Santa Fe: Pueblos & Spanish Colonial

VISUAL ARTS SEE Museum of Fine Arts 107 W. Palace Ave., 505/476-5072, mfasantafe.orgA state museum that features some of the best modern and contemporary art in New Mexico, as well as top-notch touring exhibits. The 1917 multi-story adobe is itself a work of art, reflecting Pueblo architecture as well as ancient Franciscan mission churches. Open Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $7, New Mexico residents $5, 16 and under free; Fri. 5-8 p.m. free. SEE Museum of International Folk Art 706 Camino Lejo on Museum Hill, 505/476-1200, moifa.orgWorld's largest collection of folk art contains colorful toys, textiles, totems, and other prized pieces from around the globe. This state museum's busy schedule includes excellent exhibits and fine educational programs. Open Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $7, New Mexico residents $5, 16 and under free. SEE Canyon RoadJoin the throngs of serious and amateur art aficionados at the traditional Friday-evening openings hosted by galleries lining Canyon Road, the famous one-mile stretch of art from around the world. Uneven pavement and sidewalks that simply disappear make walking an exercise, so leave the heels at home. SEE Baca StreetAn emerging alternative art scene on the city's southwest side that pulses with activity. Contemporary glassblowers, Celtic jewelers, painters, and sculptors surround Box Gallery (916 Baca St., 505/989-4897), which showcases contemporary New Mexico artists. The hip eatery, Counter Culture Cafe, feeds them all. SEE Shidoni Foundry in TesuqueBishop's Lodge Rd., five miles north of Santa Fe Plaza 505/988-8001, shidoni.comA leading bronze foundry, Shidoni takes its name from a Navajo greeting. Aptly, visitors are welcomed to galleries with work by eminent artists. Bring a picnic and walk through towering works of wonder in the outdoor sculpture garden. Watching molten bronze heated to 200 degrees and poured into ceramic molds will inspire you to quit your day job and become an artiste. Call ahead for pour times. LITERARY AND PERFORMING ARTS SEE Lensic Performing Arts Center 211 W. San Francisco St., 505/988-7050 (ticket info) 505/988-1234, lensic.comA 1931 vaudeville and film palace built in faux Moorish and Spanish Renaissance architectural styles and recently renovated into a high-tech venue. The Lensic hums with local and international theater, as well as music, dance, film, and literary events. Schedule and tickets available online. SEE Santa Fe Playhouse142 E. DeVargas St., 505/988-4262, santafeplayhouse.orgSanta Fe's historic community theater presents original and classic productions, as well as staged readings, dance performances, and more. A great venue for viewing local talent. From "pay what you wish" Sunday matinees to $20. SEE Nicholas Potter Bookseller 211 E. Palace Ave., 505/983-5434The city's oldest used-book shop offers a fine collection of compelling books, including fascinating titles about the Southwest. SEE Collected Works Bookstore 208B W. San Francisco St., 505/988-4226, collectedworksbookstore.comSanta Fe's community bookstore also hosts book signings with literary lions. Employees are impressively well read. SEE La Cantina at La Casa Sena 125 E. Palace Ave., 505/988-9232, lacasasena.comAt this casual bar, which is part of an established Santa Fe restaurant housed in a historic hacienda, servers don theatrical finery and croon Broadway and jazz standards. The audience has a ball. Make a request and you might be serenaded as you eat nachos and nurse a margarita. SEE The Santa Fe OperaWest side of U.S. Hwy. 84/285, seven miles north of Santa Fe 800/280-4654, 505/986-5900, santafeopera.orgHear impeccable highbrow music in the high desert. You can't miss the 2,128-seat opera house's open-air roof, flung against the sky like a giant white ship sailing turquoise seas. Opening-night tailgaters in tuxes and gowns, or jeans and cowboy hats, have established a long-standing summer ritual in the parking lot-requiring fine linens, polished silver, and haute cuisine. Tickets from $24. Check online for schedule.

