<p>I got a great deal on a place to stay, and used FF miles for airfare, so my husband and I are going to Taos in September. We are trying to make this a relatively inexpensive vacation. Ideas of up fun things to do? We like active things, but will do some museums, etc. too. We plan to visit Abiquiu Ghost Ranch, Santa Fe, and will definitely visit and hike the gorge. TIA</p>
<p>Take some local roads to explore this area:
<a href=“Rio Grande Gorge Bridge - Wikipedia”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Gorge_Bridge</a></p>
<p>Puye cliff dwellings </p>
<p>Williams Lake </p>
<p>Drive take the “high road” and the “low road” to Santa Fe</p>
<p>Explore some of the near-by pueblos… San Ildefanso, Santa Clara, etc. </p>
<p>There’s more to do than you will have time for. And you’ll have a GREAT time. It’s a very special area. </p>
<p>Visit the Taos Pueblo
Consider staying at the Mable Dodge Luhan House (in Taos)
Visit Chimayo–about an hour from Taos
Visit the old church in Chimayo and eat at Rancho de Chimayo
If you look going to art galleries–almost all of the galleries in Santa Fe are along Canyon Rd</p>
<p>Have fun–it’s a wonderful area to visit.</p>
<p>Thanks. I know there is tons to do. We were originally looking to go to the coast of Oregon (we’ve been before and loved it), but this great deal for lodging came up, and Taos is on our bucket list, so we just quickly shifted gears. I won’t have time to do a lot of research before we go, so I know I can count on CCers to guide me. </p>
<p>I’m going to second Rancho de Chimayo. We had read about it in a guide book and decided to try it. The food was wonderful. I still think about it.</p>
<p>Perhaps a rafting day trip in Embudo Canyon (between Santa Fe and Taos)? In the spring it can be quite fast, by early fall, more of a float.</p>
<p>In Santa Fe, the O’Keeffe Museum, Gerald Peters Gallery, and Nedra Matteucci Gallery. For upscale restaurants: La Bouche, Restaurant Martin, Coyote Cafe. For New Mexican green chile dishes: Tomasita’s, Blue Corn Cafe, and The Shed.</p>
<p>The temperatures will vary from 80s in the day, to low 40s at night, pack fleece and jackets for the evenings and hikes. </p>
<p>Oh my, this does bring back memories. I used to live in Santa Fe for several years long ago. But some of the things mentioned were a must do even way back then.</p>
<p>Certainly the Taos Pueblo. And a trip across the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, a few miles north of Taos, is awe inspiring.</p>
<p>The old church in Chimayo has a miracle hole if I remember correctly. People take sand from the hole and are cured of various things. And supposedly the hole’s sand level stays the same no matter how many people take sand. And Rancho de Chimayo has great food and is beautiful.</p>
<p>The trip to Santa Fe is beautiful. Walk around the Plaza in SF and enjoy the culture. I used to manage a jewelry gallery on Canyon Rd. right across the street from The Compound, another great restaurant. Tomasita’s, as mentioned, has authentic native food, or use to. I remember when it was a hole in the wall with mismatched plates and utensils. Its “new” ( to all of us who lived in SF) use to have signs warning people (tourists) that it’s food was prepared for local tastes. That meant the chilies was hot.</p>
<p>If you are lucky, the Aspens in the Sangre de Cristo mountains are in their full yellow blaze.</p>
<p>Enjoy. It is a beautiful place.</p>
<p>Thanks. We are looking forward to it. </p>
<p>Love Taos! Envy you! Great suggestions here. I love the folk art museum in SF.</p>
<p>Try to get to the farmer’s market on Saturdays in SF </p>
<p>OP here. We spent last week in Taos, and never even made it to Santa Fe, other than driving through. We hiked to Williams Lake (Near the tallest Peak in NM). We hiked into the Rio Grande Gorge and drove and walked over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. We went to many galleries in Taos, and had margaritas and dinner at multiple restaurants. We loved Abiquiu Ghost Ranch, and wish we could have spent more time there. It was a great relaxing week. We didn’t get to farmer’s market in Santa Fe, but hit the Taos One. We drove the “enchanted highway” one day, but that was a total bust. There was much concern over rain, but we hardly saw any. Much of the town of Taos did lose water our last day there, but not because of any hurricane (some weather people predicted we would have terrible downpours). Next time we will do Santa Fe, and only repeat might be Abiquiu. One funny observation was the number of older men with long grey ponytails. We observed many interesting beards. More women there seem to go grey instead of using color also. I highly recommend visiting that area, especially if you like to hike/spend time outside.</p>
<p>Not to hijack this thread, but H and I might go to Austin in Dec and also wanted to visit our son in Kansas City in Dec. I was wondering if we might fly to Austin and drive to KC, visiting Santa Fe, maybe Taos, on the way. Is this a dumb idea, giving distances involved? I think we could take the time. We live in VT.</p>
<p>Have you mapped the distances? That’s a LOT of driving. And New Mexico is NOT on the way to Kansas. A lot of that drive would be incredibly boring, too. I love Austin, Santa Fe, and Taos, though!</p>
<p>I just think there are better uses of vacation time than driving through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. I drove from Austin to Kansas twice in college, for student engineering society meetings. I will never do it again!</p>
<p>Well, that’s why I’m asking. It sorta seemed silly to fly to Austin, then fly back to VT, then fly to KC, but I’m not sure that would be much different from flying to Austin, then to KC, then beck to VT, ie, lots of flying. There are no direct flights, or if there is one from Austin to KC, it’s probably crazy expensive. i need to do more homework. I guess I wished someone would tell me this was a good idea. Haha.</p>
<p>But I’d rather you tell me the truth.</p>
<p>Would it make sense to go there in January if not skiing?</p>
<p>Igloo, I would say probably not. Most of what we liked about Taos was outdoors, and we wouldn’t have been doing those things in January. Just my opinion though, I’ve never been there before this trip in September. </p>
<p>We stayed in El Pueblo- loved that restored 50s feel. High rating on trip advisor deserved. Within walking distance to town with a couple of interesting brewpubs on the way…</p>
<p>@1214mom, Thank you.</p>