Santa Fe Margarita Trail

That buzz in your margarita has a long and wildly disputed history, as does the margarita itself! While origin stories do tend to vary, there is one piece of the tale on which we can all agree—tequila is distilled from the extracted sugars of the heart of the blue agave plant.

Tequila’s Origin Stories

Some tales corroborate that the fermented juices of the agave were once used by the Aztecs for religious ceremonies and medicinal practices, and then, fast forward, doubledistilled in the 1600s by the Spanish in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. In the 1700 and 1800s, came commercial distillation and distribution with the brand-name families you likely know—José Cuervo and Don Sauza. According to many sources, José Cuervo introduced tequila to New Mexico at the turn of the 20th century. Gracias!

Margarita’s Origin Stories

The theories number in the dozens. One consideration: Margarita is Spanish for daisy, and a daisy is a common drink combination of any alcohol, lime or lemon juice, and a sweet liquid. Or was the hostess’ name Margarita? Or was the cocktail named after the girlfriend of the first imbiber? Or was Margarita the bartender? Yes, yes, and yes. Even Santa Fe’s resident expert Al Lucero, author of The Great Margarita Book: A Handbook with Recipes, shares a half-dozen explanations for our amusement. (You receive an autographed copy of this book when you’ve earned 20 stamps on the Margarita Trail.)

Regardless, we appreciate and applaud the past, and continue to build on our experiences with this fantastic and storied spirit in the present.

“Kentucky has its bourbon. Napa Valley has wine. And, Santa Fe has margaritas— darn good ones, too.” —Forbes Magazine

One-of-a-Kind Experiences on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail

Taste 40+ of the best margaritas in the world at Santa Fe's most popular bars and restaurants. Each locale has created an original, signature margarita, steeped in story for the Trail. Track your progress with the paper Passport, available for purchase at any of the three Visitors Centers in Santa Fe or at participating restaurants or by downloading the app today!

Visit santafemargaritatrail.com for more information.

Margarita Trail Facts & Stats

Paper Passports never expire and are transferable to friends and family.

More than 24,000 margarita enthusiasts are on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail!

More than 5,000 people have earned an official T-Shirt by collecting five stamps on the Trail.

225+ people are members of the Margarita Society, a passionate group, who enjoy a fun, informative quarterly newsletter and biannual gatherings at the international headquarters in Santa Fe (each has earned 10 or 15 stamps).

280+ margarita lovers have earned a free autographed copy of The Great Margarita Book by Al Lucero by earning 20 stamps.

Please drink responsibly. See you on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail.

"Our bartenders love visitors of the Santa Fe Margarita Trail. We welcome them with La Choza’s Roca Bonita Margarita, crafted with Roca Patron Reposado tequila, Bauchant, and our fresh, house-made sour mix with real lime and lemon juices. It’s not long before everyone is sharing stories about their tasty adventures and planning the next stamps on their Margarita Trail Passports.”

—Sarah Carswell, owner, La Choza Restaurant, a founding member of the Santa Fe Margarita Trail