Sightseeing Tours in Santa Fe

General Interest

Aboot About has been walking groups through the history, art, and architecture of Santa Fe since the late 1970s. Tours leave daily at 9:30 and 1:30 from the Eldorado Hotel, 9:45 and 1:45 from the Hotel St. Francis, and Saturday and Monday at 9:45 from La Posada Resort. Tours take about two hours. No reservations are required. The company also offers a variety of additional tours on everything from ghosts and legends to Georgia O'Keeffe Country to local culinary rambles. Great Southwest Adventures conducts guided mountain hikes and 7- to 35-passenger van and bus excursions to Bandelier, Abiquiu, Taos, and elsewhere in the region; it also provides a shuttle service to and from downtown hotels and the Santa Fe Opera. Santa Fe Detours conducts bus, river, rail, horseback, and walking tours and organizes rafting and ski packages. This is an excellent choice if you're looking for a general overview of the city and some of the nearby attractions. The walking tours are offered daily at 9:30 and 1:30 from the northeast corner of the Plaza. Custom Tours by Clarice are guided open-air tram excursions that run five times a day from the corner of Lincoln Avenue and West Palace Avenue. These 90-minute tours offer a nice overview of downtown; the company also gives bus and shuttle tours of Bandelier and Taos, and shuttle services from town to the Santa Fe Opera.

Rojo Tours designs specialized trips—to view wildflowers, pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings, galleries and studios, Native American arts and crafts, and private homes—as well as adventure activity tours. Santa Fe Guides is an organization of about 15 respected independent tour guides—their Web site lists each member and his or her specialties.

For an unforgettable bird's-eye view of the region, book a helicopter tour with HeliNM, which offers several different trips, costing from about $75 and up per person—popular destinations include the Turquoise Trail, Tent Rocks and Los Alamos, Pecos Wilderness, and O'Keeffe Country. These tours depart from Santa Fe Municipal Airport, and charters are also available.

Information

Aboot About (505/988-2774 or 866/614-8404. www.abootabout.com). Custom Tours By Clarice (505/438-7116. www.santafecustomtours.com). Great Southwest Adventures (505/455-2700. www.swadventures.com). HeliNM (866/995-1058. www.helinm.com). Rojo Tours (505/474-8333. www.rojotours.com). Santa Fe Detours (505/983-6565 or 800/338-6877. www.sfdetours.com). Santa Fe Guides (505/466-4877. www.santafeguides.org).

Learning Experiences

Art Adventures in the Southwest takes you into the New Mexico landscape for outdoor art classes with Jane Shoenfeld. All materials are supplied, and all experience levels are welcome. Santa Fe Art Institute is housed in the Visual Arts Center designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta (a Modernist break from Santa Fe style). The institute (not part of the College of Santa Fe) offers weeklong workshops that have been led by such renowned artists as Phoebe Adams and Richard Diebenkorn. Dormitory quarters are available and studio space is provided. Workshops are offered year-round.

Santa Fe Photographic Workshops offers workshops in photographic processes, including digital imaging, platinum, and travel photography. The workshops have an excellent reputation, and many instructors return year after year. Santa Fe School of Cooking holds night and day classes in regional New Mexican fare.

Information

Art Adventures in the Southwest (505/986-1108. www.skyfields.net). Santa Fe Art Institute (1600 St. Michael's Dr., College of Santa Fe campus. 505/424-5050. www.sfai.org). Santa Fe Photographic Workshops (505/983-1400. www.sfworkshop.com). Santa Fe School of Cooking (505/983-4511 or 800/982-4688. www.santafeschoolofcooking.com).