Did you know that Santa Fe, is the capital of the state of New Mexico and one of the oldest capitals in the United States? Well now you do. I asked Justin for intro inspiration for this post and he stated “New Mexico: known for art shit and sunsets.”So that’s what I’m going with.
We stayed at the Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder Casino and Resort for two nights. The hotel is located 15 minutes north of The Historic Plaza in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico and features three 9-hole golf courses an outdoor pool and the relaxing Wo’ P’in spa.
Day 1
Once we checked into the hotel we took the quick drive to The Historical Plaza and walked around downtown Santa Fe. I thought it would be fun to shop for pottery but quickly learned that it’s not “fun” to shop for pottery. I discovered that a 2-inch diameter piece of pottery cost anywhere from $400-$1200, and while I was close to a piece I told the man it just “wasn’t speaking to me”, aka I don’t know if this is worth it to me.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the plaza and visiting the local artists who sell on the street.
A must see in Santa Fe is the Loretto Chapel known for it’s unusual helix-shaped spiral staircase (the “Miraculous Stair”). The name and origin of the builder have still not been verified. The Sisters of Loretto credited St. Joseph with its construction, at the time.
It has been the subject of legend, and the circumstances surrounding its construction and its builder were considered miraculous by the Sisters of Loretto. The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support, meaning it shouldn’t still be standing.
Visit the chapels’ website for the complete history of the staircase.
We spent the first night in the hotel and by the pool, losing money at the casino, (only $100, we are not gamblers!) eating in the hotel restaurant, drinking margaritas and looking at all the art. The hotel offers painting, pottery, sculptures and jewelry representing every Native Tribe within New Mexico.
Check out all the hotel has to offer here.
Day 2
The next morning, we got up and took about an hour drive to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. This turned out to be the highlight of our trip! The cone-shaped tent rock formations are the products of volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago and left pumice, ash, and tuff deposits over 1,000 feet thick.
Be sure to bring cash to enter the park, you are on a remote road for about 30 minutes while on tribal lands. (we didn’t have cash, which looking back was really stupid, buy anyway, just make sure you have at least $5 to get into the park. Or you might get yelled at by the park ranger rambling about ‘his little man’ who I almost ran over…there was no little man). If you forget anything there is a local gas station 10 minutes from the park.
Parking was REALLY limited. I would advise getting there first thing in the morning to ensure you don’t have to sit in the car for 30 minutes waiting for a spot. We were lucky and got a spot within 5 minutes but I saw others waiting much longer when we left.
The park ranger informed us there are three main trails in the park; the Cave Loop Trail is 1.2 miles long, rated as easy. The more difficult Canyon Trail is a 1.5-mile, one-way trek into a narrow canyon with a steep (630-ft) climb to the mesa top for excellent views of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia mountains and the Rio Grande Valley. Lastly the Veterans Memorial Trail is a 1-mile long loop trail, rated as very easy and is wheel chair accessible.
We hiked Canyon Trail and it was amazing! The canyon slots were entertaining and are great photo opportunities. Once you reach the end of the 1.5-mile trail you can look back and take in the views of which you just climbed.
Also nearby is Bandelier National Monument where you can see remnants of ancient native dwellings. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to visit which Just creates a reason for a next time!
Dinner on night two was downtown Santa Fe at the Rooftop Pizzeria, right off the historical plaza, which came with a ton of recommendations. Not what you think of as a typical New Mexican meal, but totally worth it. We ordered the BBQ Hawaiian weekly special pizza and bruschetta along with side salads. I highly recommend this place if you’re in Santa Fe.
The last thing I have to note about Santa Fe is the beautiful sunsets, be sure to catch one!
