Santa Fe: New Mexico’s Absolute Hidden Gem! ✨

It’s easily one of the top three art hubs in the US—right after New York and Los Angeles. The combination of bright blue skies and golden desert soil? Simply stunning! 🌤️🏜️ We spent a little over a day here, and it was nowhere near enough—we’ll definitely be back! 🚗💨 🎨 Must-Visit Spots Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Georgia O’Keeffe elevated New Mexico’s art scene to a whole new level. Bonus: You’ll even find artworks that appeared in Breaking Bad! 🎬🖼️ New Mexico Museum of Art The Pueblo-style architecture of the building itself is a work of art—though the collections inside didn’t feel particularly stunning. Still worth a stop for the exterior! 🏛️ New Mexico History Museum (Palace of the Governors)Let’s be honest: I didn’t have much patience for the historical exhibits. But the Zozobra (the “Gloom Eater”) display was super interesting! Zozobra is a giant figure, and every year during a local festival, it’s burned to symbolize the release of worries. 🔥 Loretto Chapel The main draw here is the Miraculous Staircase—it has no central support! The engineering alone is mind-blowing. 🪜 San Miguel Mission America’s oldest church! Parts of the interior still retain the original structure. And the staff (total “hidden experts”!) were incredibly friendly and helpful. ⛪ New Mexico State Capitol Art is everywhere in the hallways—don’t miss it! Just note that you’ll need to go through security to enter. 🏛️🎨 Canyon Road This “Gallery Row” is a non-negotiable for Santa Fe—skip it, and you might as well not have visited! Galleries are open for casual browsing, each with its own style. The cow sculptures and artistic windmills along the road are extra charming. 🐄💨 Meow Wolf Funded by George R.R. Martin (creator of Game of Thrones and Elden Ring!), this is a permanent interactive art exhibit converted from a bowling alley. You can touch and explore the art freely—think: a fridge that’s actually a door to another space! We spent over 2 hours here and still didn’t want to leave. 🎮 🍴 Food & Drinks Bell Tower Bar Perfect for watching Santa Fe’s sunset! Their rum-based cocktails were delicious—highly recommend. 🍹🌅 La Plazuela Great value and tasty too! One set meal plus a main dish was more than enough for two people. 🥘 Cafe Pasqual‘s A Santa Fe dining landmark serving Mexican food. Be prepared to wait in line—though honestly, the food wasn’t that mind-blowing. 🌮 Kakawa Chocolate House Their hot cocoa is amazing! They have unique flavors like chili-infused or the “Thomas Jefferson’s Favorite” blend. The staff were so kind—they let us sample every flavor. The chocolate itself, though? Just so-so. ☕🍫 🏨 Accommodation We stayed at the historic La Fonda on the Plaza—it’s right next to the central square, and the night view was gorgeous. Minor downside: We found a cockroach in the room in the morning. We talked to the front desk, and they offered either a free meal at La Plazuela (we’d already eaten there the night before) or a free parking pass. We went with the parking pass. 🅿️ 🚶 City Walk Tip The entrance of Inn and Spa at Loretto is really pretty—worth stopping to snap a photo ! 📸 #NewMexico #NewMexicoTravel #SantaFe #BreakingBad #ArtTravel #USRoadTrip