Oh Santa Fe, it felt amazing to finally go on a trip after not traveling for over a year! The adventure began with a road trip through Hutchison, Kansas, where my grandparents grew up. When finally arriving in New Mexico, the architecture was the first thing I noticed. The terra-cotta colored, adobe buildings showed off the city’s mix of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influences. Even McDonalds had an adobe spin on the building. It was so different from any place that I had been in the U.S. (especially Kansas). Dogs from neighboring houses, roamed around our property and one dog, Adele, was extremely friendly. She trailed my footsteps and insisted being a part of the photoshoot too!

~ The Airbnb ~

~ Canyon Road ~

A trip to Santa Fe would not be complete without a visit to Canyon Road. With ubiquitous galleries and a marvelous restaurant called The Tea House, this was the place to be. We enjoyed it so much that we actually went back again before leaving! (My family highly recommends the eggs benedict if you decide to visit.) As for the galleries, there are some amazingly talented artists there. Beautiful landscapes, skylines, and interpretations of New Mexico lined the walls of the galleries. Canyon Road is home to over 80 art galleries and studios where you can find art that suits most anyone’s taste. My personal favorite was a gallery called The Longworth Gallery which displayed metaphorical realism. Many of my favorite pieces were by Vladimir Kush.

~ Downtown ~

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I really enjoyed exploring Santa Fe’s culture and art scene. We took a stroll around the Plaza which is the historic heart of the city, making a stop at St. Francis Cathedral and peeking into the iconic La Fonda Hotel. Santa Fe is home to many museums and galleries, and we had the opportunity to visit the Georgia O’Keefe Museum and check out her amazing art. I in particular loved the shop with geodes and crystals and even purchased my first crystal that was made of selenite! In a bit different area, we had dinner at Izanami. I ordered the bento box and was very impressed.

Bandelier

Bandelier National Monument is just about an hour west of Santa Fe. The area features 33,750 acres of dramatic cliffs and walled canyons, and is the home of ancestral Pueblo people. There is a paved 1.2 mile Main Loop trail where you can actually climb ladders and peer into the hollowed out cliff dwellings which date back over 900 years! This day trip is worth the trip and you will even spy rock paintings and petroglyphs on the walls of the dwellings. While I loved Bandelier, my most favorite thing we did was to visit Meow Wolf which is an immersive art experience with many rooms to explore. Check out my Meow Wolf post (here).