Patron of the Arts - Studio Tours After enjoying the studio tours Santa Fe has to offer, hop in the car and take a drive to any of the many nearby Northern New Mexico communities holding seasonal Studio Tour events. Taos, Abiquiú, Dixon and Galisteo are just a few of the many artist communities that have annual weekend-long studio tours. Artists open their workspaces to the public, offering them a rare glimpse of where the magic happens. In addition to supporting artists directly at the source, these festivals present the perfect excuse for checking out more of the natural beauty that is Northern New Mexico. Family Outing - Ski Santa Fe’s Fall Activities Take the whole family up to Ski Santa Fe to participate in their fall activities. Chairlift rides offer expansive views, both up and down, of changing aspen groves, distant cottonwoods and New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains to the west of Santa Fe. Disc golf and a beer garden round out this great day trip option, just thirty minutes from downtown. Don’t want to drive to the top? Stop off at Hyde Memorial State Park or Aspen Vista Picnic Ground for a fall-time hike or picnic. History Buff - Bandelier National Monument Located one hour from Santa Fe is the ancient cliffside dwellings within Bandelier National Monument. Follow the main Pueblo Loop Trail and find yourself in an 850-year-old Ancestral Pueblo metropolis. Popular stops along the trail include Big Kiva and Alcove House, the large alcove which rests 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon and is accessed by climbing four wooden ladders. Breath-taking views and a reconstructed kiva offer a taste of what life was like for the twenty-five residents of this historic high-rise. For a unique trip extension, stop off at difficult-to-find Tsankawi (also part of Bandelier) on your way to the main park. Use caution when hiking Tsankawi — this challenging trail reaches exposed elevations, so ensure the weather is thunderstorm free. Girls Trip - Natural Hot Springs There is no shortage of amazing hot spring resorts in Northern New Mexico, but the more adventurous at heart may want to soak in a naturally occurring, free-to-the-public hot spring. Just outside of Jemez Springs lies the San Antonio Hot Springs, a trio of crystal-clear pools that provide pleasantly heated soaks after a solid drive or hike in. Southwest of Arroyo Hondo is Manby Hot Springs, two sizzling pools in the ruins of an old stagecoach stop. Another blast-from-the-past option is the concrete mineral-infused pools of Montezuma Hot Springs in Las Vegas. Once a feature of the luxurious Montezuma Hotel that closed decades ago, the springs range from warm to a very hot 1200 in the “lobster pot.” For additional day trip information, visit santafe.org/day-trips
DID YOU KNOW?
Santa Fe was featured by AFAR as the "#3 Best Small City in the United States" for 2020. 46