [103]. 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. The wine selection earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Opens at 5:30PM nightly for dinner. Expect to spend around $50 per person.
• Tulips, 222 W. Guadalupe, +1 505 989-7340 (reservations), [104]. Santa Fe is full of unpretentious, little-advertised, yet good hole-in-the-wall restaurants that nobody has heard of, and this one is better than most. American-meets-Continental cuisine; the elk tenderloin is marvelous. Portions can be a bit small, but in an overweight age, that's not such a bad thing. Quieter than some of its competitors, which can be a relief. Expect to spend upward of $100 for dinner for two with wine and dessert. Dinner only, Tuesday through Sunday.

Drink

What to drink

Two of the ubiquitous alcoholic beverages in Santa Fe are the familiar margarita and the possibly-less-familiar sangria, a wine-based concoction incorporating fruit, more commonly associated with Spain and Central America. Most of the better New Mexican restaurants in town have their own house sangria; it goes well with New Mexican cuisine, and is claimed by some to be a useful antidote if the spicy food gets the better of you. It's considered much more of a day-to-day beverage here than in many other places.

Much of the beer consumed in the community is imported from Mexico, and there are also a few microbreweries. If you're sticking with non-alcoholic beverages, a tip: Many locals advise against having soft drinks with New Mexican food, instead preferring iced tea. This preference is based on the belief that carbonation in drinks (including beer) tends to accentuate the spiciness of the chile peppers and cause the spicy component to hang around in the throat, while iced tea mutes it. Do the experiment, or at least have your designated driver do it.

• Fusion, 135 W. Palace Ave., +1 505 955-0400. Formerly "Swig." Most Santa Fe night spots have more of a coffeehouse vibe than a dance-till-you-drop atmosphere, but dancing is available here, with occasional tango lessons. "Touristy" rather than "popular with the locals," as one might expect from its location near the Plaza; LGBT-oriented according to some, but not all, visitors.
• Most of the hotels in the downtown area have bars and lounges that are geared to the traveler, with all that that entails. However, the bar of the St. Francis Hotel, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., +1 505 983-5700, [105], is 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.
• The Inn on the Alameda, 303 East Alameda, +1 505 984-2121, [106], includes in its rates an afternoon wine and cheese reception, and, with its location at the base of Canyon Road, offers an easy way to relax after a day of gallery-hopping.
• Second Street Brewery, 1814 Second Street, +1 505 982-3030, [107]. Sun noon-10PM; Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM for food, later (closing time unspecified) for the bar. Brewpub, with live music most evenings Thursday-Sunday and art exhibits (this is Santa Fe, after all...) at other times. Note that 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.
• Changes in New Mexico laws during the 1990s led to the development of casinos at a number of nearby American Indian pueblos. The closest to Santa Fe are along US 285 on the way to Pojoaque. Big-name acts occasionally appear and liven up the night life, although you're as likely to catch a falling star on his/her way down-and-out as a current, lively act. The two listed here may run shuttle services connecting to the major in-town hotels; inquire locally as to availability.
  • Camel Rock Casino, US 84/285 (10 miles north of town), +1 800 462-2635, [108]
  • Cities of Gold, US 84/285 (15 miles north of town in Pojoaque), +1 505 455-3313, [109]
• Several of the local-style bars can be found on Cerrillos Road and St. Michaels Drive, if you'd prefer to avoid the touristy places. Warning: some of these can get rowdy, and DUI is a problem in the area as well.
  • Green Onion Sports Pub, 1851 St. Michaels Drive, +1 505 983-5198. Advertises itself as "Sports Bar/Family Dining," and is less seedy than many of the other bars on the main drags.

Sleep

Most Santa Fe hotels, motels and B&Bs are in one of two areas: downtown (near the Palace of the Governors and Plaza) or on Cerrillos Road, the commercial main drag. The distance of the Cerrillos Road hotels from the downtown attractions isn't significant from a purely physical point of view; the most distant ones (near Villa Linda Mall) are still within a couple miles of the downtown area, which can be reached quickly by car or shuttle bus. However, the atmospheric distance is enormous. Downtown has the fabled Santa Fe ambience of a sleepy old Western village frozen in time and transported to the 21st century (with, of course, a few modern amenities and nuisances added, like cars), while Cerrillos Road has the "ambience" of a shopping district in a suburb of a major city. In compensation, hotels on Cerrillos Road tend to be less expensive on an amenity-for-amenity basis. When deciding where to stay in Santa Fe, give particular thought to the balance of ambience and economy that fits your needs.

