Santa Fe, you are a beaut.

After a short two days in Albuquerque, we drove up Route 66 to Santa Fe, a capital city full of rich history, food, architecture and so much art. Referred to as “The City Different”, Santa Fe is known for its blend of Hispanic and Native American influences and a local culture that is all about healthy living and organic food. Not wanting to travel internationally just yet, I thought New Mexico was the perfect getaway to experience a different region and culture.

After a long morning hiking and experiencing the wonder that is Bandelier National Monument, we arrived in Santa Fe and enjoyed a late lunch at Cowgirl Cafe. I love that outdoor seating and live music is so commonplace in the Southwest. Even as afternoon showers hit, locals are unfazed and just as happy-go-lucky as ever. Not knowing what to expect weather-wise, we headed back to our motel and booked tickets for a midnight premiere of Black Widow. It was our first time at a movie theater post-pandemic and so much fun!

The next few days, we checked out history and art museums, visited unique sites and strolled around downtown shopping for handcrafted goods and artisan jewelry. Some favorite spots:

• Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, a small but impressive collection of her art. Pre-order tickets in advance and take your time strolling around the museum as you listen to the audio guide. I loved learning about her long career and her love affair for still life and New Mexico.

• The Saturday morning Farmer’s Market at the Railyard, where you can find gorgeous flowers, produce, and handmade goods like the straw tote I’m carrying in many of these photos.

• The Oldest House and Oldest Church, which date back to the Spanish colonial period.

• The unique architecture at Loretto and La Fonda Hotels. I’d love to stay here my next visit!

• Palace of the Governors, a historically significant museum which served as the residence of the governor during the Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. territorial regimes. And the Native American jewelry market out front, which sells handcrafted and authentic silver and turquoise jewelry by licensed artists.

Food food food

I literally cannot get enough of Southwestern cuisine. We enjoyed:

• Tia Sophia’s for a Frito pie (yes there are corn chips in the sandwich)

• Cowgirl Cafe for happy hour specials and live performances (Shirley had her first margarita)

• Paper Dosa for award-winning South Indian food and the biggest dosa you’ll ever see. Not gonna lie, Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives brought me here. (Tip: Come early or make reservations!)

• Sopaipillas, a fried pastry bread thing that’s typically served with meals. You’re supposed to eat them with honey but I love them plain. It’s like a New Mexican Chinese doughnut.

You typically can’t go wrong with a chile relleno or huevos rancheros anywhere you go. Although I did order a taco bowl and felt stupid afterward.

Excursion to Pecos National Historical Park

Since we had a car at our disposal, we spent a morning learning about the rich history of the Pecos Valley. We walked the Ancestral Sites Trail and saw the remains of the Pecos Pueblo and Spanish mission church that now stand as meaningful reminders of the Pecos Indians who once lived and flourished in the area.

Blink and you’ll miss it, but the most impressive structures were the kivas. They’re subterranean pit-houses used for religious and ceremonial purposes but I was mostly impressed by how nice it felt standing underground. You wouldn’t think climbing into a hole on a 90-degree day would cool you down but I did not want to leave that pit.

The mission church ruins were also remarkable. Stand amongst the ruins and read about how they were intentionally destroyed. Definitely worth a visit!

An evening stroll through Canyon Road

Art lovers, this is your place. Santa Fe is known for having the largest number of professional artists per capita, and much of that art is fine art available for the public to enjoy. Canyon Road is home to a slew of art galleries selling artwork ranging from hand-woven Navajo rugs to wood carvings to pottery. We came to visit in the evening, and although the galleries were closed, the street itself was a feast for the eyes. Historic adobe buildings had art installations and sculptures showcased out front. We strolled through this arts district, stopping to admire exquisite pieces at the Prescott Gallery & Sculpture Garden (colorful whimsical animals) and Meyer Gallery (bronze sculptures of children in motion.)

Last sunset at Cross of the Martyrs

After Canyon Road, we hurried over to this hilltop park to catch the sunset. The cross itself is historically significant as it commemorates the death of friars back in the day, but everybody was really here for the views over Santa Fe. Even though it was our last night, it was our first sunset of the trip. The warm golden glow piercing through layers of storm clouds created the perfect mystical backdrop for an impromptu portrait session. There is definitely magic in these lands and the New Mexico air. You can sense it.

El Rancho de Las Golodrinas

On our last morning, before driving down south back to Albuquerque, we wanted to visit one last destination. Instead of the popular immersive art experience Meow Wolf, we chose El Rancho de Las Golondrinas (aka Swallow Ranch), a living history museum which once served as an important rest stop on what was once El Camino Real, the trade route that connected Mexico City to Santa Fe. Friendly docents dressed in historical garb gave us tours and demonstrated how people made their clothes, cooked their food, and worshipped back in the day. This ranch has also served as a filming location for a number of Western films. I mean, just look at it. Who wouldn’t want to investigate a dramatic crime and ride off into the sunset?

We also witnessed a random occurrence. We were sitting in the parking lot waiting for the ranch to open its doors when I saw a strange-looking plane fly over us. Later that day I found out Richard Branson successfully flew to space over New Mexico that very morning. Did we manage to catch a glimpse of the space plane? I’d like to think so. If not, it was definitely a UFO. But what if UFOs are actually billionaires from other planets visiting earth…?

And that was our time in lovely Santa Fe! I had such a great time obsessing over the earthy textures of this beautiful city and the rich history of this land. On this trip, I also fell in love with my compact little Fujifilm camera (perfect for travel photography, as demonstrated here) and learned that the secret to a long travel day is naps.

I can’t wait to come back, New Mexico! I’d love to visit Ghost Ranch, White Sands National Park, Carlsbad Caverns, and Taos Pueblo when it opens back up to the public.

Thanks Motel 6 and Turo, for allowing us to travel on a budget. And thanks ThredUP, for allowing us to travel in style.

Check out our Albuquerque adventures here!