The Perfect Santa Fe Weekend: A Girlfriend Getaway Guide

What to Wear in Santa Fe 

The dress in Santa Fe is pretty casual and laid-back. Depending on the time of year you go, I recommend always bringing a jacket since temperatures can drop drastically at night.

There is excellent shopping for fun desert-inspired outfits, turquoise, and leather. We mainly wore dresses and jeans for the daytime and dressed them up at night, but nothing too fancy. A few of our outfit examples are below!

Where to Stay in Santa Fe 

We stayed at two amazing locations that I highly, highly recommend. I can’t always say this for everywhere I’ve stayed, so trust me when I say these spots were amazing. First of all, both places we stayed were in the downtown historic district and within walking distance to all of the downtown Santa Fe restaurants, shops, and bars.  

The first was the Inn and Spa at Loretto which was just a wonderful hotel in the heart of the city. See my entire review of staying at the Inn and Spa at Loretto here.

After a few nights at the hotel, we moved to an Airbnb to experience staying in a pueblo-style home. We just loved this spot and it was again in a great location.

Hotel: Inn and Spa at Loretto

When we first arrived in Santa Fe, we stayed for two nights at the Inn and Spa at Loretto. It was in the perfect location, and we loved our stay. Plus, the hotel’s design is incredible. See current prices.

The Best Airbnb: El Ocaso 

After a few days in the hotel, we booked an Airbnb from which we could easily get some work done. This place was epic! It’s located in an actual Pueblo home, and the location is incredible. You can easily walk anywhere downtown, and the decor was beautiful and very Santa Fe. This Airbnb can hold a lot more than three people, so we felt like we had quite a bit of room, but it was perfect for a girls’ weekend! Book it here. 

What to Do on Your Santa Fe Weekend

There is so much to do in Santa Fe! I was quite surprised by all of the great activities. Just be sure to book in advance for some of the following activities (especially the hot springs, Georgie O’Keefe Museum, and Meow Wolf).

Meow Wolf

Okay, this was definitely a highlight of the trip for me. I can’t even explain it besides the fact that it’s an immersive artistic adventure!? Their site calls it an “Immersive Art Experience.” They have one in Las Vegas and one in Denver, but each is different, and I’ve now been to all of them. This one was called “The House of Eternal Return” and might be one of my favorites! Just trust me when I say, you should go and book tickets to this in advance! Tickets are here.

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum 

I’ve wanted to go to this museum for a long time, and I wish we could have booked in advance because it was sold out when we went. So, I recommend booking in advance if you can. I’ve heard it’s wonderful, and I’m planning on going next time I’m in Santa Fe! Book your tickets here.

Canyon Road 

This is such a cool street—especially if you’re an art fan! Basically, Canyon Road is one long street full of art galleries and shops. You could spend hours walking down Canyon Road looking at the amazing art. I couldn’t believe how long the road was. I would make sure you have an hour or two just to walk down it! 

The Railyard and Farmer’s Market

If you’re in Santa Fe for the weekend, I recommend checking out the farmer’s market and artisan market. They’re located in the Railyard district, and we loved checking out the local produce, art, and antiques at the market.

Go on the Margarita Trail or Brewery Hop

If you’re coming to Santa Fe, you definitely need a margarita or two. I’ll let you know my favorite places to eat and drink below, but there is a thing called the Margarita Trail in Santa Fe. It allows you to hop around to different restaurants to try different margaritas. It would be fun for a girl’s weekend or bachelorette! We crossed off a few of them! Not into margs? Breweries are aplenty as well. Some of my faves are listed below.

Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

I didn’t get to make it here, but I heard raving reviews about this museum. Plus, it just looks so cool from the outside! I recommend booking this one in advance (similar to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum). Tickets are here.

Hike up to the Cross of the Martyrs

If you want to get some exercise during your trip, take a walk up to the Cross of the Martyrs. It’s a pretty short walk (and pretty easy), but it’s fun to see the views of Santa Fe from the top! We did this one morning before grabbing breakfast!

Other Sites and Activities in the Downtown Historic District

• Loretto Chapel – A famous chapel in the heart of Santa Fe known for it’s “magical staircase.”
• The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi – A gorgeous Catholic chapel in downtown Santa Fe
• Santa Fe Plaza– This is the heart of Santa Fe, the main square of the city
• Santa Fe School of Cooking – If you want to learn more about New Mexican cooking, this is a great way to do so!
• Palace of the Governors  – The New Mexico History Musem is located inside this building that dates back to 1610. It’s one of the oldest public buildings in continuous use in the USA. 

