Gaintly flavorful food, gorgeous scenery & a deeply rich culture in part of the US we’d not yet set foot in?

Hell yes, bring on New Mexico!

At just an hour drive apart, ABQ & Santa Fe easily called our names for an easy long wknd aventura.

(North Central) New Mexico, here we come.

Quick facts

1. Weather – 90s & for us Chicagoans, not a hint of humidity. Basked in that heat & nights were… perfectly temped.

2. People & language – Surely, I’m a dummy but the prevalence of español was such a lovely surprise. People are friendly, oh so proud of NM’s chile culture, and hanging on to their roots as outsiders continue to pervade.

3. Getting around – Def rent a car to get in b/w cities & to/from the airport. You can easily uber around for those fun wine tasting days & Lalo nights (there’s a story there…)

4. Time zone – MST!

How to get there.

A straight 2.5 ish hour shot over from Chi’s MDW to NM’s ABQ, easy peazy on Southwest for these companions.

We did consider flying into ABQ and out of El Paso (or vice versa), for a solid road trip in b/w. If you have the time to traverse the state, def get in there.

Runabout tips:

Only a few directs a day, if that, so you may want to snag em early!
Unfortunately, no Priority Pass lounges at ABQ.
Ever wanted to have a romcom style meet & greet as soon as you land & exit the gateway?! In NM, anyone can apply for & get a Flyside Pass to get into the ABQ boarding gates area sans boarding pass/flight to hop on. It seems locals may use this to take advantage of airport shopping. Muy interesante.

How to get around.

Def grab a rental for flex getting to Santa Fe & anywhere else your <3 desires.

Costco rentals to the rescue!

Runabout tips:

Heads up that renting a car does require shuttling to/from ABQ airport. Easy peazy tho. And reasonably priced.

Where to stay.

In ABQ, Los Poblanos is where its at. Stunning & worth the ($600+/night) splurge. The stay is really an experience given the sprawling property and uniqueness it offers.

In Santa Fe, we kept it no frills at this well-rated IHG, primarily thanks to the Chase Reserve’s elevated IHG status. No frills… for sure. Gym was tiny, but one of fave experiences of the trip (losers) was to visit Defined Fitness next door.

Hydromassage chairs, saunas, and a GIGANTE gimnasio with everything a girl could dream of… and much more. Go getchurself a 3-day trial pass & you’ll be hooked in no time!

Honestly, the Comfort Suites ABQ airport hotel rocks. Either new or renovated, spacious, super comfy, and w/ a great large gym, this is an easy yes. Everything in ABQ is pretty near, so location worked as well.

Runabout tips:

Unless you have a reason not to, stay downtown where the action is in Santa Fe. Being a few miles away wasn’t a giant hassle, tho. You’ll just prob want a car to tow you around.
If Poblanos is price-prohibitive for a multi-night stay, doing a single night will do the trick. Given our experience, you may not get to settle into your room much before 4pm check-in, but you can lounge by the pool and use the gym/saunas. Two of those lovely heat boxes & all of the amenities are on point.

How far does your mula go?

Here comes more surprise (ignorance). I knew… not much about NM & def wasn’t aware of the wealth disparity or displacement of local ppl post-COVID. Of course not unique only to NM, but it seems outsiders are scooping up the property in a manner that makes it simply unaffordable for locals. Sad reality many places, we know.

Prices varied wildly. Some meals were Chi prices & above. Others, 2/3 of the price. Santa Fe was def pricier than ABQ.

All in all, felt like we got good value nearly everywhere we visited.

What to do.

ABQ & Santa Fe’s finest.

Go if you love: relaxation, history, strolling cute towns, art, chile!

