Middle America Roadtrip
Part 2-New Mexico

We recently took a road trip from Phoenix to Kansas City, visiting six US states (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri). Our Arizona highlights from this trip can be found here.

While in New Mexico, we used Santa Fe as our base.

We spent most of our time in the city’s compact center, enjoying its art, food, history, and culture. We also visited several sites within an hour’s drive of Santa Fe: Bandolier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Driving From Arizona to New Mexico

*New Mexico's landscape is diverse, with flat land, rugged mountains, forests, deserts, grasslands, and more. (Photo: Edie Kramer)*

October can bring winter storms to northern Arizona and New Mexico, and we left Petrified Forest National Park and The Painted Desert in northeastern Arizona after sunset under dark, stormy clouds. The drive to Santa Fe from there was four hours.

It had been windy and cold at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona that afternoon (four layers of clothing). After crossing the state line, we saw digital winter warning signs posted on the highway. Since we hadn’t been listening to the radio, we were thankful for these signs because we were mentally prepared for the rain and sleet. The hail and snow were a bit of a surprise. To make driving even more exciting, New Mexico's countryside is pitch black, and we saw lightning strikes in the distance all around us.

Did I ever think I would experience this weather during October in New Mexico? Nope.

One lesson: on a road trip, expect the unexpected!

Historic Santa Fe

For me, Santa Fe has held a bit of mystique. I’ve always envisioned the city as having a unique arts community and a quiet strength. Artsy, but with a strong spine because of its history. I hoped our visit would allow us to immerse ourselves in the artistic community, learn about the state’s Native American, Mexican, and Spanish history, see adobe architecture en masse, and enjoy New Mexican cuisine.

Santa Fe did not disappoint.

Immerse Yourself in Santa Fe’s Cultural Tapestry

Santa Fe, the oldest capital in the United States, is an artsy, laid-back destination with strong Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influences. It’s like no other place we’ve visited in the U.S. History is proudly preserved, and museums and local programs support Indigenous communities and traditions.

According to the state of New Mexico, Santa Fe is about 33 square miles. This small area has over 250 art galleries, approximately 400 restaurants, and 19 museums. It sits at the southernmost tip of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by 1.5 million acres of unspoiled national forests. When we ventured out of town to visit Bandolier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve, we found pine forests, juniper, aspen, and grasslands instead of desert. The state has a very diverse landscape.

It’s a great place to spend a long weekend, but plan additional time for the area’s national monuments or a hike through the nearby national forest.

Explore the City’s Vibrant Art Scene

With over 250 art galleries, you’ll see all kinds of artwork, including traditional and abstract painting, photography, pottery, and sculpture. It’s a bit overwhelming because of the sheer number of galleries. If you are interested in browsing through a mix of galleries, picking a street or section of the downtown area makes sense. If you like a specific type of art or sculpture, do some homework ahead of time and devise a plan of attack. Otherwise, you’ll run out of time and energy!

Go to Canyon Road for the best galleries and studios in town. With over 100 galleries, boutiques, and restaurants along a half-mile stretch of winding road, it’s where the art collectors go and where you’ll have the best experience.

Don’t bother with the art galleries near the center plaza.

Wander Amongst Antiques and Architectural Salvage

Several antique stores and architectural salvage yards are within a few blocks of the main plaza. Seret & Sons (above) is particularly interesting because of its Central Asian hand-carved furniture and large inventory of architectural elements.

Experience Meow Wolf - It’s Strange But Intriguing

Meow Wolf describes itself as a ‘mysterious house of clues with unexpected doors to the unknown and immersive exploration.’ The current exhibit is The House of Eternal Return. It’s like no other art exhibit or museum I’ve been to.

The house has many rooms, levels, cubbies, and unusual doors that you go through to access other sets of rooms (like the kitchen refrigerator or the living room fireplace). If you want to go ‘all in’ on the experience, there is a puzzle to solve (find out what happened to the home's residents) with clues. Or, you can wander from space to space, just taking in the experience like we did. Look, listen, laugh, and be amazed at what a group of creatives can create.

The exhibit combines all media types, including painting, sculpture, music and sound, film, and more.

Copious amounts of weed were likely involved during the concept and construction stages.

If Traditional Museums Are More Your Style

*IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts. (Photo: Erik Kramer)*

So many choices, so little time—that’s the dilemma you face when visiting Santa Fe and deciding which museum(s) to visit. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is the most well-known because of the famed local artist, but from what I gathered, only a portion of the museum space is allocated to her work. There are also quite a few that highlight Indigenous peoples, like the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, among others.

Since we had easy access to many art galleries, we visited the New Mexico History Museum instead of an art museum. Its main exhibition is "Telling New Mexico," covering over five centuries of regional history and the experiences of Native peoples, Spanish colonists, Santa Fe Trail riders, outlaws, the railroad, artists, the Harvey Girls that helped define the Wild West, and more. It’s worth a visit (plan on 1.5 hours).

Where We Stayed

Hotels tend to be pricey in Santa Fe, particularly those connected with spas or those that are part of high-end chains. We stayed at Hotel St. Francis, a centrally located, moderately priced boutique hotel, for a more authentic Santa Fe experience. It’s very convenient to Santa Fe Plaza, The Governor’s Palace, and numerous restaurants. We found all staff (front desk, valet, manager) very personable and welcoming. The public areas (lobby, dining room, hallways) were spacious, and the southwest decor made it feel like you had stepped back in time. The bed was comfortable, and the deluxe room was clean.