Day Trips Near Santa Fe

Hot Springs Spas

Ten Thousand Waves Spa and Ojo Spa are the most popular spa/hot springs and hot tub adventures from Santa Fe. Again, we couldn’t get tickets (I recommend booking well in advance), but they look magical for a day trip! This was one of the top recommendations I got from people on Instagram.

Bandelier National Monument and Cave Dwellings

We decided to take a day trip (or more like a half-day trip) to get out in nature and headed over to these cave dwellings. I hadn’t ever seen cave dwellings before, so this was a treat for me—especially after learning about them in middle school!

We got to climb up the ladders, go inside them all, and hike around the area. The trip from Santa Fe was about one hour both ways, and there was some beautiful landscape along the way. We even saw wild horses on the drive! If you want to get a tour guide, they have guided tours as well!

Visit Taos

Many people recommend visiting Taos while in Santa Fe. Technically, it’s a ski resort and World Heritage Site known for its art and history. Driving from Santa Fe takes about an hour and a half. 

Go Skiing

While you can go skiing in Taos, you can also ski at Santa Fe’s Ski Basin. It’s a medium-sized ski resort with 7 lifts and 68 runs! You’ll find it located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, just 16 miles east of the state capital of Santa Fe. It includes 7 lifts and 68 runs at elevations of over 10,000 feet. Here’s a Ski Santa Fe Trail Map for the mountain!

Turquoise Trail

If you’re driving from Santa Fe to Albuquerque this would be a fun option if you’re not in a time crunch. If you veer off the main road, you’ll find a treasure trove of, you guessed it…turquoise! Basically, it’s a 50 mile stretch with gorgeous views and mining towns filled with arts, crafts, museums, and restaurants. Towns that are recommended for a stop are Golden, Madrid, and Cerillos.

Where to Eat & Drink in Santa Fe

Let’s be real. We basically decided on a Santa Fe weekend because of the food and the margaritas. The food blew us away, and we learned that Santa Fe is actually a big foodie town. We went to so many wonderful spots! Here are some of my favorite ones:

Breakfast/Cafe: 

• Iconik—There are multiple Iconiks in the town, and both are great. I loved the horchata latte, and we all loved the Salmon Paradise and the Breakfast Tacos!
• Modern General—I recommend going here just for the cuteness. The food was great, too, and it’s perfect for breakfast or lunch! It’s a walk-up and order place. We loved the Breakfast Biscuit and the Pumpernickel and Lox! 
• Tia Sophia’s—This is apparently where the term “Christmas” sauce was invented. Everywhere in Santa Fe, people talk about “Christmas” sauce, which basically means green and red chile sauces together. I highly recommend getting this option with their famous Breakfast Burrito. It’s the only way to go at Tia Sophia’s. They also serve lunch. YUM!

Lunch

• The Tea House—I mentioned this place before, but it’s a fun spot at the end of Canyon Road. They offer a wide variety of teas and great salads and sandwiches.
• Second Street Brewery – If you want more pub food or a brewery vibe, Second Street Brewery has a fun vibe with Cajun-inspired food.

Dinner

• The Shed—This was the number one place people recommended for us to eat. It did not disappoint! If you want to try New Mexican food, you have to go here. By the way, New Mexican food is different from Mexican food. The flavors are very different!
• Del Charro – This was the first place we went when starting our Santa Fe weekend. It’s technically somewhat of a dive bar, but the food was great! I recommend the queso and margs.
• La Boca—Want a fancier meal? Head to La Boca for nice Spanish small plates and tapas. We loved the food and flavors. 
• Maria’s – We went here on our final night because we heard about their famous margaritas and I was not mad about it. It was a popular spot, and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and margaritas.

Wine Bar/ Brewery / Cocktail

• Gruet Winery Tasting Room – This is located in the fancy Hotel St. Francis and is a wonderful pre-dinner spot
• Herve – Loved the inside of this wine bar. Plus, the appetizers we got were wonderful!
• 4 Seasons Resort – We really enjoyed heading out to the 4 Seasons for a cocktail on their patio! We ended up eating dinner out there and it was a wonderful way to watch the sunset. 
• Chili Line—We loved this brewery. The beers were so good, and some were a tad spicy, which I loved.

I hope these tips help you have a wonderful Santa Fe weekend! I can’t wait to go back for another visit. Something about it is just so magical and it’s a wonderful getaway in the United States. 

Please let me know if you use any of the tips in the guide and let me know if there’s anything amazing that I missed!

Happy Travels. 🙂