Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This group has helped me plan one of the best vacations of my life so here I am again looking for ideas. That vacation was a while ago and it was through WY and MT. At any rate, this time I'm traveling with a friend. She and I a couple years ago when through Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Madrid, Abiquiu...we flew into Albuquerque. I have been to Santa Fe several times and am not interested really in going there again. I like out of the way, unique places. She likes museums. We both like pottery. I've been through many of the pueblos but she has not. That trip was with another friend but I could do that again. Probably a week in length, neither of us like to do too much driving...maybe four or five hours a day tops. I like to sort of travel in a loop, incorporating stops along the way. Any ideas? I realize this is a WAY broad, general question but that's how my other trip started and it worked out well. Thanks in advance!
It is in Santa Fe, but it's on Museum Hill not downtown. Across the small plaza next to MIAC is the Museum of International Folk Art and just a short jaunt down the street is the Wheelwright Museum. https://wheelwright.org/
It's just a few minutes off I-25 and Harry's Roadhouse is just down the road.
Depending on when you will be here, I'd also suggest a trip up to Sandia Peak. You can ride the tram up from off Tramway or drive up from the east side of the Sandias.
I'll check out the Enchanted Circle Loop. I've not heard of that and it sounds interesting. The museums sound great, too, but I feel like we hit those the last time. I'm really wanting to not spend time in Santa Fe. She and I are both agreed on that although if it turns out we do it wouldn't be the end of the world. It just seems like I always go the same places. She only wants to be gone a week at most, so with no direct flights on Southwest from Nashville, I plan a day of travel and a day back just getting to the areas we want.
I know I posted this on the Albuquerque site but I am not married to the idea of flying into Albuquerque. I will check out other ideas as well. I for sure will check out the Enchanted Circle. Sounds like there are places/towns to stop along the drive and I've only been to Taos once and that was only for a day.
This group has helped me plan one of the best vacations of my life so here I am again looking for ideas. That vacation was a while ago and it was through WY and MT. At any rate, this time I'm traveling with a friend. She and I a couple years ago when through Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Madrid, Abiquiu...we flew into Albuquerque. I have been to Santa Fe several times and am not interested really in going there again. I like out of the way, unique places. She likes museums. We both like pottery. I've been through many of the pueblos but she has not. That trip was with another friend but I could do that again. Probably a week in length, neither of us like to do too much driving...maybe four or five hours a day tops. I like to sort of travel in a loop, incorporating stops along the way. Any ideas? I realize this is a WAY broad, general question but that's how my other trip started and it worked out well. Thanks in advance!
The crucial question is, what time of year will this be planned for?
Summer, as you probably know, is the ceremonial season in the pueblos. Fall is when the elk and deer migrate through the Valles Caldera, outside of Los Alamos. The Navajo Nation has rodeos and other events and various times of year. In October, there's a big art market in Taos, and an art studio tour along the route of the little rustic villages up in the mountains, between Santa Fe and Taos.
There's hundreds of years of history up in those places. One of the oldest churches in the US is in Picuris Pueblo, south of Taos, established in 1629.https://www.nps.gov/subjects/travels...de-picuris.htm
The film "The Milagro Beanfiled War" was filmed in Truchas, on the road to Picuris and Taos, NM. If you haven't seen the film, you might enjoy it. It's available on DVD.
The fall is also nice, because of the changing colors of the leaves on the trees; the aspens in particular. Nambe Pueblo, north of Santa Fe, has their feast day Oct. 6, rather than in the summer, like the others. On the way to Nambe, you could stop at Pojoaque Pueblo, which has a museum, mainly art and pottery. This could be done as a driving tour on the way to Taos, including that studio tour I mentioned. From Taos, you could do the circle loop tour, mentioned earlier. .(Though Nambe's feast day doesn't coincide with the art studio tour, so you'd have to choose, if you're doing a fall visit to NM.)
The Taos area has several museums: there's a Kit Carson museum of the old West, the Taos Art Museum and Russian artist Nikoai Fechin's home, the Millicent Rogers Museum, and the Martinez Hacienda, from the early 1800's.http://taoshistoricmuseums.org/?page_id=14.
Taos Pueblo is unlike most of the other pueblos, in that the buildings housing it are over 1000 years old, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as a national historic landmark. It's the oldest continuously-inhabited building in the US.
You could go out to Acoma Pueblo on a day trip from Albuquerque. They have a distinctive pottery tradition. They give tours of the historical community up on the mesa (Sky City). http://www.acomaskycity.org/main.html?pgid=11
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 12-27-2018 at 10:40 PM..
Thank you for all that information. It's looking like Taos may serve both of our purposes. She is more into museums than I am although I did really interested in the Kit Carson Museum. I've been to Acoma several times I've been to a lot of the Pueblo's but I do not think I have been to the Taos Pueblo in that sounds like that could be a little different. I'm not sure of the time of year we're going. I've taken the artist tour at Abiquiu in October I believe it is and she was with me once and for some reason that time it just didn't work out well. I know no trip is perfect but is that the artist tour you were talking about? I have a feeling we would go early summer. I may try to combine it with a workshop at Ghost Ranch although I'm not sure that will work out. I appreciate you taking the time to talk. Thanks. I especially love the history of the area and the little surprise places you can stumble across during your drive. I would move there if I could!
Thank you for all that information. It's looking like Taos may serve both of our purposes. She is more into museums than I am although I did really interested in the Kit Carson Museum. I've been to Acoma several times I've been to a lot of the Pueblo's but I do not think I have been to the Taos Pueblo in that sounds like that could be a little different. I'm not sure of the time of year we're going. I've taken the artist tour at Abiquiu in October I believe it is and she was with me once and for some reason that time it just didn't work out well. I know no trip is perfect but is that the artist tour you were talking about? I have a feeling we would go early summer. I may try to combine it with a workshop at Ghost Ranch although I'm not sure that will work out. I appreciate you taking the time to talk. Thanks. I especially love the history of the area and the little surprise places you can stumble across during your drive. I would move there if I could!
No, Abiquiu isn't on the route I was talking about. The communities I was talking about, are on the "high road" to Taos, going from Chimayo (north of Santa Fe) up through a series of remote communities. Here's some info, and a map: https://taos.org/plan-your-trip/high...taos-santa-fe/
I should also mention Ojo Caliente, a hot springs spa that's popular with the local people, north of Santa Fe. Local Hispanics and Native people use it for healing purposes, as there are several pools, each with a different mineral makeup. Massages are also available on the premises. This is not a fancy spa; it's very much a low-key funky NM arrangement, that's utterly charming. A family kind of place. I love the atmosphere, there! https://www.ojospa.com
Now that really looks interesting and I've not been in that area. Thanks. I'll for sure check it out. I love the sound of the history especially, and the Parks and it sounds like there's a few museums for my friend. I'll look into it. Thanks...
I appreciate all the post. My last reply was in reference to Southern New Mexico though. I have not been in that area and we'll check it out.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
