A couple of weeks ago Bear and I decided to take a last minute road trip to Santa Fe before we went to our family lake house in West Texas for the Fourth of July. It was a bit of a road trip but absolutely worth it! Santa Fe, New Mexico is a quaint little town filled with tons of art and amazing food. This trip was hands down one of our most relaxing get-a-ways. If you are looking for a 3-4 day trip where you can relax, eat and shop with beautiful scenery and culture, this is the place to go!

STAY

We stayed at Hotel St Francis. We decided to stay at Hotel St. Francis because we took Lucille and there were only about 3 nice hotels in Santa Fe that allowed dogs. The hotel itself is really old and cute and it's right beside the square where all the shopping is. My favorite part about Hotel St Francis was the Gruet tasting room that's attached to the lobby. We were there almost every day trying their daily tastings and relaxing in their cozy courtyard. You also receive a discount at the tasting room if you're staying at the hotel!

If I were to go back, I would honestly probably stay somewhere else only because the beds were not that comfortable. Everything else I loved! It's perfect for a couple of nights. 

Some other hotels we visited that I loved - Inn and Spa at Loretto , La Posada de Santa Fe ,

Four Seasons Santa Fe - We were told it was the best place to have a cocktail and watch the sunset.

DO

Shop

The first day we were there, we walked around the square and popped into some stores and markets. There is a ton of jewelry and art everywhere. This is a great place to go if you are wanting to hunt for something one of a kind. Before we went, I asked a lot of friends and family for shopping suggestions but truthfully there weren't any stores in particular that stood out to me because they are pretty similar. The best part is, they are all so close together you can really go into all of them! 

Suggestion - explore a good bit before you start making your purchases. There is so much to see and room to haggle with pricing! There are also similar items for sale in a lot of the stores so it's best to get a good look before making a purchase. 

This is a great place to find a good cowhide rug and vintage furniture!

Hang out by the pool. 

There really is a lot to do in Santa Fe if you like activities, but it's also a great place to go if you don't want to do much at all and just want to chill. One of my favorite days was going to Inn and Spa at Loretto and hanging out by the pool with sparking rose in hand! It's absolutely gorgeous. The restaurant, Luminaria, was SO cute. Their chips, salsa, and guacamole were to die for. Definitely the best we had the whole trip! This is a great place to pop in for lunch too because it's right in the middle of all the shopping. 

Take a Hike.

On another day, we decided to go for a hike. There are lots of hiking options! We weren't wanting to go on a super intense hike and we also weren't wanting to drive outside Santa Fe, so we picked the closest trail we could find and went for it. Tip - go in the morning! We started around 10:00am and it was still cool but I wish we would have gone a couple hours earlier when the temperature was nice and crisp.

Some trails and places we heard a lot about - Ghost Ranch, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks, Atalaya Mountain Trail, La Tierra Trail Network

I really wish we would have gone to see Ghost Ranch after visiting the Georgia O'Keeffe museum and learning how much that place inspired her art. 

Hunt for Views.

On our last day, we were really craving some mountain views. Initially when we decided to go to New Mexico, we were wanting to be in the mountains. Santa Fe is really a desert town but the mountains are a quick 15 minute car ride away. We took the car and drove up to the ski area and soaked in the fresh air and beautiful views. 

Wine Tastings.

This was a pleasant surprise to me! I had no idea Santa Fe would have so much wine! Somehow we lucked out and arrived on the weekend Santa Fe was having their 25th annual wine festival. We took an uber out to the middle of the desert and arrived at a wine festival with tents filled with local NM wineries, restaurants and shops. There was a live band and the atmosphere was casual, laid back and fun. Definitely a highlight of the trip! 

If you don't have our luck and plan your trip around a wine festival, there are two spots I highly recommend visiting. Herve Wine Bar and Gruet Tasting Room. 

Hunt for Art

Santa Fe is known as an art destination. It is home to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum and countless art galleries. If you have time to spare and are interested in art, the museum is definitely worth checking out. After you visit the museum, drive over the Canyon Road and pop into some art galleries. Event if you aren't an art buff, it's really cool to experience.

We were there on a Monday so we had the whole pool to ourselves. I love this little bag for summer trips! It surprisingly holds a lot and goes with everything!

Pre hike breakfast - You must go to Clafoutis! It's a super cute French bakery with every baked good/sweet treat you could ever want! Their chai latte and croissant were drool worthy. You can also snag some pre made sandwiches to for your hike later!

EAT

Geronimo

There are no ifs ands or buts here. You MUST go. It's definitely more of a fine dining experience but it is worth every penny. The food is outstanding and the ambiance is cozy. Perfect for a date night! Barrett had the Elk, which they are known for, and I got two of the vegetarian options, gnocchi and endive salad. Literally everything was delicious so you really can't go wrong. BUT, this was hands down the best gnocchi I've ever had. Geronimo will not disappoint! 

Radish & Rye

I'm happy just thinking about this place! I found this on a food website and it was surprisingly not recommended by any friends/family. This is a total hidden gem. After we left, we were convinced we weren't going to have another meal that topped this one. It's a farm to table concept with a lovely laid back atmosphere and outstanding service. You won't want to leave! Seriously.

If you are with a whiskey drinker, they have a whole bourbon menu which was right up Barrett's alley! My favorite part is the spiced popcorn they serve you as an appetizer that changes daily. We asked for seconds and wish we had a third helping! Because there are too many options that all sound good, we decided to order a few things and split. We had their smoked ribs and sweet corn fritters to start. Absolutely outstanding. For our main course, we ordered the farm greens and 16 ounce grilled ribeye. No exaggerating, it was the best ribeye I've ever had! You can truly taste the fresh ingredients in their dishes. If you are in Santa Fe, you must dine at Radish & Rye!

Cafe Pasqual's

There is a reason there is a line every single morning, Monday through Sunday, before they open at 8:00am. Cafe Pasqual's is right across the street from Hotel St. Francis. There is always a line but it is definitely worth the wait! The food is organic and super fresh but also delicious. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner but I think it's perfect for an early breakfast before a day of exploring. The red quinoa bowl is delish!

Some other restaurants we loved and heard about - The Tea House, La Posada, Clafoutis, La Boca,  Bouche Bistro, Sazon

One of the pros about taking a trip to Santa Fe is you really don't need an itinerary. This is a vacation where you can sit back, relax and just experience the town!

xx,

CKS