A Weekend in Santa Fe

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Road tripping and hiking through the rugged mountains of Patagonia."

Travel Motto: "'To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.'—Freya Stark"

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle. I get restless on long flights and like to be able to move around without disturbing anyone else."

Email Sarah at sschlichter@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Sarah Schlichter

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Santa Fe is a small city with a big setting. Its snow-dusted mountains, stark red rock formations and sprawling Southwestern sky have inspired artists from Native American weavers to contemporary painters like Georgia O’Keeffe. These artistic traditions live on in more than a dozen downtown museums and in the chic, colorful galleries of Canyon Road. But there’s much more to see in Santa Fe than portraits and pottery. Weekend visitors can explore a collapsed volcanic crater, shop for turquoise jewelry in a historic mining town or take a bracing hike through the crisp mountain air.

The Perfect Santa Fe Weekend

Day One: Spend your first day exploring downtown Santa Fe, starting with the Plaza and the Palace of Governors. From there you can spend some time browsing the nearby shops and art galleries, or walk a few blocks to see the city’s trio of fine churches: St. Francis Cathedral, Loretto Chapel and San Miguel Mission. After lunch, take in a museum or two (we recommend the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum), or while away the afternoon in the chic galleries of Canyon Road.

Day Two: Get up early and head north along the stunning High Road to Taos, a scenic drive that takes three to four hours. Stop in the little town of Chimayo to visit Santuario de Chimayo, known as the Lourdes of North America, or to shop for handwoven textiles. Once in Taos, spend the afternoon exploring Taos Pueblo — one of New Mexico’s oldest and best preserved Native American pueblos — or check out the jewelry, pottery, and other Native American and Hispanic handicrafts at the Millicent Rogers Museum. In the evening, return to Santa Fe via the “low road” (Highway 68), a drive that takes about an hour and a half.

Day Three: Explore Santa Fe’s dramatic natural surroundings. Spend the day hiking at Valle Caldera National Preserve, set within a collapsed volcanic crater, or head northwest to the red rocks of Georgia O’Keeffe country. There you can visit Ghost Ranch, where O’Keeffe spent her summers, and take a tour of the artist’s house in the little town of Abiquiu (advance reservations required). Editor’s Note: If you choose the second option, you may wish to spend the night in Taos instead of returning to Santa Fe on Day Two; Abiquiu is about halfway between the two cities, an easy detour as you make your way back down to Santa Fe.

Learn more about this itinerary with our Santa Fe Attractions.

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