Taos Plaza

If you are into shopping then Taos Plaza is a great destination. My wife and I are not, so a quick (45 minute) walk around the plaza was enough for us, mainly so we could say we've been there. For those seeking art and mementos, the selection ranges from very expensive paintings, pottery, and textiles, to inexpensive souvenirs. Incidentally, we went just after 10 am on a February Sunday morning and it was quiet and uncrowded. Many shops opened at 10, but there were some that were closed.

It's a lot like old Santa Fe, but less upscale (still, Yupscale). We visited in mid-Nov., and it wasn't too crowded...but many of the businesses were closed at mid-day. I dunno whether this is a seasonal thing. IF there is a season or time of day when these places are open, it'd be the PERFECT place to pick up amazingly overpriced "native" or "Made in New Mexico" stuff. Do not be shy about wandering in and out of places here. It's all very chill.

I was recently in Taos for vacation and absolutely loved our visit to the Pueblo area. We also wanted to do the plaza/town Square. And it was not nearly as nice as the one in Santa Fe. I feel like there were too many places that looked almost like a New York City souvenir shop. I am happy that we went by there because it did also have some very nice jewelry places, etc. It did seem like it needed to be cleaned up and it’s a bit dirty. If you’re looking for a really cool town Square I would definitely stick to Santa Fe.

Beautiful small town city center. Perfectly encapsulates the beauty of Taos. Many souvenir shops, art shops and eateries. The La Fonda is a beautiful option to stay. The evenings are pleasant with multiple live events going on around the town. Not that much crowded even on the 4th of July weekend. You can feel the calmness of the place and its serenity.

Quaint old historic square where you could imagine people gathering and doing their shopping. Cute shops with lots to look at. Be sure to check out the old hotel on the square and walk past the square to check out galleries and museums,

Taos Plaza is the center of the Taos Historic District where locals gather for live music and farmers markets and visitors stroll through shops and galleries, historic buildings and restaurants. A majority of the most important historic sites in Taos are easily reached on a short walking. Nearby Kit Carson Road, Bent Street, and Ledoux Street lead to even more historic homes, neighborhoods, and shopping areas. As browse through the shops keep an eye out for Taos-made products. For example, Native American moccasins made in Taos are famous throughout the world. Here everyone can appreciate hand-made clothing and leatherwork. The jewelry created in Taos satisfies every taste and pocketbook. It is possible find beautiful tin and wood items, pottery, ceramics, and much more. Just about anywhere you walk in the heart of Taos you will find yourself immersed in the history of this place and of the Southwest.

This is a fabulous location to walk around and explore. The buildings set against the blue sky is gorgeous. The feeling of the place is exotic and historical at once, and also sad. I won’t go into detail on the history but it is heavy to walk around and know how we treated some cultures and that that treatment continues through today.

Absolutely one of the most beautiful and enchanted places on earth. As a young man - hippie - I had left home to go to NM to be a part of the communal living culture in the Sangre de Christo Mtns. Got on a Greyhound Bus with a friend , a couple of hundred bucks in my pockets. From selling jewelry , growing NM Chilis to harvesting Piñon nuts and selling them in the plaza my life started so to speak. A diversion to Woodstock with the Hogfarm where I was a Red Shirt Stage Medic started my Medical Career. Still have that mindset to this day. The old town plaza was a beautiful gathering place for Native Americans , hippies and tourists to gather to buy and sell jewelry, fruit , veggies and other wares. The festivals that were held there were enchanting- the Southwestern aromas of food cooking filled the air. The artwork , crafts and jewelry was absolutely insane. The memories I hold dear in my heart always come front and center - feelings from deep inside of me filling my body with memories, warmth and affection. All the old town plazas in NM are a must see highlight of any trip that one may take. The architecture, colors , Beauty wherever one may look are breathtaking and the food is exquisite. The shops that surround the plaza offer items that become centerpieces of collections from your travels This is a must see place. I go back as often as i can. I am looking for a house for sale to return to the land I love. I plan to go full circle. Still have my Red Shirt to this day. lol

Taos plaza, as of mid September 2025 had some sections under construction. So, while all the shops were open and accessible, the area in the center was only partially open. It was still fun to visit the shops but it's definitely not a full day excursion. We had visited the plaza after a morning hike, enjoying the shops and galleries. Options range from typical touristy (but unique) shirts and souvenirs to galleries and crystal shops. There's paid parking which you can pay by credit card at one of the machines near the square-pretty reasonable at $1.50 per hour. Outside the plaza, within a few blocks there are other shops and galleries to check out, making this area a great jumping off point for exploring the main hub of Taos.

Nice, little plaza with some local shops. My guy and I walked around the area and enjoyed the grassy area in the middle with the pets. The shops were nice for the most part. Some of them do sell similar items, but we still managed to find a nice variety to look at. The shops were a lot better than the food and drink options we found. Those were not as impressive.

