Around 40 Minutes From Santa Fe
Bandelier National Monument preserves the homes of the Ancestral Pueblo people. The cliffside homes and round kivas date back to the 1100s and are nestled in a gorgeous canyon—essentially a beautiful outdoor museum. Prepare to walk anywhere from 1-4 miles, as the initial loop to see the cliffside homes is short, but visitors can continue on to the end of the Monument to visit the Alcove House, the site’s largest cliffside space located a 140-foot ladder climb above ground.
The extra walk is highly recommended, but those with a phobia of heights should stay grounded and enjoy the views of others’ climbs. Look out for instructions on their website for parking during summer, as a shuttle bus is often required to access the Monument—many vehicles that arrive prior to 9 am, though, can drive straight into the parking lot.
Open to the public for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking year-round, the Pajarito Ski Area is one of the best spots to catch some views of Los Alamos from above while getting in your steps. In the warmer months, it’s filled with hikers and bikers, often running lift-served biking on the weekends. Hikers can stick toward the base or make the approximately 1,000-foot increase in elevation by heading up the mountain on trails that vary in difficulty.
Visit in October to catch the mountain’s renowned Ullr Fest, a beer-focused event welcoming the cooler months, and enjoy the golden views as the Aspens turn. In the skiing months, Pajarito is likely the cheapest lift ticket money can buy, and well worth it for the top-notch mountain, despite its humble lodge and lifts.
For history and science lovers, Bradbury Science Museum is the place to start. Featuring a thorough history of not only the development of the bomb in the 40s and how Los Alamos National Laboratory came to be, but also what the Lab continues to do today in support of fighting climate change, vaccine and virus modeling, nuclear energy, and Department of Energy and Defense projects, the museum is a hub for learning about a myriad of specialty science and defense programs.
Friendly for kids and adults alike, the museum is also where to start for a historic walking tour of Los Alamos. Best of all, admission is free.
Around 1 Hour From Santa Fe
Albuquerque is the hot air ballooning capital of the world, and guest balloon flights are available year-round for anyone and everyone. Most flights take off at dawn when the air is cool and the balloons can rise, so prepare for an early morning. Many ballooners provide champagne or snacks after the ride to celebrate passengers’ first flight, but private and group flights are also available through most companies.
Rainbow Ryders is a popular choice to enjoy a ride on their balloon aptly named “Bucket List.” If you’re thinking of a trip to New Mexico in the Fall, the first weekend of October is the landing zone for the International Balloon Fiesta, which draws hundreds of ballooners with whom tourists and residents can sign up for rides, see the balloons up close on the fiesta grounds, or catch panoramic views of hundreds of balloons in flight at a time from viewpoints around the city. Rainbow Ryders is the official operator for the International Balloon Fiesta.
If you find yourself wrapping up at Sawmill Market on an Albuquerque evening, cross the street and head to the restaurant and bar on the rooftop of the Hotel Chaco, Level 5 restaurant (call in advance, as sometimes evening reservations are required.)
One of the best places to enjoy a glowing desert sunset, Level 5 offers refined dining, but the patio is also a great place to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine. Hotel Parq Central and Hotel Andaluz also offer rooftop views, but of course, a trip up the Sandia Peak Tramway will provide the most panoramic views of all.
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center honors and preserves the history and culture of the 19 Pueblo communities that have been living in the modern Albuquerque area since Pre-Columbian times. Inside the center is a 10,000-square-foot museum that features collections of historic artifacts and contemporary art pieces in a permanent collection. The IPPC also hosts rotating exhibitions on changing topics.
One of the main highlights, however, are the traditional Indian dances and artistic demonstrations that are open to the public on the weekends. Dancers wear colorful traditional dress and explain the importance of the dances to Pueblo communities. It’s an enriching, enlightening, and respectful experience.
Around 1.5 Hours From Santa Fe
The Rio Grande is also home to natural hot springs, which visitors can enjoy free of both charge and fanfare along the water’s edge. Manby and Blackrock Hot Springs are in the same stretch of river, about a 20-minute drive from the city of Taos. Both can be crowded at the nicest times of the day for soaking, so give yourself plenty of time in case you need to sit and enjoy the river views while you wait for the pools to clear out.
