We fly to ABQ Friday for our family two week vacation in NM and SW Colorado. We start with 4 days at Tamaya from which we do day trips to Bandelier, Los Almos, maybe Tent Rocks. We'll be picnicking for many of our day trips. Any suggestions for a place for some provisions (I don't need alot of stuff, just good food)? Maybe a grocery or small gourmet market? Anything in the area?

After that we head to Taos for a few days there. Does anyone have a grocery preference there?

There is an Albertsons <5min from the hotel, and a mega WalMart just past that. You go straight on 528 as you exit the Tamaya property.

In Taos there is a Smiths right near downtown Taos - 2min S of town, an Albertsons a couple of mi south of that and Cid's organic grocery just north of town.

I found that Smiths has as much organic stuff as Cid's, but at better prices. They are part of the Kroger chain, so if you have a Kroger card it works there. If not, you can get a discount card at checkout.

FYI, the rooms at Tamaya have a nice little fridge, so it's handy to store some perishables in the room.

We didn't travel with one but found it very handy to pick up a $20 cooler at WalMart for our recent trip to the area. Allowed us to keep some perishables like juice/milk from town to town & save a lot of $ & time by eating breakfast in room & packing picnic like you plan to.

You didn't ask, but here are some restaurant ideas.

Near Tamaya - Range Cafe (good sw/mexican food), or Albiqui (didn't go there). (ideas thanks to Ellen & Debi) - the hotel can give you directions. The patio cafe at the Hyatt was ok but overpriced - the Range cafe is a quick drive away & much better.

Taos - good pizza @ Taos Pizza Outback, just north of town.

We ate a salad at the hotel bar one night and sushi at Ginza another. Both were good, and a nice change after many days of SW in a row.

Thanks for the shopping tips and I am always looking for restaurant reccommendations!
I'm glad to know that there is a small fridge in the room. I hate to pay hotel prices for 6 people, especially for breakfast. I will also pick up a cooler which I think will come in very handy for picnics and car trips.

By the way, J62, do you have any favorites in the area. It's our first trip and we're getting pretty excited! I'm trying to educate the kids a little b/f we arrive so that they can have some background. I'm really looking forward to it!

You've already listed some of our favorites.

Bandelier. The whole family will enjoy the Main Loop Trail, and climbing up into some of the small caves. There is a slightly longer trail to the Alcove House that 12yr old may enjoy, but probably too many ladders (5 ladders up 150') for the younger ones.

www.nps.gov/band/

Tent Rocks - really cool formations - be sure to get out early to avoid mid day heat (ditto for Bandelier).

We didn't visit Los Alamos, but the science museum there is supposed to be neat.

Santa Fe:
Lunch or dinner at The Shed or Choza (same owners), but outside town near the Whole Foods. Spoiled us on SW/Mex food - nothing after that on our trip compared.

Jackalope Store. There's one right near the Tamaya, and one in SF. It's full of all sorts of kitsch but fun to browse. Somewhat hokey for a vacation stop, but what the heck. Kids may get a kick out of some of the stuff and it's right near Tamaya.

www.jackalope.com

Taos.
Definitely Taos Pueblo. Take the 20min tour, sample some fried bread.

Drive to Taos Gorge bridge - amazing view.

Rafting on the Rio Grande. 1/2 our group took a 3hr float with Los Rios outfitters (there are several) - gentle float. There is also a more exciting 1/2 day ride through the racecourse. Cool water was a nice respite from the heat.

This website has water levels - they're higher than historical numbers. We went at 2000 cfs and the float was fun. Looks like current levels are ~700cfs - quite a bit lower. The outfitters can tell you how it'll be at current water levels.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?08276500