Things to do in Santa Fe
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Santa Fe History Walking Tour: 400 Years with a Local GuideA three-hour walking tour of Santa Fe led by Victor Romero, a storyteller with deep family ties to northern New Mexico dating back before Spanish arrival. The tour covers the Santa Fe Plaza, Loretto Chapel with its miraculous staircase, the oldest church in North America, the oldest European settlement on the continent, and the historic neighborhoods that hold the city's layered history. All fees and taxes are included; children from age 5 are welcome.Is it for me?This tour works best for travelers who want the real history of Santa Fe told by someone whose family has lived it for generations, not a quick overview. The high pace and three-hour commitment suit people with moderate fitness who are ready to acclimate to the elevation and absorb the layered story of the city rather than rush through it.
Santa Fe Plaza: New Mexican Food Tour & Historic SitesYou walk the Santa Fe Plaza with a local guide, stopping at five hand-picked spots for New Mexican food, learning the history of the Palace of the Governors, San Miguel Mission, and Loretto Chapel along the way. Lunch, drinks, alcohol pairings, and dessert are included, plus server gratuity. The tour covers 1.5–2 miles at a casual pace, and you finish with a full afternoon of eating behind you.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat real New Mexican food without arranging your own stops, navigating the plaza alone, or figuring out which places are worth the time — the guide's local knowledge and the fixed itinerary handle all three.
Santa Fe historical tour: centuries with a local historianAna Pacheco, Santa Fe's former City Historian (2015–2017) and author of eight books on the region, leads a walking tour covering four hundred years of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American history across the Plaza, Loretto Chapel, San Miguel Mission and other landmarks. The tour runs about two and a half hours and includes stops at the oldest government building in the U.S., the Manhattan Project checkpoint, Route 66, Canyon Road and the Santuario de Guadalupe, with a live English-speaking guide.Is it for me?If you're arriving in Santa Fe without a car or staying elsewhere in the city, the tour starts at the Plaza and moves on foot through the historic center, so you don't need to arrange transportation to the landmarks themselves. A guide who spent two years as the City Historian means the stops hold together as a narrative rather than a list—you understand why each place matters instead of just seeing it.
Santa Fe Plaza Food Tour: Sip & Savor with Local GuideYou walk the downtown Plaza with a local guide who knows both the food and the history—four tastings at different venues, each one tied to how Spanish, Native American, and Anglo cultures shaped what Santa Fe eats. Food and gratuity are included; the route is 1.5 miles spread across four stops. Bring comfortable shoes and plan a late breakfast beforehand.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat your way through Santa Fe's actual food story rather than just hitting restaurants by name—the guide connects the history to the plate, which is what makes the tastings stick. The fixed route and four stops mean you're not deciding where to go or calculating portions; you show up, walk, and eat.
Santa Fe E-Bike Tour: Hidden Neighborhoods & Railyard DistrictYou ride an e-bike through Santa Fe's quieter neighborhoods, past the Audubon Center's historic mill, the Railyard District, and up to Fort Marcy Park for views of the mountains and downtown. The pedal-assist motor handles the 7,000-foot elevation so you can focus on the guide's stories and the route itself. Helmet, bike bag, and reflective triangle included; parking available on-site.Is it for me?Good for riders who want to explore Santa Fe's quieter corners without arranging their own transport or managing the altitude—the e-bike's motor assist is what makes it possible to cover multiple neighborhoods and still have energy to absorb what you're seeing.
Rio Grande Gorge: Full-Day Rafting & Riverside LunchYou’ll float through peaceful stretches of the Rio Grande Gorge, paddle into whitewater rapids with expert guides, spot wildlife along lush banks, and share a riverside fajita lunch. Expect laughter, splashes, and those rare moments when time slows down between rapids—leaving you both tired and quietly happy by day’s end.
Gourmet Brunch in Santa Fe with Chef CarolinaA three-course gourmet brunch in Santa Fe led by Chef Carolina, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu School, and sommelier Manuel. You'll eat hand-picked dishes made from locally sourced ingredients, starting with fresh breads and fruit, moving through a signature hot dish, and finishing with a sweet course. In winter you sit at a communal table with up to 10 guests; in summer, small tables are set in the garden. The experience lasts about 90 minutes.Is it for me?The brunch is held at a private location in Santa Fe, with the address sent to you after booking—no need to hunt down a restaurant or arrange your own transportation once you know where to go. If you're staying in town without a car, confirm the location and plan your arrival; if you're staying elsewhere, the 90 minutes fits easily into a morning or early afternoon.
Santa Fe: Architecture Walking Tour & Gruet Champagne TastingYou’ll wander Santa Fe’s historic eastside with a small group and local guide, learning how Pueblo and Spanish Territorial styles shaped these quiet streets. Pause for stories and neighborly greetings along the way before finishing at Hotel St. Francis for Gruet champagne tasting — it’s less about facts than feeling at home in someone else’s city for a morning.
