History & Cultural Attractions in Santa Fe, New Mexico
We visited Santa Fe, New Mexico, during the winter holiday break in 2024. Over our 48 hours in the town, most of our time was spent in the downtown historic district.
Our experiences at the many art museums and attractions in Santa Fe are covered in a previous post:
New Mexico History Museum
Santa Fe was the northernmost border of the Spanish Empire. Built in 1610, the Palace of the Governors is the oldest public building that housed a seat of a governing European settlement in the United States. (By comparison, the oldest remaining structure from Jamestown Settlement in Virginia is a tower from the Jamestown Church built in 1639.)
The New Mexico History Museum’s two main buildings covered a comprehensive post-colonial history of the settlement of what is now New Mexico by the Spanish and the subsequent changes in governing powers until US statehood was granted in 1912. The timeline also includes information about the earliest inhabitants of the land, the Pueblo people, and the use of Catholic Missions to force the Native people to adopt Christianity and labor for the Spanish. The creation of Reservations, resistance, and resettlement of the Apache and Navajo people is well-covered in the stories in the museum through historic photos and stories of individuals who played a role in the history.
Additional long-term and temporary exhibits explored other unique parts of New Mexico’s history and culture, including the introduction of WWII-era nuclear research facilities, the history of state tourism and photographs of the original railroad construction.
Historic Churches
The Spanish introduction of Catholicism into the southwestern US is well preserved in the historic cathedrals and chapels of Santa Fe.
San Miguel Chapel
The San Miguel Chapel, with parts of the structure dating back to 1710, is recognized as the “oldest church in the continental US.” There was no entrance fee, but donations were encouraged to support the historic preservation efforts.
The Loretta Chapel
The spiral “Miraculous Staircase” is the biggest draw to the Loretta Chapel. Built in 1878, the chapel is now a tourist attraction and wedding venue.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (Santa Fe) is a large Romanesque style cathedral built in 1886 on the site of an earlier adobo chapel. Tour guides were available at points of interest during our visit, with the cathedral (with a still-active community and Mass location) open to the public during specified visitor hours.
Staying in Historic Santa Fe
Shopping & Dining
There were many dining options to choose from in the downtown area. On Friday we had dinner at Cowgirl Café (the menu, as expected, was heavy on the traditional southwest bbq style options but had vegetarian southwest options and daily specials that weren’t on the regular menu).
On Saturday we had dinner at El Callejon, including enchiladas (the vegetarian dish also had a fresh mix of potato-carrot-cactus sauté), and topped with a mix of both green and red salsa, locally known as the the “Christmas” version of the sauce.
Shopping ranged from upscale art galleries to souvenir shops. Most storefronts were on the sidewalks of the busy historic district, but additional small shops were hidden in small indoor shopping centers under hotels or in larger buildings.
Inn of the Governors
We stayed at the Inn of the Governors, located a few blocks from the central Santa Fe Plaza. From the hotel we could easily walk to all of the downtown museums, restaurants and shops.
TIP: By booking directly with the hotel (at the time of our stay in December 2024) we received a $10/night credit that we could use at Del Charro restaurant.
There were many non-chain hotels within downtown Santa Fe, including upscale options that originated as part of the historic Fred Harvey collection. (An exhibit in the New Mexico History Museum highlighted the brand’s influence on the western US.)
Most of the Inn of the Governors’ rooms opened to the exterior central parking lot, but we didn’t hear any street noise or pedestrian traffic.
Breakfast was included from the Del Charro restaurant connected to the hotel lobby; it opened to the public for lunch and dinner later in the day. Each late afternoon the hotel hosted happy hour of Biscochitos (the state cookie of New Mexico), sherry and tea. In warmer weather we would have lounged on the patio or swam in the heated pool.
Read more blog posts about the US Southwest….
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