Day Out from Santa Fe
 

On our first time visit to New Mexico, we will be mostly in Santa Fe and Taos. We plan a day out from Taos to the Taos Pueblo. We are considering a day out from Santa Fe to Bandelier National Monument. Any thoughts on Bandelier? We’d also appreciate any suggestions for alternatives or additions.

The Taos pueblo is right in town, so you actually won't need a "day out."

Bandelier is about 45 minutes to an hour from Santa Fe and very enjoyable.

How much time will you have in the area?

Bandelier is great! www.nps.gov/band for information, including parking.

What are your interests?

Lee Ann

Thanks for such quick and great responses. We'll drive from ABQ to Santa Fe, arriving in the later afternoon. Then 4 full days in SF before driving to Taos. An afternoon in Taos, another full day, and a final morning in Taos before driving to ABQ in the late afternoon.
On the day we go to Bandelier, we're considering whether stopping at Santa Clara and/or Sant Ildefonzo would be good. Any thoughts on either or both. We love their pottery and understand it's available in Taos and SF but we'd stop at the pueblos if folks think it's doable and worthwhile. Thanks again.

Sorry, Lee Ann. I didn't respond to you question about our interests. We want to get as much of an overall sense of this part of NM in the 7-8 days we have: the land, the towns, the pueblos. We are especially interested in fine craft ceramics and art, so we will spend at least one full day in SF in the galleries. Tai and Santa Fe Clay are two destinations, but we're trying to zero in on others. And we're looking forward to a variety of southwestern cuisine.

Check to see when the pueblos are open to the public at this link - http://www.indianpueblo.org/19pueblos/index.html

Lee Ann

Consider taking Highway 14, aka The Turquoise Trail, from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. It is much more interesting than the freeway and there are some interesting old towns along the way. www.turquoisetrail.org

We enjoyed Bandelier. I would recommend going with a guide (they leave pretty regularly and are free).

Another idea is to hike tent rocks, also "near" Santa Fe.

The Taos pueblo was a bit overrated IMHO.

Our favorite day trip from Santa Fe is to drive south on scenic 337 to the dramatic 17th-Century ruins at Quarai, one of three sites of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

In nearby Mountainaire the 1923 Shaffer Hotel is in the rare Pueblo Deco style. We like to have lunch in the very good Mexican restaurant that has taken over the interesting dining room there.

HTtY

The restaurant in the Shafer Hotel may have closed. If so, perhaps the hotel will let you check out the interesting decor in the dining room.

HTtY

The Discovery Channel did a '15 Travel Bests' episode on the Santa Fe/Taos area. If you can find a way to see it it would be worthwhile. Bandalier was one of the 15 'bests' in the area.