santa fe, nm.

[chrizow]

we are going to santa fe (by auto) in a few weeks. 

any recommendations for interesting sights, hikes, dining, etc.?

[drumatix]

we are going to santa fe (by auto) in a few weeks. 

any recommendations for interesting sights, hikes, dining, etc.?

You can probably still head to Ski Santa Fe which is only 18 miles from downtown... if you're into that sort of thing. The top of the tallest skiable peak there is 12,000'+, and it's not very expensive.

Ojo Caliente hot springs is nearby, and there are a couple of hiking trails (which I've never checked out & can't vouch for) right behind them. http://ojocaliente.com/

Here's a nice odd one in Los Alamos, which is nearby:

http://blackholesurplus.com/

[loftguy]

we are going to santa fe (by auto) in a few weeks. 
any recommendations for interesting sights, hikes, dining, etc.?

-St. Francis Hotel-a bargain for sf
-Secreto Bar in the St F Hotel
-Tabla de los Santos- Fab restaurant inthe St F.  Estevan Garcia is a lifelong Sante Fe fixture and he produces really representative fine N.M. recipes with local products
-10,000 Waves Spa (If you truly love your wife...yourself too)
-Cafe' Castro-my favorite joint for new mexican.  Order christmas tree sauces (red&grn )
-Rooftop Cafe that is part of/adjoining Canyon Cafe (skip Canyon, waaay overpriced)
    the rooftop cafe has great bar foods and it's the local insiders place
-Georgia O'keefe Museum- A special setting to intimately see a great collection of her works
-Bobcat Bites, Maria's, and Pasquales are all good, decent local new mex/etc..foods
-rootop of La Fonda Hotel for the best sunset cocktail view
-there's a million day trip/hiking/exploring options out of Sante Fe.  My New Mexico motto is "whatever wrong turn you take, it's the right one"  (Bet Roanoker agrees)

[mlind]

Taos pueblo.  Historic LaFonda hotel. The opera is well known. Interesting native american arts & crafts.

What I mostly remember is great Mexican food. 

[Highlander]

we are going to santa fe (by auto) in a few weeks. 

any recommendations for interesting sights, hikes, dining, etc.?

A side trip to Taos is definately worth the time.  Taos has a lot of good restaurants and the Taos Pueblo is definately worth seeing.  Take a trip out to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge while there.  It's also worth spending some time at Bandelier National Monument and Jemez National Recreation area to quench the outdoor thirst.  The latter is a pretty spectacular caldera if that kind of thing holds any interest.  But some wierd folk live up in that area.  Los Alamos is really close to Santa Fe and also worth a visit to see what a government created city looks like. 

[slimwhitman]

I always try to visit recognized TNDs (new traditional neighborhood developments) when I visit new cities.  I have not been to Sante Fe in 22 years, so I have not seen this one but you might check it out:
Oshara Village, Santa Fe  http://osharavillage.com/Oshara_Overview/index.html

I also like Alburquerque.  A few TNDs there:
Albuquerque Historic District http://www.mparchitects.com/projects/al ... index.html
Campus at Albuquerque High, Albuquerque http://www.abqhigh.com/
Mesa del Sol, Albuquerque http://www.mesadelsolnm.com/Explore-Mes ... -Maps.aspx

[chrizow]

A side trip to Taos is definately worth the time.  Taos has a lot of good restaurants and the Taos Pueblo is definately worth seeing.  Take a trip out to the Rio Grande Gorge bridge while there.  It's also worth spending some time at Bandelier National Monument and Jemez National Recreation area to quench the outdoor thirst.  The latter is a pretty spectacular caldera if that kind of thing holds any interest.  But some wierd folk live up in that area.  Los Alamos is really close to Santa Fe and also worth a visit to see what a government created city looks like.   

thanks for the recommendations!  yeah my uncle is a recently-retired astrophysicist from the los alamos nat'l observatory or whatever - we'll be visiting them too!

keep 'em coming, this is great...