EAT 315 315 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505/986-9190, 315santafe.comA perennially popular French bistro that serves superb Provençal-inspired fare from white wine-soaked mussels with club fries to duck breast with dried cherries. Book a table or join the serious oenophiles rubbing elbows and bragging about bouquets at the cozy wine bar. EAT Andiamo! 322 Garfield St., 505/995-9595, andiamoonline.comA little Italian spot that rarely misses. Aptly named for the Italian word that translates as "Let's go," its elegant small dining rooms are awash in color and soft light. Savor the crispy polenta with rosemary and gorgonzola, then try the penne with spicy lamb sausage. Dinner only. EAT Bobcat Bite Restaurant420 Old Las Vegas Hwy., 505/983-5319, bobcatbite.comAlthough the 1950s-style roadhouse sits on the outskirts of town, its green chile cheeseburgers are world-famous, old-fashioned, and just plain great. The crispy french fries ain't bad, either. While you're waiting for a coveted table or countertop seat at lunch or dinner, look for the bobcats-They're everywhere. Open Wed.-Sat. EAT Cafe Pasqual's121 Don Gaspar Ave., 800/722-7672, 505/983-9340 pasquals.comThis festive restaurant with bright Oaxacan paper cutouts and colorful murals looks as good as it tastes. Try the fried yellow-and-blue cornmeal mush at breakfast and the organic chicken mole enchiladas at dinner. EAT Counter Culture Cafe 930 Baca St., 505/995-1105Locals love this hip, unpretentious café housed in a former warehouse. Kick off the morning with coffee and sour cream coffee cake, then return at lunch for silky salmon-coconut Thai soup or Vietnamese spring rolls and cold sesame noodles. Heck, even the burgers with haystack fries are a hit. Breakfast and lunch only. EAT Mu Du Noodles 1494 Cerrillos Rd., 505/983-1411, mudunoodles.comA sweet, authentic noodle house where regulars know there's truth to the ancient motto "long noodles, long life." At the end of a busy day, there's nothing like Mu's Malaysian laksa, pad thai, or spicy beef jantaboon enjoyed in the colorful dining rooms or on the outdoor garden patio. Dinner only. Closed Sun. EAT The Plaza Restaurant 54 Lincoln Ave., 505/982-1664Regulars alternate between New Mexico fare like cashew mole enchiladas and Greek specialties such as gyros. The venerated diner opened in 1918 in the heart of the Plaza. Affordable and affable, it's hopping at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. EAT La Choza 905 Alarid St., 505/982-0909Reliably good New Mexican chili ladled over authentic enchiladas, tamales, carne adovada, and other staples of the local cuisine. Get the combo plate and try all three. The two dining rooms, brightly painted with flowers, and the charming outdoor patio provide ideal settings for conversation over lunch or dinner. Closed Sun. SPLURGE Geronimo 724 Canyon Rd., 505/982-1500, geronimorestaurant.comA Santa Fe culinary star that draws diners seeking sophisticated food. Geronimo Lopez, whose spirit reportedly still hangs around, built the handsome Territorial house in 1756. Perhaps he pines for divine dishes that fuse flavors from around the world, like the mesquite-grilled filet mignon with country ham or the charred salmon with shrimp and smoked jalapeño risotto. Open for lunch, dinner, and Sun. brunch. Closed Mon. lunch. DRINK Cowgirl Hall of Fame 319 S. Guadalupe St., 505/982-2565In good weather, the patio at this Western-themed watering hole and restaurant resembles a busy beach in high summer, save for the Stetsons. Live music mingles with the voices of locals and tourists swapping stories and sipping Santa Fe-brewed beers and frozen margaritas. Happy hours and specials include $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon Night on Tues. DRINK El Farol 808 Canyon Rd., 505/983-9912A long-standing warm-weather Santa Fe tradition involves a salty margarita and tapas under the portal at El Farol, the oldest bar in Santa Fe. Tired of fresh air? Step into historic adobe rooms, where flamenco dancers shake the floor, guitarists strum Latin music, and old-timers tap their feet. DRINK The Pink Adobe's Dragon Room Bar406 Old Santa Fe Trail, 505/983-7712, thepinkadobe.comA world-famous bar that has showcased true Santa Fe style for decades. Artists, movie stars, government workers, well-heeled tourists, jaded locals, and other regulars toss back Silver Coin and Rosalita margaritas, while listening to live music. A Chinese elm that grows through the roof of the bar has been a quiet witness to the rowdy scene that's been going strong since artist Rosalea Murphy founded the Pink Adobe in 1944.

