■ Sense of Escape ★★☆☆☆
■ Reset Value ★★☆☆☆
■ Low Public Recognition ★★★☆☆
North of Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. In this town, I enjoy a quiet, down-to-earth atmosphere, quite different from the lively streets of Santa Fe. I visit galleries, sit on an adobe wall in the center of the plaza, and admire the adobe buildings under the blue sky.
Taos is a small city in northern New Mexico, USA, about 100 km north of Santa Fe, the state capital. Santa Fe, to the south, is better known as a tourist destination, but Taos has not become as touristy as Santa Fe. It has a quiet, down-to-earth atmosphere, and I find it a relaxing place. The name Taos comes from Taos Pueblo, a Native American settlement in the area. Taos Pueblo became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
Like Santa Fe, Taos is an artists’ town with many galleries. Fewer people visit Taos than Santa Fe, but there are many places of interest in and around the town. Here are some of the places I visited. If you visit Santa Fe and have some extra time, I highly recommend a visit to Taos.
The Historic Taos Inn
First, let me talk about accommodation. The Taos Inn is a historic hotel in the center of town, located beside Highway 64, which runs north to south through Taos. The adobe buildings were originally built as homes in the 19th century. They were a gathering place for artists and others. The site opened as a hotel in 1936. This means the buildings themselves are more than 100 years old. Across Highway 64, in front of the hotel, there is an area called The Plaza, lined with shops.
One of the main features of this hotel is its historic architecture, which gives you a sense of its long history. Another feature is the bar next to the lobby, where live music is performed every day from 6 to 9 p.m. The music is mainly country-style. As you can see from the schedule, there is a live performance every day. Even clubs in big cities have days without live music, so I was surprised to find a place with live music every day in this small town in New Mexico.
The music area has a nice historic atmosphere, with wooden tables and chairs. I recommend listening to the music while enjoying a drink. At the back of the bar, there are tables where you can have a meal. There is also a restaurant facing the road, where you can enjoy a full meal.
I stayed here for three days in 2024. The live music featured several artists. There are other historic hotels, but it is rare to find a place that offers live music every day. The rooms are rather old, so if that bothers you, you may want to choose another hotel. However, I recommend coming to the restaurant and bar in the lobby in the evening to enjoy the atmosphere.
Taos Plaza
In the center of downtown, there is an area called Taos Plaza, with about 20 to 30 shops. They include boutiques, gift shops, and galleries. All the buildings are single-story adobe structures. The atmosphere is similar to the shops in downtown Santa Fe, but perhaps because fewer people visit Taos, the area has a relaxed, local atmosphere. You will have plenty of chances to talk with the shop owners. Taos Plaza has an open square in the center, with shops surrounding it. On a fine day, I recommend sitting on the adobe wall in the square and relaxing. When I visited in 2024, there were no benches.
The galleries are scattered around Taos Plaza and the surrounding area. The map shows about 20 to 30 galleries, but most seem to be of a fairly standard size. I did not see any galleries as large as the small museums along Canyon Road in Santa Fe. Many of the works on display feature Native American themes, landscapes, and portraits. I had the impression that there were fewer contemporary works. This was in contrast to Canyon Road in Santa Fe, where contemporary art stood out.
Compared with 20 years ago, I felt that the art shown in the galleries along Canyon Road had shifted toward contemporary art. In Taos, however, I did not notice any major changes. Perhaps this is one of the things that makes Taos special and gives it its charm.
Taos Pueblo
This is the most famous place in Taos. It is a residential area where Native American people still live today. It is especially famous for its multi-story adobe buildings. Taos Pueblo became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. There are other Native American communities called pueblos, but Taos Pueblo is probably the easiest to visit. If you are already familiar with the pueblo architecture in Santa Fe, you may find it less impressive. However, local residents offer guided tours, so I recommend joining one.
Please note that Taos Pueblo is not always open to visitors. I have visited Taos three times, but I was able to enter the pueblo only once. I recommend checking its status online before visiting. I remember that there was no entrance fee when I visited in 1994, but I had to pay an entrance fee when I visited in 2024.
San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church
This adobe church stands in the village of Ranchos de Taos, south of central Taos. New Mexico was once under Spanish rule. As a result, the state has beautiful adobe churches that combine Native American culture with Spanish influences. The most famous is El Santuario de Chimayo, a church in the town of Chimayo near Santa Fe. But San Francisco de Asis Mission Church is also a wonderful church, with its adobe walls standing out under the blue sky.
Perhaps because there are few visitors, the church is quiet inside. I sat on a bench and looked at the altar. It gave me a sense of peace. By the way, there were no particular restrictions on taking photos inside the church, although I think it is better not to take photos as a matter of good manners.
Abiquiu
This small town is about 100 km southeast of Taos. It is where Georgia O’Keeffe, an American artist, lived and worked in her later years. You can visit her home. The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is in Santa Fe, but here, you can join a tour called The O’Keeffe Home & Studio. From inside the house, you can see the vast landscape of New Mexico, with its reddish-brown earth.
Georgia O’Keeffe visited Japan, and I could also see Japanese influences in the interior of her home. Personally, I found the tour excellent. If you are familiar with Georgia O’Keeffe, I highly recommend this tour. For more details, please see my separate article: The O’Keeffe Home & Studio Tours (Abiquiú, NM) | Visiting the Source of Her Creativity
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
This bridge is about 20 km northeast of Taos and crosses the Rio Grande River. The river begins in Colorado, flows south along the US-Mexico border, and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. It is a river often mentioned in discussions about border issues. The area here forms a deep gorge, and the bridge stands about 200 meters above the river.
The view of the gorge is spectacular. You can enjoy the impressive scenery from the walkway on the bridge, but the walkway is narrow and the wind is strong. I felt quite scared while walking across it. You do not need to walk across the bridge. You can enjoy the impressive view just as well from the parking lot.
In conclusion, like Santa Fe, Taos offers a unique landscape with rows of adobe buildings. It is also a peaceful place with a local feel. If you are interested, I recommend taking a trip from Santa Fe to visit Taos.
Visited in 1994, 1998, 2024
Basic Information
■ Name : Taos
■ Homepage : https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/regions/northcentral/taos/
■How to get here / Input
About 100 km from Santa Fe, the state capital of New Mexico. The drive takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. If you are coming from Santa Fe, I recommend taking Highway 285 north and then Highway 76, which runs through the eastern area, into Taos. Highway 76 is known as the High Road and offers beautiful scenery. The church in Chimayo, along the way, is also a place you should not miss.
