Weekend Getaway in New Mexico: Santa Fe & Albuquerque

If you want to explore a unique corner of the Southwest, I recommend checking out Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Santa Fe is known for its vibrant arts scene, historic sites, and distinct pueblo-style architecture. Albuquerque – the biggest city in the state – offers a little bit of everything, including excellent food, a historic old town, and great hiking just outside of the city limits. In this guide, we’re diving into the perfect weekend getaway in New Mexico, which includes exploring the sights of these two lively cities. 

When is the Best Time to Visit Santa Fe and Albuquerque?

Weather-wise, the best time to visit Albuquerque and Santa Fe is between April to May and September to October. This is when the temperatures are mild, so you can more comfortably explore these cities. 

In April and May, the temperatures tend to range from the 60s to low 80s, with Albuquerque typically being a few degrees hotter than Santa Fe. In September, the summer temperatures will cool off a bit – you can expect temperatures around the mid 70s to low 80s. It continues to cool down in October, with temperatures ranging from the mid 60s to low 70s. 

While you can still have a great time in the summer, keep in mind that it can get hot. The average temperatures in Santa Fe are typically around the mid 80s, while Albuquerque can get into the 90s. It does also rain more frequently in the summer. 

One thing to note specifically about Albuquerque is the annual International Balloon Fiesta. This popular festival happens over a week around early October. While it can be an amazing time to visit, you should also expect more crowds, and will likely find hotels and house rentals to be more expensive. 

Is it Better to Stay in Santa Fe or Albuquerque?

If you’re planning a New Mexico weekend trip centered around visiting Santa Fe and Albuquerque, I’d recommend making your home base near whichever airport you are flying into to make your travel days a bit easier. There is a small regional airport in Santa Fe, but most travelers will likely find more flight options going to Albuquerque International Sunport. 

That said, the two cities are only about an hour drive from each other, so if it’s only a short flight (or you are coming by car from nearby), you might decide to pick whichever city best fits your needs. 

Santa Fe will have some more luxury options, and if you choose to stay near the center of town, you’ll find that you’ll (mostly) be able to get around without a car. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly accommodation, you’ll have better luck in Albuquerque. Albuquerque is more sprawling than Santa Fe, and you’ll definitely need a car to get from point to point. It doesn’t quite have the same central, bustling hub like Santa Fe, but I’d recommend staying near Old Town Albuquerque, as it is fairly central and a fun area to walk around. 

New Mexico Weekend Getaway Itinerary

Now, let’s talk about how to plan the perfect weekend in New Mexico. Note that you can easily switch up the days based on whatever works best for you and your travel schedule.

Arrival Day: Dinner and Drinks

If you’re arriving on a Friday, you’ll want to start off your weekend trip with some dinner and drinks. Here is what I recommend checking out, based on where you are staying:

• If You’re Staying in Albuquerque: Head over to Marble Brewery (the downtown taproom location) for some beers (I recommend the Desert Fog IPA) and casual eats. This two-story taproom is super popular, and there’s a stage on the outdoor patio where they frequently have bands perform. While the brewery doesn’t serve food itself, they have food trucks on-site daily (typically two trucks on the weekends) serving up some delicious local eats. When I last visited, Urban Hotdog Company was there selling its innovative hot dogs and sides (including vegan and vegetarian-friendly options). You can check the food truck schedule online. 
• If You’re Staying in Santa Fe: Make your way to The Shed, a family-owned and operated restaurant serving up excellent Southwestern food. This spot – which has a lovely courtyard and colorful dining spaces – is famous for its red chile enchiladas and variety of margaritas. To ensure you get seated quickly, I recommend calling ahead to make a reservation.

Marble Brewery in Albuquerque

Day 1: Explore Santa Fe, NM

On your first full day of your weekend trip in New Mexico, spend some time exploring the vibrant city of Santa Fe. You’ll adventure through a unique immersive art gallery, stroll through town, and check out Canyon Road – while eating some amazing food throughout the day.

Grab Breakfast in Town

Start off your Santa Fe day trip with breakfast at either Cafe Pasqual’s (in the center of town) or Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen (near the next stop in the itinerary). Cafe Pasqual’s (which is located in a historic adobe) is a southwestern restaurant serving dishes made with organic and sustainably sourced food. The menu includes a breakfast quesadilla, a chorizo scramble, corn pancakes, and more. A few breakfast dishes can also be made vegan. 

Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen has a varied breakfast menu featuring dishes made with produce local to New Mexico. Menu items include breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, a smoothie bowl, and plenty more. Many of the dishes are vegan and/or vegetarian. The facility is also completely gluten-free, so anyone with a gluten intolerance can safely eat at this restaurant.

Check Out Meow Wolf Santa Fe

After breakfast, head over to Meow Wolf, which is about a 10-minute drive from Santa Fe Plaza. The colorful, immersive art experience is incredibly fun and different, and 100% worth a visit! It was created over the course of a year, thanks to the hard work of approximately 200 artists and their assistants. The super unique interactive museum/multimedia art installation (which is family friendly) has over 70 rooms to explore, and you can choose your own adventure to experience the space. 

Expect to spend at least an hour and a half exploring Meow Wolf. You’ll also want to reserve your tickets in advance online. Currently, adult tickets range from $39 to $45, depending on the date you choose. There are also discounts for military service members.

Get Lunch at Jambo Cafe

After Meow Wolf, head just about a mile down the road to Jambo Cafe, an African-Caribbean restaurant. This spot came highly recommended by a few local friends the last time I visited, and I’m so happy we checked it out – it was some of the best food we had during our visit! I highly recommend sharing a plate of the cinnamon-dusted plantains. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you’ll also find plenty of suitable options – I really enjoyed the coconut tofu curry (which is vegan).

Explore Santa Fe Plaza and the Historic Churches

Next, you’ll spend some time exploring Santa Fe Plaza – which is the heart of the city – and the surrounding area. The plaza itself is a National Historic Landmark, and there are often special events here, such as the Traditional Spanish Market (over a weekend around late July) and the Santa Fe Indian Market (over a weekend in August). It is surrounded by local shops and galleries that are fun to check out. As you walk through the downtown area, you’ll also see plenty of the Pueblo-Spanish and Territorial Revival-style architecture that the town is known for. 

While you’re in the area, you’ll want to make your way to Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The current structure of this picturesque cathedral was built in the 1800s, and features gorgeous stained glass inside.

Close to the cathedral is Loretto Chapel, which was built in 1878. This chapel is best known for the spiral staircase, as well as the beautiful architecture. Note that admission is $5 per adult, which you’ll need to pay if you want to see the staircase. 

A final church worth checking out is San Miguel Chapel, which is a short walk down the road from Loretto Chapel. San Miguel was built in 1610, and is the oldest church in the continental US. While it may be more humble in appearance compared to the other two churches, the history alone makes it worth a visit.

Walk Down Canyon Road

A stroll down Canyon Road – which is the city’s arts district – is one of the most popular things to do in Santa Fe. The half-mile road has the highest concentration of galleries in the country, and there are also some cafes and restaurants you can check out. The entrance is just about a 5-minute walk from San Miguel Chapel. 
During my last visit, two stand out galleries that I enjoyed were Ventana Fine Art and Wiford Gallery (which has cool outdoor installations). The tree-lined street is also very pretty and nice to walk down, so just take your time strolling and popping into whatever galleries stand out to you!

Grab a Treat at Kakawa Chocolate House

Next up, you’ll want to grab something sweet at Kakawa Chocolate House, which is less than a 5-minute walk from the entrance to Canyon Road. Kakawa is known for its decadent hot drinking chocolate elixirs – I really loved the Chili and American elixirs. They also have plenty of truffles that you can purchase to enjoy later. Most of the drinking elixirs are vegan, and they also have plenty of vegan truffles.

Get Dinner in Town

End your day in Santa Fe with a nice dinner in town. If you’re looking for something a bit more casual, you can check out The Shed if you didn’t visit on arrival night, or Fiesta Oaxaca, a colorful Mexican restaurant. 

Two other options are Paloma and Sazón. Paloma is an upscale Mexican restaurant with excellent craft cocktails, and Sazón is a fine dining spot with creative takes on Latin American cuisine. I recommend making reservations in advance for these spots.

