Restaurants 

(too many to list!)

• La Casa Sena - Higher end dining, good food and a great outdoor seating area.  We have enjoyed brunch, lunch, and dinner here in recent years.

• Del Charro - A little bit off the plaza, but great atmosphere and really affordable food and drink.

• Palace Prime - We have eaten at the bar and in the restaurant.  Very comfortable seating and outstanding service.  Great food from appetizers to desserts.  After having steak here, we don't want to go anywhere else for steaks.  Amazing!

• La Plazuela at La Fonda - Inside the La Fonda Hotel.  Great food and amazing atmosphere.  Make reservations for dinner.

• Roof Top Pizzeria - Is also on the plaza and also has big windows that overlook the plaza.

• San Fransisco Street Bar and Grill - This is a recent find, but really great. Perfect atmosphere and lots of good food and drink.

• Sazón - Fine dining with food inspired by cuisine from Mexico.  The chef was a James Beard award winner for Best Chef in 2022.

• Tres Colores - Small restaurant, great for lunch, super kind workers/owners.

For more Santa Fe restaurants away from downtown visit the Off the Beaten Path restuarants below.

Shopping

Here are some fun places to shop (a rule of thumb we have is never buy anything in shops on the plaza, you can find it for a lot less right down the street).  One important exception...  I do frequently buy things from the artists selling jewelry and artwork on the plaza.

• Canyon Road is the main area for buying art.  Gallery openings are free and open to the public on Fridays from 5-7pm.   Here is a link to the Santa Fe Gallery Association for information on all of the galleries in town

• Collected Works - This is a little bit off the plaza, but the best bookstore in town.

• Detours - Located just inside the La Fonda hotel, you will find artwork, gifts to take home, Mimbres tableware, jewelry, cards, post cards, clothing, and you can buy bottled drinks.  Sale items are located on the lower level.

• Doodlets- A favorite for many visitors.  The store calls itself a toy store, but it is much more than toys... cards, fun gifts, luxury items, books.

• Five and Dime - This store is an exception to the Plaza stores being expensive.  Every Santa Fe and NM knickknack you can imagine is for sale in this store.  T-shirts, hats, potholders, postcards.  You can also find the essentials for a headache and an upset stomach.  For a low cost amazing snack/meal order a Frito Pie at the back diner counter.

• Keshi - This is a small standalone store across the street from the St. Francis Hotel.  You will find Zuni jewelry and animal fetishes.  The people working in the store are really knowledgeable and will spend a lot of time with you if that is what you would like.  Good prices on really nice pieces. 

• Malouf on the Plaza - High end jewelry store, but beautiful pieces.  Always worth a stop in "just to browse."

• Museum Shops - The museum shops in the Palace of the Governors, the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, and the NM History Museum have a lot of interesting items - they aren't too over priced.

• Rainbow Man - You can walk through this store three times and still not see everything.  This is just off the plaza on Palace.  Items range from fine art and jewelry to fun Mexican pottery.

• Portal at the Palace of the Governors - Native American artisans from New Mexico (and their family members) engage in a lottery process to win a spot to sell jewelry under the portal every day.  Because space is issued on a lottery system, you cannot expect the same artists to be there each day.  If you see something you like, buy it.  The prices are good and the purchases go right the the artist.  You can also talk to the artists about their work process and the symbolism in their work.  Historically buyers have negotiated with artists selling their work on the portal, but ethically I think it is extremely important to pay an artist the price they are asking.  Almost none of it is over priced.

Sights

Cathedral- Just off the plaza. You can't miss it.

Loretto Chapel - has a mysterious staircase. It is a beautiful little building. It is a few blocks from the plaza.

La Fonda Hotel - Historic hotel that has a good restaurant - La Plazuela (found in some notable breakfast books!). Just worth a walk through.  They also have a seasonal bar on the top floor of the restaurant called The Bell Tower.  Sometimes it is too hot and sunny to be up there, but if you hit it on the right day it is wonderful with nice views of the city.

Rail Yard

• We can take the Rail Runner from a train stop near our house downtown. The train drops you off in the Rail Yard which is about 1 mile from the Santa Fe plaza (very walkable).

• The Rail Yard is an up-and-coming area of town. The yard hosts the farmers market on Saturdays and Tuesdays.  The area is also home outdoor art shows on other days. 

• The Jean Cocteau is an independent film house in the rail yard.  It is currently owned by local resident and author, George RR Martin.

