Route 66: Best Things to Do in Santa FeHere's how to spend the perfect long weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico, whether you are a first timer or a repeat visitor. Santa Fe is also a great place to stop for a few days along a Route 66 road trip because there is so much to see and do. Here's how I spent 4 days in Santa Fe—save my itinerary!Authorslighttravelsfaster
DestinationsSanta FeItinerary

Thursday

Betterday Coffee
Betterday Coffee retro-style café known for its strong espresso, relaxed vibe, and all-day breakfast burritos served alongside local pastries in a cool, hip ambiance.
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Santa Fe Plaza
Stroll through Santa Fe’s Historic Plaza, the heart of the city’s history and culture dating back to the early 1600s. It’s a lively square surrounded by adobe architecture, shops, galleries, and the iconic Palace of the Governors.
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Palace of the Governors at New Mexico History Museum
The Palace of the Governors at the New Mexico History Museum is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States, built in 1610 as the seat of government for Spain’s colony in New Mexico.
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Coyote Cafe & Rooftop Cantina
Coyote Cafe is a renowned fine dining restaurant serving innovative Southwestern cuisine since 1987, with bold flavors and a lively rooftop cantina. I especially loved the lobster pasta.
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Secreto Lounge
Inside the Hotel St. Francis, Secreto Lounge is a craft cocktail bar known for its garden-to-glass mixology and inventive drinks made with fresh local ingredients.
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Friday

Tia Sophia's
Tia Sophia's is a beloved diner-style café, famous for its hearty New Mexican breakfast and often credited with inventing the breakfast burrito.
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New Mexico Museum of Art
Opened in 1917, the New Mexico Museum of Art is the state’s oldest art museum and a landmark of Pueblo Revival architecture.
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IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA)
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts is the world’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary Indigenous art, housed in a Pueblo Revival building distinguished by carved, brightly painted wooden beams.
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Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum celebrates the life and work of the iconic modernist painter, featuring the largest collection of her art in the world along with rotating exhibits on American modernism.
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Santa Fe Teahouse & Bistro
Santa Fe Teahouse and Bistro is a cozy breakfast and lunch place known for its extensive selection of global teas, hearty breakfasts, and relaxed patio dining. They often have live music on Friday and Saturday afternoons, which adds to the special ambiance.
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Canyon Road
Canyon Road is a historic half-mile stretch of road lined with more than 100 art galleries, boutiques, and art studios housed in traditional adobe buildings, making it one of the most famous art districts in the United States. Highly recommend spending an afternoon walking down the street and popping into different galleries.
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Izanami Restaurant
Izanami is a Japanese izakaya-style restaurant at the Ten Thousand Waves hotel, serving shareable small plates, premium sake, and craft cocktails in a serene mountain setting inspired by Japanese onsen resorts. Fabulous food and an incredible ambiance make it feel straight out of Japan.
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Saturday