With all of these positives, I’m still hesitant to give a glowing review simply because of how poorly the bathroom and airflow in the room were designed. The only sink is in the main room (quaint but virtually no counter space), and the tub and toilet area is up a step from the sink area, with minimal space to maneuver around the toilet while closing the door. It was tight for me, and I’m a small person. The bed area was also tight but didn’t bother us as much as the bathroom. Plus, the airflow in the room was non-existent, and we could not open the windows.

Conclusion: it’s a lovely place if you don’t mind tight quarters that are a bit stuffy.

Gastronomy Highlights

Red, Green, or Christmas?

Chili is king in Santa Fe. You see it hanging in shops as decoration, and it is a key part of many recipes in most restaurants. If you order a New Mexican dish, you’ll likely be asked if you want red, green, or Christmas. This refers to what type of chili you want with the dish. Order Christmas, and you’ll get both red and green chilies.

Moles
I’m talking about the delectable Mexican sauce recipes—not a skin growth or pesky animal in your garden.

Where there’s a lot of focus on chilies, there’s an opportunity to taste a variety of moles. Over the centuries, moles have evolved, and various styles and unique flavors have been created in different regions of Mexico.

Recipes are complex, passed down through generations, and often kept secret. Some recipes have as many as 30 or 40 ingredients (spices, chocolate, ground seeds and nuts, tomatoes), including five chilies. Based on that fact, I can promise there won’t be any moles prepared on my stovetop!

Recommended Restaurants

Here are some restaurants we enjoyed while in Santa Fe. I recommend making reservations before you arrive in the city.

Sazon

Wow! Sazon has an innovative chef whose menu, based on Old Mexico’s culinary and Indigenous traditions, changes based on what meat and produce is in season. Appetizers and entrees combine all kinds of flavors (sweet, spicy, fruity, tangy). The atmosphere is cozy and upscale, and the service is impeccable.

To help guide your entree selection, you are served a sampling of five moles before ordering—two spicy, two sweet, and one that is the chef’s unique "New Mexican Mole.” The mole you prefer will help guide you to the entree(s) that best fits your palate. Certain moles pair best with certain meats and fish. There are no rules here, as you can mix and match different meats with different moles, but you're off to a good start with the chef’s mole/meat/fish recommendations.

Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill

Geronimo's menu is slightly more traditional than Sazon's. It offers interesting appetizers and vegetarian offerings. Main entrees include a variety of grilled meats and fish prepared with creative dressings and sauces. The food was well prepared, and the service was excellent. The atmosphere feels a bit high-end without being stuffy. Great New Mexican cuisine.

Cafe Pasqual's

When we arrived late in Santa Fe, we lucked out. Cafe Pasqual's, located diagonally across the street from our hotel entrance, had a table available at 10:00 p.m. Dinner reservations are typically required days in advance. We also had lunch another day at their ‘family’ table, where guests sit together—a great way to get a seat quickly and meet other tourists and locals. The restaurant offers an extensive New Mexico menu, a casual setting, and excellent service. It has a fun atmosphere.

Margarita Trail

It’s no surprise that margaritas are a big deal in Santa Fe. But what other city has a Margarita Trail app that lists the bars and restaurants in town that offer ‘signature’ margaritas? And, what other city visitor center has a Margarita passport where you can collect stamps (1 per Margarita)? Want a Margarita Trail T-shirt? That will cost you five drink stamps. There are other prizes as well. Although we didn’t partake formally, we had some excellent margaritas with different flavors and spice levels.

Native American-made Crafts

If you’re interested in handmade Native American jewelry, pottery, or other wares, go to the individuals sitting under the Palace of the Governors portal first. They are part of the New Mexico History Museum portal program, which requires participants to be from one of the 23 federally recognized Native American tribes, pueblos, or nations in New Mexico. Also, they must have demonstrated technical mastery of their craft. In addition to excellent quality, your purchase directly impacts the artisan and family. Also, jewelry prices were better than many stores we dropped into in Santa Fe.

Venture Beyond Santa Fe

Bandelier National Monument Cliff Dwellings

Bandelier National Monument is located in Canyon and Mesa country, about an hour’s drive from Santa Fe. We spent the day walking the 1.4-mile Pueblo Loop Trail and exploring Puebloan archeological sites, including cavates (small human-carved alcoves) in volcanic cliffs. Bring water. Most of this trail is in the open sun.

Valles Caldera National Preserve

Valles Caldera is about forty minutes from Bandolier National Monument in the Jemez Mountains. It’s known for its elk population (2,500-3,000), the second largest in New Mexico. It’s difficult to see in the photos, but the caldera is vast: 12-15 miles wide from our vantage point. Although we didn't see any elk, there’s a good chance they were there but at a distance. I recommend bringing binoculars and/or planning to be there closer to dusk. We were there mid-afternoon (which was not ideal for seeing the elk).

After New Mexico, we traveled across the Texas Panhandle. I’ll cover that part of our trip in a future article—lots to see along Route 66 in Texas! Stay tuned!

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