Santa Fe

San Miguel Mission

Thought to be the oldest surviving mission church in the United States, the San Miguel is a rather simple but lovely adobe structure. Behind the mission, along the narrow alleyway, is a small structure whose owners claim it to be the "oldest house in the U.S." built by Europeans; a claim which though inaccurate reflects the long history of the site.

Sun 1PM-4:30PM, Summer Mon-Sat 9AM-4:30PM, Winter Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM·$1

Palace of the Governors / New Mexico History Museum

The oldest public building in the United States, the Palace of the Governors is a 17th-century building that once served as the main capitol building and now houses an excellent historical museum and shop, with exhibits on the history of the building and a functioning antique print press. Behind the Palace is the New Mexico History Museum, with three floors of exhibits on the history of New Mexico, including numerous artifacts from the prehistory to the present. While the Palace is being renovated (as of 2022), disruptions are minimal most days and exhibits are displaced but available. Local Native American artists sell their work beneath the portal (covered facade) facing the Plaza. They are awarded a spot via an official lottery system.

Daily 10AM-5PM, closed Mon Nov-Apr (open Fridays 5-7PM May-Oct and first Fri of each month Nov-Apr), Memorial Day-Labor Day·$12 adults, youth 16 and under free, youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies · Built 1610

Loretto Chapel

Built in 1878 and modeled after the Gothic Sainte Chapelle in Paris. An intriguing legend - the Miraculous Staircase - is attached below and serves as the highlight on the church. The Loretto is also a popular romantic wedding venue.

Mon-Sat 9AM-4:30PM, Sun 10:30AM-4:30PM, until 6PM Mon-Sat during summer·$3

Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

Devoted to the 20th-century artist who settled near Abiquiu, a small town north of Santa Fe. Only free after 5PM on the first Friday of every month, and only applies to New Mexico residents.

Daily 9AM-5PM, Fri open until 7PM·$20 adults, youth 17 and under free, senior/youth discounts, free Friday nights after 5PM

New Mexico Museum of Art

Though it has been outflanked by the O'Keeffe Museum to some extent, this museum has a somewhat more diverse, although still New-Mexico-centric, collection. The Museum's St. Francis Auditorium is one of the primary venues in town for concerts, particularly of a classical or folk flavor.

Daily 10AM-5PM, closed Mon Nov-Apr (open Fridays 5-7PM May-Oct and first Fri of each month Nov-Apr)·$12 adults, youth 16 and under free, youth/resident discounts; free Friday after 5PM; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies

Museum of International Folk Art

Of particular delight in this museum is its massive Girard exhibition, which contains many large, colorful displays of toys, nativity scenes, textiles, model villages, and traditional arts from around the world. The museum also features a superb collection of local Hispanic art as well as a good roster of changing exhibits. Home of the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market held in July (see under "Do"/"Festivals").

Daily 10AM-5PM May-Oct; closed Mondays Nov-Apr, Memorial Day-Labor Day·$12 adults, $11 students, youth 16 and under free, several discounts and occasional free days; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies

The State Capitol Building

One of the country's most unusual and striking state capitol buildings; usually open to visitors during working hours. It's known locally as "the Roundhouse," and even a casual look will tell you why.

Self-guided tours Mon-Fri 7AM-6PM, call for guided tours·Free

St. Francis Cathedral

One of the "must-see" places in town, with an impressive interior and beautiful art both inside and out. A tip for the photographer: the main façade faces west, so photographing the exterior (including several striking sculptures out front) tends to be most rewarding, atypically for Santa Fe, in the middle of the day, particularly the afternoon.

Free; donation · Built 1887

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian

Excellent Native American art collection, with a quaint little gift shop, the Case Trading Post, that sells superb examples of Native arts that reflect the quality of the collection. Frequent special events.

Daily 10AM-5PM·$8, students/Native Americans/under 12 free, first Sunday of each month free · Wheelchair accessible

Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

The Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA) is a long-standing Santa Fe institution that helps to promote the Santa Fe Indian Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals"). Their museum holds a superb collection of contemporary Indian art.

Mon Wed-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM, closed Tue·Adults $10, students and seniors (62+) $5; discounts for New Mexico residents and tribal members

Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

A large museum with American Indian artworks and exhibits on their culture and history, including a rather superb collection of pottery and displays of both historic and contemporary Indian life.

Daily 10AM-5PM May-Oct; closed Mondays Nov-Apr, several discounts and free admission on occasion; discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies·$12 adults, $11 students, youth 16 and under free

Lensic Performing Arts Center

Box-office. A converted movie theater with a pleasant atmosphere. As with most downtown sites, parking can be a pain, but there is a parking garage a block west that's usually OK in the evening.

Santacafe

One of Santa Fe's big-name restaurants, and you probably pay a little extra for the celebrity, but the American/Continental fare is creative and well presented, with attentive service. Excellent matchbooks, too.

Lunch daily 11:30AM-2PM, dinner daily from 5:30PM; brunch Sun 11AM-2:30PM·Expect to spend around $50 per person · Outdoor seating

Pasqual's

An old standby in the downtown area. As with many Santa Fe restaurants, the menu blends New Mexican cuisine with more traditional American fare. Reservations recommended for dinner, which approaches "Splurge" territory, and recommended particularly for breakfast, when it's far better value for dollar than the restaurants at the several nearby hotels.

Breakfast and lunch daily 8AM-3PM; dinner daily from 5:30PM

Museum of Spanish Colonial Art

A small but splendid museum which showcases many Hispano artworks and artifacts from the original Spanish settlers of the area. The museum also sponsors the annual Spanish Market (see under "Do"/"Festivals").