"Budget" lodging (if any) will start at less than $75 a night, "Mid-range" from $75 to $150, and "Splurge" greater than $150, with some of the luxury suites, etc., ranging far upward. A warning on the "Budget" and "Mid-range" classifications: Santa Fe hotels and motels are prone to very substantial seasonal variations in availability and price. A hotel that may look like "Mid-range" during off season (spring, fall exclusive of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta week, usually in early October) may be "Splurge" material during ski season and the summer, particularly around significant events such as the Santa Fe Indian Market, Fiesta, opening weekend of the Santa Fe Opera, etc. Of course, the converse is true as well, meaning you can stay at a "Splurge" hotel in the off-season months of November through February at a really inexpensive price. Check carefully on rates when booking; most of the more important hotels/motels have informative web pages, and better hotels should give you the best price themselves, instead of letting discounters underprice them.

Budget

Budget hotels and motels in Santa Fe are few and far between. The economy-rate chains all have franchises in town, but it's not clear that most can really be considered "budget" lodging. Try one and write it up here.

• Comfort Suites Santa Fe, 3348 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 473-9004, [110]. An entirely non-smoking hotel. Complimentary breakfast buffet.
• Holiday Inn Express Suites Cerrillos, 3450 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 474-7570, [111]. This one actually is "budget" accommodations, with rooms as low as $42 (off season). A long way from downtown, and the "ambience" of Cerrillos Road is nothing to write home about, yet not bad.
• Santa Fe International Hostel, 1412 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 988-1153, [112]. 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 interet use (for an additional daily fee.) Somewhat controversial and not for everybody; see comments on this article's talk page.
• Santa Fe Luxury Inn, 3752 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 474-6709, [113]. Complimentary continental breakfast, a swimming pool with hot tub, a convenient location, free high speed Internet, and easy access to area attractions.
• Santa Fe Sage Inn, 725 Cerrillos Road, +1 866 433-0335, [114]. A no-frills "motor lodge" with surprisingly quiet and comfortable rooms given the low rates (from $50). Closer to the downtown attractions than other Cerrillos Road lodging.

• There are a number of bed and breakfast establishments beyond the ones shown here. For more information, try Bed & Breakfast Accommodations, +1 800 632-2627. Rates vary not only seasonally but also with the room, as each establishment will have a range of room sizes and accommodations; larger and more luxurious rooms are likely to reach the "Splurge" category.
  • Casapueblo Inn, 138 Park Avenue, +1 505 988-4455, [115]. Casapueblo is is one of the newest downtown inns. Located in Santa Fe's historic downtown area (Plaza).
  • Dancing Ground of the Sun Bed and Breakfast, 711 Paseo de Peralta, +1 505 986-9797, [116]. One of several B&Bs relatively close to the downtown area.
  • Pueblo Bonito, 138 W. Manhattan, +1 505 984-8001, [117]. Another downtown B&B.
  • Water Street Inn, 427 West Water Street, +1 505 984-1193, [118]. And another.
  • Zona Rosa Suites, 429 West San Francisco Street, +1 505 988-4455, [119]. Each one, two and three-bedroom suites is appointed with a Kiva fireplace, saltillo tile floors, and viga ceilings.
  • Dunshee's B&B and Casita, +1 505 982-0988, [120]. A small B&B near the Canyon Road art district.
  • El Farolito Bed and Breakfast, 514 Galisteo Street, +1 888 634-8782, [121]. 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.
  • Alexander's Inn, 529 E. Palace Ave., +1 505 986-1431, [122].
  • Delmar En La Cienega, 50 Entrada La Cienega, +1 505 471-6498, [123]. Wonderful, atmospheric B&B with great breakfasts. 10 miles south of town on I-25 but a quick drive into the city.
  • El Paradero Bed and Breakfast Inn, 220 W. Manhattan, +1 866 558-0918, [124]. On a quiet downtown side street. Gourmet breakfasts and afternoon teas.
  • Casa Del Toro Inn, 323 McKenzie, +1 866 476-1091, [125]. A compound of adobe cottages. Hot breakfast served every morning.
  • Hacienda Dona Andrea de Santa Fe, 78 Vista del Oro, +1 505 424-8995, [126]. An exceptional private inn located 30 minutes south of the city but still in Santa Fe County. Spectacular views, authentic Spanish Colonial style Hacienda on 65 acre mountain estate. Santa Fe wedding planning and events.
• Santa Fe Motel & Inn, 510 Cerrillos Road, +1 800 930-5002, [127]. Located near the Railyard District. Complimentary hot breakfast, free wireless.

