A Guide to Taos, New Mexico
The road to Taos rises gradually through northern New Mexico, cutting a winding path through sagebrush, piñon, and alpine forest. It’s the kind of drive that makes you slow down—not just for the hairpin turns, but for the views. As you climb toward 8,000 feet, the horizon keeps expanding, the air thins, and the light shifts just enough to let you know: you’re entering sacred terrain. (There’s a faster, flatter route between Santa Fe and Taos, but it doesn’t deliver the same sense of arrival.)
This is the ancestral land of the Tiwa people, whose presence continues to shape the spirit of the place. And while visitors come for different reasons—some for the high-desert quiet, others for the gallery-hopping or white-water rafting or world-class skiing—what tends to stay with you is harder to pin down. The pace is slower. The air feels clearer. The magic is real.
Locals will tell you that Taos isn’t just Santa Fe’s more soulful cousin—it’s something else entirely. There’s only one way to know for sure: go. Stay awhile. See what rises to the surface.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Willa
Overlooking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and named for the century-old willow tree in its courtyard, Hotel Willa is a smart, soulful addition to Taos’s (very limited) boutique hotel scene. Housed in a former motor lodge and reimagined by California-based Casetta Group, the 51 rooms feel both grounded and elevated—think wood-beamed ceilings, terracotta walls, handwoven textiles, and original artwork by local artists, plus an on-site gallery for rotating exhibitions. On Friday nights, the bar draws a scene for live music and mixology sessions that feel more house party than hotel programming. Helmed by James Beard Award–nominated chef Johnny Ortiz-Concha, the intimate on-property restaurant, Juliette, serves hyperlocal Northern New Mexican comfort food that feels as personal as it is assured.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Chin
El Monte Sagrado
A short stroll from the café- and gallery-lined Taos Plaza, El Monte Sagrado feels tucked away, with serene grounds that include koi ponds, waterfalls, and cottonwood trees. The best rooms are the spacious casita suites, each with viga ceilings, kiva fireplaces, and private patios perfect for slow mornings and strong coffee. The Living Spa offers treatments rooted in regional traditions—like a 75-minute gourd sound healing led by a local musician and healer—plus a saltwater pool and hydrotherapy circuit that encourage full-body exhale.
Photo courtesy of El Monte Sagrado
The Blake at Taos Ski Valley
Taos Ski Valley has a distinct vibe—part European alpine, part rugged Southwest—and The Blake sits at the center of it all. A ski-in, ski-out lodge with 115 rooms, suites, and penthouses (plus full residences with kitchens), the property is LEED certified and refreshingly unflashy. A ski valet, on-site gear shop, hot tubs, and all-day restaurant cover the essentials, while the expansive spa offers treatments tailored to the terrain: ski recovery massages, alpine hydration facials, and body scrubs that polish wind-chapped skin back to life.
Photo courtesy of Taos Ski Valley
NOSA Restaurant & Inn
Set in the quiet beauty of the Ojo Caliente River Valley—about 45 minutes from Taos—this four-room hideaway is worth the detour. Chef-owner Graham Dodds, a recent James Beard Award nominee, runs the inn with an eye for both comfort and cuisine. His weekly tasting menus, served to just a handful of guests each night, make NOSA feel less like a restaurant and more like an invitation. Between the jackrabbits darting through sagebrush and the hummingbirds hovering at eye level, it’s a deeply personal New Mexico experience.
WHAT TO DO
Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo is a living community—and one of the oldest in North America. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark, it has been continuously inhabited for more than a thousand years. Built from adobe brick and finished annually with a fresh coat of mud plaster, the multi-story homes are entered through rooftop ladders, as they have been for generations. Guided tours led by Pueblo members offer insight into the community’s architecture, cultural traditions, and role as a historic trade center.
Whitefeather Tours
Led by Kevin Whitefeather of the Red Willow people, these small-group experiences offer a deeper, more personal connection to the region. Tours begin at the Pueblo and continue to a nearby buffalo herd—a powerful symbol in Pueblo life—followed by a light lunch and a traditional blessing ceremony. The pace is slow, the storytelling rich.
