Things to Do in Santa Fe: Top Sights and Original 3, 5 & 7-Day Itineraries
Santa Fe, founded in 1610, is the oldest state capital in the United States and one of its great art cities. Adobe buildings, the historic Plaza, more than 250 galleries on Canyon Road, the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the immersive Meow Wolf sit at 7,000 feet in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, with green and red chile on every menu.
This guide covers the best things to do in Santa Fe, with itineraries for 3, 5 and 7 days, ideas for weekends, couples and families, local food, where to stay and how to get around.
Top things to see in Santa Fe
Santa Fe Plaza
Historic heart with Native artisans under the portal.
Canyon Road
Half a mile of galleries in adobe houses.
Meow Wolf
Immersive art experience House of Eternal Return.
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
Works of the famous painter.
Loretto Chapel
Miraculous spiral staircase.
Palace of the Governors
Oldest public building in the US.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis
Romanesque cathedral.
Bandelier National Monument
Cliff dwellings, 45 minutes away.
Santa Fe in 3 days: an original itinerary
1Day 1 · Plaza and history
Begin at the Santa Fe Plaza, where Native American artisans sell jewelry under the portal of the Palace of the Governors, then visit the New Mexico History Museum. Walk to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis and the Loretto Chapel with its spiral staircase. Lunch with green chile stew. Afternoon at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Dinner downtown.
2Day 2 · Canyon Road and Museum Hill
Stroll Canyon Road's galleries and sculpture gardens in the morning. Lunch at a Canyon Road café. In the afternoon visit Museum Hill with the Museum of International Folk Art and the Wheelwright Museum. Margaritas and dinner in the Railyard district.
3Day 3 · Meow Wolf and the Railyard
Spend the morning inside Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return. Lunch in the Railyard with the Saturday farmers market. Afternoon at SITE Santa Fe. Evening at a spa like Ten Thousand Waves.
Santa Fe in 5 days
Follow the 3-day plan above, then add these two days:
4Day 4 · Bandelier and Los Alamos
Drive 45 minutes to Bandelier National Monument, where ladders lead into cliff dwellings carved by Ancestral Pueblo people, and walk the Main Loop Trail. Picnic lunch in Frijoles Canyon. In the afternoon visit the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos about the Manhattan Project. Back to Santa Fe for dinner.
5Day 5 · Taos
Drive the High Road to Taos through Chimayó, with its sanctuary and weaving shops, and the mountain villages of Truchas and Las Trampas. Visit Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO site inhabited for over 1,000 years, and the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. Lunch in Taos and return via the river road.
Santa Fe in 7 days
With a full week, keep days 1 to 5 and finish with:
6Day 6 · Turquoise Trail
Drive the Turquoise Trail south to the old mining town of Madrid, now an artists' village, and Cerrillos. Lunch in Madrid. In the afternoon visit the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks area if open. Back to Santa Fe for a margarita at sunset.
7Day 7 · Last day
A final morning on the Plaza buying turquoise or pottery directly from Native artisans, a coffee on Canyon Road and a last museum visit. Farewell dinner with enchiladas and Christmas chile, red and green together.
What to do in Santa Fe on a weekend
What to do in Santa Fe on a weekend? Saturday: Plaza, Loretto Chapel and O'Keeffe Museum. Sunday: Canyon Road and Meow Wolf.
Indian Market in August and Zozobra in September are famous events.
What to do in Santa Fe in the evening
Evenings: dinner downtown, Santa Fe Opera in summer and rooftop bars.
Stargazing in the clear desert sky.
Santa Fe for couples
For couples, a spa at Ten Thousand Waves, sunset over the Sangre de Cristos and the opera.
Santa Fe with kids
With kids, Meow Wolf, Bandelier's ladders and the Children's Museum.
What to eat in Santa Fe
Green chile
Hatch chile on everything.
Enchiladas
Red, green or Christmas.
Sopaipillas
Fried pastries with honey.
Posole
Hominy stew.
Biscochitos
State cookie.
Where to stay in Santa Fe: best areas
Downtown
Near the Plaza.
Canyon Road
Galleries.
Railyard
Trendy.
Resorts
In the foothills.
What to do in Santa Fe when it rains
What to do in Santa Fe when it rains? Museums, Meow Wolf and galleries.
How much does a trip to Santa Fe cost?
Expect 180 to 350 dollars per night and 45 dollars for Meow Wolf.
Practical tips for Santa Fe
Best time to visit
May to October; autumn for golden aspens.
Getting around
Downtown is walkable. Rent a car for day trips. Albuquerque airport is one hour away.
Our practical tips
- Drink water for the altitude.
- Book Meow Wolf online.
- Try Christmas chile.
- Wear sunscreen.
- Visit Canyon Road early.
- Plan Taos as a day trip.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overexertion at altitude.
- Indian Market without bookings.
- Buying fake Native jewelry.
- Driving at night on rural roads.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Santa Fe with kids?
Meow Wolf and Bandelier.
What is Christmas chile?
Red and green chile together.
What to do in Santa Fe on a weekend?
Plaza and Canyon Road.
How far is Taos?
About 90 minutes.