Santa Fe was not on the itinerary for this fall but that is the beauty of this mobile lifestyle – you can truly go whenever and wherever you want! So when our full-time RV friends Joe and Sharon texted me and mentioned they would be in Santa Fe for a month in Oct/Nov we decided to detour for 10 days and meet up with them.
Beautiful Loretto Chapel near the Plaza
Built in 1879, the staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support
The RVing lifestyle lends itself to meeting new people and there is a certain camaraderie amongst travelers in general. I met Joe and Sharon last February in Gold Canyon AZ when I spotted them walking a beautiful white Boxer. Of course, I pulled my bike over in the RV Resort to chat with them and meet Cooper. I remember telling Wally about these nice folks I met from Texas and gushing about Cooper. I guess we were destined to be friends so it was serendipity when we ran into them again in Santa Fe New Mexico in April.
We had a very warm welcome when we arrived last week and were really grateful to have a homemade meal and wine waiting after our long drive from Moab Utah. Our stay at the Santa Fe Skies RV Resort was spent catching up, long walks with the dogs, cocktails in front of the blazing courtyard chimenea in the evenings, wandering the Plaza, long lunches in charming Santa Fe with many margaritas (made with Patron Silver by the way) and hiking at Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Park.
They really do look like Tent Rocks!
This is really fun hike with a slot canyon to shimmy through and a steep climb to spectacular views
Santa Fe is a very livable city and boast the cleanest air in the US. At 7,000 feet, Santa Fe sits in the Sangre de Cristo foothills renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hotbed. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, it has at its heart the traditional Plaza. The surrounding historic district’s crooked streets wind past adobe landmarks including the Palace of the Governors, now home to the New Mexico History Museum.
We are always looking at places we visit through the lens of “would we ever want to live here”.
Known as the “Land of Enchantment,” New Mexico offers residents breathtaking views, colorful scenery and vibrant culture. Millions of acres of land in New Mexico fall under the protection of the National Forest and National Park Services which mean there are abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. The more than 300 days of sunshine each year is pretty darn enticing too!
Santa Fe in particular has a nice vibe and loads of yummy dining places – definitely a foodie city, great roads and hiking areas. Services like shopping are plentiful and they have a Trader Joe’s – score!
Sucia gives Santa Fe a four paw rating for bird watching
The biggest downsides for me is that it is high desert which means things get a bit dusty and gritty plus the housing prices in Santa Fe are definitely higher than the national average.
Oh, but the sunsets are so beautiful!
None of these things would be deal breakers, so Santa Fe stays on the list of possibilities for the distant future when we get tired of our mobile lifestyle. For now, we look forward to more exploration of the US, making new friends and all the adventures that our nomadic lifestyle brings.
What cute boys!!
our38ft^pluslife 
We’ve always enjoyed are visits to Santa Fe. Our last time through we planned on staying 4 four days, but kept extending and ended up staying over 2 weeks. That’s the beauty of a home on wheels. I absolutely loved hiking at Kasha-Katuwee. Did you make it to the Farmer’s Market or had the season ended?
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I’ve now seen numerous RVers buy property in New Mexico. It’s just one of those places that people seem to fall in love with. We’re looking forward to exploring the state. There are several towns that look interesting. Your photos are beautiful – I especially love that circular staircase. So incredible to think it was built in the late 1800’s.
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And by a anonymous craftsman who excepted no payment! You will love NM… the food is so yummy. We also really liked Las Cruces but it is very different than Santa Fe. Haven’t gotten to Albuquerque yet but hoping to do the Balloon Festival next year.
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