Although Santa Fe has plenty to offer as a city, and so much creativity to enjoy, most of my time in Santa Fe was actually spent just outside of Santa Fe. My grandparents had a house in the foothills, which we would hike through on brisk days collecting fossils, arrowheads, and passing Native American burial grounds. I remember my sister and I wore maroon hiking boots and a fleece sweater over shorts. My dad would always pick up a big stick and whittle it down a bit, a walking stick to mark our way to wide desert sky sunsets. Out of the inspiring landscapes of Santa Fe’s loner outskirts comes the most beautiful art. And if you make it into the city, there’s plenty of art, cinema, and crafts to experience in Santa Fe.
Meow Wolf
The latest and craziest art installation in Santa Fe is by Meow Wolf, a sculptor who convertedan old bowling alley into a wildly futuristic and surreal amusement experience. Walk through a refrigerator door to discover another world. There’s a plot with aliens, but I don’t remember the details just now. Visit the place and find out for yourself.
Jean Cocteau Cinema
What better place is there to watch Game of Thrones than from an arthouse cinema theater owned by George R.R. Martin himself? He lives in Santa Fe, and frequents his theater on most weekends.
International Folk Art Festival Santa Fe
It seems like aneclectic art festival is always under way in Santa Fe, and my weekend there was no exception. The International Folk Art Festival brought tens of thousands of craftspeople and collectors to the high desert city of Santa Fe to sell and buy interesting works. Book your tickets early! So many people come from all over for this festival, that it’s a challenge to find a hotel room.
GeorgiaO’Keefe Museum
Georgia O’Keefe is likely the original loner artist creating highbrow works from the high desert. What an interesting woman. She moved to a stark and dramatic locale near Santa Fe called Ghost Ranch, where she created many of her most well-known paintings.
Loretto Chapel
Do you love a good mystery like I do? Check out the Loretto Chapel and the mysterious origins of its famous spiral staircase.
Palace of the Governors
Every time I travel, I like to pick up a new piece of sterling silver jewelry to add to my collection. Outside of the Palace of the Governors, Native Americans set up to sell their handcrafted metal jewelry. It’s so interesting to browse, and difficult to choose from! I ended up walking away with a few more pieces than I intended. Read on to find out what I couldn’t leave without.