New Mexico: Mountain Beauty

While we love visiting other countries and learning about new cultures, we also know there is a lot to see right here in the United States. In 2025, Darren had a work conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a place I’ve always wanted to visit. I decided to tag along for the conference, and then we would explore more of the state.

There is really no easy way to get to Santa Fe. There are no direct flights there or to Albuquerque from Cleveland, so most east coasters need to be prepared for a layover in Dallas or Denver. We rented a car in Albuquerque and made the roughly hour drive to Santa Fe.

Missy Travel Tip: This may seem obvious but look for direct flights whenever you travel. If you do have a layover, try to pack a carry-on and backpack so your luggage is always with you. If it costs a little more for a direct rather than lay-over journey, consider spending the extra money if that’s a viable option.

As we approached Santa Fe, we wondered if we, maybe, missed something? Where were all the city buildings? It turns out part of the charm of Santa Fe is there are no tall buildings! The conference was at the Drury Plaza Hotel, which used to be a hospital. We really liked our room, and the Drury had, perhaps, the best included breakfast buffet and happy hour we have found in the U.S. 

While Darren attended the conference, I got to spend time with my friend Charlotte, the wife of Darren’s colleague, Sean. The two of us were able to explore the charms of Santa Fe. We wanted to tour the Georgia O’Keefe house, but it was sold out. We did visit the museum; I have a life-long love of O’Keefe’s art. I couldn’t stop taking photos!

Charlotte and I also visited the New Mexico History Museum, which includes the famed Palace of the Governors. I was pretty beat after spending hours in the exhibit halls. The most entertaining exhibition was on the Burning of Zozobra, an annual tradition of burning a 50-foot marionette called “Old Man Gloom” to destroy the year’s worries and glooms. It was invented in 1924 by artist Will Shuster to boost tourism to Santa Fe.

On the front porch of the Palace, native artists sell their wares. If you’re going to buy any jewelry, purchase from these artisans. You are guaranteed authenticity, which can’t be said for all the shops.

One day Charlotte and I walked the two miles from our hotel up to Museum Hill to visit the Santa Fe Botanical Garden. Lovely spot to learn more about the native flora. I had no idea how beautiful the native species are.

After the conference wrapped, we visited Meow Wolf, an interactive art exhibit. It’s hard to explain exactly how interesting and visually stunning this is. George RR Martin, Game of Thrones author and champion of the Santa Fe art scene, purchased a vacant bowling alley. His vision of an immersive experience that’d bring art to life for people of all ages came into being with the help of more than 100 creators. We spent hours exploring the rooms, hideaways, and art. This is a “do not miss” location, but be sure to you get your admission tickets ahead of time.

Using Santa Fe as our base, we headed out to explore New Mexico the next morning. We had seen ‘Breaking Bad,’ so we thought we knew what New Mexico looked like. We could not have been more wrong. Yes, there are the desert areas but also stunning canyons, Arizona-like rock formations, Colorado-style mountain forests, and so much more. It’s some of the most incredible scenery I've seen in a long time. 

We spent the morning at the ancient ruins of the Puye Cliff Dwellings, learning about the ancient people who were only 4 feet tall and lived atop the mesa in the summer and in caves in the winter. I’ve known about these peoples my entire life, so walking in their steps was pretty special.

We then drove to Ghost Ranch and saw some spectacular southwestern rock formations. This is the setting for numerous TV shows and films. We traveled up switchback roads to the top of Sangre de Cristo Mountains where melting snow (this was in July!) was creating fog and then back down to the jaw-dropping Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. You don’t realize how spectacular it is until you actually get there. It’s VERY Grand Canyon-like. We had dinner in Taos and then drove back to Santa Fe. It is amazing how much we saw in one day!

Missy Travel Tip: Stop and smell the roses. Don’t put yourself on a schedule. Stop at the scenic overlooks. Browse the quirky out-of-the-way shops. Sometimes the best stops are the ones you DON’T plan. 

The next day was set aside for Los Alamos, home to the creation of the atomic bomb. We drove through Espanola, where scenes of ‘Dark Winds,’ one of our favorite shows, were filmed. We began with a hike in Bandelier National Monument, a two-mile loop that has you going along ancient trails and the rim of the Grand Canyon-like mesa. Again, just stunning vistas! Be sure you wear a brimmed hat and take water. It’s not an overly strenuous hike, but it’s not a walk down the street either. Santa Fe is higher in altitude than Denver, so be ready for some breathing issue possibilities.

Los Alamos is fascinating, especially if you’ve seen the film ‘Oppenheimer.” They actually used the house that Robert Oppenheimer and his wife inhabited while they were there. Los Alamos is recognized as one of the major development and creation places of the atomic bomb—the primary objective of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Be sure to stop at Fuller Lodge, which served as the dining hall for the Los Alamos Ranch School and as a community center for Manhattan Project workers.

As we left Los Alamos, we stopped at White Rock Overlook Park. Again, gasp-inducing views. I may have yelled at Darren for getting too close to the edge. “But it’s a great view straight down!,” he said.  We had dinner back in Santa Fe at the quirky Santa Fe Railyard Arts District. A live band was playing, we took photos at a crashed UFO, and had some good local beer.

We started the next morning with a gorgeous drive to The Tinkertown Museum, which is pretty magical. Artist Ross Ward created it for his own amusement before opening it to the public. He carved and built numerous miniature old west and circus scenes. The seemingly ramshackle buildings were made of wood and mortared glass bottles. His final project after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis was decorating the Jeep he could no longer drive.

The Petroglyph Monument in Albuquerque was a bit disappointing as they can be hard to see. The trail is also soft sand, and it was 92 degrees. We didn’t get far before we turned around. On a cooler day, we would have done the whole loop, but we just weren’t feeling it. We had lunch at a local brew pub and then shopped in the picturesque Historic District of Albuquerque.

Missy Travel Tip: We didn’t have time, but we would have loved to do Albuquerque’s ‘Breaking Bad’ tour. You can visit many of the locations. If you don’t have time (or a car), there is a really fun ‘Breaking Bad’ store in the historic district. 

We stayed the night at the Nativo Lodge, a facility owned by Indigenous peoples. The multi-story lobby is amazing, and each room features walls painted by native American artists. We wish we could have spent a second night, but we had to fly home the next morning. 

Overall, an amazing vacation in New Mexico. Five stars!