Santa Fe New Mexico Exploring the Southwest

New Mexico, with all her splendor often times go unnoticed when one considers traveling to the Southwest United States. Typically, it seems a visit to the neighboring states of Arizona, with the Grand Canyon, and Utah’s elaborate national parks comes first to mind. Yet located in the South Western part of the United States and cradled by the Colorados to the north and the high desert to the west, New Mexico is a land of diversity, texture and the mystic. It’s a place where one can heal the soul and connect with the earth. There are many great roads that will lead you towards New Mexico’s capital city of Santa Fe. Together, we will explore these lands here at Style Utah, yet when you arrive in the New Mexico country things start to feel a little mystical rather quickly.

Santa Fe is known as The City Different and the region is a reflection of itself and it’s diversity. A place that is a combination of deeply rooted culture and breath taking landscapes, the overall vibe of Santa Fe is incredibly peaceful and chill. When you arrive in Santa Fe you will find you are surrounded by art and colorful, yet humble pueblo-style architecture, including elaborate Spanish churches.

Beautiful Sunshine in Santa Fe

Santa Fe has an average of 325 sunny days a year allowing for ample opportunities to hike and explore the Southwest region. With a semi-arid climate, and high altitude, Santa Fe is perfect for those looking for a cool desert outdoor getaway, with temperatures remaining cool and comfortable through February and beginning to warm up in May into a Summer vibe. And in the winter months, don’t let the desert fool you because you do feel the cold temperatures and will witness snow fall with temperatures getting down to 17 degrees in the winter but nothing too crazy compared to winters in the East coast or further up North.

Explore the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains and check out some of these hikes.

• Pikacho Peak Trail
• Kasha-Katuwe Tent Trail
• La Vista Verde Trail
• Williams Lake Trail

Remember to stay refreshed and hydrated on the trails and keep an eye out for rattle snakes and other fantastical creatures of the desert.

Luxury in Santa Fe, New Mexico

When we think of luxury, New Mexico might not be first of mind unless you have experienced the Four Seasons Rancho Encantado. Only then, when the the crisp desert night welcomes you into your hotel suite after a day of pampering might you truly understand luxury. Exploring luxury in Santa Fe by relaxing at one of the top rated hotel resorts and spas offering the perfect environment to escape, reconnect with nature and be pampered with exclusive spa treatment surrounded by the beautiful desert scenery.

Enjoy the desert life while being pampered at one of the resort and spa facilities listed below.  If you are looking for the perfect balance between luxury and outdoor adventure, the guide to exploration into luxury living in Santa Fe and what hotels we recommend for the traveler visiting Santa Fe with luxury in mind is stated below.

Four Seasons Rancho Encantado

Seclusion is a key element to the Southwest and at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado the suites available will offer you views and seclusion. Best of both worlds. The spa is currently closed yet the hotel and the restaurant Terra is open for your enjoyment.

Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa

The Inn of The Five Graces

Artists and Art Centric To Santa Fe

Find your way to Canyon Road and here you might understand why artists flocked to Santa Fe to call the beautiful land home and for a visual artist, it was all for good reasons. The desert region offers colors, textures and space for uninterrupted tranquility that many artists long for in order to create beautiful art. The art that one might find in Santa Fe tends to be reflective of the desert region. Often times when people think of the typical Southwestern stereotypes thoughts of New Mexico it’s the art come to mind. This shows what a strong influence the artists have had on New Mexico and through the art, you see how New Mexico influenced these artists.

Learn about the history of Santa Fe artwork and explore some of the artists work including Gustave Baumann and the Taos Society of Artists. Chaco Cultural National Historic Park is situated in the Northwestern part of New Mexico and offers a solid position for one to begin to understand the history of New Mexico and as you enter into the city of Santa Fe, you may gain a stronger appreciation for the art and architecture. Santa Fe is located 170 miles east of Chaco.

Museums for the Family and Tons of Outdoor Activities

The City Different has lots of great trails to explore. And in combination with the art, the opportunity to ride a historic working railroad while you enjoy the unique architecture of downtown Santa Fe including culturial museums! Santa Fe is a place where kids can explore their more wild, adventurous side. Head out to the desert and explore ancient Native American ruins that surround the rocks. Here you will find petroglyphs or visit a living history museum devoted to Spanish Colonial life.

Kids and families can enjoy the time together and appreciate centuries-old adobe and European-style churches. These churches are very old and some of the oldest establishments in the United States.

Santa Fe’s Low-Key Nightlife

Santa Fe is the place I recommend going to rejuvenate and escape. The sun vibes are perfect for bathing in almost any time of the year, even in winter months. And when the sun goes down, people get hungry and want to dine. The dining scene in Santa Fe continues to grow. For those restaurants who have survived the pandemic’s grips on the economy, they are looking forward to a future of growth in Santa Fe from people moving in as well as visitors.

When searching for live music in Santa Fe, we recommend starting at the historic El Farol on Canyon Road to Second Street Brewery.

Casinos in Santa Fe

There are four casinos within a desert stones throw away from Santa Fe. Buffalo Thunder Casino, Cities of Gold Casino & Hotel, Red Sage, and Tesuque Casino.

Road Trips to Explore Santa Fe

If you are planning to fly into the area, Santa Fe is an hour away from New Mexico’s busiest airport. And we will talk about some options of ways to travel a little bit later. First, let’s talk of what to expect when heading towards New Mexico and the beautiful city of Santa Fe. From Colorado Springs to Santa Fe it is a four and 1/2 hour drive of scenic beauty with this recommended route to travel. The first way we recommend you travel from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe is straight down the I-25 freeway with pitstops in two specific towns, Trinidad Colorado and Raton New Mexico. Then just after Raton take the scenic 64 freeway towards Taos and into Santa Fe. It is an incredibly beautiful route.

Here are some of my absolute favorite art galleries I enjoyed visiting when I lived in Santa Fe. Stop into the Keshi, the Zuni Connection gallery on Don Gaspar Avenue for the largest collection of Zuni art available in Santa Fe. Another great place to stop at is the Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Fe. If you are coming from the Salt Lake City area, there are two different ways that you can go.