Is it lunch time already?
The walk up Canyon Road is a great way to work up an appetite. Luckily you’ll find delicious food at the midway point of your gallery stroll. El Farol is great for lunch, with amazing small plates, killer cocktails and a great beer and wine list. If you happen to be there in the evening, the recently restored historic bar has Flamenco shows in the back and live music in the bar area.
A Santa Fe Icon
Stroll over to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum to explore the art of a Santa Fe icon. O’Keeffe came to Santa Fe in 1929 and after spending her summers in the Land of Enchantment for many years, made it her permanent home. She’s not the only artist to have been drawn by New Mexico’s landscape and light!
Wine Tasting
If you abstained from a cocktail on your Canyon Road walk, it’s worth heading over to the Gruet tasting room in the Hotel St. Francis on Don Gaspar. Gruet is a New Mexico winery with a quality wine portfolio that covers a range of styles. But the real standout is Gruet’s sparkling offerings. Feel free to try a tasting flight or just order a glass of your favorite style.
If that isn’t quite your speed, head around the corner to Coyote Cantina upstairs from Water Street. The rooftop bar offers tacos, chips and guac and a ton of other favorites. They mix some killer margaritas too. The Coyote Cafe, just across the hallway, was the pioneer in sophisticated Southwest food all those years ago (way before Bobby Flay) and is worth a look for dinner.
Catch a Santa Fe Sunset
If you only have one day in Santa Fe, you really should catch a sunset. Our high altitude and clear skies mean the colors are simply amazing. And the mountains perfectly frame the sun on its journey to slumber.
A great spot to watch the sun set is Cross of the Martyrs park just north of downtown. The top of the hill offers a great view of the Jemez mountains to the west and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the east. The big white cross commemorates the Franciscan missionaries who were killed in the 1680 Pueblo Revolt. Translated from Spanish, Sangre de Cristo means Blood of Christ. You’ll understand when you see them turn from gold to red to pink in the fading light.
Some Alternate Things to do in Santa Fe
If you decide to skip some of the things in this article, or decide to extend your stay a few extra days, you won’t be short of activities elsewhere. Check out our First 25 Things to Do for an even more extensive list.
This article was posted by Cheryl Fallstead