[Roanoker]

We visited New Mexico in October, 2009. I posted pictures at http://forum.kcrag.com/index.php?topic=16205.0. Santa Fe was the last place we visited, so you can see pictures and comments if you go to the last page in the thread. If you have any questions about any of it, please say so.

[heatherkay]

I was going to recommend 10000 Waves, but I see someone beat me to it.  It's a traditional Japanese style bathhouse, and it's amazing to sit in one of the outside soaker tubs and look out at the mountains and snow.  Also awesome Western style spa treatments.

[mlind]

Los Alamos is really close to Santa Fe and also worth a visit to see what a government created city looks like.   

Don't spend too much time in Los Alamos or you might end up glowing in the dark.

[voltopt]

There are a lot of references to Kansas City, since it was the origin of the Santa Fe trail, which is interesting.

-Hotel St. Francis.  well appointed and friendly, and right by the center.
-pasqual's - a great place for breakfast/brunch
-cowgirl BBQ - funky and fun - and good fish tacos

definitely go to Taos
-Hotel La Fonda - same story as Hotel St. Francis
-alley cantina - cute little dinner spot off the square
-rellenos cafe - great local place for juevos rancheros

also, go up to Angel Fire and Eagle's Nest, east of Taos.  very pretty country.
and go west over the Rio Grande and over the pass that leads to the Brazos... beautiful mountains. you'll also see the Earthships to the east of US 64 before you go up into the mountains
-Abiquiu is weird, but interesting.  probably worth a stop if you have time. just driving around the roads in this area is strange - the sky is so big and imposing, and everything is so dry

[taxi]

The Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Get the "baked potato".

[bbqboy]

hwy 56 is a vacant but really cool way to get to NM. Kansas really feels southwestern once you get out in the far west reaches.

[Highlander]

hwy 56 is a vacant but really cool way to get to NM. Kansas really feels southwestern once you get out in the far west reaches.

Another good way to go is to head down to OKC and across I 40 but veer north at Amarillo (US87) through Dalhart and Clayton which brings you across the NE New Mexico volcanic plateau which is an other-worldy place that most people do not know exists with high volcanic plains around 7000' and cinder cones and inverted lava rivers (now ridges).  At Raton, take 64 SW though Cimarron Canyon and into the Eagles Nest-Angel Fire area mentioned by someone else and on into Taos.  It requires a little back tracking but a more SW out of KC route (e.g., 54 SW through Liberal) would alleviate the backtrack.  I think Roanoker even some posted some pictures of the plateau a while back.  As an aside, one of the ugliest communities in the US lies just off that route,  Borger Texas.

[shinatoo]

The drive down highway 4 out of the west side of Los Alamos is very pretty. You also pass through Jemez Pueblo, which may be the poorest place I have ever been. The pure squalor that these people live in is an embarrassment to our great country. Not saying that I have any answers, but it is something everyone should see first hand.

Love, Debbie Downer.

Bandelier National Monument is pretty cool too.

[bbqboy]

Another good way to go is to head down to OKC and across I 40 but veer north at Amarillo (US87) through Dalhart and Clayton which brings you across the NE New Mexico volcanic plateau which is an other-worldy place that most people do not know exists with high volcanic plains around 7000' and cinder cones and inverted lava rivers (now ridges).  At Raton, take 64 SW though Cimarron Canyon and into the Eagles Nest-Angel Fire area mentioned by someone else and on into Taos.  It requires a little back tracking but a more SW out of KC route (e.g., 54 SW through Liberal) would alleviate the backtrack.  I think Roanoker even some posted some pictures of the plateau a while back.  As an aside, one of the ugliest communities in the US lies just off that route,  Borger Texas.

Yeah, I just hate Texas and semis so I tired to avoid I-40 and US54. Another cool road is to take I-35 to US 160 and head west through Medicine Lodge and the Red Hills.