Santa Fe New Mexico is a city with a vibrant art scene, great food, and excellent hiking trails. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet of elevation (about the same as Flagstaff AZ) and although it experiences all four seasons, the winters are mild.
Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610 with the name Villa Real de la Santa Fé de San Francisco de Asis, but we know it only as Santa Fe, which translates to “Holy Faith”.
Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico and the oldest state capital in the United States.
With a population of 85,000 the city is easy to get around and enjoy the beauty of the Southwest.
In this post I’m sharing 28 fun things to do in Santa Fe New Mexico, including a few day trips.
1. Santa Fe Plaza
The Plaza is a central historic site in Santa Fe with historic monuments such as Loretto Chapel, the Palace of Governors, the Cathedral Basilica of St Francis, and the New Mexico Museum of Art, along with loads of shops, restaurants, and art galleries.
For over 400 years, the plaza has been the cultural center of the city. Here, there are often music and dance performances in the park. The artisan market in front of the Palace of Governors is the perfect place to buy handcrafted New Mexico art directly from the artists.
Santa Fe Plaza is the gathering place in downtown Santa Fe and the perfect place to stroll around and explore the sights, sounds, and flavors of New Mexico.
A must-do in Santa Fe is to eat at the oldest restaurant in the city, the Plaza Café. Enjoy excellent food with indoor and outdoor seating and wonderful staff.
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Classic car show at Santa Fe Plaza in June 2024
Plaza Cafe has delicious food with indoor and outdoor seating on the plaza available
2. Canyon Road Arts
Canyon Road is the place to go to shop for art in Santa Fe, with dozens of galleries as well as restaurants and boutique shops.
Santa Fe is well known as a city for art lovers. From traditional Native American art to contemporary, it’s a joy to walk down Canyon Road arts district.
Many of the galleries and shops are housed in traditional adobe architecture structures.
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Even the mailboxes get colorful paintings in Santa Fe
3. Santa Fe Farmers Market
In the Railyard District every Saturday, you will find beautiful locally grown fruits and vegetables from dozens of vendors. There is also a great selection of meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, crafts, flowers, and herbal products.
Saturdays from 8 am – 1 pm (7 am June – September)
Tuesday Market – May 4 through November 23 (same hours as Sat market)
1607 Paseo De Peralta
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4. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Stroll a few blocks from Santa Fe Plaza over to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to view hundreds of works of art.
Exhibits display works by Georgia O’Keeffe from her childhood years through to her eighties. Georgia O’Keeffe is known for her large-format flower paintings, skulls, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes.
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
5. Loretto Chapel
Former Roman Catholic Church, now a museum and a popular wedding venue.
Known for its spiral staircase, initially constructed without any handrails. What were they thinking? Anyhow, handrails were added in 1887.
Loretto Chapel is open every day except Christmas Day.
Admission fee: $5 adult; $4 senior (over 65); $3 age 7 – 17; free for children under age 7.
207 Old Santa Fe Trail
Loretto Chapel staircase – there were no railings for the first few years
6. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture tells the stories of the people of the Southwest from prehistory through contemporary art.
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily
Tip: You can purchase a Santa Fe Culture Pass for $30 that offers entrance to several museums and historic sites in New Mexico. Basically, if you plan on visiting three or more of the museums/historic sites, it’s worth it to buy the pass.
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture features both traditional and contemporary art
Visit the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture on Museum Hill Santa Fe
7. Museum of International Folk Art
Visit the museum for an outstanding collection of folk art from around the world. The Museum of International Folk Art collection includes over 130,000 objects from more than 100 countries.
If you love folk art, this is your happy place!
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm daily (closed Mondays November through April)
Spend a couple of hours at the Museum of International Folk Art
8. Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf is a mesmerizing maze of multi-media art works that draw you into an imaginary world. It’s one of those places that you can never truly grasp without going through the experience. Although I think the price is steep at $40 (as of this writing), if you’re on a budget, I would skip this one.
You’ll feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland down the rabbit hole. It’s bizarre, fun, and interactive. Explore over 70 rooms of immersive art at Meow Wolf Santa Fe House of Eternal Return.
The Meow Wolf art installation company was born in 2008 in Santa Fe and includes nearly 200 artists. You can read more about Meow Wolf and buy tickets online.
1352 Rufina Circle
Meow Wolf is a feast of multi-media art works
9. New Mexico Museum of Art
You’ll enjoy visiting this museum not only for the art but the beautiful courtyard and gardens. The New Mexico Museum of Art building is worthy of a visit on its own.
