Taos, New Mexico
New Mexico, otherwise known as “The Land of Enchantment,” is a state unique in both culture and style. The adobe construction and abundance of chiles immerse you in the Native American culture and give you a true taste of life in the high desert. Although perhaps best known to some as the land of “Breaking Bad,” New Mexico is also a mecca for artists of the Southwest and home to some of the most unique parks in the continental United States. Whether you visit for three days or one month, you’ll be sure to be drawn in by the immediate sense of welcoming that comes from the community.
When to visit New Mexico
In New Mexico, the arrival of the Fall colors is signaled by a number of annual balloon festivals, the most well-known of which happens in Albuquerque and draws roughly 750,000 visitors annually. These factors, combined with the drop in average temperature into the low 70s makes fall the ideal time to explore.
Where to Stay in New Mexico
We chose the town of Taos, New Mexico for its picturesque yet quirky mountain town feel. Situated nearly 7,000 feet above sea level in the Sangra de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico, Taos is a beautiful oddity. Part ski town, part historic Native American settlement, Taos at times feels like a place directly out of a history book – perhaps due in no small part to the fact that the downtown is nestled within a fortified Spanish plaza. As one walks through the town.
While most places of New Mexico would nestle quite comfortably under the umbrella of quirky, Taos dials that quirk up to a solid 11. It came recommended to us as a place to explore that’s somewhat off the beaten path, and certainly delivered on that front! While most of Taos could be easily explored within a week, we decided to make it our base of operations for an entire month mainly because of how dissimilar it was to anywhere else we’d ever been – an almost polar opposite to the fast-paced, densely populated California which we call home. And, being only 90 minutes away from the city of Santa Fe and one hour from New Mexico’s northern border, there are plenty of opportunities to explore beyond just the borders of the town proper.
Taos also has quite a few Airbnbs. We love this option because they offer discounts for longer term stays and you really feel immersed in the local community!
Must-Do Activities and Road Trips in New Mexico
Wherever you choose as your home base in New Mexico, you’ll find lots to do! For Taos, we found many activities that could be done as quick day trips, and others that were longer weekend adventures.
If you miss the big Albuquerque Balloon Festival, Taos actually has its own Taos Mountain Balloon Rally a few weeks later! Significantly less crowded, you can walk the grounds and take photos of the beautifully designed balloons floating overhead. (Great for a new Zoom background if you work remotely like we do!)
One of the more iconic parks in the area, Bandelier National Monument is home to a historic loop trail where you can view 11,000 year old petroglyphs carved into the rock walls. What’s especially cool is that they have ladders into some of the cave dwellings so you can peer inside and imagine what it was like to take shelter there! If you drive 50 minutes down the road, there is also a beautiful waterfall hike where you can get some nice views.
About 2 hours north of Taos, experience the stunning Colorado night skies at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Away from all the light pollution, this is an incredible spot to take in the glowing stars. It’s by far the best star gazing we have experienced! Lay back in the sand and just soak it all in. Keep in mind, the less you use your flashlights the better so that your eyes can adjust to the darkness. Just remember some landmarks from your path in so you don’t get lost on your way back out!
The Enchanted Circle Drive is a loop that takes you through several small towns (yes, smaller than Taos!) and through some nice scenery. For us, traveling clockwise, the second half was much more scenic than the first! This also would probably be very pretty when the snow sets in. Just keep in mind that it is pretty remote so you will want to do any phone research in advance!
If you want to do a bit of shopping around town, Taos Plaza has you covered. While it is a very small downtown, there are a number of little shops for souvenirs and it’s a nice area to walk around in.
The Taos Gorge Bridge is a nice scenic overlook on the Rio Grande, and stands as the second highest bridge on the US highway system and the fifth highest US bridge overall. There is a little pedestrian walkway so you can stay safe while crossing and taking in the views below. We were hoping to see more plants and fall colors along the gorge, but it was cool nonetheless!
Taos also has some pretty cool Earthships if you are in the area. We drove by to take some pictures, but you can actually stay in these odd looking structures as well! They are designed to be eco-friendly and leverage sun, wind, water, and other recycled materials to be a means of sustainable living. If you arrive early enough, you can get a tour of the buildings as well.
The only thing we missed out on was the Taos Pueblo, which was closed due to COVID. We heard great things about it so let us know if you make it there!
Some other key destinations to hit while in New Mexico when you have a full day/weekend to allocate to them:
- Albuquerque and Santa Fe (check out our recs here — coming soon)
- Carlsbad and Las Cruces (check out our recs here)
- Other sites around Route 66 (check out our recs here — coming soon)
Where to Eat in New Mexico
A successful trip would not be complete without some good food! These were some of our absolute favorites:
Snacks
Chokola: If you make it to the town of Taos, stopping into this cute chocolate shop is an absolute must. They make mini sipping chocolates in a variety of flavors and they are incredible. Highly recommend the lavender. The brownies here are also some of the best we’ve ever tasted.
