Santa Fe
📍 Santa Fe, New Mexico| ✈️ 3 Days, 2 Nights | 🗓️ July 31-September 2 | 💃 Sister-In-Laws Concert
DAY ONE
We got in VERY late Friday night and decided to hit the road and drive straight to New Mexico from Albuquerque. Thankfully, it was a super easy drive, and before we knew it, we were pulling into our hotel around midnight! The location of this hotel was PERFECT — we could walk right into downtown and didn’t have to worry about finding a place to park every time we wanted to explore. The hotel also offered free parking across the street, huge plus. The hotel itself was super quaint and had a lot of charm, although it was definitely outdated. But honestly, for the location, free parking, and overall price, it was a really great find and the perfect place to crash after our late-night arrival!
DAY TWO
We started our early morning with coffee from The Mud Hut by Agapao Coffee — and I HIGHLY recommend it! ☕️ We also grabbed some BIG burritos because we knew we had a full day of hiking ahead and needed a good, hearty breakfast to fuel us.
Then we hit the road for the 1 hour and 20 minute drive to Ghost Ranch! To explore Ghost Ranch, you’ll need to purchase a $10 Day Pass per person, which gives you access to the museums, labyrinth, and hiking trails. The building opened around 8:30 AM, so we were able to grab our passes early and get started on our hike before the desert heat really kicked in. 🌵☀️We chose the Chimney Rock Trail, mainly because of the incredible views overlooking the landscapes that inspired many of Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic paintings. And WOW — the scenery did not disappoint! The colors throughout the landscape were absolutely gorgeous. ❤️🧡💛
We really enjoyed this moderate hike! It was about 5 miles round trip, took us around 3 hours (including LOTS of picture time at the top 😂), and had an elevation gain of 1,043 feet. There was some scrambling and climbing where we had to use our hands, so I’d definitely recommend being in good shape and comfortable with a little bit of climbing before tackling this trail.
Honestly, Ghost Ranch was SO much more than I expected! There were MANY hiking trails, tons of places to stay, and so much to do. It almost reminded me of a really cool campground that had turned into its own little town. There were museums, horseback riding, hiking, and all kinds of other activities. Nick and I actually left saying we want to bring both of our families here for a family reunion someday.
On our drive back to Santa Fe, we stopped at Cafe Abiquiu & La Terraza for lunch, and it was delicious! It was the perfect little stop after a morning of hiking. 🌮
That night, my sister-in-law Sarah was performing in the Renaissance Splendor concert at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in downtown Santa Fe. It was absolutely beautiful! 🎶⛪️ She does a concert series in Santa Fe every July, so I’m already excited for next year’s! ❤️ Unfortunately, we didn’t get a picture, but her concert was amazing, and the cathedral was beyond beautiful!
Ghost Ranch: Experience The Power & Peace Of The Southwest - Ghost Ranch
DAY THREE
We started our morning with coffee from La Mama, and I HIGHLY recommend it! ☕️ We also grabbed a lemon cake square, and it was delicious. Our hotel was less than a 10-minute walk from Historic Fort Marcy, so we grabbed our coffees and walked over to learn a little Santa Fe history. The entire walk up to the fort had informational signs, teaching us about the crucial military history of Santa Fe during the 19th century.
We then met up with our family for brunch at The Pantry Restaurant, and I highly recommend it! The food was fast, delicious, and affordable. The wait was around an hour, which obviously means it HAS to be good, right?!
After brunch, it was time to make our way back to Albuquerque — but instead of taking the boring interstate, we decided to drive the Turquoise Trail! And WOW, what a fun way to get back. The Turquoise Trail winds through some really tiny, charming towns, and there are so many fun little stops along the way. It felt much more like an adventure than simply driving from point A to point B. My absolute favorite stop was Casa Grande Trading Post, Petting Zoo & Mining Museum in Cerrillos, where I got to feed my new best friend — a llama! 🦙😂 I was OBSESSED. Of course, I also had to buy a beautiful pair of turquoise earrings while we were there. 💎
From there, we continued to Sandia Peak, where we took the tram all the way up the mountain to around 10,000 feet! We grabbed some cocktails at the top and took in the incredible views.
We definitely didn't have enough time to fully enjoy Sandia Peak since we had a flight to catch, but we already decided that on our next trip, we're staying up there for a few hours and going hiking! There are so many trails and the views are absolutely incredible. Definitely adding that to the list for our next New Mexico adventure! ❤️
Brunch: Pantry Santa Fe – The Original Pantry Restaurant
Turquoise Trail: The Perfect Day Trip between Santa Fe and Albuquerque
Tram: Sandia Peak Tramway
👇 What Do You Think?
Have you been to Santa Fe? Share your favorite spots or hidden gems in the comment box below for others—I’ll add them to the list for next time!
