A Perfect Day in Santa Fe

"Stroll the Historic, Legendary Road Everyone who visits Santa Fe walks along the famed Canyon Road. Originating as an old footpath that once accessed water, it now primarily showcases an expansive range of shops and galleries with Native American art and landscape paintings. A stroll is not complete without a stop at one of the award-winning restaurants, a la Geronimo and the Compound."

"The work exhibited in this progressive and edgy nonprofit space isa far cry from the art in the galleries along Canyon Road.SITE Santa Fe, which opened in 1995,hosts provocative biennials as well as a wealth of multimedia productions and notable international and contemporary art exhibits. Afterthe building'sstriking renovation and expansion (bythe New York–based design firm SHoP Architects),its dramatic new glass facade sitsbeneath a triangular front, welcoming visitorsinside."

"Walk just a blockoff Canyon Roadandget lost in this small independent bookstore with awide-ranging inventory of bestsellers, art, literature, design, cookbooks, history, and biography, as well as numerousbooks about native artists, nature, and the cuisine of the Southwest and New Mexico. Don't miss the outdoor bargain bin, and check the schedule for visiting authorswho may overlap with your time in town. Right at the corner next to Garcia Street Books, the beloved Downtown Subscription café pours coffee and espresso perfect for sipping as you peruse your new book purchases."

"Located in downtown Santa Fe , this perfectlysized museum is dedicated to the artistic life of Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) andhouses the single largestcollection of the artist's work in the world. Rotating exhibits often include O'Keeffe's iconic desert landscape paintings alongside lesser-known gemspainted in Lake George and Hawaii(where she was commissioned by the Dole pineapple company). Often, notable pieces from established peers and contemporaries like Ansel Adams, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warholjoin hers on the walls."

"Rare and Out-of-Print Photography Books In 1979, what started as a mail order book business has grown into an impressive storefront and gallery. Spend ample time in this smartly-curated, stellar photography bookstore with rare and unusual finds devoted to contemporary photography. The gallery also presents fine photography."

"Locatedon the historic Plaza, this venerable well-curated mainstay gallery-shop (est. 1984) run by Navajo trader Jed Foutz showcases historic and contemporary Native American wares, including an impressive selection of colorful, labor-intensive Navajo weavings and museumworthy Wide Ruins rugs. Other coveted objects include turquoise jewelry, textiles, pottery, and sculptural baskets alongside a chic vintage-modern clothing line. Regardless of purchases, you will want to tote your camera for the Instagrammable works in the gallery."

"Canyon Road Dining For 22 years, the venerable Geronimo, situated in a 1756 adobe, has been serving a bevy of culinary delights. From the house favorites like peppery elk tenderloin to New Mexico lamb chops, the food is accessible and the timeless milieu is intimate. Sit on the front patio with a cocktail for the full Canyon Road people-watching experience. Inside, the stylish series of small dining rooms showcases wood floors, taxidermy, fireplaces, and beamed ceilings."

"A handsome pueblo revival adobe building with a peaceful garden and courtyard, the New Mexico Museum of Artmountssmall, rotating exhibits fromits impressive 20,000-piece permanent collection. It includes well-known artists like Georgia O'Keeffe, Gustave Baumann, and members of the Taos Society of Artists (Ernest L. Blumenschein, Bert G. Phillips, Joseph H. Sharp), and noted 20th-century Southwest photographers like Ansel Adams. Don't miss the special exhibits or the free Friday evenings (5–8 p.m.). The adjoining gift shop is a great place to pick up books, postcards, and jewelry."

"Museum Hill Spend some time on Museum Hill visiting the Museum of International Folk Art with its awesome Alexander Girard collection, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian and its stocked basement trading post of Native American wares, and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture. Unlike museum gift shopsthat sell replicas of artworks or mass-produced souvenirs,the museum shops here often carry original works of art for sale, so buying here can make you a collector, too.After all that culture, you'll be famished, so swing by the Museum Hill Cafe fora light snack."

"Some visitors to Santa Fe are surprised to find this Gothic revival structure in the middle of all of the adobe buildings in the historic district, like a piece of medieval Paris transplanted to the Wild West. The French connection is real—the 19th-century Loretto Chapel was designed by a French architect who modeled it after La Sainte Chapelle in Paris. According to legend, though, the plans failed to include access from the chapel floor to the choir loft. So, the nuns who ran the girls' school for which this stone structure was built began praying, and after nine days, a mysterious carpenter arrived. Neither nails nor glue nor any visible external support were used in this doubly-twisting staircase, and no one ever found out the name of the carpenter, who left without seeking payment. It must've been St. Joseph himself...so goes the legend of "the miraculous staircase." The physics of the structure can be explained by architects today, but that doesn't stop about a quarter-million visitors every year from marveling at the elegant spruce spiral. Open to the public as a privately run museum, the Loretto Chapel hasn't been a church for decades. It can, however, be rented: a spectacular setting for a private wedding."

"The Chez Panisse of Santa Fe The Chez Panisse of Santa Fe has been helmed by the same Berkeley-bred chef-owner since the 1970s. While the restaurant isn’t for New Mexican food purists, the local dishes are solid and range from classic renditions to enchiladas gussied up with griddled organic tofu, spinach, and zucchini."