This page may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check our disclosure policy for more details.

New Mexico’s capital city, a.k.a “The City Different,” lies in the gorgeous Sangre de Cristo foothills. The Pueblo-style architecture provides a beautiful setting while its easy-going vibe attracts and influences artistic, free-thinking, and outdoorsy people. Hot springs, resorts, yoga, meditation, and artistic endeavors are all wonderful activities to experience while in Santa Fe.

Travel tip #1: Beware of altitude sickness in Santa Fe! The city sits about 7,200 feet above sea level, making it highly possible to feel sick during your time here if you’re not accustomed to higher elevations.

Places of Interest

The Railyard: A great place to visit for entertainment, events, shopping, and dining while in Santa Fe. Catch the train from the Santa Fe Depot, eat at Tomasita’s, or just take a stroll.

Santa Fe Farmers’ Market: One of the best farmers’ markets I’ve ever been to! Seriously you have to go while in town to grab some artisan breads, custom made goods, sample tons of locally roasted green chiles, and hang out with the locals. Check out their open days and times by [clicking here].

Artists Market: Neighboring the Farmers’ Market in the The Railyard, you’ll find a row of very talented artists selling their work on select days. From jewelry to ceramics to paintings, you can find a perfectly unique piece here.

Meow Wolf: Probably one of my favorite experiences while in Santa Fe, Meow Wolf is an interactive, immersive creative hotbed waiting to be explored. It’s a little confusing at first, but once you just let yourself experience it for what it is you can totally enjoy it. Read more on Meow Wolf [here] and plan your visit.

Museum of International Folk Art: My mouth was agape during most of my visit to this amazing museum. The sheer volume within the Multiple Visions: A Common Bond collection was astounding. I highly recommend spending a couple of hours here if you’re into that kind of stuff, or choose one of the other four museums on Santa Fe’s Museum Hill.

Santa Fe Plaza: The Plaza is a historic landmark in the downtown area. Surrounding the plaza are pueblo-style buildings filled with local artisans, restaurants, and various shops. This is a good place to visit if you’re unsure of where to start.

Palace of the Governors: Within Santa Fe’s Historic District sits one of the oldest occupied buildings in the United States. Originally built in 1610, it is now the site of the state’s history museum. Outside of the building you can find local Native American artists selling jewelry and other items during the daytime hours.

Georgia O’Keefe Museum: This museum is dedicated to the iconic American modernist artist Georgia O’Keefe, her life, and her work. The museum offers insight to her life, creative process, and the surroundings that inspired her while also showcasing many of her distinctive pieces.

Pop Gallery: If you’re into supporting local artists, collect art, or just like art, this is a cool little place to stop by while in the downtown area. The gallery displays some very thought-provoking, alternative art pieces, sculptures, prints, and more.

Canyon Road: Canyon Road is a half-mile street toward the mountains that is home to over one hundred boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Major art collectors frequent this street due to the amazing artists who call Santa Fe home. Definitely spend some time here to get a better idea of artists’ impacts in The City Different.

Collected Works Bookstore & Coffeehouse: As a coffee-lover and bookworm, this spot was pretty cool. Collected Works is the oldest locally-owned, independent bookstore in Santa Fe, which is awesome. They even have a fireplace so you can cozy up with a book as you enjoy a cup of Iconik coffee.

Santa Fe Community Yoga: Attending a yoga class is the perfect way to experience some chill Santa Fe vibes. Santa Fe Community Yoga is a nonprofit organization that offers tons of yoga class throughout the day. Some of these are donation-based classes, which are great if you’re an out-of-towner. You can just drop in prior to the class, no pre-registration required. Find more information and class schedules [here].

Ten Thousand Waves: Hidden in the mountains is this amazing Japanese-style spa and resort. It’s the perfect place to escape and unwind. I loved the baths, spa treatments, amenities, and the wonderful service! Although a little pricey, it’s certainly something to splurge on. Making a reservation for spa services is suggested—check out their [website] for more information.