Santa Fe History Walking Tour: Small Group with Local GuideA small-group walking tour of Santa Fe limited to 10 guests, led by a live guide through downtown landmarks including Santa Fe Plaza, Loretto Chapel, San Miguel Chapel and Sena Plaza. The tour traces Native American, Spanish and American influences across historic streets, quiet courtyards and lesser-known sites over roughly 2 hours. Service animals are welcome; the tour operates year-round though winter departures may be canceled if conditions turn unsafe.Is it for me?This tour is built for travelers who want to understand Santa Fe's layered history—Native American, Spanish and American—without being herded through it. The small group size means your guide can answer real questions and show you the quiet places that explain why locals call it "The City Different," not just the stops everyone photographs.
Santa Fe: Chef-Guided New Mexican Lunch & Award MargaritasYou’ll join a small group for a chef-guided lunch in Santa Fe, skipping long lines to taste both red and green chile dishes while learning their history from a local expert. Enjoy three unique margarita pairings and end on a sweet note at Santa Fe’s favorite ice cream shop—all within an easy walk through downtown flavor and stories.
Santa Fe: Scenic Train Ride with Champagne & Live MusicYou’ll board at Santa Fe Depot for a scenic train ride across New Mexico’s high desert, complete with a welcome champagne toast and live music drifting through restored cars. Watch golden hills roll by Galisteo Basin while guides share local stories—no stops, just pure landscape and laughter until you return.
Santa Fe Canyon Road: Art Walking Tour & Gallery StopsYou walk Canyon Road with a professional guide trained in art history and museum education, stopping at five or six galleries to look closely and discuss what you see. You'll learn a method for interpreting art that works anywhere, understand how Santa Fe's art scene connects to its history, and move at a pace that lets you actually absorb what's in front of you instead of rushing to the next room. The guide handles the curation and context; you just show up in comfortable shoes.Is it for me?This tour is right for anyone who wants to understand Santa Fe's art scene beyond surface-level gallery browsing—the guide's expertise and the small-group format mean you actually absorb what you're seeing instead of moving through rooms on autopilot.
Santa Fe: Wine & Lunch Tour with Loretto Chapel & Local HistoryYou'll walk through Santa Fe's oldest neighborhoods, hear the history of four major landmarks including the Loretto Chapel and San Miguel Mission, then stop at three local restaurants for a full lunch with alcohol pairings and dessert. Everything except the guide's tip is covered. The whole thing runs 2.5 to 3 hours, starting at 10:55am near the plaza, and you'll walk roughly 1.5 to 2 miles total.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat well in Santa Fe while actually learning the history of the places you're walking through, and you're comfortable with a moderate amount of walking and New Mexican spice levels. The fixed schedule and included pairings mean you don't have to plan three separate meals or figure out what to order.
Santa Fe Food & Drink Walking Tour: 3 tastings with local guideThis walking tour through Santa Fe covers the city's history, culture and architecture across three food and drink stops over 3.5 hours, led by a guide from a 12th generation New Mexican family. You taste craft beer, cocktails, wine and margaritas alongside tacos, pizza and handmade chips and salsa at each location. The tour includes all food and drink; guides speak English or Spanish, and the minimum age is 21.Is it for me?At 3.5 hours, the tour fits inside a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole day, leaving time to explore galleries, shops or other neighborhoods before or after. The fixed stops and included meals mean you don't hunt for lunch or negotiate prices at the bar—you show up hungry and walk away fed.
Santa Fe Sweet & Spicy Food Tour: Churros, Biscochitos & MoreA two-hour guided food tour through Santa Fe's historic downtown where you taste beignets, churros, biscochitos and other traditional New Mexican sweets while learning about the city's Native, Spanish and Mexican heritage. The guide leads you past the Palace of the Governors and through adobe-lined streets, stopping at local cafes and a hidden bakery known for creative sweets. A live guide speaks English or Spanish; children from age 3 are welcome.Is it for me?Two hours is short enough to fit into a morning or afternoon without canceling other plans, yet long enough to taste multiple sweets and hear the stories behind them and the city itself. If you want to explore Santa Fe's food and history but need time for other activities the same day, this tour holds together without eating your whole schedule.
Murder Mystery Detective Audio Adventure in Santa FeThis murder mystery audio adventure puts you in the role of a detective solving a crime across 10 mapped locations in Santa Fe. You choose between a walking route through downtown or a driving route on the city's outskirts, listen to the audio story at each stop, gather clues, and make your deductions to issue an arrest warrant. The experience runs approximately 2.5 hours and includes a built-in scoring system so you can measure your detective performance.Is it for me?At 2.5 hours with breaks you can take anytime, this fits into a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole day—you solve the case and still have time for lunch or other Santa Fe stops. If you want a structured activity that doesn't require a guide or a fixed departure time, this works; if you need something under an hour or prefer a guided tour with a person, look elsewhere.
