MUDBATHS AND MARGARITAS: 8 "Must-Dos" for a Santa Fe Vacation!

“I’m not making it to the meeting.  In fact, I’m never leaving Santa Fe!” 

Wonder what THIS gal was doing on her Santa Fe vacation?  Read on:

She got covered in a MUD

When you go on on Santa Fe vacation, there’s a swanky spa right in town  but she headed north about 15 minutes to the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.   Ojo offers many things to make your Santa Fe vacation relaxing:

Mudbaths!
Massages!
Yoga or Birding!

And the Tibetan Monks.  They do lectures and even perform a Blessing of the Waters once a year!  Maybe plan your Santa Fe vacation to see that?

FLEW OVER the canyons on her Santa Fe vacation

I introduced her to Johnny for a hot air balloon ride over the desert.

Sip a mimosas at dawn in the desert, and see this striking landscape from the air! It's one of the most unforgettable things to do on any Santa Fe vacation.

She GOURMAND-ed on her Santa Fe Vacation

Her favorite spot?   Pasquals!  She ate on the tiny outdoor patio (it only fits 50 diners) and enjoyed the homemade breads, hand-chopped salsas, and organic chile sauces so much, she actually returned for a 2nd meal before the end of her Santa Fe vacation

For a more casual night, she enjoyed The Shed!   Family-run.   Awarded by James Beard and Best Local and even Gourmet! 

 patio at The Shed

But of you're looking for a cheap little hole-in-the-wall, try Cafe Castro!  Almost all natives and locals,  very inexpensive but good,  looks like a bar but hosts families, very cozy!

She went RAFTING on her Santa Fe vacation!

...on the Race Course!  An hour north, towards Taos, you can hook up with Big River Rafts for a ½ day of rapids on the Rio Grande. You can be 7, or 70 – just don’t wear flip flops and do remember your sunscreen!

Bought TURQUOISE on her Santa Fe vacation!

The turquoise craftsmen in Santa Fe make striking pieces of jewelry!












Maybe on your Santa Fe vacation, you'd like to meet the Artist colony?  And you must spend an evening, walking down Canyon Road, from Georgia O Keefe to  Folk and Indian art,

 
There’s even the SFAC:  Santa Fe Arts Colony.  Built in the early 1900s, it’s been a maze of artists’ lofts since the 1980s,

WHERE TO STAY on a Santa Fe Vacation

Imagine stepping out onto your private balcony.   Look down into the garden enclosed by terracotta walls,  cactus and bougainvillea, a burbling fountain and a table set with fresh juice in the cool desert morning air.   Welcome to the Antigua Inn!

Everything is hand-carved, from the chairs to the banister

And April really pampers you!

Her Santa Fe vacation reeked with HISTORY

…as seen on Good Morning America…. She met  Historic Walks of Santa Fe at the storied St Francis Hotel and spent 2 hours with them, exploring the towns famous, and infamous, sites.   She saw the art colony,  pueblo traditions, historic architecture, and the oldest mission church in the entire US.  Ever heard of the miraculous staircase in the Loretto Chapel? 

MUSIC:  a most unique evening of your Santa Fe vacation

The Opera Project may provide one of the most memorable evenings of your Santa Fe vacation.  The performances run all summer, in the open-air, starting at sundown, and range from Tosca to The Marriage of Figaro to Arabella.

Some performances offer “preview buffets” but feel free to tailgate, too!  (do-it-yourself, or order it in advance from Bon Appetit!)   The parking lot opens 3 hours before “curtain”. 


Want some help organizing your Santa Fe vacation?  I offer complimentary 20-minute sessions, by phone, skype, or in person (for Bucks/Hunterdon/Mercer folks).   
Grab your session here:   www.meetingwithMelanie.com