Things to Do
Things to Do in Santa Fe
Santa Fe's best days mix the Plaza's 400-year-old center, the galleries along Canyon Road, and Museum Hill with one big experience — Meow Wolf, a cooking class, or a Sky Railway ride. Most of it sits within a walkable mile downtown at 7,200 feet; the rest are short drives we've mapped below.
We've been selecting the best of Santa Fe since 2011 — not listing everything, choosing what's worth your time. Every pick below links to a place we've vetted ourselves.
The top 10 things to do in Santa Fe
Santa Fe Plaza
Start where Santa Fe started. The Plaza has been the city's center for 400 years, ringed by adobe portals where Native artists sell jewelry under the Palace of the Governors. Walk it first to get your bearings — most of downtown is within a few blocks.
Canyon Road galleries
Canyon Road is a half-mile of adobe galleries climbing east from downtown — one of the country's densest concentrations of art. Go late Friday afternoon for the openings, when galleries pour wine and artists are around. Park at the bottom and walk up; the top end is quieter.
Santa Fe Artists Market
Come join us in the Railyard: Every Saturday starting March 7th, 2026 thru late December 2026 weather permitting, see "hours". NEW Tuesday Pop Up Markets Tuesdays 9am-1pm in September and October. Support our local artists! Saturdays from March through December, locals and visitors love to shop at the Santa Fe Artists Market, located across from the Farmer's Market along the tracks across from the Water Tower. Meet the artists and discover beautiful, fine arts and crafts in a variety of mediums, from local, juried New Mexico artisans. Discover the perfect gifts, home decor, jewelry, apparel, art, and more. Each Saturday Summer: 9am - 2pm: at the Railyard Park, come meet the artists - take home a treasure. Located alongside the railroad tracks across from the Water Tower and Farmer's Market, and outside REI. All the artists are from northern New Mexico, and talented in many artistic mediums. They bring a diverse collection of fine art together in a fun, festive setting. Works include jewelry, painting, ceramics, photography, mixed media, fiber arts, leathercraft, sculpture and woodwork, and much more. All artists are juried to ensure a standard of quality that makes Santa Fe Artists Market highly popular with shoppers and collectors. It's a wonderful shopping experience where you can find that special something for someone special, and treat yourself to works that you'll treasure.
Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
The downtown museum devoted to the artist most tied to New Mexico. Its collection of O'Keeffe's work sets up the landscapes you'll recognize on a drive north to Abiquiú and Ghost Ranch, where she lived and painted. A compact, essential stop a block off the Plaza.
Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return is a walk-through, climb-through art house — part installation, part mystery you solve by opening refrigerator doors into other worlds. It's the pick when you want something entirely different from adobe and galleries. Plan a couple of hours and book ahead in summer.
Loretto Chapel
A small Gothic chapel a block off the Plaza, famous for its "miraculous" spiral staircase — two full turns with no visible center support. It's a short visit and an easy pairing with the Cathedral Basilica and San Miguel Chapel, often called the oldest church structure in the U.S.
Ski Santa Fe or a mountain hike
Get up into the Sangre de Cristos. In winter, Ski Santa Fe sits at 10,350 feet just twenty minutes up the mountain; the rest of the year try a hike or bike ride at trails like the Dale Ball network and Atalaya. Bring layers and water — the elevation is real.
Museum Hill
Four museums on a single ridge southeast of downtown, anchored by the Museum of International Folk Art and its overwhelming Girard collection of folk art from around the world. Add the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture next door; there's a café and mountain views between them.
Santa Fe School of Cooking
The best way to take Santa Fe home with you. Hands-on classes teach the New Mexican canon — red and green chile, tamales, posole — with market tours and demonstrations too. A rainy-afternoon fix and a genuine skill, right off the Plaza.
Taos Pueblo day trip
The best single day trip north: Taos Pueblo, a continuously inhabited adobe community over a thousand years old and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take the High Road through Chimayó one way and the river road along the Rio Grande back. Confirm the Pueblo is open to visitors before you go.
What are Santa Fe's top attractions and museums?
Santa Fe's attractions cluster in two places: downtown around the Plaza, and Museum Hill to the southeast. Downtown holds the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Loretto Chapel, and the New Mexico History Museum behind the Palace of the Governors. On Museum Hill, the Museum of International Folk Art and Museum of Indian Arts & Culture anchor four collections worth a half day.
For a guided overview, Cultural Treasures Tours and other local operators run walking and driving tours of the historic district. Browse the full set of museums and things to do in the directory.
What can you do outdoors in Santa Fe?
The mountains start at the edge of town. The Dale Ball and Atalaya trail networks put real hiking minutes from downtown, and in winter Ski Santa Fe runs twenty minutes up Hyde Park Road. For water, New Mexico River Adventures rafts the Rio Grande and Rio Chama in season, and High Desert Angler guides fly-fishing trips year-round. Remember the 7,200-foot elevation — pace the first day and drink extra water. Try a bike tour with Santa Fe Mountain Bike Tours or a little more relaxed city tour with Routes Bike Tours & Rentals
What can you do in Santa Fe with kids?
Santa Fe works well for families: Meow Wolf, the Santa Fe Children's Museum, a Sky Railway ride, and river rafting in spring and summer. Our guide to Santa Fe with kids goes deeper on ages, seasons, and what's free.
Santa Fe things-to-do questions, answered
What are the best free things to do in Santa Fe?
Walking the Plaza and Canyon Road costs nothing and shows you the best of the city. Several museums offer free days or reduced admission — check current hours before you go. Hiking or biking the Dale Ball or Atalaya trails is free year-round, elevation and water permitting.
What is there to do in Santa Fe at night?
Meow Wolf is open late on many nights, Canyon Road galleries often hold Friday-evening openings, and the Plaza-area restaurants and bars carry live music — flamenco, jazz, and local music are all part of the scene. Browse our entertainment listings.
What can you do in Santa Fe on a rainy or snowy day?
This is museum and Meow Wolf weather. Spend it on Museum Hill or at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, take a class at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, or soak indoors at a spa. Afternoon storms in summer usually pass within an hour.
Is Meow Wolf worth it?
For anyone who likes immersive, hands-on art, yes — it's unlike anything else in Santa Fe. It can get crowded on weekends and in summer, so book a timed ticket ahead and give yourself a couple of unhurried hours to explore the House of Eternal Return.
Want this built into your trip?
Request our free Mini Guide Map — mailed to your home before you travel — or book a trip consultation and we'll build the itinerary around you.