On Foot:
Exploring Santa Fe on foot is one of the best ways to experience downtown Santa Fe.  Begin your tour by heading to the Plaza area.  Take the time to visit Señor Murphy’s Candymaker (100 East San Francisco Street), creator of the delectable Green Chile Pistachio Bark.  Next discover authentic handmade Native American jewelry at the Palace of the Governors, the oldest government building in the US and the location of the NM State History Museum.  Then there is Susan’s Christmas Shop (115 East Palace Avenue) with an impressive collection of local handmade ornaments.  Also visit Kakawa Chocolate House (1050 Paseo De Peralta) and indulge in the classic sipping chocolate at this quaint cafe located in an historic adobe home.  While you are there, stroll down De Vargas street to see the Oldest House in the US, now a museum and gift shop.  You’ll find plenty more along the way so take your time and bring a camera.

Hiking Santa Fe (winter):
Santa Fe’s 1.6 million acre National Forest is an expansive winter playground.  From novice to advanced, the mountain offers something for everyone.  Start your day at Cottam’s Ski Shop off Hyde Park Road for snowshoe and cross country ski rentals.  Theres is also a groomed sled trail out back, perfect for families.  Continue up Hyde Park Road to the Big Tesuque Trail, a favorite for alpine snow shoeing this single track trail puts you right in the thicket of the towering Aspens.  If cross country skiing is more your liking, head to the Aspen Vista Trail.  The wide fire road trail offers just the right incline for a gentle climb up and slightly exhilarating decent.  For those looking for a more subtle cross country track, continue up Hyde Park Road to the Norski Trail.  This two mile loop offers level tracks and is protected by towering Aspens.  Or, go to Ski Santa Fe to enjoy the downhill slopes.  Once the winter snow makes way for spring flowers, each of these trails transform into stunning hiking and biking trails.

From Luxury Travel Magazine:
Santa Fe, New Mexico has been named the Best Small City in America by Condé Nast Traveler’s 26th annual Readers’ Choice Awards, a ranking of the best cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, hotels and resorts in the world. The publication credits the destination’s cultural scene as one of its best assets, noting, no other place in the country so beautifully reflects the art, architecture, food, and crafts of centuries of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influence.

The Condé Nast Traveler ranking is one of several important accolades Santa Fe has garnered thus far in 2014. Earlier this year, Santa Fe’s winding streets and abundance of world-class cafes and spas earned Santa Fe the No. 3 ranking as the country’s coziest city, by The Huffington Post. The website 10best.com recognized Santa Fe in myriad categories, including the nation’s top destination for a girlfriend getaway, a top 10 historic destination, and the fourth most romantic getaway in North America. Its clean air and mountain perch make it a top destination for outdoor adventure. In March, Outside crowned Santa Fe as the nation’s Best Trail Running City. The League of American Bicyclists awarded Santa Fe a Silver Level designation for its welcoming bike culture.
Through a variety of special events, visitors to Santa Fe this summer can experience first-hand the cultural and culinary scene that earned the Condé Nast Traveler ranking, including:

• International Folk Art Market   (check website for date)
  Since 2004, the International Folk Art Market | Santa Fe has hosted more than 700 master folk artists from 87 countries in the world’s largest exhibition and sale of works by master folk artists. Earnings have exceeded $20 million and impacted over one million lives in the communities they represent. The Market offers folk artists a respected spot in the global marketplace to gather together and share their handmade traditions and to create economic, social, and individual empowerment.  Folk Art Alliance
• Santa Fe Indian Market   (check website for date)
  This spectacular festival is celebrating its 94th year as more than 1,000 gifted Native American artists from across the United States travel to Santa Fe to showcase their skills at the largest Native American art show and sale in the world.  http://www.swaia.org/
• Burning of Zozobra   (check website for date)
  The annual torching of 50-foot-tall Old Man Gloom, a puppet stuffed with thousands of scraps of paper bearing the citizenry’s sad thoughts, has been a fall highlight for 90 years.  http://burnzozobra.com/
• Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta   (check website for date)
  The oldest continuously celebrated community event in the country fills the historic Plaza with food and music, dancing and parades. Fiesta is the city’s most enduring tradition and one of the summer’s most anticipated weekends.   http://www.santafewineandchile.org/
• Santa fe Opera Season   (check website for date)
  http://www.santafeopera.org/
  
• Santa Fe Spanish Market   (check website for dates)
  Held on the Santa Fe Plaza, the popular Spanish Market provides visitors with a great opportunity to sample the rich Hispanic culture of Northern New Mexico. Featuring arts and exhibits from over 300 traditional Hispanic artists, the market is a great place to shop for unusual souvenirs.  Spanish Market

Santa Fe Summer Day Trip Guide  (click for Guide)

Guide to Activities & Places in Santa Fe