With sun-splashed days, perfect temps and brilliant skies of robin’s egg blue, Santa Fe County is calling you this summer. There’s a reason this place is called the Land of Enchantment. You feel it as you’re hiking tranquil trails beneath fragrant piñon trees ringed by majestic mountains. Whether you’re rafting the Rio Grande or exploring historic hills on horseback, our elevated terrain enhances each adventure with heightened thrills. Where else can you walk through a bewitching garden of monumental sculptures that resemble origami? Or savor regionally inspired seasonal fare in a new restaurant that’s captivating diners. Check in for a spa getaway and soak in ancient spring-fed waters. Take a trip to Santa Fe County this summer and immerse yourself in timeless traditions, contemporary happenings and sheer delight.
Day Trippin’ in Historic Hills
Surrounded by the panoramic beauty of Cerrillos Hills State Park, it’s easy to imagine the area’s 1,110 years of mining history, which unfolds along the park’s five miles of interpretive trails. From the Ancestral Puebloans who mined for turquoise, to the Spanish who sought silver and the 19th-century prospectors with gold fever, the hills in this beloved park have stories to tell. Today, visitors come to hike, mountain bike, ride horses and enjoy birdwatching, amid stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo and other mountain ranges. Events include star gazing, ranger-guided hikes and other activities. Check the calendar to see what’s happening during your visit.
cerrilloshills.org/events
Get Outside for Summer Fun
Seeking adventure on a wild and scenic river? You’ve come to the right place. Santa Fe Rafting Company provides half-day to overnight trips for every kind of paddler. Ride the Rio Grande on a half-day Racecourse trip, with a six-mile section of class III rapids. Take an overnight trip along the Rio Chama. Expert rafters thrill to the heart-pumping full-day Taos Box trip, with class III-VI rapids, while the Orilla Verde section of the Rio Grande is a mellow half-day float. Whatever ride you choose, it’s guaranteed to be epic.
Saddle up for a horseback ride on a Tennessee Walker or Missouri Trotter through majestic high country desert. Trip options include the historic mining country of Cerrillos Hills State Park, Crooked Hat Canyon, Grand Central Silver Mine, La Bajada Overlook and other scenic sites. Based in Cerrillos, Broken Saddle Riding Co. has been offering these group trips for every level of rider for more than two decades. Giddy-up and yee-haw!
Experience Santa Fe County like a local on adventures with Vigilante Guides. In a luxury 14-passenger Mercedes Benz van, travel to Bandelier National Monument and Puye Cliff Dwellings, where you’ll walk in the footsteps of Ancestral Puebloans and explore ancient cliff dwellings. Or, discover the spectacular High Road to Taos and the historic village of Chimayó or the red rock-painted Georgia O’Keeffe Country at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu. Head out on foot for a Sip, Savor & History walking tour of the Santa Fe Plaza or the Santa Fe Railyard. Learn about La Llorona and other ghostly legends of Santa Fe on the popular Haunted Ghost and Spirits Tour. Have a special event in mind? You can custom-tailor your own tour.
New Eats in Eldorado
When Fable Restaurant & Market recently opened in Eldorado, diners were dazzled by creative dishes such as blue cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes with mole rojo and pimento cheese; and dry-aged cowboy buffalo strip with green chile chimichurri. The food pays tribute to New Mexico’s growing season, served in a welcoming, laid-back atmosphere. Burger buffs flip for the house-ground patty, a blend of ground steak, brisket and bacon and topped with white cheddar and tomato jam. Vegetarians have plenty to choose from, including the hearty bean and mushroom cassoulet. There’s something appetizing for every taste.
Don’t have time for sit-down dining? Fable’s market, sharing the same space with the dining room, sells fresh-made sandwiches, empanadas, homemade soups, and divine chocolate chip cookies to go. If you’re feeding a small crowd, the grab and go selections include mac’n’cheese, enchiladas, and other packaged fare. While you’re there, shop the festive selection of chef-curated cookware, cookbooks and gifts.