• Other Rail Yard Activities

• Tomasitas - Popular restaurant for visitors, just steps from where the train lets you off.

• Double Take - A second hand store with lots of funky stuff.

• Violet Crown - Movies and great food & drink. 

Tours

• Here is a link to a walking tour that leaves from the La Fonda hotel downtown - We have taken some really great walking tours, and highly recommend them in Santa Fe.

• La Fonda Docent Tours -  Tours of the historic La Fonda hotel Wednesday-Saturday at 10:30am.  Reservations are required.  Call the concierge for reservations at 1-505-523-4200.  For a preview of the rich history visit this link.

Sights Off the Plaza

Meow Wolf 

• The current must see in Santa Fe is museum/entertainment/art experience/mystery.... Meow Wolf.  Get tickets ahead of time.  Until you have been to Meow Wolf, I don’t there really is an experience that compares to going.  It is an art exhibit and a mystery - and you don't have to appreciate the art nor the mystery in order to enjoy your visit.  It is an experience for the young and old alike.  Meow Wolf is super popular and if you want to experience it with a few people as possible, go early and go on a regular school/work day.  Holidays and weekends are not only super crowded - but it will be difficult or impossible to find parking and you could have to wait in a long line in order to get in.  Plan to spend between 1-3 hours.

Museums

Museum Hill

Along with the museums on the Plaza, Santa Fe also has an area called Museum Hill.  There are four museums in that area:

• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art

• Museum of Indian Arts and Culture

• Museum of International Folk Art

• Wheelwright Museum (Native American Art)

There is a cafe up on the hill with good food and great views - the Museum Hill Cafe.

El Rancho de Los Golondrinas

•  Los Golondrinas has become a new favorite place for us to visit in the last few years. They have tours and events going on all of the time. El Ranchos is a group of buildings and farm fields, and mills - showing how Europeans historically lived in New Mexico.

Hikes 

Galisteo Basin Preserve

• 20-30 minutes from Santa Fe, near Eldorado.  There are an endless number of trails to explore with varying difficulty and great views.  The trail system is well organized so even if you head out without a plan in mind, signs will point you back to your starting point.

(image to the left is from Tent Rocks, closed since the pandemic)

Santa Fe Off the Beaten Path

Activities

• Bowling at The Alley - Brand new in 2019. I have heard great things about this - the only complaint is that bowling is expensive.  It is the only place to bowl in Santa Fe!

• Eat Chocolate and take a tour of candy making at the Art of Chocolate. The chocolate here is beautiful and good!

• Escape Room Puzzah - this is new! I have no current info but will find out from people soon!

• Go horseback riding at Broken Saddle.  This is a great place to learn (or relearn) how to ride a horse. They have very patient horses and staff.

• Soak in healing waters at Ojo Santa Fe.  If you aren't staying here, make reservations for the spa services early because spots fill up.  They have private tubs, shared pools, and a restaurant called the Blue Heron (we have had mixed experiences at the restaurant lately).  East of Santa Fe there are soaking tubs and spa services at Ten Thousand Waves, a Japanese themed spa.  There are private tubs and shared tubs and Japanese restaurant.

• Ice Skating at the Genova Chavez Center. Nice rink and they rent skates.

• Learn to make a new food at Santa Fe School of Cooking. (kids who want to cook can register for classes)

• Make glass art at Liquid Light Glass - I haven't done this here, but a friend in Michigan tracked down this gallery and told me to go because it is similar to a gallery she has gone to in Michigan. 

• Movies at the Violet Crown - Great food, drink, and comfortable movie viewing experience.

• View outdoor art (fun, funky, and functional) on Canyon Road.  The Wiford Gallery has a large outdoor installation.

Food

• Cafe Fina - This is a great new restaurant in the area, in an historic place with a very modern feel.  The food is outstanding and lots of bakery options.  The restaurant seating is well speadout, lots of room between chairs and tables.

• Cafecito - One of my favorite go-to places during the pandemic.  Great food and comfortable outdoor seating.  It is primarily Argentinian food and the website says that it also has Italian and Armenian influences.    

• Chocolate Maven - Open for breakfast and lunch. Bakery and just wonderful food!

• Dr. Field Goods - Great food and drink for lunch and dinner.  I haven't visited for a while and the restaurant is getting some mixed reviews in late 2023.