Blackrock can be accessed easily with a short walk along the river from the parking areas at the John Dunn Bridge. Manby visitors should have a 4-wheel drive or plan to take it slow on the long, rural roads to its trailhead. From there, it’s an approximately 1-mile hike down into the gorge to get to the pools. Both springs are usually in temperatures ranging in the 90s, depending on how high the river is.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Taos Pueblo has been continuously inhabited by members of the Pueblo tribe for more than 1,000 years. With multiple stories of a massive adobe structure, the Pueblo is also host to events such as the annual San Geronimo Feast Day, where visitors are invited to participate in the culture, festivals, and enjoy the traditional foods.
Taos Pueblo is a hub of Native American, Spanish, and New Mexican cultures, and tourists are invited to honor these cultures with a respectful visit.
Check if Taos Pueblo is accepting guests before your visit here: https://taospueblo.com
Visitors may not associate New Mexico with getting out on the water, but Taos has some of the best—and more affordable than Colorado—white water rafting around. The Rio Grande runs right through the Taos area, and white water rafting outposts offer something for rafters of all adventure levels.
From an easy couple of hours on the calmer parts of the river, great for families with kids or folks who just want to get on the water for half a day, to day-long adventures complete with a riverside lunch, to overnight camping options, companies like Far Flung Adventures have skilled river guides who not only know the river like the back of their hand but can share about wildlife and the area’s history along the way.
Around 4 Hours From Santa Fe
Sightings of rafters, tubers, and floaters on the Arkansas River are a dime a dozen. They’re as common as walkers or bikers because it’s that easy—and fun—to get on the river from downtown Salida. Major gear is not needed, as many swimmers simply rent or borrow lifejackets from the many outfitters right along the river, jump in, and just float down the gentle rapids until they’re ready to hop out and do it again.
Life jackets are often available for no charge, and visitors can also rent rafts and tubes to run the rapids, which are friendly to swimmers of all levels. The water is cold, so visit during the warmest months, but enjoying the river in Salida’s downtown is the ultimate vacation adventure. Major outfitters include Riverboat Works, Salida River Adventures, and Independent Whitewater.
In keeping with the drinking theme that seems ever-present around the state, the next offering from Salida is, of course, beer! Grab a burger and a green chile ale at Soulcraft Brewing. If you’d like to pair your pint with a pizza, check out Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub.
Both places have beautiful and spacious patios for outdoor dining in Salida’s perfect climate. Right along the river, enjoy Tres Litros Brewing which has a bring-your-own-food policy, mountain views, and more ample patio space.
Sitting along the edge of Salida’s downtown is an iconic, seemingly stand-alone mountain with a large “S” laid out at its peak. S Mountain (or more officially “Tenderfoot Mountain”) is a favorite hike-and-bike spot for locals, as it requires no driving from town—simply walk over to the trailhead straight from your brunch spot.
Its long, winding trail means that the climb to the top is not very steep, making it accessible for most levels of walkers and hikers to enjoy the peak. S Mountain’s main trails are also the entrance to hundreds of miles of trail systems in the surrounding areas that can have hikers and bikers enjoying the views for days on end.
Around 4 Hours From Santa Fe
For the Amarillo-bound traveler adventuring with kids, or who is a kid at heart, you’ll want to be sure to start your adventures at Wonderland Amusement Park. This stop opened in 1951 under the name Kiddie Land and originally only hosted three rides!
Today, the park is known and loved as Wonderland Amusement Park and has grown significantly. Guests here can enjoy time on more than 30 rides and attractions. There are also water rides, bumper cars, and a mini-golf course to try out, too. Whether you’re one for roller coasters or bags of cotton candy, this is a place that promises to please. It’s located at 2601 Dumas Drive.
If you’re the type of traveler that likes to take your adventures sky-high, a stop at the Texas Air and Space Museum while you’re in town promises to please. Situated at 10001 American Drive within the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, this museum pays homage to feats of aviation.
From the C-7A Caribou to the North American P-51D Mustang, the Texas Air and Space Museum is designed to thrill. Stepping inside, visitors can enjoy exhibits complete with both military and civilian aircraft alike. You can also browse space travel artifacts or check out the outdoor aircraft park.
