Santa Fe is New Mexico’s state capital and the fourth largest city in the state.
It’s about an hour’s drive North of Albuquerque by car but since we didn’t have a car we hopped aboard the Rail Runner Express at the Alvarado Transportation Center on 1st Street and Central Avenue in Albuquerque.
This turned out to be one of the best values that we had ever got, anywhere. For only four (4) bucks you get a fantastic hour and a half ride from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. You just sit back, relax in the comfort of the smooth riding and quiet Rail Runner and sight-see all the way there!
The countryside and small villages that you pass through will keep your head spinning from side to side as you try to take it all in. (Hint: You get to come back this way so you’ll get a second chance to see it all!)
The train stops at the Santa Fe Railyard when it arrives in Santa Fe. The Railyard is a gathering place that offers a park, shops, a market and more.
The Farmer’s Market at the Railyard was in full swing when we arrived so we bought a bag a freshly picked cherries and munched on them as we strolled about the fresh produce, craft and wares.
We also strolled along the walkways of the small park and community garden located nearby.
The rounded corners and the tan and brown colors of the adobe buildings in Santa Fe add to the charm of this beautiful city.
Even the parking garages are adobe!
The churches in the area, both the large and the small, are simply beautiful.
San Miguel Mission Church was built by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico in the early 1600s is known as ‘the oldest church in the United States’:
El Santuario de Guadalupe was built in 1781 and is now an art and history museum:
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, located just East of the Plaza, is one of the city’s most recognized and photographed landmarks:
The Santa Fe Plaza, the heart of Santa Fe, is a central park with grass, trees and benches. This is a very popular place just to sit, relax or to have a bite to eat from one of the fajita or quesadilla carts.
The Plaza abuts the Palace of the Govenors, the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States. This is another very popular visitors spots with it’s jewelry market:
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe. You can almost hear the horses hoofs! 🙂
If you are into shopping it can only be described as ‘out of this world’!
Cowboy boots, anyone? 🙂
Of course our visit wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Travel Bug Café:
This is a great walking city. With it’s shops, art galleries, museums, architecture, history and of course, the great Geocaches in Santa Fe, one day was certainly not enough. A return visit, no, several return visits 🙂 , is what’s required to truly take it all in.
Keep on cachin’!
Cindy
So glad to see your post about Sante Fe…my cousin and I are going there this March 25-29th and then on to Albuquerque for 5 days. Awesome pics and info. Thanks!
go_man
Now you’re just teasing us! 🙂 It’s a beautiful place with lots of great caches. Make sure that you have a fajita in the plaza!