Can you even believe it’s Balloon Fiesta time again? We swear it feels like it happens
more than once a year, but maybe that’s just because it covers two weekends and fills
the sky with a month’s worth of color — and hot air. Thousands descend upon
Albuquerque for the event each year, but over the years Santa Fe has become a
preferred destination for Fiesta fans.
And why not? Santa Fe is just a short jaunt up I-25, and the world knows it for distinctive
lodging and dining options.
From the highest end, like Geronimo or The Compound, to the humblest trucks like
Chile Torreado or Jesushi, Santa Fe is stuffed like a sopapilla with award-winning
places to eat. And it’s not all chile. Yes, La Choza, Palacio or Cafe Castro are here
waiting to fulfill your green, red and Christmas wishes, but the spicy little secret about
Santa Fe is its chocolate and pastry game. Kakawa is home to sippable chocolate
elixirs, Chocolate Maven is pie central and bakeries like Mille, Clafoutis and Baked and
Brew showcase the flavors Santa Fe harbors. And if you’ve had enough beef, Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen and Annaupurna specializes in vegetarian and vegan cuisine.
Aside from the premium lodges found in and around the Plaza like La Fonda, Eldorado
or the Loretto, Santa Fe has kitschy, cool hotels like the El Rey and The Mystic. Each
blends the nostalgic charm of good ol’ Route 66 with modern conveniences, including a
bar and live music. If hotels, motels or lodges aren’t your thing, Santa Fe has a myriad of casitas available for short-term stays. Got a camper? Head on over to Santa Fe Skies
or Santa Fe Rancheros.
While you’re at near the Plaza, you can hit KESHi, a gallery that specializes in Zuni jewelry, pottery and carvings. Across from the South Capitol Railrunner stop is Liquid Light Glass,
a studio, workshop and gallery founded by artist Elodie Holmes. If you need more outdoors, stroll through the Santa Fe Botanic Gardens.
If Sandia and Isleta in Albuquerque weren’t enough for you, Santa Fe has Tesuque Casino. And if you become attached to the Santa Fe lifestyle, you can check out homes in the master-planned community of Esencia.
Nobody will be surprised when they find a cool place to stay or eat in the City Different,
but what might surprise them is just how Big City this small town really is. When and if
weather presses pause on the balloonery, Santa Fe is packed with amazing museums,
galleries and excursions. The Georgia O’Keefe Museum, New Mexico Museum of Art
and New Mexico History Museum are fine places to start, but if you amble around Santa
Fe for very long, you’re bound to run into a gallery that suits your taste.
Dave Cathey, Editor, Santa Fe Reporter