Amarillo is a destination known for providing a variety of options for fun to visitors. That said, if you’re an enthusiast of the arts, booking tickets for the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts is a must. Found at 500 S. Buchanan Street, this performing arts center sits in the heart of downtown Amarillo.
It’s home to the Lone Star Ballet and the Amarillo Symphony, just to name a few. A variety of events are hosted here throughout the year spanning ballet, opera, theater, and concerts. Altogether, this performing arts center enjoys three seating levels and undeniably intriguing architectural features. It can easily seat up to 1,300 audience members in the main auditorium.
Around 5 Hours From Santa Fe
This museum in Lubbock has almost 9 million objects on display for visitors to enjoy. With a calendar that’s always full of events and activities, the museum is constantly at the top of the list of most-loved attractions in the city.
The Museum of Texas Tech University comprises the main museum building, the Moody Planetarium, the Natural Science Research Laboratory, the Val Verde County Research Site, and various research and educational elements of the Lubbock Lake Landmark.
As the world’s largest windmill museum, this Lubbock attraction showcases just about every kind of windmill you can ever dream of.
Learn about the history and advancement of wind power at the American Windmill Museum, where you’ll gaze upon more than 200 windmills displayed both indoors and outdoors. The museum has summer art camps and is also a popular event rental space (particularly for weddings).
At’l Do Farms is a premier destination not just in the fall but throughout the entire year. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of games and activities, with some favorites being Fairy Tale Trail, the Corn Cannon, hayrides, campfires, the barnyard, the Cow Train, and of course, the famous corn maze.
During the off-season, the venue at the Farms is a popular place for locals to host all kinds of corporate events and parties.
Around 6 Hours From Santa Fe
One of the city’s most loved spots for tourists and locals alike, Denver’s Botanic Gardens is a 23-acre park offering indoor and outdoor gardens in both natural settings and modern-designed spaces. Visitors can learn about the science and environmental aspects of the gardens while oohing and ahhing at the colorful and unique collection of plants, trees, and flowers.
A truly peaceful way to spend an afternoon in Denver, the Botanic Gardens is perfect for everything from an outing with the kids to a romantic evening stroll—either way, be sure to make reservations online in advance.
Denver’s museum scene leaves nothing wanting. No need to have kids in tow to enjoy the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, but if you do have little ones, definitely do not skip this stop. With a huge section of dinosaur skeletons, an IMAX theater, and rooms of massive, sparkling crystals, this museum offers hours of fascinating education and entertainment.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) has everything the modern art lover could desire, while the Denver Art Museum, which is worth going to see the architecture of the building alone, offers seven stories of art from the ages to now. If you know you’re going to be visiting multiple attractions, a Denver City Pass may be worth it. One ticket will get you into three, four, or five attractions, depending on the level you choose.
For those who love the wild and wacky, the experience of Meow Wolf—based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but expanding across the nation—will be memorable at the least.
“Convergence Station” in Denver is Meow Wolf’s newest location and is an immersive, mind-bending experience of a psychedelic and science fictional nature. Endlessly hard to describe, Meow Wolf is, simply put, weird—in the best way possible.
Made popular by the American standard of the same name, the historic highway runs from Santa Monica, California, to Chicago, Illinois, displaying some of the most scenic views in the United States.
The New Mexico stretch of Route 66 predominantly features several monuments, including Madonna of the Trail.
The section of Route 66 that passes through Albuquerque is now officially called Central Avenue. However, you can still see vintage signs throughout the city that pay homage to the route’s history.
Here you will find many attractions, such as the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanical Garden, and the city’s popular Nob Hill district which is great for shopping and fine dining. Driving through Albuquerque on the old Route 66, you can also catch the site of dormant volcanoes on the west side of the city.
This is one of the most scenic, and sometimes terrifying, potions of Route 66 in New Mexico that connected Santa Fe and Albuquerque. This is now primarily a hiking trail that is not suitable for most vehicles.
If the weather is suitable, it’s possible to drive up and down this steep grade in a 4x4 vehicle, but even then, it’s not recommended. Still, La Bajada Hill is a fun place to hike or mountain bike if you leave your car at the bottom.