• Most major hotel chains have franchises in Santa Fe, mainly located outside the main tourist areas. A few on Cerrillos Road removed from downtown, hence better value-for-dollar if you don't mind the distance:
  • Hampton Inn, 3625 Cerrillos Rd., +1 505 474-3900. Notable for accepting (attended) pets.
  • Holiday Inn, 4048 Cerrillos Rd., +1 505 473-4646
  • Quality Inn, 3011 Cerrillos Rd., +1 505 471-1211. They claim to offer free transportation to the train station, which is no small distance away. Check it out.
• There are many others on Cerrillos Road; a non-chain example:
  • Inn at Santa Fe, 8376 Cerrillos Rd, +1 505-474-9500, [128].
  • Santa Fe Luxury Inn, 3752 Cerrillos Road, +1 505 474-6709, [129].

• Several of the classic downtown hotels/lodges approach "Splurge" status, particularly during peak periods, both for their locations and their quality, but a splurge is frequently worth the expense for those who want an authentic Santa Fe experience. A couple of the more reasonably priced ones:
  • Don Gaspar Inn, 623 Don Gaspar Ave., ☎ 888-986-8664, [130]. checkin: 3:00PM; checkout: 11:00PM. 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. $105 - $355.  edit
  • Inn on the Alameda, 303 East Alameda, +1 505 984-2121, 888-984-2121 [131]. Nestled between the Santa Fe Plaza and the art galleries of Canyon Road, the Inn offers an ideal location for exploring all the nearby attractions, yet is set at the edge of one of the city's nicest residential areas which results in more quiet and peacful hotel stay. This is downtown Santa Fe's most all-inclusive property, with a lavish 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. Small pets under 30 pounds are accepted in dedicated pet rooms with a nightly deposit. Seasonal rates range from $125 to $390, with January and Febuary being the most affordable time to splurge on a stay at this cozy inn.
  • Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo de Peralta, +1 505 982-1200. A little more distant from the Plaza than some of the others, hence a little less expensive (singles from $99 depending on season), and still within comfortable walking distance of most of the good stuff.
  • Hilton of Santa Fe, 100 Sandoval St., +1 505 988-2811. An old standard, one of the few downtown hotels that doesn't raise its rates during the tourist season (singles from $129). No longer an "elegant" hotel, but not bad at all. A great place for conferences too.
  • St. Francis Hotel, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., +1 505 983-5700. 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. Singles from $116; rates increase during the summer.

• Bishop's Lodge Resort, on Bishop's Lodge Road north of town, +1 505 983-6377, [132]. 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. Rates from $199, seasonal variations.Complimentary shuttle to and from the Plaza.
• Eldorado Hotel & Spa, 309 W. San Francisco (2 blocks west of the Plaza), +1 505 988-4455, [133] . 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 [134]. Lively lounge with frequent live entertainment, and many amenities. Nidah Spa is in the hotel [135].
• Inn and Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 988-5531, [136]. Art galleries and a full service day spa, in addition to the lodging. From $229, with substantial seasonal variations.
• Inn of the Anasazi, 113 Washington Ave. (just northeast of the Plaza), Tel (505) 988-3030, [137]. This four-star Santa Fe luxury hotel offers fine dining, a business center, and Southwestern style boutique accommodations. Rooms from $200, seasonal variations.
• La Fonda Hotel, 100 E. San Francisco St. (on the Plaza, at the end of the Santa Fe Trail), +1 505 982-5511, [138]. 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. Rooms from $219, with (atypically for downtown hotels) no seasonal adjustments; occasional package deals.
• La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, 330 East Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501, [139]. 157-room boutique resort and full-service spa offering adobe-style rooms and suites, many with fireplaces and patios. Located downtown and two blocks from the historic Plaza, art galleries, and shopping.
• Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat, outside town on Los Pinos Rd., +1 800 955-0028, [140]. Has spiritual gatherings, spa and conference facilities in a far more rural, rustic setting than most Santa Fe lodging.

