Instead of a fancy dinner and a box of chocolates, my girlfriend and I like to travel to celebrate special occasions, such as Valentine’s Day. So for Valentine’s Day in […]
Instead of a fancy dinner and a box of chocolates, my girlfriend and I like to travel to celebrate special occasions, such as Valentine’s Day. So for Valentine’s Day in February 2024, we set aim for Sante Fe and Alburquerque, New Mexico from Denver, Colorado for a three-day trip.
Day 1 of the trip saw over five hours of driving via I-25 South, a stop at Pecos National Historic Park, our first look at downtown Sante Fe, and an incredible dinner to introduce us to New Mexican cuisine.
Read on for Part 1 of this three-part series on our trip to New Mexico, and be sure to check back for Parts 2 and 3!
Day 1: February 15, 2024
Denver to New Mexico Via I-25 South
I always mean to stop at the viewpoint pull-off on I-25 South towards Colorado Springs, which overlooks the Air Force Academy as well as some beautiful mountains. This time, I finally made the stop to soak in the view.
Much further South towards Trinidad, Colorado, this rest area offered another scenic view.
I must have missed the New Mexico border sign, if there was one, on I-25 South, as the transition was pretty unceremonious. Shortly after though, the landscape developed in to wide open areas that New Mexico is famous for.
Las Vegas, New Mexico
No, not that Las Vegas.
Needing a restroom break and wanting to dip our toe in this small town, we stopped at the town visitor’s center. The building was closed for a lunch break, and we waited outside with a small number of other people, which slightly shocked the staff upon arrival in the slow-paced town.
The Visitor’s Center building doubles as the Train Station: the Amtrak line runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. After Las Vegas, the track runs through Lamy, NM, through which both Alburquerque and Sante Fe are accessible.
An old but operational piano outside the Visitor’s Center.
At the Visitor’s Center, a friendly staff member recommended we check out the local Montezuma Hot Springs: completely unregulated and community-run. We found it without much trouble, but it was pretty crowded on a pleasant February afternoon. Most springs were occupied, and we barely dipped our toes in. The area is certainly use at your own risk and not for everyone, but having such accessible hot springs is pretty cool in my book.
No fun allowed.
Pecos National Historic Park, Pecos, New Mexico
Our first official stop: Pecos National Historic Park. I didn’t know too much about it going in, but definitely wanted to hit one of New Mexico’s slew of National Park Service-managed locations.
The parking lot leading to the Visitor’s Center, which provided a free walking guide to rent and return, offering a deeper teaching of the Historic Park than just the signs erected on the walking trail.
The relatively smooth walking trail started directly behind the Visitor’s Center.
Much like Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Pecos National Historic Park tells the story of the Puebloan people that inhabited these lands as recently as 700 years ago.
Hard to see due to the sun’s glare, but there’s a larger church-like structure in the distance.
City limits were defined by rock walls, and outsiders could be found trading on the outskirts of town back in the day.
The path through what was once a Puebloan community offered scenic 360-degree views including views of the mountains.
Kivas were especially important in Puebloan culture, holding religious and spiritual significance and holding corresponding rituals inside them. Climbing down in to the Earth and viewing this Kiva is possible with the ladder provided.
Inside the Kiva
A plant that is no doubt in the Cactus family here in New Mexico.
Most Kivas are not fully preserved but rather visible due to the space they used to occupy.
The highest points in this Puebloan community offered prime vantage points to spot incoming trouble.
Stunning view including mountains to the West.
Approaching a huge Puebloan church, which came after Spanish influence.
A narrow corridor within the Church.
A building with connected rooms outside the Church.
The Church, and the remnants of the building that once stood next to it, from afar, with rolling mountains in the distance.
A diorama inside the Visitor’s Center showcasing what Puebloan life may have looked like.
Sante Fe, New Mexico
About 30 minutes further on I-25 (South, but mostly East for this portion) and we arrived at the Inn at Sante Fe by Best Western. This hotel was about a 15 minute drive from downtown Sante Fe, but offered good value even with little to do in walking distance. There was a collection of clothing outlet stores that we didn’t get the chance to visit.
We booked two nights here in Sante Fe, which has honestly been rare for our travels: it’s either a one-night trip, or we’re hopping destinations. I can’t remember the last time we stayed in the same hotel for two nights straight.
The view from the hotel room. There was snow on the side of the hotel where the sun didn’t hit, but otherwise the temperature was seasonably mild at around 50 degrees. Something I didn’t realize was the stark temperature difference Alburquerque experiences just 60 miles away: Alburquerque was about 10 degrees warmer than Sante Fe on all three days that we visited.
Our next stop was the heart of downtown/Old Town Sante Fe. We hit a public parking lot, paid our dues, and set our for an evening on the town.
What we didn’t realize, however, was that there wasn’t much happening on a Thursday night in February. Nearly all the shops we encountered were closed, and while there were a few people out and about, it was relatively a very quiet night.
The lack of hustle and bustle allowed us to appreciate and get pictures of some of the Adobe-style buildings in Sante Fe.
Native red chili peppers decked the streets as decorations.
A view in Town Square. On a busier day, this place would be bustling.. stay tuned for my New Mexico Trip Day 3 article.
The Palace of Governors would also be bustling on a busy day, with local and native merchants selling their wares lined up along the building.
A little energy kick as we walk around and continue to see unique buildings.
I interpreted this eggshell-style art as an avocado pit.
Some super interesting native art.
The sun sets on a church near Town Square on a cool February evening,
The indoor malls were devoid of any open stores, though many seemed interesting.
Iron Man headlined a class of metal sculptures.
Jackrabbits!
A huge dog sculpture with a bench swing underneath. The way the bench is tied to the dog… that’s gotta hurt.
For dinner, and our long awaited dip in to New Mexican cuisine, we went to Tomasita’s. There was a wait, and it was well worth it for one of the best spots in town. After margaritas and some chips and salsa, I got a smothered vegetarian sopapilla, Christmas-style. the peppers on each side were so different and the green chili peppers specifically were to die for. The fresh warm sopapillas served with honey made the meal an experience worth writing home about. 10/10, we will stop at Tomasita’s again next time we’re in Sante Fe.
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