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Santa Fe (New Mexico)

Travel Guide North America USA Western United States New Mexico Santa Fe

Introduction

St Francis Cathedral, Santa Fe

Santa Fe is the capital of the state of New Mexico. It is located in the central north of the state and has about 74,000 inhabitants (city, metropolitan area about 184,000 people).

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Neighbourhoods

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Sights and Activities

The New Mexico History Museum, located in the historic Santa Fe Plaza, consists of the newly opened museum, the Palace of the Governors, and the Portal Native American Artisans Program, where New Mexico Native Americans sell authentic arts and crafts. The Palace of Governors, built in 1610, is the oldest government building in the United States.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian is one of several located on "Museum Hill," a few kilometres or so from the central Plaza of Santa Fe. Built in the shape of a traditional Navajo shelter, called a hogan, its one high-ceilinged main room is the perfect size for a show concentrating on a single artist or theme. Downstairs is a re-creation of an early 20th century trading post selling jewelry, pots, rugs and other crafts by Navajo, Hopi and other tribal artists.
Loretto Line Tour Company offers 90-minute tours of the important sites in Santa Fe in a motorized open-air tram (shaded from the direct sun, and generally suitable for 9 or 10 months of the year). The drivers are experts in history, archaeology, architecture and the multiple cultures of Santa Fe. It's a great way to get oriented and decide what you want to explore in greater depth on your own.
No one who has been to Santa Fe will be surprised if you decide to get married there. It's a romantic, beautiful town with enough diverse activities for all the guests from both sides of the aisle. A favorite spot is Loretto Chapel which has its own romantic and mysterious story. It was designed to resemble a famous French chapel, but the builders forgot to design in a staircase to the choir loft. Do you know the story? If not, see the TV movie, or visit the web site. Better yet, come see for yourself!

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Events and Festivals

Santa Fe Indian Market - in August
Fiestas de Santa Fe - in September
Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta - in September

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Weather

Summers are from June to mid-September when the average temperatures during the day mostly in the 26-30 °C range while nights drop to 10-13 °C during this time. Winters from December to February see average highs of 6-9 °C while nights are in the -10 to -7 °C range. Alltime highs and lows are 38 °F and -27 °C! Average annual precipitation is around 14 inches, with most of it falling during the wetter summers. Though winters see regular snow with around 10 to 18 centimetres a month from December to March.

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Getting There

By Plane

American Eagle operates flights out of Santa Fe Municpal Airport (SAF) to and from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and to and from Los Angeles (LAX). The Albuquerque International Sunport is only an hour's drive from Santa Fe, and offers additional flight options.

By Train

By Car

Santa Fe can easily be reached along Interstate 25 which runs north-south through the state of New Mexico. US Highway 84 connects Santa Fe with places to the north.

By Bus

Check Greyhound for connections.

By Boat

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Getting Around

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

By Foot

Many of the hotels, restaurants, shops and boutiques, and historic sites are located in and around the Santa Fe Plaza, providing the opportunity for leisurely explorations on foot. The Santa Fe visitor's website offers guides to several free walking tours.

By Bike

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

Property	Address	Type	Popularity
Motel 6 Santa Fe	3007 cerrillos rd Santa Fe, NM 87507	Hotel	87

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

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Work

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Learn

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Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

Post

The US Postal Service is very good and well priced mail system. There are post offices in every small and large town for sending packages internationally or domestically. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.

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