Picked up a few items needed! Beautiful town up in the mountains! North of Santa Fe New Mexico!

If you're looking for a one-stop spot to explore local Taos art galleries or buy souvenirs, this small plaza is it. There are several plaques to read about Taos history. The food and drink options seem okay. Not much really spoke to me, but I'm glad I made time to walk around and hang out with my friends. It was freezing when I went, so if I was ever here in warmer weather, I might spend more time checking out all the local businesses.

this is a good place to hand out with friends. people played music, alot. DO RECOMMEND!

If local shops, history and some great little cafes and dining spots are your thing ... spend the day at Taos Plaza to get some good walking in. Very walkable and nice learning for insight how the town of Taos came to be.

If you're driving up to Taos for a day-trip, this place is worth a visit by for ~60 minutes Some recommendations 1. There's lots of small businesses that provide an insight into the local arts and crafts scene and I'd recommend stopping by at some of them. 2. Plenty of great restaurants as well (Lambert) and small cafes and sweet shops. 3. I'd also advise reading up on Taos's rich and intriguing history before stopping by here.

After spending days in the old town sections of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, Taos was a great finally to our New Mexico vacation. Taos is a very small town with a number of great attractions. I especially enjoyed the Taos Plaza. It was a beautiful spring day and it was a great place to sit back and enjoy the street musicians that played for tips in the square. The plaza is surrounded by shops and restaurants so I was happy to sit and relax on a nice day while my wife got her shopping fill for the day! (I'm only good for only stopping for a short time!). This little town was one of my favorite stops on our NM Trip.... plus the drive up from Santa Fe is spectacular! Make sure to add this execution to and NM itinerary.

I sooo wanted to love Taos Plaza, but it seemed to me dusty,sad, in bad shape, a bit of a depressed area. Parking is hard, we did find a meter, not enough coffee shops and restaurants around, public restrooms were dirty. I expected more art, a more happening place. It doesn't compare to Santa Fe Plaza! We ended up eating at the Gorge Bar and Grill which wasn't bad. But I recommend waiting and visiting the John Dunne shops area first and Bent Street. These areas around the plaza are more Taos, more artistic with better stores and art galleries. The place has a tad of a charm, of a glory long gone. But if you are in Taos, stroll around, especially during Covid many attractions are closed in the area!

Although Taos Plaza was established in 1796, many of the current surrounding buildings date mostly from the 1930s. The original fortified plaza served to protect the village, merchants and its livestock. It was kept under close watch to protect the fledgling city. Since the buildings were contiguous, many fires over the years spread rapidly from building to building destroying the original structures. Today, it houses a quiet square surrounded by the historic Hotel la Fonda de Taos, art galleries and souvenir shops. Check out the Charles Collins Gallery. It is located just off the plaza with two interesting outdoor sculptures.

Not worth a trip unless you are in the area. The area was under construction , which did not help, but most of the stores looked old and in need of modernization. We were expecting Taos to be similar to Santa Fe, but there were very few galleries and local art Many of the stores had commercial, touristy items. Parking was all meters. We were disappointed.

Don Fernando de Taos Not much has changed since my last visit to Taos back in 2011, but I was glad to able to make my way back there earlier this year. This epicentre of culture, history, skiing and other alpine activities is a must on your next New Mexico journey. A little smaller than Old Town ABQ or the Santa Fe Plaza, this plaza, located in the Historic Downtown Taos area has much to offer. First off, it's a historic site which dates back to the 1600s, it's brimming with activity as its full of shops and galleries, and it has restaurants, bars and lodgings. Upon my arrival, I had to drive around a little to find parking. There are meters but the one I parked in front of was 'out of order' so I got lucky. I walked around the perimeter of the plaza and poked my head into souvenir shops, galleries, a few services, clothing and apparel stores and I browsed the menus of a few restaurants. I was there in February of 2020 and the plaza was packed with skiers as well as tourists and locals. Taos is known worldwide as a haven for alpine sports as it has its world-renown ski area, Taos Ski Valley. The Plaza is decorated in the Spanish-Adobe style that is popular in New Mexico and the region and it is a pleasure to see for yourself. Locals are friendly and the skiers are more than happy to share their stories of barreling down Kachina Peak. There is a Historic Hotel located right on the plaza called Hotel La Fonda De Taos, where you can get rooms or Suites. There are other lodgings close by as well. From May until October there is a Farmers Market, and in the Plaza, in the summer there is live music and concerts nightly. Taos and its surrounding area is a great place to visit, and there are so many things to do. If you do visit the area, staying downtown near the Plaza area would put you centrally to most things to do. Check out the Historic Taos Plaza if you're ever in the area or looking for a new destination for your next travel adventure.

