Santa Fe was not on my radar. It wasn’t on my list of potential places to visit. I was actually not interested. When work brought me here for a conference, my expectations were not that high. I hate to be so brutally honest, but these were truly my sentiments. Not only was I wrong, but I have already planned my next trip back to the Santa Fe area. There is definitely more to see. What I want to talk about here is all of the wonderful things that I visited on my first trip that are a “must see” in my opinion.
1. Gruet Tasting Room. If you are a fan of sparkling wines, this is the place for you. Personally, I am a huge fan of bubbles. This tasting room is located inside the Hotel St. Francis. It is small with an outdoor patio and some bar seating. The feel is warm and cozy. We went in the afternoon and sat at the bar due to the heat. I tried the heritage flight of bubbles, which included four sparkling wines. In the afternoon, they do offer a happy hour where you can get half price glasses of bubbles. Since visiting, I have noticed they sell some of their more common bottles in Texas. I really enjoy their product as their bottles are tasty and affordable. Typically, they run somewhere between $14-$16 a bottle. It is something that I always have on reserve at home.
2. Herve Tasting Room. This is another tasting room that offers food as well. It is a relatively new edition to Santa Fe. It offers a little more extensive variety of wines. Their rose was quite good and has been a previous award winner. They also offer port, which most of the wine rooms do not. I tried the Kiva as part of my selection of four in the tasting flight. The atmosphere is relaxed and the seating is a little more plentiful than at the Gruet Tasting Room.
3. Meow Wolf. I never heard of Meow Wolf before visiting Santa Fe. Fortunately, we had an Uber driver that did us a huge favor. We started talking about things to do. He encouraged us to google Meow Wolf, but he wouldn’t tell us what it was. The next day we decided that this was going to be on the agenda. Their website is rather vague, but enticing. It is essentially a fun playhouse for adults. There are art installations and doors/mysteries around every corner. You could really spend quite some time exploring here, or you can walk right through for something more abbreviated. It was so much fun! We went after enjoying a tasting flight at the Gruet tasting room, which turned out to be the perfect afternoon. You cannot go to Santa Fe and not make a trip to Meow Wolf.
4. Loretto Chapel. This chapel is near the main square in Santa Fe. The mysterious “miraculous staircase” is inside. There is a small fee for entrance. You can take photos inside and listen to the story of the staircase. I won’t spoil the story before your visit.
5. Window shopping. Santa Fe is a great place to do some strolling and window shopping. The city has its own style. There are many shops and galleries to enjoy. Don’t miss the opportunity for a leisurely afternoon stroll for jewelry, art, and other unique finds. Nambe is a brand of serveware and decor pieces that hails from New Mexico. It is one of many stores with some beautiful pieces.
Separate from this post, I included my review of the Ten Thousand Waves Spa. I also feel this is a must visit on a first trip to Santa Fe. This is a unique Japanese style spa, hotel, and restaurant. In addition, there are also hiking trails and nature to enjoy in the immediate area.
