Taos

There are two ways to get to Taos and both drives are really amazing. Taos is a smaller, mellower, version of Santa Fe. I really love Taos, and highly recommend spending a day or two in town it if you are interested in any of these things.

This would probably be a full day trip. Taos is about 1.5 hours from Santa Fe - taking the "low road." It is about 2-2.5 hours taking the "high road" if you don't stop anywhere.

Taos Plaza

The Taos Plaza is small, with shops and restaurants. You can just wander around that area for a couple of hours eating and looking in stores. There are some interesting antique shops near the plaza.

Shopping

• Monet's Kitchen- kitchen store, north of the plaza

• Op. Cit. Books - New and used books.

• SOMOS - Great used books.

• Seconds - an eco friendly store, north of the plaza

• Taos Cookery- kitchen store, north of the plaza

Restaurants

Our favorites are very close to the plaza

• Doc Martins at the Taos Inn

• Michael's Kitchen

Near Taos

Taos Pueblo

• (has been closed through most of the pandemic and as of summer 2022 is still closed to visitors) Taos Pueblo is one of the most conservative pueblos in NM and one of the most exciting to visit. On past visits, artists have had works they are selling from their homes, and have been very generous about sharing information and stories. It has an historic town plaza that is often used in illustrations about Native American life and culture. Recent tours have been great.

Taos Earthships

• This is a "neighborhood" of houses north and west of Taos. These houses are totally off the grid. They are built using recycled materials. There is a great film about Michael Reynolds who created the original Taos Earthships. The film is called Garbage Warrior. There is an earthship that is open to the public. The open house also have a kind of "research library" about green living and building sustainable homes.

Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

• This is a bridge you pass over to get to the earthships. It is a good place to get out and walk around and see the landscape.

St. Francis of Assisi

You pass this church on your way into Taos. You can't always go into it, but it is beautiful to see even on the outside. It is notable for being painted by Georgia O'Keeffe and photographed by Ansel Adams.

High Road to Taos

I like to take the "High Road to Taos" on the way back to Santa Fe. It is a drive that takes you through some interesting mountains and really old historic New Mexico villages. Most of the villages have churches and galleries so you can get a feel for the towns without sticking out like a sore thumb.

The high road comes out in a town called Espanola just north of Santa Fe. We like to stop for dinner at a restaurant in Espanola called El Paragua (as of summer 2022 still closed for COVID). It has great Northern Mexican/New Mexican food - a little different than what we traditionally get in Santa Fe.