Our faves ABQ

Checking out the (many) nook & cranny surprises at Poblanos! The wellness areas rocked, but the lavender farm has oh so much more to offer. Check out the alpacas (!), chickens, & sheep, sprawling greenhouses, kitschy & delish farm shop, lavender distillation in the making, separate wellness yurt, and main house where wedding celebrations must be stunning.
Grab a bike (still @ Poblanos…) & beach cruise your <3 out.
Stroll around Old Town! Tons of wine shops, cute lil trinket & art joints to pop into, and a lovely relaxed vibe, esp as the sun lets up.
Rhythm Room for live jazz at a smooth, woman/musician-owned club! Easy, friendly vibes with an oh so fun crew. Heyy bday girl & posse! Made our trip.
Perhaps random but life-saving & lovely. Check out Moc Head Spa for a relaxing surprise experience run by absolutely lovely ladies.

What to do ABQ – local recommended

Hit a Farmer’s Market! Los Ranchos runs Saturday AMs.
Check out Casa Rondeña winery! Stunning & delicious.
The La Luz hike. Climb about 8 miles (you read that right) & take the tram down.
If you skip the hike, you might still grab a tram side on the Sandia Peak Tramway.
Enjoy the spoils of the trek – or more likely, cable ride if for the fine dining dinner experience – at Ten 3, featuring gorgeous views to accompany a stellar meal.
Stroll Sawmill Market in ABQ.
Grab bikes & cruise around the Rio Grande on the Paseo de Bosque trail!
Check out the Petroglyph National Monument – this South Point & Mirehaven Loop hike may be the perfect, not to treacherous way.
Take a balloon ride!
Another awesome hike – Tree Spring Trail. Just outside ABQ, ~4 miles, and it’ll run you about 2 hrs at a good walking pace.

Where to eat & drink – ABQ

Campo – nestled on the Los Poblanos’ grounds, drinks & bites are tasty & fresh. The pretty, rustic vibes are what take the cake tho. Highly recommended for brunch & dinner.
Garcia’s Kitchen (The Original) – local vibes, large delish plates, and a hot chocolate that’s alone worth the visit. We were starving & the green chile stew alongside a giant red & green chile smothered burrito con carne adovada (pork shoulder slow braised in a scrumptious chile sauce) cured that quickly.
Seasons Rotisserie & Grill – (careful to head to the right spot). The sea bass & pork tomahawk were on point. + the joint carries Lalo, wowza.
M’tuccis Italian – another Javanti needs food quickly, situation. The house dipping sauce (think perfect blend of pesto & olive oil) is amazing.
Duran Central Pharmacy – supposed to have insane homemade tortillas. Also accompanied by insane lines (so they must be tasty, ppl!).
El Paisa for stellar tacos.
Burque Bakehouse – nestled in the South Broadway hood in ABQ & worth a visit.
Sheehan winery, nestled near many others in cute Old Town – lovely inside & outside, and the ppl working the joint are super proud of their wines.

What to do – SF

Stroll around the Plaza & enjoy the art, architecture, history & delish grub.
Ten Thousand Waves – communal & private hot tubs + body treatments to your heart’s desire. Or opt for Ojo Caliente or Ojo Santa Fe.
Not sure we heard about this, but these Sky Railway train rides look ridic fun & pretty.
People seem to dig the Georgia O’Keeffe museum as well.
Eat your lil <3s out, ppl.

Where to eat & drink – SF

Gruet tasting room – Fave experience of the trip. Bubbles were perfect, and the lil bites the perfect companions. Love.
The Shed – such a fun, easy vibe. Great cocktails & our first (mouthwatering) green chile stew! Everything was stellar.
Sazón – gorgeously lit & great for a celebration.
Anasazi, Horno & Izanami were at the top of the local list. Dolina was highly recommended as well.
SF bar crawl! Hazy but Secreto & Pink Adobe were in there (& oh so fun). Heyy Gabbie, Steph & Matt!
Pasqual’s – cozy vibe & the cochinita pibil was tasty. Prices seem a lil steep compared to other crazy good joints, tho. We got lucky but resos seem slightly nec.