How to Spend a Healing Weekend in Santa Fe

I promise you, nowhere else in the world will heal you like a weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico will. I don’t know what it is, but there’s a reason the cast of Rent is daydreaming about this particular destination while in the throes of a New York City winter. And it’s why even after six+ visits, it’s still one of my favorite places in the world. Here’s all I recommend doing so you leave this town with a new sense of inner peace and calm.

Watch our “Places to Love” episode and then check out the guide below.

Where to Stay in for Your Weekend in Santa Fe

Inn of Five Graces

The Inn of Five Graces has such a special place in my heart! I came here when I first started filming “Great Hotels,” and to this day it’s one of the most impressive hotels I’ve ever visited. How many hotels can you say are entirely handmade? Located in historic Barrio de Analco, Ira and Sylvia Seret originally bought these adobe buildings to be showrooms for their import business. Visitors, however, kept inquiring about staying over, and soon the couple pivoted to creating a truly unique inn. Trust me when I tell you, you’re going to want to photograph every corner of their colorful interiors. Sylvia’s tile mosaics alone are incredible!

La Fonda on the Plaza

Another fantastic option is La Fonda on the Plaza. Not only is it centrally located and highly rated, it’s part of the very fabric of this city’s history. It sits on the same spot Santa Fe’s first inn sat on over 400 years ago and once saw the likes of gold seekers, soldiers, trappers, and intrepid explorers pass through. The current structure was built in 1922 and feels like stepping back in time.

One of the most unique things about La Fonda is that it’s one of the few Harvey Houses still standing. This chain of hospitality businesses was founded back in 1876 by entrepreneur, Fred Harvey. He wanted to promote southwest tourism and encourage train travelers to come visit. The women who worked at his hotels and restaurants became known as Harvey Girls, known for their clean-cut reputations. If you’re lucky, you might just run into a former Harvey Girl.

Where to Go For Your Weekend in Santa Fe

Santa Fe Plaza

If you’re not sure where to start your weekend in Santa Fe, just head to the historic Santa Fe Plaza. (And if you’re staying at La Fonda, you’re already there). This is the original city center and home to some of Santa Fe’s most classic landmarks like the Palace of Governors, aka the oldest public building in continuous use in America. If you’re curious about the state as a whole, you can also find the New Mexico Museum of Art and New Mexico History Museum right by the plaza as well. Keep an eye on Santa Fe’s event calendar when you come – there’s always something fun going on in the plaza!

The Capitol Art Collection

Art is good for the soul, and Santa Fe is known for its artistic culture. For a city on the smaller side, it’s home to over 300 galleries, museums, and shops. However, one of its most impressive collections is in one of the most unlikely places – the New Mexico State Capitol Building, aka the Roundhouse. The building itself is the only round capitol building in America and has a unique mix of pueblo and Greek revival architecture. Since 1990, it has housed what’s known as the Capitol Art Collection. This collection features over 900 works of art from over 600 artists who have lived and worked in New Mexico.

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

I may not remember every artist I learned about in high school, but I will always remember Georgia O’Keeffe. One of the most famous modern artists of the 1900s, her paintings, especially her take on flowers, were considered radical and are still widely recognizable today. She first visited New Mexico in 1929 and went on to spend every summer here until her husband’s death. Then she then moved here full time. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is a great way to learn more about her life and art. For those that want even more, you can drive about an hour over to Abiquiú to check out her home and studio. 

Ten Thousand Waves Spa and Resort

There are a lot of great ways to unwind in Santa Fe, but one of the best spots to relax at is Ten Thousand Waves Spa and Resort. I come here nearly every visit to sit and soak in one of their tubs. The baths are modeled after Japanese onsens and typically include outdoor pools, wet/dry saunas, sunning decks, cold plunges, and cold showers. Amp up your relaxation with a signature Japanese shiatsu massage.   

Santa Fe Farmers’ Market

Open every Saturday from 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is one of the best and oldest in the country. Spend the morning wandering through the different vendors (none of which are resellers!), and maybe pick up some lunch an outdoors’ trek later on. Then on Sunday, peruse the Railyard Artisan Market on Sundays

Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return

These days, Meow Wolf has a bit of a cult following with locations or sister museums in various cities around the U.S., but the immersive art company’s very first permanent installation is in Santa Fe. It’s known as the House of Eternal Return. Located in what was once a derelict bowling alley, the whole experience encourages you to run, play, touch, and just immerse yourself in the dreamworld version of someone’s home. Over 500 artists and volunteers have worked to put the space together, and there’s no experience quite like it.

Where to Get Outdoors

Dale Ball Trails

Part of a healing weekend in Santa Fe? Breaking a sweat and heading out into the great outdoors. Nearly all 25 miles of the Dale Ball trails are within Santa Fe city limits and offer some pretty spectacular views. Junction 7 is a particularly stunning overlook.

Aspen Vista Trail

The Aspen Vista Trail is one I come to every single visit to Santa Fe without fail. Back when my career first started picking up, I stumbled across this trail while driving and feeling incredibly overwhelmed. As silly as it might sound, I got out, started walking, and telling the trees all about my fears and concerns. Now I like to have a little catch-up with the trees every time I come back. It’s a relatively easy out-and-back trail. Just plug in Aspen Vista Picnic Site for the trailhead.

Where to Eat for Your Weekend in Santa Fe

Tia Sophia’s

Tia Sophia’s is THE place to get breakfast in Santa Fe. Beloved by locals and visitors alike for nearly 50 years, they focus on Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Grab a copy of the Santa Fe New Mexican and enjoy your breakfast burrito over some funnies. You should be able to find Ricardo Caté’s work! He’s the only Native American cartoonist in a daily, mainstream newspaper.

Tomasita’s

Another Santa Fe institution? Tomasita’s. They’ve been family-owned and operated for 50 years and are the best place for authentic Northern New Mexican soul food. What’s that mean exactly? Pure red and green chile (aka Christmas). New Mexico is known for its chile, and Tomasita’s gets theirs from fellow family-owned and operated businesses around Hatch, aka the chile capital of the world. I promise you’re gonna love their take on enchiladas when you come.

Cowgirl BBQ

Grab a drink (or a few) to top off this relaxing weekend. The southwest is known for having the perfect spice to make a good margarita, and you can follow the Margarita Trail in Santa Fe to see for yourself. Or just come on over to Cowgirl BBQ and embrace your inner cowgirl. They stock over 40 different tequilas and hear constantly that they’re visitors’ favorites from the trail. Come for happy hour or one of their daily events.

And there you have it – all the best ideas for a relaxing and healing weekend in Santa Fe. Anywhere you’d add? Let me know below!