Day 2: Explore Albuquerque, NM

On the second day of your New Mexico itinerary, you’ll check out all that Albuquerque has to offer. Start the day with an incredible tram ride up to Sandia Peak, and then spend the afternoon stopping by the key sights in town.

Take the Tram and Hike at Sandia Peak

Start the day off with a ride on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway to the crest of mountains – 10,378-feet up! The landscape completely changes as you ascend the mountains, and the views are unbeatable during the tram ride and as you hike (I have an Instagram reel with some fun shots of the ride – check it out!). 

Heads up: you’ll want to buy your tickets in advance online. Tickets are available 30 days in advance. For adults (21+), a round-trip ticket costs $34 plus processing fees. 

The tram ride – which is a 15-minute trip one-way – is an activity in itself. The views going up are absolutely incredible. That said, there are also plenty of trails up top, so I’d highly recommend getting some hiking in to fully experience the area!

A great hike up top is the South Crest #130 and Gravel Pit #339 Loop, which takes you to Kiwanis Cabin – a stone structure built in the 1930s as shelter for the trail crews. This loop is 2.2-miles long and fairly easy. You’ll get incredible panoramic views, and also walk through beautiful forested areas (I saw tons of wildflowers during my last summer visit, as well!). If you’d like to add a little extra mileage to your hike, I recommend walking towards Sandia Crest via the Crest Trail. When combined with the South Crest/Gravel Pit Loop, it will add about another mile to your hike. 

Head Back into Town for Lunch

There’s nothing better than a post-hike lunch, and one spot I highly recommend checking out is Buen Provecho, which is near Old Town. This casual eatery specializes in Latin American dishes, with an emphasis on Costa Rican food. The menu features tamales, empanadas, casados, and much more, and is also very vegan-friendly. I loved both the black bean and jalapeño tamale and the mushroom and tapenade tamale, as well as the yucca fries. The restaurant itself is super small and has no indoor dining space, but there’s a shared patio with other eateries in the shopping center with plenty of tables.

Visit the BioPark Botanic Garden and Aquarium

After lunch, make your way just across the street to the BioPark Botanic Garden and Aquarium. You can buy tickets in-person, but I recommend buying in advance online. Adult tickets are currently $14.50 (with discounts for active and retired military members, as well as New Mexico residents), and will get you access to both the garden and aquarium.  

The 52-acre botanic garden has 1.5 miles of walking paths. I really loved the glass conservatory, as well as the 10-acre Heritage Farm, where you’ll see some chickens, sheep, and other cute critters! There is also a butterfly pavilion, Japanese garden, a rose garden, and plenty more. This was definitely one of the more diverse botanical gardens I’ve been to, and I really enjoyed exploring the grounds!

On the other side of the property is the aquarium. In my opinion, it’s not quite as impressive as the botanic garden. Compared to other aquariums, it’s definitely on the smaller side, and I’d say it isn’t a must-see if you’re short on time – I’d recommend spending your limited time at the garden. That said, admission gets you entrance into both the gardens and the aquarium, and it’s still a fun space to check out while you’re there.

Stroll Through Old Town Albuquerque

One of the best things to do in Albuquerque is visit Old Town. There are tons of picturesque adobe buildings to check out around the plaza, as well as the beautiful San Felipe de Neri Church – the oldest church in Albuquerque (built in 1793). After going inside a few different local shops and admiring the buildings, I recommend stopping by the Noisy Water Winery tasting room for a glass of wine. 

Get Dinner in Town

To finish off your time in Albuquerque, grab one final meal in town. If you’re looking for something more upscale, one of the top restaurants in town is Campo, which is part of Los Poblanos – a historic inn and farm. This fine dining restaurant (which requires reservations) has an always changing menu that is inspired by the daily harvest. The organic ingredients are sourced from the company’s own fields and other farms in the immediate area, creating a true farm-to-table experience.

Alternatively, a more casual spot worth checking out that is just a short walk north of Old Town is Sawmill Market. This food hall offers a wide variety of places to grab a bite to eat, so everyone in your group can find something that fits their taste. Options include (but are not limited to!) a Mexican restaurant, burger joint, pizza place, sushi spot, and so much more. You’ll also find plenty of places to get an alcoholic beverage, as well as a few dessert stalls. There is a large indoor dining area, as well as an outdoor patio.

Old Town Albuquerque