We took the scenic route from Taos to Santa Fe, which is only a short drive of 75 miles that took us a little under two hours. Starting from Taos and heading south on Hwy76, we turned left onto the High Road to Taos and followed the 98 and 518 to Santa Fe. The first half of the trip again featured winding roads through wooded areas, reaching elevations around 8500 feet.
Santa Fe, which translates to ‘Holy Faith’ in Spanish, is the capital of New Mexico. It sits at an elevation of 6,998 and has a population of 88,193. Santa Fe is known as one of the largest art markets in the country.
We had stayed at the Inn of the Governors on West Alameda Street twice before. It is a traditional and authentic hotel located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. While the hotel no longer serves afternoon sherry by the pool, they do provide a sherry sampler that you can enjoy in your room, and the hotel still maintains a unique cozy atmosphere.
We strolled over the Plaza, visited the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (built between 1869-86), had coffee at the French Pastry Shop & Restaurant inside the La Fonda, and walked Canyon Road Arts District, an area with over 80 galleries, studios, and designers.
We ended the day with a fantastic dinner at Del Charro, the best dinner of the trip.
Before making our way back home, we had breakfast at the hotel. Our journey back was long, taking us about 7 hours to cover the 415 miles to Sedona, with only one stop for a coffee break in Gallup. Gallup is a small town at an elevation of 6,468 feet with a population of 21,899. The violent crime rate there is almost five times higher than the national average. After the break, we crossed back into Arizona and eventually arrived in Sedona at approximately 3 pm.
Galleries
Meyer Gallery
Dave McGary (sculptor) (1958-2013)
Iron That Walks
Iron That Walks was an early 19th century Hidatsa tribal Leader.
Santa Fe Trails Fine Art Gallery
Susan Kliewer (sculptor)
Sinagua Monument
Meteorite, Mineral & Fossil Gallery
Gallery Wild,Art Gone Wild Gallery
Rip Caswell (sculptor)
She Who Watches
Bronze $74,000
Bleu Raven Fine Art Gallery
Art gallery owner Amaya Bleu at work
Street Art
