Top Reasons to Go

Small-town sophistication: For a tiny, remote community, Taos supports a richly urbane culinary scene, a fantastic bounty of galleries and design shops, and plenty of stylish B&Bs and inns.

Indigenous and artistic roots: The Taos Pueblo and its inhabitants have lived in this region for centuries and continue to play a vital role the community. And few U.S. towns this size have a better crop of first-rate art museums, which document the history of one of the West’s most prolific arts colonies.

Desert solitaire: Few panoramas in the Southwest can compare with that of the 13,000-foot Sangre de Cristo Mountains soaring over the adobe homes of Taos, and beyond that, the endless high-desert mesa that extends for miles to the west.

World-class ski slopes: Just a 30-minute drive north of town, Taos Ski Valley has long been one of the top winter-sports resorts in the West and has recently added a luxury hotel and a number of new facilities.