One in all my greatest regrets about residing in Austin for over 10 years was that I didn’t go to New Mexico sufficient. I imply, it’s loopy—think about residing subsequent door to the aptly-named Land of Enchantment, and solely going just a few instances? The excellent news, after all, is that journey is commonly about high quality greater than high quality. And all of my journeys to the rapid west have been extremely memorable, even when I didn’t take sufficient of them.
The higher information? In case you’re stressing over the Santa Fe vs Taos debate, what I’m about to say will calm your nerves. (Even when the conclusion I attain is lower than definitive.)
Whereas Taos vs Santa Fe tends to dominate the dialogue for guests to New Mexico, the state is greater than its northern reaches. Particularly, the gorgeous White Sands Nationwide Park within the south is an absolute gem of a vacation spot, to say nothing of spots peripheral to that, together with the mountain village of Ruidoso and the ramshackle city of Alamogordo. There’s additionally the truth that, having lived in Texas throughout all my New Mexico journeys, I used to be considerably blinded to only how particular the state is.
Taos, New Mexico
Methods to Examine Taos and Santa Fe
Vibe
In some methods, the vibes of those two cities are related—non secular, earthy, perhaps a bit witchy. Santa Fe has older girls promoting handmade jewellery; Taos has chili peppers hanging on buildings in all places. Santa Fe, nonetheless, despite this, is a bigger metropolis, and has a bit sooner tempo of life.
Points of interest
When selecting Santa Fe or Taos, vacationer enchantment issues. The Taos Pueblo looks like a residing museum, whether or not you discover San Francisco de Asis Mission, or go to Fechin Home Artwork Museum. In Santa Fe, it’s extra about getting misplaced within the streets though sure sights (Georgia O’Keefe Museum; Cross of the Martyrs viewpoint) predominate.
Delicacies
In relation to meals, you received’t go hungry in both of those cities. Clearly, my favourite factor to eat when visiting them is conventional New Mexican delicacies like sopapillas. Nonetheless, whether or not you are taking a extra Tex-Mex route, and even go woo-woo vegan, you’re assured to eat nicely in all places in northern New Mexico.
Panorama
Provided that the cities are lower than 90 minutes from each other by automotive, there’s not numerous differentiation in panorama, whether or not you find yourself preferring Taos or Santa Fe. Suppose towering, terra-cotta coloured mountains and infinite blue skies, the place clouds slowly transfer towards the horizon because it somebody has painted them there.
Accommodations and purchasing
Whereas I can’t assure they’ll be inexpensive, you’ll have your decide of lodging in each Taos and Santa Fe, from roadside motels, to boutique inns to luxurious properties in each the resort and trip rental class. So far as purchasing is worried? Let’s simply say that I hope you want dreamcatchers.
Santa Fe
How Many Days Do You Want in Santa Fe and Taos?
How lengthy you spend in northern New Mexico actually relies upon upon how far you’re coming from, and what the remainder of your journey appears to be like like. In case you’re simply driving down from Colorado and even over from Texas, it would is sensible merely to spend 2-3 days in Taos and Santa Fe, particularly if you happen to’re persevering with to go south to White Sands, or west into Arizona or Utah.
Paradoxically, I discover this can be a superb period of time to spend if you happen to’re flying in from distant, assuming you will get an inexpensive fare to Santa Fe’s very small airport. Sadly, since that is so usually not the case, you’ll in all probability have to fly to El Paso or Denver, that means {that a} longer highway journey across the Desert Southwest might be justified.
Different FAQ on Visiting New Mexico
Is Taos well worth the drive from Santa Fe?
Provided that Taos is lower than 90 minutes from Santa Fe by automotive, I’d say the drive is nearly definitely price it. Even if you happen to don’t find yourself having the time to dig deep into Taos, it’s troublesome to not really feel charmed by the adobe mud structure constructed amid the desert panorama, to say nothing of the chili peppers hanging in all places.
What’s so particular about Taos?
Taos has enchanted vacationers since lengthy earlier than the social media period, with a cityscape that hearkens again to the pre-American period and a panorama that additionally evokes instances lengthy since previous. Taos can be good in that it’s an amazing ski vacation spot within the winter, despite being extraordinarily scorching in the course of the summer time.
What’s the vibe of Taos?
The earnest reply to this query is that Taos has an earthy, non secular vibe, which pulls earthy, non secular individuals there. The extra cynical response? No matter earthiness and spirituality as soon as existed in Taos has been co-opted, turning it right into a Disneyland from the “Coexist” crowd, whose pilgrimages there make it much more synthetic.
The Backside Line
Evaluating Santa Fe vs Taos isn’t as high-stakes as another metropolis debates, given how shut they’re to at least one one other. The fact is that almost all vacationers will find yourself visiting each of those locations—it’s actually a query of which is able to get essentially the most consideration. If I’m sincere, I’ve points with each of them—they each have a sure “outdated women within the desert promoting turquoise” vibe, not less than for the informal customer. However, whereas Taos’ timeless structure appears to be like impossibly attractive in opposition to the desert panorama, the truth that Santa Fe is a “actual” metropolis offers it the benefit for me.
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Robert Schrader is a journey author and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications corresponding to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Depart Your Day by day Hell, gives a mixture of journey recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays masking the extra esoteric points of life as a traveler.
