taos: new mexico's hidden gem

recap of 5 days out west

Aug 05, 2024

howdy y’all 🤠

who doesn’t need a weekend escaping out west? lucky for me! with an uncle in taos, escaping out west to the land of enchantment was in the cards for my family this summer. taos, new mexico is an absolute must do in my book, you’ll find an amazing art scene, incredible vistas, and delicious green chiles incorporated into anything and everything you could eat. read on for a recap of my favorite things to do, places to get coffee and spots to grab a bite.

what to do 🏜

rio grande gorge bridge at sunset - always a must do on our first evening, the bridge is about 10 miles north of taos and sits 600 feet above the rio grande. the land surrounding is so flat you’re taken by complete surprise when you cross the bridge and fully take in the depth of the gorge. there’s a walking trail along the rim, giving you a lovely full view of the bridge and its surrounding landscape.

taos plaza - this is where you really see the history of the town come through, you feel like you’re in an old western movie. one thing a lot of spots in town have in common, and one of my favorite things about the town, is each place has a eclectic, unique vibe, the owner’s take on the town’s combined rustic, native american, and mexican heritage. it’s fun to just mosey around and pop your head into the variety of shops on and off the plaza.

mcgaffey ridge - 25 minute drive from taos, this trail has you ascend a wooded service road towards a vast meadow. since you’re hiking through the pine trees to reach the meadow, the trail smells exactly like the candles you buy at christmastime. if you’re lucky, one of the cows grazing in the area may join you as you stop to enjoy the views.

rift valley traders trail - now this trail made me feel like i was in home on the range. a 20 minute drive outside of taos, the out and back trail finishes at the gorge edge overlooking the rio grande. the journey through the desert is just as breathtaking as the views waiting for you at the end of the trail.

ojo caliente - less than an hour drive outside of taos, ojo caliente is one of the country’s oldest health spas and one of the world’s only hot spring spas featuring healing minerals. a day pass ranging $45-$65 gets you access to the 5+ communal soaking pools all with their own mineral benefits. if you’re feeling like you want a more elevated experience you can book a spa treatment day of - i LOVED the blue corn, prickly pear, sea salt scrub.

where to caffeinate ☕

world cup - all i have thought about since coming back has been the iced mocha picante from world cup. this coffee spot has some of the best espresso drinks i’ve ever had and solidly passes the vibe check, the tiny little spot is giving rustic coffeeshop in the mountains in the best way. their specialty was the mocha, with a multitude of varieties, the spicy mocha picante was the one i came back to everyday.

the coffee apothecary - let’s say the line is too long at world cup or you can’t find a parking space, no fear! the coffee apothecary holds it’s own with solidly good espresso and a lighter, quirkier vibe accompanied by a larger space if you want to comfortably stick around for a few. the oat milk latte was quite good and you can look out the windows for a view of the mountains in the distance.

where to eat… breakfast 🍳

mantes chow chart - specializing in new mexican breakfast, mantes was originally a food truck that opened in 1973. since then, the family owned joint has upgraded to a stationary space including a drive thru although i question the logistics of eating the huevos rancheros i had for breakfast via drive thru, the tortillas swimming in chiles, eggs, and refried beans most definitely required a fork, knife, and tabletop. i highly recommend stopping in, especially if you have time to nap away the food coma that will certainly ensue after your meal.

gutiz - french mexican fusion, if you’re looking for a great brunch option, this is it. the menu is truly a fusion of french and mexican cuisines, i ordered the brie omelette containing the area’s signature green chiles and it was absolutely delicious.

where to eat… lunch/dinner 🌯

orlando’s - not only did orlando’s exceed expectations in the culinary department, i had a delicious pork tamale, the restaurant décor solidly passed the vibe check. dried chiles hanging all around, my favorite piece of art in the place was the large painting of a biker frida kahlo hanging on the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room.

5 star burger - with a variety of burger options, you’ll find it hard to pick amongst 5 star’s signature creations. i sure did, but in the end went for the july monthly burger, a cheeseburger with onion rings and barbeque sauce, adding chopped green chiles on top. it was divine. no other words, just divine.

an afternoon in santa fe 🤠

the georgia o’keefe museum galleries - created to showcase the world of o’keefe, the museum is separated into nine galleries spanning her youth on the east coast to her new mexican retirement. one of my final paper’s in an art history class of mine in college was on georgia o’keefe’s work, so i was completely enamored when i saw some of the paintings i had studied digitally, in person for the first time.

museum of international folk art - located amongst a complex of museums, this specific one explores a variety of folk art, not just the mexican and native american heritage of the area. featuring upwards of 150,000 artifacts from around the world, these artifacts are featured in miniature recreations of the 150 nations they happened to be sourced from - some of the miniature scenes are quite entertaining including miniature white tourists taking pictures of the historic landmarks.

la choza - i discovered the restaurant when written up in a vogue guide to santa fe, a casual mexican restaurant known for the family chiles recipes, one for earthy, dark red chiles and the other for vibrant, smooth green chiles, lived up to it’s conde nast review. i ordered a sopapilla (the place is known for the sopapillas) stuffed with refried beans and pork adovada, smothered in cheese and chiles christmas style (a combo of green and red chiles). was my mouth on fire? a little. would i eat the stuffed sopapilla again? one thousand times over yes.