Nope, you won’t find sand and surf there, but New Mexico is a real treat and I want to share some of my favorite finds with our New Jersey Monthly readers. It’s not too early to book your plans for spring and summer 2016, because this is a wildly popular destination. Here’s why…
Santa Fe is a friendly, artsy city where you can expect sunshine and blue skies about 325 days a year. No wonder laid-back celebrities like Julia Roberts, Ali McGraw and Robert Redford have made New Mexico their home.
Within this magical area in the southern Rocky Mountains, you can trek through ancient pueblos, brave the frothy white waters of the Rio Grande, and savor culinary and cultural delights.
Let’s start with one of my favorite retreats—the romantic Inn and Spa at Loretto, a boutique, luxury hotel in the heart of downtown, one block from the historic Santa Fe Plaza and Canyon Road arts district. The adobe structure has 136 guest rooms (including Santa Fe’s only penthouse suite, which my husband and I toured), and an award-winning spa that was recently ranked #5 on the USA Today list of “Best Hotel Spas in the U.S.” The spa takes a holistic approach, embracing the healing traditions of Native American spiritual healers.
We were lucky enough to snag a gorgeous room that overlooked the plaza, so we made the inn our home base for several days. Our absolute fave on-property restaurant was Luminaria because the menu is so creative and well executed…and we loved dining on the patio under a romantically lit cabana. After dinner, we got in the habit of wandering into the lounge, plopping ourselves on an overstuffed sofa and enjoying a nightcap while listening to live music.
Next door to the hotel is the Loretto Chapel, a popular destination wedding site and home of the famed staircase that was built in 1878, without nails, by an unknown carpenter. It’s been featured in television shows including Unsolved Mysteries.
Later in the week, we had another fine spa experience several blocks away at La Posada, a lovely resort that winds though lush green paths. The original structure dates back to the late 1800s with low ceilings, original floors and adobe walls. My husband and I indulged in a couple’s massage and it surpassed our greatest expectations. Then I popped into the salon for a little pick-me-up, a shampoo and blowout…just what I needed before our grand dinner. If you want to experience delightful and unusual dining, check out the hotel’s brand-new restaurant, Julia. It’s named for Julia Staab, who resided in the original home that was later turned into the hotel. Word has it that she still visits the “spirited” La Posada. (We saw no sign of Mrs. Staab, but very much enjoyed hearing stories from the staff.)
Old Santa Fe has so many eateries, bars, shops and museums that you can easily fill several days and nights. Other favorite restaurants were Geronimo, Plaza Cafe, Santacafe, L’Olivier, El Farol, La Casa Sena, La Boca and Chez Mamou. After the sun sets, head downtown for an evening of live music at the no-frills but much-fun Evangelos. Sit back, enjoy the ultra-cool vibe and you might even find a spot on the dance floor.
A not-to-be-missed daytime activity (especially after all that eating and drinking) is hiking the terrain just outside the city. We greatly enjoyed a morning hike organized by Karen Denison, owner of Outspire Hiking and Snowshoeing. She booked us with Scott Renbarger, a super-cool guide who is a geology instructor at a local college. His expertise and passion for the outdoors made our trek really fun. We will definitely return to do this again…highly recommended.
The city of Santa Fe, one of America’s top art markets, boasts a whopping 300 galleries within a community of 70,000 residents, many of them transplants from New York, Los Angeles and Aspen. The town hosts lots of huge art events, but the humdinger of them all, the Indian Market Week, attracts more than 100,000 tourists each August —and many return again and again. Another must-see is the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, chock-full of the iconic watercolorist’s work.
IF YOU GO
Santa Fe is easy to get to. You can fly directly into the small and manageable Santa Fe Airport, then pay about $20 for a shuttle transport to your hotel. Once you’re downtown, everything is walkable, so there’s no need for a rental car. And if you decide to explore other areas of the city, Capitol Cab is super reliable.
Be sure to pack walking shoes, and be prepared for the altitude: Santa Fe is 7,000 feet above sea level. Drink plenty of water as you spend your days exploring this magical destination within the land of enchantment.