• Jambo @ Bobcat Bite - The menu here is different than the Jambo Cafe in the middle of Santa Fe.  Great salads, burgers, and sandwiches are found here with some nods to African food on the menu.

• Jambo Cafe - Outstanding African food.  The chef was nominated as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in 2022

• The Pantry - This is a fairly well known Santa Fe restaurant from the old days.  Good breakfasts and lunches.  A great place to have a breakfast burrito. They are known for their great breakfast potatoes.  Their sister restaurant is The Flying Tortilla on the south side of town.  In recent years the Pantry has opened two new locations:

  • Pantry Dos (in the Rancho Viejo neighborhood near the Community College)

  • Pantry Rio (near the Plaza)

• San Marcos Cafe and Feed Store - On Hwy 14 - about 7 miles south of Santa Fe. Great breakfast and lunch. It is one of the only restaurants in Santa Fe where we regularly make reservations.

• Santa Fe Brewing Company @ HQ - Just off Hwy 14 at 35 Fire Place.  Great outdoor spaces, green grass, food trucks, fun watching people, playing games.  Their website is kind of funky.... Here are the food and drink details.

• SkyFire Restaurant at Bishop's Lodge - Outstanding food and service.  The building is a classic old school "Santa Fe Style" restaurant and lounge.  Very comfortable with large windows and great outdoor seating in warmer months.

Thrift & Consignment Shops 

All of the shops listed here within a 2-4 mile range from each other.

• The Cat - Two locations on the southside of Santa Fe. Fun clothes and home décor. Affordable thrift for Santa Fe.  Benefits the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. (both just off Cerrillos)

• Congeries Consignment - Huge store with furniture, vintage clothing, housewares. Most of the store is set up in vignettes so you aren't overwhelmed by the massive number of items in such a large space. (on Cerrillos)

• Double Take - This store is walking distance from the Plaza and fun to visit even if you don't intend to buy anything.  There are several sections to this store, and it is easy to miss some of the rooms on your first visit.  The north side entrance is the lower priced items most people think of when they want to visit a thrift store.  If you wander through the north room you will find yourself in the high-end western wear and higher-end women's clothing areas.  Even if you don't purchase anything, this store is fun to browse looking at vintage western wear, well priced vintage Native American jewelry, western hats, and boots.  Don't forget to go upstairs to the household and arts area where you will find vintage home goods, linens, and a sale room stuffed with clothing that didn't sell while it was downstairs.

• The PMS Thrift Store - Not always consistent in its posted hours, and expensive for non-Santa Fe thrifters.  They always have a sale - look at the posted sales when arriving.  Benefits Presbyterian Medical Services. (on Cerrillos)

• The Raven - High-end furniture and decorative pieces. (on Cerrillos)

• Santa Fe Consign - Affordable housewares, art, and linens. After exploring the front of the store, head to the area in the back without climate control for some good finds. (San Mateo Rd.)

• Stephen's Consignment - Expensive, but fun. Lots of furniture and amazing historic art you can buy. On weekends they often run an estate sale at a home in Santa Fe where prices are less expensive - and you usually get to see a nice big Santa Fe house with an outstanding view. (on Cerrillos)

Special Events in Santa Fe

Conferences

• Fred Harvey History Weekend (Fall)

Markets

• Farmers Market (every weekend in the summer)

• Folk Art Market (July)

• Spanish Market (July)

• Indian Market (August)

Plaza Events of Note 

• Restaurant Week (February, after Valentine's Day)

• Pancakes on the Plaza (4th of July)

• Día de los Muertos (October/November)

Theater

• The Santa Fe Opera (June-August) with tours available in the summer

Hotels, downtown

• Inn of the Governors - Located a block off the plaza, this hotel is unique in that it provides parking without valet service.  Although there are fancier hotels, I think this is the best hotel for the money in Santa Fe's downtown area.  Rooms include vouchers for a meal in the restaurant (good food!).  Comfortable rooms just steps away from Santa Fe's central attractions.

• La Fonda - Located on the corner of the Santa Fe Plaza.  This hotel offers a classic Santa Fe experience.  Some of the rooms are small but all of them are beautifully appointed with outstanding services provided by the hotel staff.

• La Posada - This hotel is located about a block off the plaza.  The rooms are large and renovated.  The bar and restaurant, including the outdoor seating, are really nice.

• St. Francis Hotel - Minimalist version of Southwest Style.  The rooms are comfortable and the bar and outdoor seating are great for watching people.