Daily 10AM-5PM May-Oct; closed Mondays Nov-Apr·$10 adults, under 16 free, discount pass for Museum of New Mexico applies

El Rancho de las Golondrinas

A massive outdoor "living history" museum portraying Spanish colonial days, with reconstructions of a village, farms, orchards, a vineyard, and a large water mill. In May you'll be dodging swarms of bored children on school field trips; visiting in the fall is better.

Jun-Sep Wed-Sun 10AM-4PM·Adults $6, seniors/teens 13-18 $4, children 12 and under free. More during special events

Santa Fe Opera

The opera house is partially "open air," so that opera goers get attractive views of the Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos as an additional backdrop to what's on stage. The Santa Fe Opera is known around the world for staging American and even world premieres of new works, the operas of Richard Strauss, and promising new artists on their way up (and, to be fair, one or two aging superstars each season who are on their way down, not up). Opera season is the summer, with opening night (tickets are almost impossible to get) usually around July 1 and the last performances in mid-August. (Bring a light jacket/wrap and an umbrella to the later performances; the open-air nature of the house can make August performances nippy and drippy, although seats are protected from the rain.) Many performances sell out well in advance, so book early. (KHFM radio, frequency 95.5 MHz, airs a "ticket exchange" that may be helpful in finding tickets to sold-out performances, if you find yourself in town on the spur of the moment during opera season; they stream their broadcast online, so you can check the ticket exchange even before you arrive.) People-watching here can be as much fun as the opera itself; you'll see folks in the most expensive formal wear sitting next to others in jeans, which is typical of Santa Fe. Dressing up at least a little from jeans is a good idea, though. Pre-performance "tailgate dinners" in the parking lot, as though you were attending a football game or such, are part of the tradition and color; you can bring your own, or see under "Eat/Other/Splurge" below.

Paolo Soleri Theater

An outdoor amphitheater at the Santa Fe Indian School, popular for events in spring, summer and fall.

Tune-Up Cafe

Occupies the space formerly "Dave's Not Here." Local hangout featuring the owners' Guatemalan cuisine with a New Mexican flavor. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The location, near the main St. Francis Drive artery, is more convenient for the through traveler than to downtown.

Mon-Fri 7AM-10PM, Sat Sun 8AM-10PM·Wi-Fi · Takeaway · Outdoor seating

The New Baking Company

Across Cordova Road from Pyramid and offers tolerable sandwiches, soups, etc., for lunch, but don't go just for the lunch (or breakfast); grab a dessert while you're there, these being what it's known for. Can be very busy at lunchtime on weekdays, with chaos on all quarters. Call-in orders welcome.

Mon-Sat 6AM-8PM, Sun 6AM-6PM·Takeaway · Outdoor seating

Plaza Cafe

An old standby a stone's throw from the vendors on the Portal. Open for all meals, but particularly recommended for lunch, although it's crowded.

7AM-9PM daily·Vegetarian options

Pyramid Cafe

Good Greek/Mediterranean lunches. Nothing fancy, just good, casual food. Don't bother with reservations, but call to check on hours. Lunches from $5 or so; occasional belly-dancing entertainment. Now also open in Los Alamos if your travels take you in that direction.

Daily 11AM-9PM·Takeaway

Tomasita's

Considered by many to serve the definitive "traditional" New Mexican food. Expect to wait, as it's enormously popular. Entrees around $9–11, but splurge a little and get the sangria too.

Mon-Sat 11AM-10PM·Outdoor seating

Cowgirl

Santa Fe mainstay where tourists and locals alike flock for some semblance of nightlife in Santa Fe. Decent food, 4 red pool tables ($12/hour, 7'), decent prices, and live music every night, except Mondays- Karaoke. Indoor and outdoor seating. The BBQ ain't bad, either.

Mon-Fri 11AM-Midnight, Sat 10AM-midnight, Sun 10AM-11PM; Drinks served until 1:30AM Mon-Sat, midnight on Sundays·$12-20 entrees · Outdoor seating

India House

Indian cuisine with lunch buffet and relatively convenient parking.

Closed · opens 11 am tomorrow·Takeaway

315

A restaurant whose name is also its street number. Reservations advised. French/Continental cuisine in a sidewalk-bistro-like setting. Good wine list, and save room for the crème brûlée dessert. You can easily drop $50 a person here and feel good about it.

Lunch Fri 11:30AM-2PM; dinner Sun-Thu 5:30-9PM, Fri Sat 5:30-9:30PM

Gerald Peters Gallery

One of Santa Fe's "high-end" galleries, with works by some famous artists (Hurd, Remington, Miro, etc.), bearing six-digit price tags in some cases. If you're looking for inexpensive "souvenir" art, look elsewhere, but the serious art collector should definitely check this one out.

Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM

Geronimo

Another fine restaurant amid the galleries. The menu tends toward Continental but is entertainingly diverse and changes frequently. Dinner reservations are recommended and can be placed via the (unnecessarily ostentatious) web site.

Daily 5:30–9:30PM·$40 per person will get you an excellent dinner

Osteria d'Assisi

Prices range from about $10–12 for a simple Neapolitan-style pizza to $70 or more for a grand 5-course dinner with wine (come hungry and expect to leave full), or anything in between.

Lunch Mon-Sat 11AM–3PM, dinner nightly from 5PM

Pantry Restaurant

Delicious food served in a diner-type setting. The waitstaff are super friendly, and the portions are humongous. The customers fill the small front quickly in the mornings, but seats are often available at the bar (which serves delicious milkshakes, even before noon).

Mon-Sat 6:30AM-9PM, Sun 7AM-9PM·$5-$10