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La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site. Just a few miles west of Santa Fe along the river. On BLM land and not as well known as Petroglyph National Monument in ABQ. You drive to a trailhead & it's a short hike to the glyphs. It's pretty well marked and access info is here: La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site
Please follow all guidelines for careful treatment of the sites because they are fragile and irreplaceable.
Bandelier National Monument. About a 1-hr drive from Santa Fe. Stunning cliff dwellings and Ancestral Puebloan ruins along beautiful canyon scenery. Different hikes available for various levels of difficulty. Entrance fees are embarrassingly cheap. https://www.nps.gov/BAND/planyourvisit/index.htm
Pecos National Historic Park. 20 minute drive east of Santa Fe. Super-easy to do in a half-day visit. The park encloses old Pecos Pueblo, which was abandoned as recently at the 19th century. What's cool about this place is that it's located at the edge of the mountain and plains regions. There's a leisurely trail that encircles the entire pueblo ruin, and you can see for miles along the mountains north, south, and west, and observe how the geography shifts into rolling plains and mesas toward the east. Also cheap entry fee. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecos_...istorical_Park
Finally, check out Valles Caldera National Preserve. Stunning scenery in a giant ancient volcanic crater--steep sided hikes into the Caldera, or just drive into the visitors center and hike through the gorgeous grassy meadows. Hiking rules are pretty strict so check at the center. Drive is about 1.25 hrs from Santa Fe up steep and curvy mountain road past Los Alamos. Also be careful if you're altitude sensitive because elevations are as high as 9500 ft here. (compare to about 7000 feet in Santa Fe, to which some people are also sensitive). https://www.nps.gov/vall/index.htm
We will be a little bit out of town but we will probably be visiting the city center quite a bit. Just wondering what are some of the really good renowned restaurants in the area.
Also we are thinking about visiting maybe one museum while we are in Santa Fe. Which one do you recommend?
Depends on what you're interested in - art, local culture or NM history? There is a group of museums at one location referred to locally as "Museum Hill" that affords easy access for visiting:
We will be a little bit out of town but we will probably be visiting the city center quite a bit. Just wondering what are some of the really good renowned restaurants in the area.
We will be a little bit out of town but we will probably be visiting the city center quite a bit. Just wondering what are some of the really good renowned restaurants in the area.
Also we are thinking about visiting maybe one museum while we are in Santa Fe. Which one do you recommend?
The museums on "Museum Hill" east of town are great, but if you're spending most of your time downtown I recommend:
Georgia O'Keefe Museum (small, nice exhibits & film on O'Keefe's life, can be done quickly) https://www.okeeffemuseum.org/
The New Mexico Museum of Art (includes ancient and traditional "Southwestern" art as well as many modern exhibits. One block west of the plaza on Palace Avenue. New Mexico Museum of Art | Santa Fe
The Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum. Located just north of the plaza, this focuses on the Spanish Colonial/Mexican/US Territorial historic periods. Don't miss the Native American vendors under the portal selling gorgeous handmade works of art. Palace of the Governors
If you're only going to ONE museum, and you want to see Native American art and history, go to the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture on Museum Hill. If you're tired of traditional Southwestern art and want something different, check out Georgia O'Keefe or the NM Art Museum. My dos centavos.
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Museums Downtown