Hemp Apotheke: Santa Fe is very supportive of CBD and hemp products. A great place to learn about some of the products and benefits of these products is at Hemp Apotheke. They’re very nonjudgemental and can thoroughly answer any of your questions while offering advice and suggestions. The CBD gummies were really good, too!

Milagro Herbs: Another great place to find natural products is Milagro Herbs. The owners make many of their skincare and herbal products on site in their kitchen using local ingredients. I loved the selection of herbal teas they had here, as well.

Travel tip #2: Places worth exploring outside of the city-center include Taos, Madrid, Bandelier National Monument, Jemez Springs, White Sands National Monument, Roswell…the list goes on. Plan ahead and see what meshes well with your interests.

Food

Iconik Coffee Roasters: A local roastery and cafe, Iconik Coffee is a must while in Santa Fe. They buy directly from coffee farmers and communities, which is always a huge positive. There are a variety of drinks to choose from, so I recommend asking your barista what they suggest. As a plus, Iconik also serves up some tasty food options.

ArtfulTea: This place is one to hit up for all the tea-lovers out there. With over 80 different types of loose leaf teas, ArtfulTea offers numerous blends of traditional and creative teas for everyone. They sell tea preparing goods, serving ware, and also have classes to learn more about tea.

The Teahouse: Good tea and good food can be enjoyed at the end of Canyon Road in this quaint, cozy cafe. Although I didn’t order anything to eat, I can say that the food they brought out to those around me looked phenomenal. Moreover, the tea menu is crazy long and even lists the benefits of the different types they have.

Dolina Bakery & Cafe: Dolina was one of the cafes I really wanted to visit while in Santa Fe because I read so many wonderful things about the owner and her food. The space isn’t too big and is a little loud with everyone’s chatter, but is very home-y feeling. I loved the fresh baked goods, especially the poppy seed cake!

Palacio Cafe: This tiny, family-owned cafe makes a very tasty veggie burrito smothered in green and red chile. A great spot for breakfast or lunch while near The Plaza without breaking the bank.

Five & Dime: When in New Mexico you have to try the local favorite, Frito Pie. The Five & Dime General Store sells tons of souvenirs, shirts, and other novelty items, but is also known for their Frito Pie that includes chile con carne, cheese, and onions served hot over a bag of Fritos.

Tortilla Flats: The Tortilla Flats Breakfast Special was awesome! I loved the combination of flavors. Their green and red chile are both really great. I liked the friendly service, too. If you eat here before going to Meow Wolf, you can get up to 20% off your admission ticket—just ask your server.

El Parasol: With multiple locations sprinkled throughout and near the city, it’s fairly easy to find. They’re known for their tacos, but the pork and red chile tamale was pretty good. It’s convenient to pick-up food from here and bring it back home, too.

The Pantry Restaurant: The homemade-style food has attracted locals and tourists alike since 1948, and for good reason! The Combination Plate with a chicken enchilada, chile relleno, beef brisket taco, and side of rice and pinto beans was a solid choice because I was able to sample a bit of everything. I recommend going during off-hours so you don’t have to wait to be seated, as it can get quite busy.

Cafe Pasqual’s: One of Santa Fe’s more popular restaurants for organic, fresh New Mexican-inspired cuisine. Everything here has fantastic reviews! It’s first-come, first-serve for breakfast and lunch, but be sure to make a reservation if you’re planning on going here for dinner as there is almost always a line and the reservation list is typically quite full.

Fiesta Oaxaca: I stumbled upon Feista Oaxaca after realizing I needed a reservation for dinner at Cafe Pasqual’s! I’m glad I did because I ate the most delicious plate of Mole Verde. The decor is bright and colorful, adding to the restaurant’s charm.

Tomasita’s: So many people recommended trying this place! Locals and tourists all harped on the food, so I definitely gave it a try. Their stuffed chicken sopaipilla with red and green chile was fantastic, yet I very much enjoyed the plain sopaipilla with their famous honey butter, which I topped with more honey. I read and heard that the margaritas are supposed to be godly!