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm Saturday – Thursday; Friday 10 – 7 (closed Mondays November through April)
The New Mexico Museum of Art is a beautiful example of Pueblo Revival style architecture
10. Santa Fe Railyard Park
The former railyard is a beautiful outdoor space to go for a stroll and enjoy the flower gardens. Lots of play areas for the kids. Railyard Park is a fun urban park in the heart of Santa Fe.
When the weather is nice you can walk from downtown to Railyard Park, it’s only about a mile from The Plaza.
The Railyard District has beautiful walking paths plus shopping and dining options
11. Santa Fe Cuisine
Red, green, or Christmas? That is a phrase you will hear in Santa Fe restaurants, no matter what time of year.
You get to choose red chili sauce, green chili sauce, or both red and green (Christmas). Try each one to find out which is your favorite.
Here are a few downtown Santa Fe restaurants to try out.
The Shed has been serving up Southwestern cuisine since 1953. Try the red chili enchiladas and a margarita, or two! Outdoor seating available.
113½ East Palace Avenue
11 am – 2:30 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm
El Callejon Taqueria and Grill is the place for all your Mexican food cravings: tacos, mole, fajitas, enchiladas and more. Beer and wine. Casual setting.
208 Galisteo St
11:30 am – 8 pm Tuesday to Saturday
Sazón is an excellent choice if you seek a fine dining experience in Santa Fe. Reservations highly recommended. Latin American cuisine with a creative take.
221 Shelby St
5:00 – 8:00 pm Monday to Saturday
Café Pasqual’s is a local favorite, especially for breakfast or brunch. Excellent food, fun décor, and great service.
121 Don Gaspar Ave
8:00 am – 3:00 pm / 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm daily
Shrimp tortilla soup with shrimp in Santa Fe New Mexico
12. Santa Fe Happy Hour
Kick back and relax after a big day of hiking, historical sites, or art museums.
Here are a couple of downtown Santa Fe happy hour joints for you to sample.
La Boca will make you happy with their tapas, sangria, wine, and beer. Outdoor seating available (with heaters in winter)
Hours: 5 pm – 9 pm Wednesday to Sunday
72 W Marcy St
Terracotta Wine Bistro
What’s not to love when there’s a great selection of wines by the glass as well as food menu, try the bruschetta. Check out their comprehensive wine list. Outdoor seating available.
Hours: 5 pm – 8 pm Thursday to Monday
304 Johnson Street
13. Palace of the Governors
The Palace of the Governors building is the oldest continually occupied public building in the United States. Constructed from 1610 to 1612, it was originally built for Don Pedro de Peralta, the first Spanish royal governor of New Mexico.
Also plan to spend some time at the New Mexico History Museum, located at the Palace of Governors, Tues – Sun 10 – 5 pm.
105 W Palace Ave
Visit the Palace of Governors at the New Mexico History Museum on the plaza
14. La Cieneguilla Petroglyphs
16 miles – about 20 minute drive (just past the airport)
A short hike to cliffs with hundreds and hundreds of petroglyphs. If you go to the top you will enjoy amazing views, but be prepared for a bit of scrambling to get there.
There is no shade on the trail, so do bring a wide brimmed hat, sunscreen, and water.
15. Bandelier National Monument
A fun day trip about 45 minutes’ drive from Santa Fe, the Bandelier National Monument is an amazing place to visit. Explore the lands and ruins of the Ancestral Pueblo culture.
There are lots of great hiking trails, including plenty of short hikes at Bandelier.
Tsankawi Ruins Trail is a few miles from the main section of the park, on State Hwy 4.
Enjoy this 1.5-mile walk along a mesa; you’ll see petroglyphs and the Ancestral Pueblo village of Tsankawi. You get to climb up the wooden ladders at the pueblo.
To get to Tsankawi Ruins Trail from Bandelier, just past the 3rd stoplight, the gravel parking lot for Tsankawi is on the right-hand side.
The view from Tsankawi Caves
16. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
35 miles – about 45 minute drive
Although it’s closed as of this writing, check the BLM Tent Rocks website for updates and information on the reopening date.
Enjoy the wonderful loop trail to the slot canyon and cave, then up to the top for outstanding views. The cone-shaped tent rock formations are the result of volcanic eruptions from millions of years ago.
