How to Time Your Trip to Santa Fe

There's something in Santa Fe to interest everyone, from the centuries-old Native American traditions to up-to-the-minute centers of New Age practices.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

General Considerations

1. Decide when to visit. Autumn has the most spectacular weather, while summer offers the most activities. Winter offers Alpine and Nordic skiing nearby.
2. Don't plan a visit in summer if you prefer solitude. Most visitors come during summer, with the busiest time being August. The Christmas-New Year holiday is also popular.
3. Be sure not to miss Santa Fe's most famous events, or else take care to steer clear of them - depending on your interests and tolerance for crowds. See "Attractions and Seasonal Events" below.
4. Take care of getting there. Santa Fe's small airport serves only private aircraft and United Express; most commercial-airline passengers fly into Albuquerque. From there, rent a car (the drive usually takes an hour) or ride a shuttle bus to Santa Fe's Plaza. Amtrak trains from Los Angeles and Chicago arrive every day in nearby Lamy; a daily shuttle takes riders on the 18-mile trip into Santa Fe.
5. Make hotel reservations ahead. Don't chance last-minute accommodations, especially if you plan to stay on the Plaza. High season is April through October; low season is November through March.
6. Check out the weather forecast shortly before you leave and pack accordingly. Take along a jacket for the desert evenings, which are cool even in summer. A 30-degree temperature swing in one day is not unusual.

Attractions and Seasonal Events

7. Shop at the Indian Market, the city's most popular annual event, for the widest selection of handmade arts and crafts from Pueblos, Navajos and other native peoples. It's the third weekend in August.
8. Visit the Spanish Market, the last weekend in July, for traditional Spanish and Hispanic arts.
9. Make plans to attend the famous Santa Fe Opera, Chamber Music Festival and lots of theater productions that take place in the summer.
10. Browse some of the 250-plus art galleries in Santa Fe, many of them clustered along Canyon Road.
11. Enjoy Santa Fe's restaurants, several of which are nationally known. Their northern New Mexico style of cooking brought Southwestern cuisine to the attention of food lovers around the world.
12. Notice the city's plentiful public art, including a rotating display of art at the state capitol. The Shidoni sculpture garden in Tusuque is another stop of interest.
13. Learn about a legendary artist of the Southwest at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Visit other museums to learn about the histories and cultures of Native Americans and other area artists.
14. Enjoy skiing, hiking and other outdoor activities if you're a sports enthusiast.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider the crowds. Santa Fe is a small town that often packs a lot of visitors into its Plaza and Canyon Road. That can make some things long (waiting lists at restaurants) and others short (discount hotel rooms, parking places, tempers). Know the limits of your patience and plan accordingly.
• Pack a hat and sunscreen, even when you expect the weather to be cool. Santa Fe's elevation makes the sun fiercer than its cool temperatures would lead you to believe.