New Mexico - SimplyLifewithAllison

10 Places You Must Visit in the Santa Fe Area

Recently, during our Spring Break, we visited the beautiful state of New Mexico. We had never witnessed mountains before or parts of the southwest region, so we planned a wonderful vacation to see what is known as the Land of Enchantment. If you have never seen the beauty of this part of the United States, I highly suggest going. There is something magical and wondrous seeing the snow capped mountains in the distance, and experiencing the culture rich in Native American, Mexican and European American. Here are 10 places you must visit in the Santa Fe and Albuquerque area:

Hyatt Regency of Tamaya Resort and Spa.

There are so many hotels and places to stay in New Mexico. Altough, during our visit we centered our stay on visiting the areas of Santa Fe, Albuquerque and places in between. This resort is located in the city of Bernalillo. It was fantastic! It is located near the Sandia Mountains and Rio Grande river and includes so many wonderful amenities. Every morning when you wake up you can drink your coffee looking at the mountains as the sun rises. Amenities include:

walking trails,
a golf course
horseback riding
bike riding
a pool with a hot tub
a spa and fitness area
cultural activities for kids to experience
dining choices.

Not to mention..the hotel gave small complementary margaritas… Days where we were tired from traveling around the cities with three kids we were able to go back to our hotel and still have fun.

Downtown Santa Fe and the Plaza.

Rich in pueblo-style architecture and history downtown Santa Fe has so many delightful restaurants, boutiques, museums and art galleries. The winding streets are completely walkable and you can find a variety of items influenced by Indian and Spanish culture.

De Colores

De Colores in downtown Santa Fe is an adorable store with a variety of items that are great as souvenirs. Beautiful cultural dresses, shirts, sweatshirts, adorable native dolls, purses, dreamcatchers, jewelry, and toys. Whatever you are looking for to take home or give to someone else you are going to find it here.

The Loretto Chapel

You can’t leave the Santa Fe area without visiting the beautiful Loretto Chapel with the “miraculous staircase”. Completed in 1878 the Loretto Chapel holds a few mysteries with its winding staircase that holds such a historic phenomenon. You will have to pay a $5 admission fee (which I feel is too high for the short amount of time you spend there), but it is a beautiful place of worship that is worth witnessing. The worship space is very small so be prepared to squeeze between people. You can take pictures inside when viewing the staircase, gorgeous stained glass and sculptures of Jesus’ crucifixion.

San Miguel Church

The San Miguel Chapel, also located in the heart of Santa Fe, is the oldest chapel in the United States. The 400 year old church was built by the Tlaxcalan Indians. These Indians traveled with Spanish explorer Juan de Onate during the late 1500’s. The chapel’s history can be seen inside through the old, creaky wooden floors, the San Jose bell, and rich artwork. It is a great site to see and to learn about its historical significance during the Spanish exploration.

Meow Wolf

This is quite an experience that the whole family will enjoy. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico this place offers multimedia elements through a mysterious story that you are challenged to try to figure out. Inside there is a variety of interactive artworks with so many twists and turns that keep you entertained. You will want you to explore the entire place. Plan to spend some time here because you will be immersed into the world inside. There are tight spaces to squeeze through and crawl through. I advise that you check out the website and purchase tickets ahead of time. Tickets sell out fast for this place. Also read the FAQs on the website to prepare yourself for the experience. You will not be able to take in food, drinks or backpacks (unless you pay for storage).

Monroe’s Restaurant

New Mexican food is quite different from Tex Mex food. They use a lot of red chile sauce to coat their food. You really have to have a taste for that to eat at some of the restaurants. We were not a fan of New Mexican food until we tried Monroe’s. This place offers superb food at a great low price. Also, the staff there is super friendly and helpful in telling you which plates you should try. If we had a Monroe’s in Texas I would certainly go back!

Sandia Tramway

If you have never experienced mountains before, like us, then you will have to do this. This is certainly a bucket list experience and one hundred percent worth the price.

My husband and I are both afraid of heights, but we would do this experience over again if we could. The adventure begins when you ride up the Sandia Mountains in a tramway car. The ride will take about 15 minutes and for the most part is a smooth ride. When you get to the top of the mountain the temperatures will be way colder. The day that we went the temperatures in Santa Fe were in the 50’s, but once we got up to the top the temperature was in the low 30’s with snow. Once at the top you can stay up there as long as you want. You will need to make sure you get a ride down before they close at 10 pm. There is a restaurant up there and lots of scenery to look at. Make sure to bring plenty of water because the high altitude can make you feel breathless.

We stayed up at the top for over an hour. Everyone was cold and exhausted when it was time to go down. One thing I do advise is to make sure you are one of the first few people in line to get a good view from the window. We were in the middle of the car on the way up and down. We didn’t get the best pictures or view on everything. This is one thing we said that we would want to change for next time.

Breaking Bad Sites

Are you a fan of Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul? If so, then you have to take time to go visit the sites featured on the show. We were able to see Walter White’s house and the location of Pollos Hermanos. Just keep in mind that Walter White’s house is fenced off and has residents who live there. Alos, Pollos Hermanos is not truly called that. It is actually known as Twisters, a fast food taco restaurant.

Old Town Albuquerque

We didn’t have enough time to walk through the streets of Old Town Albuquerque but we did drive through. I wish we had more time to do so. It is quite beautiful. Many of the alleys and street ways remind me of the scenery from the movie Coco. The papel picado provides the rich Mexican influence along with the pueblo style architecture. There is a different vibe here than in Santa Fe. You really have to experience both places.