Camping

There are several commercial campgrounds in town (Los Campos de Santa Fe RV Resort [141], Rancheros de Santa Fe[142], Santa Fe KOA, Santa Fe Skies RV Park), but the camping is much more rewarding along the road to the Santa Fe Ski Basin. There are several campgrounds in Santa Fe National Forest on this road, and there is also good camping at the very pretty Hyde Memorial State Park [143] between forest and city. If you're planning on using the national-forest or Hyde Park campsites, make sure you have enough clothing and bedding to stay warm; they're in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and get cold at night.

Stay safe

Santa Fe is a fairly "safe" city as regards violent crime, despite the widely-publicized occurrence of occasional "hate crimes" frequently involving homosexuality. In reality, the crime rate, with the exception of residential burglary (a definite problem in town but one unlikely to affect the traveler), is not high compared to other American communities of comparable size, and the visitor is very unlikely to have any crime-related problems. Some of the bars can get a little rough, with ethnic tensions frequently a factor despite the city's multicultural nature; simply don't stir up trouble and you should be OK. Otherwise, public areas are generally quite safe, and are well yet unobtrusively patrolled by the city police.

Much more of a problem is automobile safety, for several reasons. Many of the roads were built during a slower-paced, less-populous time, and lack the carrying capacity for the current crowds. Northern New Mexico has serious problems with drunk driving, and Santa Fe is not exempt from these, particularly late at night. Another factor is an inexplicably high density of bad drivers and/or decrepit vehicles with poorly secured cargo; natives often speak of having a "New Mexico moment" when something falls off the back of a pickup or trailer and into the roadway in front of an unsuspecting driver. This is a good place to practice your defensive driving, particularly along St. Francis Drive and Cerrillos Road (the intersection of these two has been voted the most dangerous intersection in all of New Mexico). Running red lights is one of the state pastimes, and reaches its zenith in Santa Fe; be extremely vigilant when pulling away from an intersection when the light changes. On the positive side, most motorists are fairly tolerant (if not always aware) of pedestrians and bicyclists.

Finally, be alert for signs of health problems associated with high altitude, particularly if you venture out of town toward the mountains. The most common problems are headache and/or feeling tired may occur, drinking more water or going to lower altitude may help (a trip down La Bajada to the reservoir will usually do it). Also pay attention during hikes and bike rides, remember you are at 7,000 feet- sunscreen is important, even in the winter. The dryness of the air combined with physical exertion will often leave you not sweating through your clothes even if it's 85 degrees out, and many people won't realize they are working hard without that. Dehydration is a common issue for visitors-bring more water than you might otherwise.

Contact

The Internet cafe phenomenon is a relatively recent arrival in Santa Fe, and new outlets are popping up fast enough that it's hard to keep track. Check back on this list occasionally, as it's expanding.

• Java Joe's, in two locations: 2801 Rodeo Road, +1 505 474-5282, and 2430 Cerrillos Rd. (College Plaza), +1 505 471-5637. 7AM - 7PM (5PM Sundays) at the Rodeo location, 7AM - 9PM at College Plaza. Coffeehouse first, Internet cafe second, but fun.
• Several of the more casual restaurants are joining the Internet party. Santa Fe Baking Company, the Aztec Cafe and Pyramid Cafe (see above under Eat) also claim to offer free wireless access. Most of the major hotels offer wideband service to guests.

• Ten Thousand Waves Japanese Spa and Resort, 3451 Hyde Park Road (on the way to the Santa Fe Ski Basin), +1 505 982-9304, [144]. A Japanese bathhouse with communal and private hot tubs, body wraps, several schools of massage, facials, etc., that can feel incredibly good after a day of skiing. Reservations strongly recommended, and mandatory if you're getting a massage or comparable treatments. Mainly a "day spa," but there are a small number of rooms for overnight stays, in the "Mid-range" to "Splurge" class.
• The Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, +1 505 984-7997, [145]. Full-service day spa at the Inn at Loretto.
• Tone, 901 W. San Mateo Rd., +1 505 989-8552. Advertises itself as "Body and Face for Women;" more massage, facials, etc. Several of the hotels in town also offer spa services.
• More pedestrian resources for the traveler (laundromats, grocery stores, auto repair shops, etc.) tend to congregate along St. Francis Drive, St. Michaels Drive and Cerrillos Road. If you look for these services downtown (Plaza area), you'll pay extra for them without getting anything special in terms of goods and services; get away from the glamour district and save some money.

