Unusual Things To Do In Santa Fe
Things To Do In Santa Fe: This has been our number one for a while now for a reason. The mysterious multiverse of Meow Wolf brilliantly blends interactive art installations with a fantastical funhouse in “House of Eternal Return,” the permanent exhibit created by a collaborative group of young artists. Housed in a former bowling center that’s morphed into a giant play park, Meow Wolf’s wild journey begins in a Victorian mansion with a mind-bending mystery and quickly unfolds into otherworldly realms of the tunnel and secret passages. Don’t miss the gleeful gift shop or the playful Float Cafe and Bar. The year-round calendar of events includes workshops, lectures, and cool concerts.
Santa Fe, the New Mexico capital, lies on a tributary of the Rio Grande on the southwestern slopes of the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This fun and fascinating city gain its particular atmosphere from the mingling of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American cultural influences. Its picturesque streets and lanes, low adobe houses, beautiful Spanish colonial churches, as well as the profusion of Native American arts and crafts and contemporary art have long been a sightseeing attraction for tourists.
In the forest-covered mountain country around the town, visitors can discover a number of fascinating Native American pueblos that are still occupied. During the last 20 years, excellent winter sports facilities have been developed in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe, adding to the list of things to do in the area.
Things To Do In Santa Fe New Mexico
One of the architectural jewels of Santa Fe is the Loretto Chapel, located just south of the Santa Fe Plaza. According to the legend, a mysterious man came to the unfinished chapel after the Sisters of Loretto prayed for nine days for help to complete the project. Behind closed doors, the man built the Miraculous Staircase with only simple tools, then disappeared before the sisters could pay or even thank him. Regardless of the origin, the chapel and its staircase are beautiful.
Canyon Road, the epicenter of Santa Fe’s artistic culture, is the first and last stop for most visitors. But while the commercial galleries and public museums found there often steal the thunder of the historic monuments, you must still check out Plaza sites like the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Palace of the Governors. For a little living culture, support local commerce at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. And if you arrive wanting fresh air, the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains are great for hiking, skiing, horseback riding, and biking. Canyon Road was once a trade route leading to the community of Pecos on the eastern slope of the mountains.
Today, it hosts numerous artists’ studios, galleries, and craft workshops, as well as cafes, tea-houses, and restaurants. All kinds of art, from sculptures and paintings to jewelry and pottery, are for show and sale along the road – most of it with a Southwestern flair. When you are done strolling around, there are also plenty of restaurants and places to relax.
What is Santa Fe known for?
What is the best time to visit Santa Fe?
What is there to do in Santa Fe in the winter?
- Dive Into Winter Sports. …
- Stroll Canyon Road. …
- Tour the Santa Fe Plaza. …
- Visit the Museum of International Folk Art. …
- Stop by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. …
- 6. Make Your Own Liquid Light Glass. …
- Shop at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. …
- Relax at Ten Thousand Waves.
Things To Do In Santa Fe Nm
The Santa Fe Opera House is a world-renowned venue that plays host to a variety of operas each summer. The company has presented operas – comedies, dramas, tragedies, and more – every summer since 1957. The venue itself is an open-air theater surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountain ranges, which means it offers some gorgeous views, and it can accommodate around 2,200 spectators. Patrons can arrive up to three hours prior to the show and many often do, specifically to tailgate in the surrounding parking lots with picnics, gourmet meals, and drinks. (The opera also offers special dining options like premade tailgate picnics and preview buffet dinners for a set price.)
Recent visitors offered plenty of praise for the Santa Fe Opera, saying the singers were impressive and that the setting is quite picturesque. Travelers and residents agree that tailgating is a must – people are dressed to the nines, sipping on Champagne and savoring “chic eats,” so plan to bring some food and drinks to enjoy. Some warn that you may experience thunderstorms, but that the lightning makes for an even more dramatic backdrop during the show.
Since the city’s founding in 1610, the Santa Fe Plaza has been its cultural hub, hosting bullfights and fandangos. Today, surrounded by numerous ancient buildings like the San Miguel Mission and the Palace of the Governors, the Plaza continues to be the epicenter of Santa Fean affairs, from live music to September’s Santa Fe Fiesta. The Plaza, which is a National Historic Landmark, hosts Indian and Spanish markets regularly, in addition to concerts and community gatherings. Any night of the week, the Plaza is buzzing with activity with people enjoying restaurants, perusing galleries and checking out souvenir shops. Save a little money to do some trinket shopping while here: Santa Fe Plaza is full of vendors selling authentic Native American crafts, but be wary of the inflated prices.
Visitors say you have to make a point to stop by the Santa Fe Plaza to experience the lively atmosphere, noting that there always seems to be something going on, whether it’s a parade, a market, or a festival. Recent travelers also suggested taking time to browse the various shops around the Plaza, but do warn things seemed a little overpriced.
Best Things To Do In Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Opera House is the state’s top-performing arts center, presenting a wide variety of operatic works that range from traditional favorites like Madame Butterfly to contemporary performances like Doctor Atomic. One of the most endearing traditions here in Santa Fe is tailgating – a unique sight indeed as throngs of theatergoers in formal wear mingle in the parking lot while nibbling on upscale finger-food. In addition to seasonal performances, the opera house provides apprenticeship programs for all aspects of production, and backstage tours are available to visitors year-round.
Museum of Indian Arts and Culture – Laboratory of Anthropology
One of the centerpieces of the entire Southwest, the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture was founded in 1909 with the mission to preserve the material culture of the Native Americans of the region – a people who at that time were enduring major transition and perhaps extinction. Today, the museum hosts impressive collections of pottery, jewelry, basketry, and saddle blankets, as well as regular performances of Native American music, dances, storytelling, and other traditions. The facility is also home to extensive archives and research collections that include photographs, ethnographic records, and archaeological.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is a lovely example of Romanesque Revival architecture, characterized by its Corinthian columns, rounded arches, and square towers. Built between 1869 and 1886, it took the place of a much older adobe chapel. The last remaining piece of the original church houses a statue of the Virgin Mary known as Our Lady La Conquistadora. The statue was first brought to the site in 1626 from Spain and is the oldest of its kind in the United States. The cathedral’s interior is impressive yet simple, enhanced by features such as a Brazilian granite baptismal font, stained glass imported from France, and delicate woodwork. One of its most remarkable features, and one that has spurred much debate over the centuries, is the keystone with a carving of the Tetragrammaton in Hebrew.
Liquid Light Glass
Loretto Chapel
In 1850 Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy requested that the Sisters of Loretto send seven members from Kentucky to Santa Fe to help him grow the struggling New Mexico educational system. In 1853, the sisters opened the Academy of Our Lady of Light for 300 girls and Lamy rewarded them by constructing this touching Gothic Revival-style Chapel. Designed by French architect Antoine Mouly, the spires, buttresses, and stained-glass windows of the chapel make the spirit soar. The chapel is also home to a unique spiral staircase made entirely of wood and supported by a hidden central column that gives the structure the appearance of hanging free in the air.
