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Hi, my husband and I are in our mid/upper 20's and taking a trip to Santa Fe in June. My parents enjoy Santa Fe, so we thought we would try it out. I'm a little concerned about finding things to do that are not too "southwest" as well as being fun for our age group. We are bringing our mountain bikes and also enjoy hiking and rafting. We also want to go to some nice restaurants that are not too touristy. We are also willing to go about an hour outside of santa fe for day trips, like maybe Taos? Any hotel recommendations would also be appreciated - nothing too southwest though. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
You said "not too southwest" twice in your short post.
I don't think Santa Fe is the place for you.
I agree! And I really wonder what "southwest" means to the OP... is it a synonym for dirty or something? Everything here is southwest! We live in the southwest, for goodness sake.
I'm not originally from New Mexico so I didn't get my feathers ruffled at your mention of "not too Southwest."
We are early 30s and absolutely love, love, love Santa Fe. However, we aren't into the Southwest art, etc. We love the funky vibe, restaurants, and climate of Santa Fe.
We try to visit 1-2 times per year and we stay at the Bobcat Inn. It is 10-15 minutes from the square in the foothills and they have different themed rooms ranging from southwest decor, rustic, and cottage. Amy the owner is fabulous. The breakfasts are great and she is friendly without being intrusive. And her rates are a great value. You will be close to the Bobcat Bite which has a delish green chile cheeseburger...best in town I think.
We also love La Boca for tapas. We have had 4 outstanding meals here, but haven't been in a year. We have reservations for late May.
We always get in:
Techolote for the blue corn pinion pancakes and huevos motuleños.
Tomasita's for classic New Mexican.
Castro's is good too and The Pantry for a no frills New Mex breakfast.
We come to Santa fe to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. We usually hit up a spa and take one trip either to Taos or Bandelier. The drive to Taos is beautiful, but I think if you are active that you would really enjoy Bandelier. You can follow the trails and climb up the ladders built into the cliffs to check out the cave dwellings. Very interesting.
If you are there on a Saturday, go to the farmers market in the morning. We rarely have a kitchen, but we really enjoy it. There is usually some music and other things to look at besides all of the beautiful local food.
Enjoy your trip. We are headed there in May and can't wait!!
A great hiking guide is Santa Fe-Taos Hiking Guide:52 Best Hiking Trails by Bob D'Antonio. Well worth it if you are serious hikers looking for a good match for you.
I like hiking around tent rocks & aspen vista is nice.
I highly recommend the high road to Taos with the low Rio Grande drive back. Late breakfast at Michael's Kitchen in Taos.
I recommend Tent Rocks as a nice place to visit and the area around there is to me particularly beautiful and mellow. Aso Bandelier and Taos that were mentioned are good suggestions. For eating out the Jambo Cafe (it's in a strip mall, but if you let that stop you you'd never eat out in SF), is really good and prices are pretty good too. For good flatbread pizza Il Vicinos is unbeatable in my book and cheap too.
I'm not into all the SWestern art, jewelry, architecture etc., but the land itself is peaceful, expansive and the best thing about the area in my opinion. So my recommendation is get out of SF itself and enjoy the amazing countryside.
"Southwest" and "touristy" are two things that are completely unavoidable here in Santa Fe. I've heard many people say they feel that Taos is "going downhill" as far as "city life" is concerned. I can't say as I haven't been from these parts for that long. I can say that its probably worth the trip for the outdoor life and not so much for shopping etc. However, keep in mind that due to the winding mountainous roads, your trip to Taos won't be just an hour.
Check online for a book on Santa Fe hikes. I bet you can pick one up for real cheap (I know a lot of local shops carry it as well) and it gives great hiking ideas.
The Santa Fe Rodeo will be here in Junes as well if you're up for that sort of thing.
As others have mentioned you can't avoid southwestern in New Mexico. In Santa Fe every place looks like southwestern architecture, even McDonalds and Wendys. However, there is the cheezy turquoise and muave junk, and then there is the truly beautiful (IMO) elegantly tasteful true southwestern. In my book 2 very different creatures. As for places to stay, it's all gonna be southwestern, whether you are in the most expensive hotels or in something as generic as a Hampton Inn. There are lovely b&b's, inns, and boutique hotels as well as some very large hotels. So before anyone can recommend a place, a price range might be helpful.
As for driving to Taos, it's gonna take you closer to 2 hours. You won't be driving on freeways. It will take you much longer than the mileage might suggest.
You can do a rafting trip on the Red River in Taos. There are several outfitters in the area.
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