first, short trip to Santa Fe
 

Will be staying at the Encantado Resort for 4 nights, 3 full days.
I have never visited Santa Fe before. What are your recommendations for activities and dining? thanks

What do you like to do? Outdoors, shop, museums, spa, hiking??

Will you have a car?

What kind of food are looking for - local, foodie worthy, pricey... fast food, cheap??

When is the trip?

Give us something more to work with for some suggestions.

The Plaza with its museums, galleries, churches, restaurants. Canyon Road galleries and shops. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.
Santa Fe Opera, if you are going this summer. Would have suggested Bandelier National Monument if you will have a car, but just read that parts of the park are closed now because of fire danger.

yes, sorry, I know better than to not provide more details. Mid-September, after the Festival. Fine dining at dinnertime is something we enjoy; casual lunches--great. Price is not a restriction. We are history and sightseeing buffs. Will probably have a car, not entirely sure yet, but probably. A little art gallery browsing is fun, but not our primary interest.
We are considering a hot air balloon ride. And somebody said something about llamas. I also love taking (amateur) photographs of the local landscapes and flora.

Santa Fe restaurant recommendations?

Restaurants - http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/792624

Museum Hill: http://museumhill.org/

Tent Rocks for some amazing photo ops: [closed right now due to fire]
http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/rec...ent_rocks.html

Turquoise Trail for photo ops: http://www.turquoisetrail.org/

Also, put Santa Fe into the search box, several recent threads.

Any comments regarding a side trip to Taos?

Taos is lovely, worth a day trip. Take the high road through some beautiful country, visit the pueblo, etc.

Lee Ann

I read something about llamas...

Also, one of my TC's is proposing a hot air balloon ride, at sunrise. Has anyone here done that?

I have flown in hot air balloon more than 2 dozen times in the 10 years I have lived in NM. It is an amazing experience although I fly with a private pilot, not a commercial one. It isn't cheap, but it is memorable. My DH, on the other hand, won't go in one [height issues among others].

There is a trip report here about the llama's.