La Lecheria: Their ice cream is made with local ingredients, including dairy from Rasband Dairy in nearby Albuquerque and green chile from a local farmer. It’s made fresh, giving all their unique flavors a creamy, sweet taste. Ask for samples and don’t be afraid to give the Green Chile ice cream a try!

Kakawa Chocolate House: Kakawa is an Olmec word that means cacao or chocolate. Here, they use quality ingredients to create chocolate elixirs, truffles, and ice creams. I ordered a flight to sample four of the elixirs they had that day and was very impressed with how rich and flavorful each elixir was.

Chocolate en la Plaza: The handcrafted chocolates and truffles are made in small batches using high-quality cacao. They give samples of their chocolates upon request, but grabbing a couple pieces to bring home is a good idea. If you’re into floral notes, give the Honey Lavender Truffle a try.

Noisy Water Winery: Although wine isn’t my favorite drink and I don’t know much about it, my experience at Noisy Water Winery in downtown was superb! Their wines are created using locally grown grapes in the mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico. A flight costs $10, which allows you to sample four different wines. If you’re not very knowledgeable, just let them know and they can guide you.

Desert Dogs Brewery & Cidery Taproom: To find this place, you have to take a flight of stairs up to the second floor. A lot of locals hang out here, making it a great place to meet some friendly people while enjoying craft beers and ciders.

Travel tip #3: Santa Fe has an eclectic food scene, but be sure to try southwestern and New Mexican cuisine. Green chile (similar to that of Denver’s) and red chile are both very popular and must be tried while in Santa Fe.

Transportation and Accommodation

Santa Fe is not a big city, making it practical to walk and explore its main spots. The downtown area can easily be explored by foot, while The Santa Fe Pick-Up’s small shuttles can transport you to popular tourists spots. Although there is a bus system within the city, it wasn’t the fastest or most reliable. However, ride share options like Uber and Lyft made getting around Santa Fe without a car of my own really convenient. I had some of the nicest drivers ever while in Santa Fe, too.

If you’re looking to travel between Albuquerque from Santa Fe without driving, the Rail Runner train runs multiple times throughout the day. One-way tickets were $9 USD the last time I checked, but roundtrip was only $10 USD. More information on the Rail Runner times, schedules, and ticket discounts can be found [here].

Having a car is best to access attractions and natural sights outside of the Santa Fe city center. Renting a car is typically quite easy, but during peak seasons—summer and the annual Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in October—prices can spike and cars can be difficult to rent short notice so plan ahead.

From the many conversations I had with local Santa Feans, I learned that the housing market in Santa Fe is quite expensive. This can result in some of the accommodation options also being a little more pricey than one might anticipate. Hotels within the downtown area provide easy access to many shops, restaurants, and events. (Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe is a really cute hotel in downtown!) Heading toward Meow Wolf you’ll find El Rey Court—a hip and cute little hotel that’s very Instagram-able, as well.

I chose Airbnb during my Santa Fe trip and loved it! I stayed in a small camper/ RV lovingly named “Juniper” up on a hill overlooking the city. The sunsets were absolutely mind-blowing from here, and the serenity was perfect. Airbnb is a great option while in Santa Fe if you want to do something different or if you’re into meeting new people, as the locals are all quite friendly and accommodating.

Travel tip #4: If you fly into Santa Fe, be prepared to experience a tiny local airport! I was shocked at the size of the airport upon arrival, but it was really nice to just fly directly into Santa Fe rather than take the train or drive from Albuquerque.

Climate

Even though Santa Fe is in the arid, dry southwestern part of the United States, its high elevation makes it cooler and wetter than some of the surrounding desert cities. There is a lot of sunshine throughout the year with periods of rain and snow. Monsoon rains are common during the summer months while snow can fall from November through March or April, when temperatures easily hit below freezing. May, June, September, and October are all fantastic months to visit due to the comfortable temperatures and mild weather.

This travel guide is based on travels from October 2019 and information has not been updated since that time. Some businesses may not be in operation or information may have changed since the creation of this guide.