Now if Santa Fe Plaza is the gravitational center of that city, this one just didn't have the same feel to me for Taos. There was hardly a soul about except the homeless man who appeared to be staking his claim in front of the performance gazebo on a crisp Friday morning (note the sprawled legs - http://bit.ly/2LwOUBS). The car traffic careening around the perimeter certainly wasn't inviting, and only the disguised Starbucks cafe was the only place that was open. At least it offered a peek into the historic Hotel La Fonda de Taos (photo: http://bit.ly/2xpDNT4). Don't get me wrong. The adobe architecture is attractive, but if you want the pulse of Taos life, this place was DOA. RELATED - Do you know the way to Santa Fe? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2I4mWdq

A nice place to enjoy an afternoon of shopping or to grab a meal during a Taos visit. Parking is metered spots in the square or lots around the square that can be found by following the parking signs. Metered spots are not for decoration so bring quarters. The variety of shops is nice and are locally owned businesses. We found local food items, art, jewelry, clothing, kitchen goods, and gift items. The shops have reasonably priced items. Restaurants, coffee shops, dessert shops, and a wine bar are in and around the square. The Chokola chocolate shop was my favorite dessert shop in the area. I'd highly recommend this awesome dessert shop.

Taos square is a very cool artsy place. It's right downtown in the historic district where the Harwood museum of Art, Taos Inn, Gov. Charles Bent House, John Dunn House, The Taos Art museum, the old courthouse & historic Taos jail are located. You can't miss it, the main road goes right by it, across from the famous Taos Inn where my hubby & spent one crazy Christmas lol The Taos square is like a little park with some shade trees. You can sit on one of the park benches drinking your communist coffee from World Cup (great place, fantastic coffee) on the corner of the square. A must visit. Their Mexican hot coco is also amazballs. You can have lunch in one of the cafes (skip the Gorge Cafe it sucks) & watch the world go by listening to flute music on most weekends in the summer. There is a Gazebo in the center that sometimes has live music. Its basically a big square you can drive around with limited metered parking surrounded by art galleries, shops, & cafes. The shopping is very touristy, the galleries are the bomb ;) The oldest/first hotel in Taos is also located inside the square. Hotel La Fonda de Taos, which has a small museum of D.H. Laurence paintings. A must see. Also a must see is their Penthouse suite on the top floor! Gorgeous. I think it's around $1,200 a night but well worth it if your there for a festival/holiday & the square is all lit up, the views are magical. We were just in town for "The Taos Lilac Festival" that is held in the Taos Square. I am a YUGE gardening fanatic. I love to garden organic veggies & herbs & I love FLOWERS. "The Taos lilac Festival celebrating the heritage of lilacs, May 17, 18, & 19, 2019. The Festival Weekend, May 17 - 19, 2019 included a pet pageant; live entertainment; home & business expo; food & crafts vendor & many family friendly activities. Lilacs flourish abundantly in Taos and peak the last two weeks of May." Taos square & the lilac show was so beautiful, all the shops windows were displaying tons of purple items in every hue from lilac to grape purple. The whole town was painted in Lilac, it was positively dreamy. If you haven't visited Taos square yet & want to know what cool stuff that is happening there, just go to the Taos County chamber of commerce & search the events calendar. There is tons of fun stuff going on there in the spring/summer & it's so beautiful to hang out in the clean mountain air, walk thru all the beautiful thought provoking art galleries & have some incredible New Mexican cuisine. Taos is ART! Highly recommend.

A great place to go when you visit Taos . You'll find all sorts of souvenir shop, jewelry store, cool T-shirts, collectibles, new Mexican food... You pretty much name and you'll find it here. On the weekend, often you will find a farmers market and there are all kinds of delicious yummie you just can't do without

This square in the middle of Taos has a gazebo, monument, and park. It has a bunch of holiday decor in the winter which is beautifully lit every night. The square is surrounded by local shops, galleries, restaurants, and hotel.

When you've finished skiing, hiking, or just spaing (if one can "spa" then one can be "spaing"), you'll come here for the shopping and walking and more shopping. The Plaza is surrounded by several shops selling trinkets and doodads and baubles. Or you can just sit in one of the benches and enjoy the sun. There are a number of memorials here as well. Quite the hot spot!