Get out

Native Americana

One of the major contributors to Santa Fe's fame is the large number of American Indian pueblos (towns) nearby. Several are important centers for folk art; most permit visitors at dances and other tribal ceremonial events; and from a more contemporary perspective, several host casinos with gambling, night life, etc. There are also, however, some pueblos that jealously guard the privacy of their residents and admit visitors only grudgingly, if at all. Nearly all pueblos charge a fee for photography, video, sketching, etc., as an attempt to mitigate the impact of tourism on the private life of the inhabitants. For more detailed info on each pueblo, see New Mexico Pueblos.

Some of the nearby pueblos that are accessible to the public, at least on occasion, are ("A" denotes a primary folk-art center, "C" means casino, "D" means dances or other ceremonials open to the public):

San Ildefonso Pueblo pottery

• Cochiti Pueblo [146] -- southwest of town, A/D
• Nambe Pueblo -- north, D, pleasant campground and waterfall
• Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo (formerly San Juan Pueblo, and still so listed on many maps) -- north, A/C/D
• Pojoaque Pueblo -- north, C/D, not much there but an interesting museum and gaudy casino
• San Ildefonso Pueblo -- northwest, A/D, a major pottery center
• Santa Clara Pueblo -- northwest, A/D, another major pottery center
• Santo Domingo Pueblo -- southwest, A/D(?), excellent for pottery and jewelry
• Tesuque Pueblo -- north, C (note: pueblo itself is closed to the public)

Dances and ceremonials take place throughout the year, but one not-to-be-missed special event is the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Annual Arts and Crafts Show, held in mid-July at one of the pueblos, frequently Ohkay Owingeh. Many of the artisans use this event as a "tune-up" for the Santa Fe Indian Market the following month, so that both quality and quantity of the available work are quite high, yet the prices are often considerably better than for comparable (sometimes the exact same) work at the Indian Market. The 2008 version will be at Ohkay Owingeh on July 19-20; be prepared for heat and dust, wear comfortable shoes, and feel entirely free to avoid the noisome casino just outside the parking lot.

• For a comprehensive tour of Santa Fe, check out one of their open-air guided tours. There are several of these motorized tour companies, like The Loretto Line [147]. They have knowledgeable tour guides who speak about the history, culture, art scene and architecture of Santa Fe.
• Taos, known for arts and crafts as well as a superb downhill ski area, is about two hours north of Santa Fe.
• The Enchanted Circle [148] is a scenic (but long) drive that includes Taos and Eagle Nest.
• Santa Fe National Forest is nearby and offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. The Santa Fe Ski Basin [149] is a short distance outside town, in the high country of the forest (seriously high -- even the base of the runs is above 10,000', so think carefully whether you want to go there if you have respiratory problems or are prone to altitude sickness). In addition to the obvious skiing, the lifts often operate during the summer, taking visitors to near the top of 12,000'-plus Tesuque Peak for great views. The road to the ski area goes through an aspen grove with spectacularly golden foliage (and hordes of people looking at the trees -- don't expect privacy) in the fall, and several trails lead into the national forest from trailheads along the way. Some of the trails turn into interesting Nordic ski tracks in the winter.

Scenery at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

• Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument [150] is just south of town near Cochiti Lake in the central region, and is covered in that region's article. Many guidebooks of the area omit this little gem, which is open for day use ($5/vehicle) and includes a trail through a short but spectacular bit of slot canyon. Highly recommended for the hiker with half a day to spend.
• A trip to Los Alamos and nearby Bandelier National Monument is a great excursion from Santa Fe. If you want to make a day of it, you can continue on into the Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera National Preserve (plan ahead, as the Preserve's more interesting activities require advance reservations).
• White-water rafting is excellent on the nearby Rio Grande and Rio Chama, with trips ranging from easy half-day floats to taxing multi-day outings. Kokopelli Rafting Adventures, 551 W. Cordova Rd. #540, +1 800 879-9035, [151] is one of several good outfitters operating out of Santa Fe; other good ones can be found along the road to and in Taos. Reservations are a must, particularly during peak season (usually June to early July).
• If you're not tired of the art scene by the time you leave, head south on SR 14 to Madrid, an old mining town turned art colony, significantly lower-key than Santa Fe itself. Albuquerque lies beyond, with its own attractions; getting to Albuquerque via SR 14 is slower than the direct route on I-25, but compensates with far reduced traffic and nice scenery.

Pueblo ← Las Vegas ←	N  S	→ Bernalillo → Albuquerque
Española ← Pojoaque ←	N  S	→ Merges with → Santa Rosa
Española ← Pojoaque ←	N  S	→ Merges with → Junction with → Roswell

   

   

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