I generally have trouble with forced relaxation, but I resolve to get better at it! I want to go on the kind of vacation where you don't do a darn thing but sit somewhere warm and worry what to drink next. I've got my eye on Mexico's Riviera Maya and several islands in the Caribbean--particularly Jamaica and St. John. --Erik Torkells   The Easy, Breezy Riviera Maya Get in good enough shape to ski a full day.--Brad Tuttle   In Search of the Perfect Ski Village Milking my frequent flier status; subscribing to last minute fare sale newsletters-- and actually jumping on a last minute flight; going someplace far, far away.--Nina Willdorf   The New Rules: How to Use Miles Now Learn to speak more fluently in Korean so I can reconnect with my roots.--Pam Abbott   How to Stay at a South Korean Temple I resolve to have more beach time this year. --Suzy Walrath   Secret Hotels of the Caribbean Buy new luggage and learn to pack light. --Laurie Kuntz   An Introduction to Packing Go somewhere warm. --Rebecca Simpson   10 Great Islands You've Never Heard Of! Go to Toronto. --Laura MacNeil   Landscape: A New Art District in Toronto Wear a big hat at the Kentucky Derby! --Tiffany Sharples   Crash the Party: The Kentucky Derby

El Rey Inn 1862 Cerrillos Rd., 800/521-1349, 505/982-1931 elreyinnsantafe.comA Southwest oasis that locals love to recommend. Its quiet 86 rooms, contoured white walls, and vibrant gardens suggest Old Mexico rather than New Mexico. Slip into the tiled outdoor pool and you might even forget you're in the desert. From $75 in low season, $89 in high season. Grant Corner Inn 122 Grant Ave., 800/964-9003, 505/983-6678 grantcornerinn.comA romantic retreat just off the Plaza, with brass and four-poster beds, antique quilts, and second-story porches; it oozes colonial charm. The daily breakfasts and afternoon teas justifiably draw locals as well as inn guests. From $130 in low season, $145 in high season. Hotel St. Francis 210 Don Gaspar Ave., 800/529-5700, 505/983-5700 hotelstfrancis.comA beloved downtown landmark since 1880 with Old Victorian decor. Daily afternoon tea served in the spacious, elegant lobby also belongs to another era. Got questions? Revered concierge Inger Boudouris knows everything about Santa Fe. From $129 in low season, $149 in high season. Inn on the Alameda 303 E. Alameda St., 888/984-2121, 505/984-2121 inn-alameda.comA downtown inn tucked behind adobe walls, with 71 rooms showcasing the essence of Santa Fe style-rustic wood furniture, balconies, hand-hewn vigas, round kiva fireplaces, and stained wooden gates leading to brilliant gardens abloom in spring and summer. It's so peaceful, it's easy to oversleep and miss the hefty breakfast spread. From $130 in low season, $215 in high season. Inn on the Paseo 630 Paseo de Peralta, 800/457-9045, 505/984-8200Small and sweet, with 18 southwestern-style rooms, contemporary art, and a community breakfast table where hearty meals fuel the day. Step out the door into the stream of the city and walk to any downtown attraction. From $79 during low season, $109 in high season. Pueblo Bonito 138 W. Manhattan Ave., 800/461-4599, 505/984-8001 pueblobonitoinn.comOriginally a judge's estate and later an apartment complex for struggling artists and rising politicians, the 18-room adobe B&B charges more than yesteryear's $35 monthly rate, but it's still a bargain. From $85 in low season, $130 in high season. Territorial Inn at the Marcy 105 E. Marcy St., 866/230-7737, 505/989-7737 territorialinn.comFourteen eclectic guest rooms featuring turn-of-the-century furnishings and an inviting lobby with wingback chairs that practically require relaxation with a snifter of brandy. Indulge in the spa and gourmet breakfasts. From $69 in low season, $139 in high season. The Madeleine 106 E. Faithway St., 888/321-5123, 505/982-3465 madeleineinn.comAn 1886, three-story Victorian estate at the top of a sleepy side street; it has turrets, a clay roof, and other ornate architectural features that sprang up in Santa Fe once the railroad arrived. Settle into one of five old-fashioned rooms that reflect an earlier, slower era. From $120 in low season, $145 in high season. La Fonda 100 E. San Francisco St., 800/523-5002, 505/982-5511 lafondasantafe.comFormerly a famed Harvey House, the hotel's 167 rooms epitomize Santa Fe style, but that's just one reason this multitiered historic adobe hotel streams with guests year-round. Anchoring the corner of downtown Santa Fe Plaza, it's a hotspot. From $219 in low season, $299 in high season. La Posada de Santa Fe 330 E. Palace Ave., 866/331-7625, 505/986-0000 laposada.rockresorts.comA pricey renovation transformed these Pueblo Revival-style adobe casitas into a downtown luxury resort with high-end spa and restaurant. To steep in history, hang out in the library and lounge at the Staab House, an 1880s brick mansion built by a Santa Fe merchant whose wife reportedly still haunts the halls. From $139 in low season, $209 in high season, plus resort and parking fees. TIP:Altitude sickness If you're a sea-level dweller, drink lots of water and don't overindulge in alcohol. The sudden change in altitude can cause headaches, dehydration, and nausea.