Distance: 3 miles (5 km)
Elevation gain: (256 m)
Type of hike: Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: Allow 2 to 2.5 hours
No dogs allowed :/
Hike the Tent Rocks Trail for amazing views
Hiking Trails
Santa Fe National Forest offers hiking options to suit every level of hiker. In wintertime many of the trails are suitable for snowshoeing.
All of these are dog friendly trails near Santa Fe.
17. Nambe Lake Trail
Nambe Lake is a 6.5 mile (10.5 km) out and back hike through the forest to a small lake. In winter you may need microspikes, crampons, or snowshoes.
18. Atalaya Mountain Trail
This 6.4 mile (10.3 km) hike with elevation gain of 1,795 ft (547 m) is a commitment but the panoramic views at the peak are your reward.
19. Picacho Peak Trail
Picacho Peak is a 3.3 miles (5.3 km) out and back trail with a gentle but steady 1,227 ft (324 m) elevation gain, making it a good choice for a moderate hike with wonderful views.
20. Dale Ball Trails North
The Dale Ball trail system includes lots of trails to choose from for hiking, biking, and trail running. Dale Ball Trails North is a 4.4 mile (7.1 km) loop trail with 567 ft (173 m) elevation gain making it an easy and family friendly hike.
21. La Tierra Trails
La Tierra Trail is popular for mountain biking. The 10.5 mile (16.9 km) loop with 940 ft (287 m) elevation gain features rollers and a few jumps.
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22. Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
The St Francis Cathedral is a beautiful church worthy of a visit for the architecture alone. There is a weekday mass at 12:10 as well as Saturday and Sunday services.
St Francis Cathedral is open to visitors Wednesday to Friday from 9:30 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm. Also Saturday from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
23. Santa Fe Opera House
Built on the site of a former guest ranch, the Santa Fe Opera House is a few miles north of downtown Santa Fe and opened in 1957.
Summer is opera season in Santa Fe, with performances running from early July through August.
The opera house was constructed with the sides open to nature and the elements, so it’s advisable to bring a blanket when attending an event.
Backstage tours Mon – Fri at 9 am – fee is $10 adults, $8 seniors/students, free for ages 6 – 22.
24. San Miguel Chapel
Built between 1610 and 1626, San Miguel Chapel is often referred to as the oldest church in the United States, although it’s gone through several phases of destruction, rebuilding, and renovation over the centuries.
San Miguel Chapel is an adobe structure with walls about 5 feet thick.
The alter screen (reredos) is decorated with various paintings, columns, and a wooden statue of St. Michael the Archangel holding a sword.
The San Miguel Bell from the bell tower, used until 1872, is on display at the church.
25. New Mexico State Capitol
Do you know where the only round state capitol in the United States exists? Yes, Santa Fe New Mexico!
It is known as “the Roundhouse” and it is located at 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, about a half mile from The Plaza.
Normally, visitors can enjoy self-guided tours Monday to Friday from 7 am to 6 pm, and on Saturdays from 9 am to 5pm.
For now, you will have to enjoy the New Mexico State Capitol from the exterior.
Santa Fe has the only state capitol that is round-shaped
26. Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Although the garden area is small, there are trails to stroll and several sculptures throughout the gardens. Especially if you have not visited a desert garden, you will enjoy learning about the plants native to the area.
Summer Hours: 9 am – 5 pm from April to October
Winter Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Friday to Sunday from November to March
27. Cathedral Park
Cathedral Park is a beautiful little park right next to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.
There are lots of trees for shade and plenty of park benches throughout the park so you can sit and relax in a peaceful setting.
Relax at Cathedral Park next to the Cathedral Basilica of St Francis of Assisi
28. Frenchy’s Field
I discovered Frenchy’s Field while walking around the neighborhood where I rented a place for my second visit to Santa Fe. Frenchy’s Field is a lovely gem of a park. Enjoy the walking path, labyrinth, and gardens.
“Frenchy” was Bernard Parachou, and the current park is where he operated the Sunshine Dairy for 50 years, from 1933 to 1983, and built his home out of cinder blocks in the 1950s.
2001 Agua Fria
Frenchy’s Field park in Santa Fe is a joy to visit
More to explore in Santa Fe New Mexico
Also in New Mexico, you can visit White Sands National Park to experience one of the most unique national parks in the United States.
If you road trip around New Mexico, be sure to stop in Truth or Consequences for a couple of days to enjoy the hot springs, visit the Geronimo Springs Museum, and walk the trail around town.
Check out the 14 best day trips from Santa Fe for more New Mexico fun and adventures.
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