Travel diary: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide shiprock santa fe

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide aleesha harris

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide lamy

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide aleesha harris

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide amtrak lamy

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide jewelry

Santa Fe New MExico travel guide

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide bandelier

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide bandelier

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide casa chimayo

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide famous plaza cafe

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide aleesha harris

Santa Fe New Mexico travel guide aleesha harris

There's something so romantic about the southwestern United States.

From the open, desert landscape, to the unique intersection of cultures (including Native American, Mexican and more), I've always been intrigued with the area.

So, that's why, when faced with a destination idea for a recent girls' getaway, it didn't take much convincing to settle on Santa Fe.

Although it's not the most direct place to get to (we flew from Vancouver to Salt Lake, then to New Mexico), it's a small, charming town that's full of history, great food and amazing shopping.

Here are a few quick must-sees when you're in town.

Where to stay:

The Eldorado Hotel is a stunning, centrally located hotel. The four-star accommodations were clean and uniquely decorated (so Southwest!) and I loved the rooftop pool. While we weren't huge fans of the hotel restaurants, the spa was fabulous. Would definitely stay again.

Where to eat:

We ate Mexican food almost exclusively while in NM. One of our favourite meals was at Casa Chimayo, a cute little spot situated very close to the town centre. When in Santa Fe, be sure to try a meal with both red and green chilis (referred to by locals as "Christmas") but beware of the burn as the heat can get a bit intense with both chili options.

We also loved our breakfast at The Famous Plaza Cafe, for a good old serving of pancakes and eggs!

What to see:

The Georgia O'Keefe museum is a must when in Santa Fe, but the next thing on the list is definitely strolling the streets wandering in and out of the amazing shops. 

Shiprock Santa Fe , a stunning art/retail space featuring fabulous Navajo rugs, is a must for photos and window shopping. While, in search of cool sterling silver jewelry, my go-to shop was Wind River Trading Company — trust me, they'll have exactly what you're looking for, the prices are good and the customer service is amazing.

And, lastly, if you have a bit of extra time and want to see something out of the ordinary, make your way to the Bandelier National Monument to explore the cave dwellings and learn the history of native peoples in the area.



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