Santa Fe

Easily one of the most beautiful and varied hikes in driving distance from Santa Fe. It has it all in a pretty short hike - the 1.5 mile trail includes slot canyons and incredibly phallic "tent rock" formations that reach 6700 ft. above sea level.

While Ghost Ranch provides iconic landscapes, O'Keeffe's private home and studio seems like a much more personal touring experience. Her irrigated gardens and key living quarters are preserved in a way that doesn't feel sterile or dated. If I could build an exact replica and live my days out one hill over, I would. Ojo Caliente is about 35 minutes away so bundle the two and be sure to reserve both well ahead of time.

Take a morning to visit Georgia O'Keefe's home and studio in Abiquiu and then head over to Ojo Caliente for a massage and hot spring pools. Besides the communal pools, they have beautiful private hot spring tubs with wood burning kivas and views of the surrounding landscape. It's even lovely in the winter with snow on the ground and contrasting temperatures. Be sure to book ahead of time if you wish to try a private tub and spa treatments.

Go for the breakfast and grab hatch chili bread on your way out.

Colorful, chaotic, collections and I wish I had visited sooner, to be honest.

Grab pre or post Meow Wolf and be sure to come back for bags of flour tortillas to hand carry back with you - they freeze incredibly well and are worth the awkward balancing act of tortillas stacked on more tortillas inside of a flimsy bag on the plane home.

Always our first dinner stop in Santa Fe. Big margaritas, big emphasis on heat, all of the New Mexican classics.