Taos Plaza looked so beautiful this year! It's been awhile since I've been home! :) I'm a local Taoseno born and raised! I've watched this place grow through its ups and downs. Of course you can't avoid the potholes so I suggest you take your mountain climbing car to this cute little town or you will be in for some repairs lol.. First off you must start your day at the edge of the Plaza getting a great cup of Coffee from World Cup! I suggest anyone who is visiting Taos Plaza to visit in July for the Santa Ana Fiestas! Good food! Great Music and of course the ''Horse Merry Go Round"" Tio Vivo! Stop by the made in New Mexico store and buy some of Lynn Garlicks Retablos :) 'Great local artist' you must stop and visit her shop if you have time! The locals can be moody but its the view that will make you smile! By the way... Google map doesn't work here so well....so pick up an ole fashion map at the visitor center on your way in ;) P.S you must venture to Taos Ski Valley, Taos Pueblo and The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge :)

What a wonderful getaway even for a day, love this charming, eclectic small town, of shops, restaurants, Arts and other findings. Truly you get the New Mexico feeling here. The only one bad thing is the man who is homeless who yells at tourist if they take pictures and tells them "to get the F out of his town & not take pictures", unfortunately he is a public nuisance and needs help from the community for his lack of mental capabilities. Apparently he has been living in the Post office for years. I highly suggest this small community get him the help he needs and get him away from this "Thriving Tourist Wonderland."

Make sure you have a mask!!! You WILL be told to leave, and unlike many other places, no one has a disposable mask to provide. The plaza was cute. Parking was difficult and metered. Bring your coins bc they're coin only. Also, make sure to check the store hours. Some store have interesting hours. I definitely recommend a walk through the plaza to check it off your bucket list, and see the shops.

I've been coming to Taos Plaza since my graduate intern days at Los Alamos around 1979. In fact I still have a picture framed with Taos Barn Wood that I bought at a shop that no longer exists. I've always enjoyed strolling around, visiting the shops, taking in a little history, and viewing the DH Lawrence paintings at the Hotel La Fonda de Taos. Gayle, Erin, Jim, and I visited recently and of course the place has changed. There's a whole range of shops from an inexpensive 5 and dime vibe to high end jewelry and art. The feel here is casual, yet a little frayed in places. The Santa Fe Plaza in comparison seems more grounded in its Historical district protection and First Nations vendors. it's also more crowded. Jim came away from Taos Plaza as somewhat underwhelmed based on what he had heard or read. I've always put this place in perspective with the drive up here, the Taos Pueblo, the Ski Area, and the Rio Grande Bridge (among other things). It's a great area to explore, with the Taos Plaza being an interesting cultural stop along the way.

Bright turquoise woodwork makes this plaza uniquely set apart. Galleries, boutiques, restaurants, hotel...lots to see.

Taos Plaza is a super chill place to hang out while you are in town. There is plenty of cheap parking around the square, and in the summer there are merchants selling fruit juice and trinkets without being pushy. We were also lucky to catch a summer music series in the Plaza with The Dam Band playing, a local favorite. What I thought was really great was that there were so many locals at the show, and it wasn't just a tourist trap type of situation. In the mornings I would grab a cup of coffee from World Cup and drink it on a bench in the Plaza while I waited for the stores to open up.

Hubby and I were so surprised that many of the eateries in the Plaza is closed on a Tuesday. Shops are open, but many seems like touristy souvenir shops. Good place to stroll, but not much else.

Always our first stop when we arrive in town! From the "Made in New Mexico" shop to the La Fonda Hotel, and the Gorge restaurant, the Plaza is the place to be! Stop in and enjoy the food and other offerings that the local merchants have to offer!

Much smaller version of Santa Fe but still enjoyable. Loved the shops and cafes. Nice day to stroll around. Kit Carson home was also cool. Just across the street from plaza.

Disappointing hole. Two stars for the friendly businesses, but the town is dumpy, for the most part. Taos Pueblo was closed, though we called ahead, but no sign of being closed. But, this review is about Taos in general and specifically Taos Plaza. There were a couple of decent shops, but mostly all I saw were curio shops with Chinese made crap. I made it was far as the Taos Trading Post and began on the right side of the Plaza. There was one shop on the right side near the back end, which has beautiful pottery from several New Mexican pueblos and from northern Mexico. The proprietor was very knowledgable and explained how the black vases were made, which was fascinating! Five stars for him and his store. But, once we walked into the Taos Trading Post, that was it. More crap. So my kid and I bolted out to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge overlook, which was awesome! It was very beautiful and has snow all around, as the sun was setting. That made the trip worth it. Also, the Gorge Restaurant at the front end of the plaza has very good Mexican food. The Plaza lights were very well done too. Perhaps we missed the better shops, with local handmade crafts etc., but since we were staying in Santa Fe, I knew we would have much better choices of arts and crafts, than the crap the Taos Plaza was peddling. To me, the trip was not worth it. Waste of time.

Perfect choice for a day out. You can shop or just roam around. Shopkeepers are super nice and the shops are full of beautiful stuff. Scented candles, dream catchers, silver cutlery, wide range of clothes and jewelry and list goes on. The center of the plaza has plenty of sitting arrangement. Sit on the benches and enjoy the sunny day. A bit less lighting at night. Plenty of parking in the plaza as well as outside the plaza.