While we are deep in the mountains (your cell phone won’t work here), the Ranch is a short 30-minute drive to Santa Fe, one of the premier travel destinations in the U.S. Santa Fe calls itself The City Different, and it earns that title by having an amazing variety of things to do. There are historic sites, world-class art galleries, some of the best shopping in the country, and a wide range of mouthwatering cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

  Shopping

The average visitor to Santa Fe sees five art galleries while they are there. There are more than 250 galleries featuring paintings, sculpture, textiles, pottery, photography, and more, all located along the city’s legendary Canyon Road. The city also holds many museums, including the only U.S. museum dedicated to a female artist, Georgia O’Keeffe. The Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return is “an interactive art experience driven by non-linear storytelling that unfolds through exploration, discovery, and 21st century interactivity. Visitors choose their own path: walking, climbing, and crawling through a multiverse of more than 70 unique rooms created by a team of more than 500 artists.”

If you’d like to take in a delicious meal in Santa Fe during your stay at Brush Ranch, may we suggest Santa Café – a southwestern bistro rated as one of the most romantic restaurants in the country by House Beautiful. Or Santa Fe Bite, which boasts one of the greatest burgers in the U.S., as hailed by Food Network and Bon Appetit. Or check out The Shed, named the 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America by MSN for its ingenious use of Hatch green chiles.

Hidden treasures abound in Santa Fe, with Southwest specialties found in independent boutiques, at flea markets, and at some of the country’s largest art markets. You’ll discover fashion, furniture, and jewelry you won’t find anywhere else at special annual events, such as the Indian Market and the Spanish Market.

Many popular hiking trails lie between Brush Ranch and Santa Fe. They vary in degree of difficulty – so choose your own adventure! The Aspen Vista Trail is an easy trail in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Dorothy Stewart Trail provides great views of the city and of Sunset rocks. Tent Rocks Trail provides excellent viewing of interesting rock formations. The Pecos National Historic Park hosts ancestral site tours and the Civil War Battlefield Trail.