Bandelier Cafe: After a few hours of hiking in the park, this is a nice spot with homemade boba, desserts, and more. We were bummed that they were sold out of the fry bread though!
Breakfast
Michael’s Kitchen: Get here early! The line goes out the door and you will even see people waiting in the rain to get in! The breakfast enchiladas (who knew this was a thing) are delicious but keep in mind that the chile has meat in it. It also comes with sopapillas – big win! Tip: If you want just the bakery items (they are massive), you can skip the line and order from a counter inside!
Gutiz: A somewhat eclectic mix of french and latin food, Gutiz offers a nice spin on New Mexico breakfast staples. The brie omelette came absolutely loaded with cheese, and the “Taoseño” was a unique take on a breakfast bean dish. But the real star here is the sweet: try the french toast and take a chocolate croissant (or three) to go!
Mary Jane’s Homecooking: This food stand located along the main thoroughfare in Taos has people lining up early, and for good reason! The breakfast burritos here are tasty, filling, super affordable, and served to you by some incredibly welcoming staff.
Bearclaw Bakery: FYI that the hours are strange for this shop, so have a backup plan in case the website isn’t accurate. We’ve never heard of a lemon croissant before, but it was a pleasant surprise. The bearclaw was also quite good (as it should be given the name of this bakery).
Wild Leaven Bakery: If you’ve ever wanted to experience the feeling of stepping into the heart of a bustling bakery, definitely check this place out. The green chile croissant is a must try along with a loaf of freshly baked bread.
World Cup Cafe: Located at the entrance to the Taos plaza, this coffee shop was our go-to nearly every morning of our stay. At $3 for a triple shot americano, the price point is respectable and the service quick. There’s no indoor seating here, so plan to take your java to go!
The Coffee Apothecary: If you’re more of an early riser, this coffee shop is for you! The selection of baked goods here is tantalizing, but mostly sells out by around 9 or so.
Lunch & Dinner
The Love Apple: This was our favorite dinner spot in town. Make sure to make reservations though because it is not very large! They have a fresh seasonal menu and we couldn’t get enough of both the carrot butter gnocchi and the cornbread with flavored butters (both sweet and savory).
Taos Taproom: Right on the main strip, this is a great place to eat (and to leverage the WiFi when you are in a pinch!). As major garlic lovers, the garlic bread was a bit unremarkable, but we thoroughly enjoyed the broccolini with burrata and the mushroom pizza!
Ranchos Plaza Grill: With all the locals that dine here, you know that this place is worth coming in for a meal. The sopapillas are a must and the fajitas were quite good too!
Doc Martins (Taos Inn): located within the chic Taos Inn, Doc Martin’s is a great stop for tapas and drinks. We enjoyed a round of margaritas and some delicious queso fundido while watching the sun set.
The Burger Stand Taos: After nearly a month of mostly Mexican food, the burger stand offered us a greatly appreciated reprieve. We recommend one of their speciality veggie burgers and some parmesan truffle fries.
Alley Cantina: Just around the corner from Taos Plaza, this cantina offers a good selection of both food and booze. The chile relleno here was definitely on the spicy side, but not overwhelmingly so. Come in for an early dinner and some happy hour specials on drinks!
Whew! Hungry yet? Make sure that wherever you go, you try some of these New Mexico Staples: sopapillas (essentially a fried, fluffy version of a tortilla that’s often served with honey), chile relleno (you can order them with green sauce, red sauce, or “Christmas”), and maybe a piñon coffee.
P.S. For our top food recommendations for other cities throughout New Mexico, check out our linked posts above!
General Tips for New Mexico
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in New Mexico. But, there are always lessons learned and things we would be on the lookout for next time. Here are our top callouts for anyone looking to plan a similar trip:
- Since Taos is a smaller town, they do “shut down” for a few weeks in November for their “off season”. Keep this in mind as you look to plan activities and dine in this area!
- If you notice small brown bugs on your ceiling, they are “Adobe Bugs” (or, more formally, Box Elder bugs). Evidently these bugs come in looking for warmth as the temperatures drop, but thankfully they have no interest in human food. The best trick we found for getting rid of them if they are already inside is to spray them with a mixture of dish soap and water.
- During the Fall / Winter, WiFi in the town occasionally goes out due to the snow, so have a backup plan if you are planning to work from an Airbnb there.