Every month, we take a look at day trips that Albuquerque residents might find interesting. With Santa Fe’s recent win as Travel and Leisure magazine’s number one travel destination, we thought it was time to feature our state capital.
We asked Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber why he thinks Travel and Leisure’s readers voted the city as their favorite destination. He told us, “We have so much to offer with so much heart and spirit, and it’s so welcoming on the part of everybody in the city. This is really an award for the entire city. You walk down the street here in Santa Fe, and you see somebody on the street corner looking at their cell phone, looking puzzled. One of our residents is going to walk up to them and say, ‘Can I help you?’ That kind of welcoming attitude is what Santa Fe offers... and it’s the hotels, restaurants, shops, museums, music, galleries, and the cultural events.”
Mayor Webber continues, “In addition to being voted number one travel destination in the US, Santa Fe was also ranked in the top 25 cities to visit worldwide. No other US city was on that list. After 400 years, we think Santa Fe’s moment has finally arrived.”
Founded in 1610, Santa Fe is the oldest and highest-altitude state capital in the US. Blending indigenous, Spanish, and American influences, Santa Fe is considered the cultural capital of the Southwestern United States and is widely regarded as one of the country's great art cities due to its vibrant art scene. One-tenth of all employment is related to artistic and cultural industries, with writers and authors comprising the highest proportion of the labor force of any US city.
Mayor Webber said, “Creative people come here because they can be themselves and not be subjected to paparazzi. We have our fair share of people who are famous for one reason or another, whether it's their incredible storytelling skills as writers, poets, or filmmakers.”
Landmarks and cultural attractions that are a must-see include: the Santa Fe Plaza, where there are regular concerts and art fairs, the Palace of the Governors that features a market for Indigenous craftspeople to display and sell their work, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, featuring the artist’s legacy, and Meow Wolf, an immersive and surreal art exhibit.
The music scene in Santa Fe is extraordinary. The Lensic Performing Arts Center is a world-class theatre that offers a diverse repertoire of music and dance, and the Santa Fe Opera is rated by some critics as second only to The Metropolitan Opera of New York. The Rail Yards also has craft displays and free live music, and can be accessed by the Rail Runner train from ABQ.
Another feature of Santa Fe is the sheer number of festivals. According to Randy Randall, Santa Fe’s Tourism Director, there are over one hundred annual cultural events in the city. He tells us, “We have the Spanish Market, the Canyon Road Walk, the International Film Festival, the Indian Market (the largest Native American crafts market in the country), the Burning of the Zozobra, the Santa Fe Jazz Festival...the list goes on and on. Really, just about any weekend there’s something going on.”
He says another draw to the city is the ambience of the architecture. “How the city looks and feels with the Adobe structures...there's just no place like it. In the historic district, there's very tight controls on any exterior renovation or new construction. Santa Fe was actually one of the first cities in the United States to put in protective codes to ensure that the architecture and the ambiance didn't change.”
Of course, Santa Fe is internationally recognized as a destination for foodies. Randy tells us, “Santa Fe attracts a lot of big-time chefs. We’ve got at least two James Beard Best Chefs of the Southwest who are in Santa Fe full-time. We've got numerous chefs who have been nominated for honors in the James Beard organization. The city is known for its northern New Mexican fine dining, but there’s just about every kind of ethnic cuisine here.”
It's only an hour’s drive to the number one travel destination in the country. Festival details can be found at numerous places online, as well as the Rail Runner train schedule.
"After 400 years, we think Santa Fe’s moment has finally arrived."