Outdoor Origami
A sense of joy may overtake you as you walk among the whimsical outdoor sculptures created by Santa Fe artists Kevin and Jennifer Box—origami-inspired cranes in flight, giant vibrant flowers, and happily prancing ponies. The wondrous works that make up the “Origami in the Garden” exhibition perfectly fit their dramatic high-desert setting at Box Studio, located on 35 acres along the historic Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway (Highway 14). A stroll through the garden of origami-shaped sculptures, cast in bronze, stainless steel or aluminum, will take about 40 minutes, but the sheer delight they impart will live on. The exhibition remains open through October 31, 2025.
Stay and Play: A Spa Getaway
Get your glow on with a spa getaway at Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort, a natural hot springs spa resort set on 77 lush acres. Soak away your stress in secluded pools of spring-fed waters, then relax into serenity with a custom-tailored massage. Reconnect with nature’s healing power as you meander through enchanting gardens and along peaceful pathways. Enhance your stay with daily puppy play, feeding and holding friendly Silkie chickens, yoga sessions and other activities. Savor healthful cuisine such as chipotle honey salmon while dining on the waterside patio of the resort’s Blue Heron Restaurant. Then rest your head in a cozy bed in your serene guest room with garden views or a spacious adobe casita.
SAF: Fly Santa Fe
Start your Santa Fe County vacation the moment your flight lands when you fly into Santa Fe Regional Airport, just a short drive from our acclaimed lodging, shopping, dining and outdoor adventure experiences. Not only will you avoid the crowds, but you’ll enjoy the ease and convenience that Fly Santa Fe offers. Multiple daily direct flights from the airports of Dallas, Houston, Denver and Phoenix, saves visitors a considerable amount of travel time. If you're tired of waiting in line to board a flight or pick up your luggage, skip the hassles and Fly Santa Fe.
Summer Opera Sounds
The world-renowned Santa Fe Opera opens its 68th Festival Season on June 27 with a new production of La bohème that shifts Puccini’s original setting of six bohemians in 1840s Paris to the1920s period of artistic revolution. The season also includes a stylish production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, set just before World War II, and a new production of Verdi’s classic Rigoletto, inspired by the beauty of Renaissance paintings. Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw brings Henry James’s 1898 Gothic ghost novella to the opera stage. The historic presentation of Die Walküre marks the first time the Santa Fe Opera has presented any of Richard Wagner’s four operas in his Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle. The festival season runs through August 23.
If you’re new to the Santa Fe Opera or want to brush up on this gloriously grand experience, read our helpful tips for the pre-performance tailgating tradition and learn about Backstage Tours, Family Nights, Apprentice Showcase Scenes and other exciting events.
santafenmtrue.com/arts-culture/opera
A Sip of History
Raise a glass to the wines of New Mexico and toast the country’s oldest wine-making region at the state’s long-running wine festival. The two-day 31st Annual Santa Fe Wine Festival brings together winemakers from across the state to pour samples of New Mexico’s finest wines. Enjoy local cuisine along with live music, dancing, and art and craft vendors. It all takes place at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, the premier living history museum of the Southwest, dedicated to the heritage and culture of Spanish Colonial New Mexico.
Be sure to drink responsibly and always choose a designated driver.
Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Heart-filled Harmony
When the voices of Santa Fe Desert Chorale singers soar in harmony, the sounds are soul-stirring. This summer, the acclaimed group’s performances include Cantos y Cuentos, the songs and stories of today’s Latin America. The musical journey of rhythms and melodies will transport the audience across Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Cuba. New Mexican guitarist Nacha Mendez will join the stage to celebrate familiar folk songs.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi on Sunday, July 13 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Cristo Rey Church on Saturday, July 26 at 1 p.m.
Joined by a chamber orchestra, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale presents Mass for the Endangered, an evening of storytelling with powerful music that unites us through our shared humanity. The performance includes Sarah Kirkland Snider's Mass for the Endangered, which explores the natural world and the urgency to defend it, and Caroline Shaw's To the Hands a reminder of our role in helping others around the world in search of refuge.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi on Sunday, July 20 at 4 p.m.; Friday, July 25, 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Get ready for summer fun in Santa Fe County! We’re looking forward to seeing you. Visit SantaFeNMtrue.com and be sure to follow us on social media.