Plaza Cafe Downtown
Established in 1905, Plaza Cafe is Santa Fe’s oldest restaurant, serving classic New Mexican comfort food and diner favorites on the historic plaza.
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El Rancho de las Golondrinas
El Rancho de las Golondrinas is a 200-acre living history museum on a former 18th-century Spanish colonial ranch, featuring historic adobe buildings, costumed interpreters, and seasonal festivals that bring New Mexico’s heritage to life. Check online to ensure that the ranch is open to the public, as seasonal festivals such as the Renaissance Fair sell out early and mean that the ranch is only open to ticket holders.
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Tomasita's Santa Fe New Mexican Restaurant
Tomasita's is a landmark New Mexican restaurant, famous for its bread and green chili dishes, margaritas, and lively atmosphere in a historic 1904 railway depot.
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The Shops at Santa Fe Plaza
Don’t miss the many iconic shops along the plaza, selling Western wear, jewelry, artworks, and more.
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Shiprock Santa Fe
Shiprock Santa Fe is a high-end gallery on the historic plaza, specializing in Navajo rugs, vintage jewelry, pottery, and contemporary Native American art, blending historic pieces with modern design. Absolutely stunning and a must-see.
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La Fonda on the Plaza
La Fonda on the Plaza is a landmark hotel in Santa Fe dating to 1922, celebrated for its Pueblo Revival architecture, hand-painted interiors, rooftop views, and lovely restaurants, bars, and shops. We recommend a small snack or coffee at the restaurant in the interior courtyard.
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La Plazuela At La Fonda
This restaurant is inside the La Fonda hotel, in an iconic courtyard. Stop for a drink or coffee in this lovely spot.
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Downtown Santa Fe, NM
Embark on a self-guided walking tour of historic downtown Santa Fe.
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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
Built between 1869 and 1886, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is a Romanesque Revival landmark just off the historic plaza in Santa Fe, known for its twin towers, rose window, and role as the spiritual heart of the city.
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Loretto Chapel Museum
Built in 1878, this small chapel is famed for its miraculous staircase, a spiral wooden staircase built without visible means of support, which has become one of the city’s most popular historic landmarks.
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San Miguel Chapel
Originally built in 1610, San Miguel Chapel is recognized as the oldest church in the continental United States, with a simple adobe structure and centuries of layered history.
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Oldest House Museum
A modest adobe dwelling dating back to the early 1600s, the Oldest House Museum is believed to be one of the oldest residential buildings in the United States open to visitors, with historic exhibits and artifacts for free.
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The Dragon Room
Located at the historic Pink Adobe, The Dragon Room is a legendary bar with a quirky, artistic vibe, known for its colorful decor, creative cocktails, and long history as a gathering spot for famous writers, artists, actors, and locals. The happy hour prices are great, and the food is delicious.
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Julia - A Spirited Restaurant & Bar
Julia is located in the historic La Posada de Santa Fe resort. This hotel restaurant offers contemporary American and Southwestern cuisine and is named after the property’s resident ghost, Julia Staab.
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Geronimo
Geronimo restaurant is located in a 1756 adobe house on Canyon Road. This is a renowned fine dining restaurant offering globally inspired American cuisine in an elegant, intimate setting. We went for dessert, including the iconic ‘apple’ dessert, and loved the cozy, elegant ambience.
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Sunday

Tune-Up Café
Tune-Up Cafe' is a laid-back neighborhood spot known for an eclectic menu blending New Mexican staples with Latin and global flavors, plus great breakfasts and a cozy, artsy vibe.
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Bandelier National Monument
Located about 40 miles northwest of Santa Fe, Bandelier National Monument protects over 33,000 acres of rugged canyon and mesa country and is best known for its ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, and archaeological sites, with scenic trails like the Pueblo Loop Trail leading to cavates carved into the soft volcanic rock. We did the one-hour Pueblo Loop Trail, aka the main loop trail, and also checked out the small museum afterward. The trail is easy for all levels and takes about one hour at a moderate pace. Note that it is not wheelchair accessible.
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Railyard Artisan Market
Railroad Artisan Market takes place every Sunday at the Railyard, showcasing local artists, craftspeople, and makers with jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, and more in a lively community atmosphere. The water tower is especially iconic.
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Experiences

The Official Santa Fe Margarita Trail Tour
Check out this tipsy walking tour along Santa Fe’s Margarita Trail! Stop at three beloved spots to sip signature margs with local flair and bites to match. Along the way, your guide will share stories of the city’s culture, tequila traditions, and its title as Margarita Capital!
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Join a 3-hour walking tour through Santa Fe’s Railyard Arts District, with stops at local restaurants, pubs, and shops. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, explore the famous Farmers Market too. Enjoy generous tastings, drink pairings, and dessert while learning the history and culture of this vibrant neighborhood.
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Explore Santa Fe's Old Town & the Museum of Art: Private Tour
This tour blends Santa Fe’s history, culture, and art. Stroll the Plaza, San Miguel Mission, and Loretto Chapel as your local guide shares fascinating stories and offers an insider’s look at the city’s one-of-a-kind character.
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