For the past few years, my family and I have been traveling to Arizona for a couple months out of the year. I decided to join them for 10 days and share our favorite spots. I always wanted to explore New Mexico, so I re-routed my flight to Albuquerque and booked a rental car for the weekend before meeting my family in Phoenix. 

Day 1 Albuquerque

I landed in ABQ at 11am, took the shuttle to the rental car center (five min) and immediately received my vehicle ($225 for 2 days). I drove about 15 minutes to El Vado, a vibrant motel located one mile from old town Albuquerque. I left my bags in the secure hands of the concierge and grabbed lunch at one of the vendors on the property. El Vado has several food and retail shops connected to the motel with everything you need for a brief stay. I had a Costa Rican dish from Buen Provecho with chicken, rice, beans and plantains with a side of tortillas. Everything was great, inexpensive and necessary after a long morning of travel. The tortillas were thick and pancake-like. I could barely eat half the meal! All for under $15.

El Vado Motel fits the aesthetic of the city; eclectic, easy-going and spiritual. I walked about 15 minutes to old town Albuquerque, which reminded me of old town Scottsdale minus the bars and clubs. Old town is packed with Native American jewelers, tea shops, herbalist and of course all things Breaking Bad. I also noticed there are as many Birthing Centers in Albuquerque as there are churches in the deep south. Birthing Centers are a popular option in the area for soon-to-be mothers. The facilities are staffed by nurses and midwives. They offer a more comfortable/natural environment than hospitals, with more security than an at-home birth. Natural Medicine is commonly used in New Mexico. The state’s Pueblo roots are very much still alive. I stocked up on some loose-leaf tea and browsed the unique shops with minimal negative space. Most stores are packed with vintage clothing, antiques, vinyl, various trinkets and decorations, unclear what’s for sale and what’s not. I walked back to my motel to check- in at 3pm (only downside is the motel doesn’t offer early check-in… no exceptions). My room was modern, spacious, and very comfortable. I spent $200 for one night including two queen beds, bathroom, pool access, lounges and several communal areas. They also had live music every night on the weekends. Later that night, I got ready for dinner and drove about eight minutes to the downtown area. I walked into the Artichoke Cafe and grabbed a seat at the bar. For dinner I started with a martini and a little gem salad followed by beef tenderloin. Everything was satisfactory but nothing to rave about. The ambiance was perfect for a solo dinner and the bar was filled with friendly patrons enjoying their happy hour. For safety reasons, I typically don’t have more than a martini at dinner when I’m traveling alone. I headed back to the hotel, enjoyed some live music and called it an early night. 

Day 2 Santa Fe

Santa Fe was the primary reason I came to New Mexico.  I sprung out of bed around seven am, checked out of the motel and drove an hour North. First stop, breakfast at La Mamas. I ordered a savory chia porridge with eggs and mole sauce … adorable spot with delicious food. Next, 11am tickets for the Meow Wolf Museum; an intensely visually stimulating art museum with a couple locations throughout the US. The original is located in Santa Fe. Some say the experience is overrated. I decided to see for myself since I’d always been intrigued. Overall, I would describe it as transcendental. For lack of a better term, just “trippy”.  It was a cool experience but if I go again I’d recruit a couple of friends and enjoy a few margaritas first. Note: drugs and alcohol are not permitted inside the exhibit. I’d also avoid going on the weekend to avoid crowds of kids. The rest of my day was pretty open.

A friend from Santa Fe advised I park at downtown Subscription, then walk .5 miles to Canyon Road for the art galleries. I wandered into the Sandra Martinez tapestry and painting gallery and sparked a conversation with the owner. Sandra’s a charismatic painter with a bubbly personality who owns the gallery with her husband, Wence. Wence began weaving at the age of nine while tending to his family’s sheep in Oaxaca, Mexico. As the black sheep of his family, he ran away from home twice before the age of 14. He was taught under his father and grandfather before studying in Mexico City on a scholarship. Today, Sandra paints and develops designs that are hand-woven by Wence. Prices range from $1,800 to $10,000. The unique geometric patterns and attention to detail are incredible to see up close. Sandra was elated when I told her I was here for the weekend alone and suggested a few other galleries I could discover. One of which was her friend’s gallery, evidently closed for the day due to a hangover from an event the night before.

Santa Fe may be one of the most inviting places I’ve traveled. I was stopped by several strangers, one of whom asked to take a photo of my outfit for a mountain wedding. By this time, I was starving and knew I needed to try Cafe Pasquals. It was packed by noon, so I put my name in for the communal table and walked to a local cigar shop to snag a few cigars for my Dad. 30 minutes later, I was seated between a friendly couple from Arkansas to my left and a small group from Italy to my right. I ordered the red and green chili enchiladas and a house-made green juice called “Amy’s Hippie Dippie Green Juice” (Kale / Cilantro / Parsley / Ginger / Apple / Organic Lemon juice & Apple Juice). Everything was incredible! Believe it or not, the green juice especially stood out. I make my own green juice differently every week and I’ve never had one this flavorful. Service was efficient. The wait staff was warm and even-keeled during the chaotic Saturday lunch rush. I walked outside and realized my hotel was just across the street. I grabbed my rental car and checked in to my charming boutique hotel. 

Hotel St Francis cost me $268 including taxes, fees, and parking. The room was perfect for one with minimalist Western decor and a big window overlooking the center of town. I didn’t see a pool on the property. However, a $30 “resort fee” was listed on my booking, which typically means they have access to another hotel pool. The El Dorado is a luxury, five-star hotel and spa down the street that I decided not to splurge on when booking my stay. It turned out to be the sister hotel of the St Francis. Luckily, I had access to all the amenities there and headed to the rooftop pool for the remainder of the afternoon. 

I heard great things about Sazon restaurant, so I grabbed a seat at the bar around five pm. Otherwise, a reservation is highly recommended. Sazon was without a doubt the best meal I had in New Mexico. I began with a cocktail of silver tequila, passion fruit purée, ancho reyes ancho, and red chile salt. It was fresh with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Next, the staff brought out five different mole sauces with tortillas to taste (also sold in jars online or at the restaurant). I chose the lamb, New Mexico Mole and Mole Negro to accompany my dish. The wait staff highly recommended the Chef’s signature soup. This was the most unique, complex soup I’ve ever tasted. The base was poblano and crab, topped with Amarillo cream and cinnamon.  It exceeded my expectations. 

Day 3 Santa Fe to PHX

Sunday morning I woke early and walked to Tia Sofia’s for their notorious breakfast burrito, where there was already a line by eight am. Everyone is efficient and friendly at each establishment, regardless of the high activity. I ordered the red and green chili sausage burrito and blue corn pancakes with pine nuts to taste. The burrito was excellent; however, I’d order bacon next time. The sausage was difficult to eat as whole patties instead of ground meat. FInally, I bought a turquoise bracelet at the Puebla markets before I checked out and began my hour drive South to ABQ airport for my flight to Phoenix!

 I highly recommend Santa Fe for a relaxing weekend with plenty of art and fabulous food. If you’re sick of the Scottsdale and Nashville bachelorette scene, Santa Fe is a more low-key alternative for a girl's trip and/or couple’s getaway. Speaking of Scottsdale… Arizona blog coming soon!