Whitewater Rafting
The Rio Grande snakes through canyon country just outside Taos, creating ideal conditions for rafting—whether you’re in it for the thrills or the views. Outfitters like Los Rios River Runners and New Mexico River Adventures offer everything from half-day Class III runs (The Racecourse) to more intense Class IV drops (The Taos Box). For something gentler, float the Rio Chama and let the red rock cliffs and slow current recalibrate your nervous system.
Los Rios River Runners; Whitefeather Tours
Hot Air Ballooning
Book a sunrise flight with Rio Grande Balloons and watch the landscape unfurl: the shadowed Sangre de Cristo peaks, the wide volcanic plateau, and the Rio Grande Gorge—an 800-foot tear through the desert floor. It’s surreal, silent, and breathtaking.
Hike with Llamas
For a uniquely New Mexican day in nature, Wild Earth Llama Adventures offers guided treks through the Carson National Forest—with llamas to carry your lunch. These gentle creatures are native to the Andes and perfectly suited to the high-altitude terrain. Along the way, your guide points out medicinal plants, wildlife tracks, and ecological quirks you’d otherwise miss. It’s fun, educational, and just the right amount of weird.
Heritage Inspirations
This female-owned outfitter offers artfully curated tours across northern New Mexico, from stargazing and snowshoeing to architectural and spiritual deep dives. In Taos, the half-day cultural tour includes visits to the Pueblo, a Spanish colonial hacienda, and the famed San Francisco de Asís church. For Georgia O’Keeffe devotees, the day trip to Ghost Ranch and Abiquiú reveals the very mesas and light formations that shaped her work.
Rio Grande Balloons; Wild Earth Llama Adventures; Stargazing Tour
Harwood Museum of Art
Founded in 1916, the Harwood is a cornerstone of the Taos art world. Its collection includes works from the early Taos Society of Artists, the abstract-heavy Taos Moderns, and a range of contemporary Native and Hispanic artists. A dedicated gallery honors Agnes Martin, the reclusive minimalist painter who lived nearby and whose quiet grids somehow echo the region’s spiritual vastness.
Photo courtesy: Agnes Martin Gallery, Harwood Museum of Art, 1993. © Estate of Agnes Martin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo by Brad Trone.
Taos Art Museum at Fechin House
Equal parts historic home and gallery space, the Fechin House is a showcase of Nicolai Fechin’s work—not just on canvas, but in wood, plaster, and light. The Russian-born artist hand-carved much of the home himself, blending ornate old-world craftsmanship with the raw textures of the Southwest. A recent expansion added a new gallery for larger exhibitions, but the original house remains the main draw.
Harwood Museum of Art; Taos Art Museum at Fechin House
Wilder Nightingale Fine Art
A pillar of the Taos art scene, Wilder Nightingale has been showcasing regional talent for over 30 years. Its ever-evolving roster includes more than 35 artists, most of whom live and work in northern New Mexico. Expect landscapes that hum with light and abstract works that channel the spirit of the high desert.
Jones Walker of Taos
Part gallery, part interiors shop, Jones Walker is one of those places where everything—from the hand-thrown ceramics to the oversized landscape paintings to the wood-and-wool furniture—feels thoughtfully chosen. It’s a must-stop if you’re decorating a home (or just fantasizing about one with better lighting and adobe walls).
Wilder Nightingale Fine Art; Jones Walker of Taos
WHERE TO SHOP
Chokola Bean to Bar
Follow your nose to this tiny, obsessively sourced chocolate shop in Taos’ pedestrian-only plaza. Owner Debi Vincent handcrafts her single-origin bars on-site—try the Maya Mountain made with cacao from Belize and a whisper of pineapple and honey. The brownies and chocolate pudding? Also worth writing home about.
Maria Samora Jewelry
A Taos native with a minimalist eye, Maria Samora crafts sculptural, geometric-inspired jewelry alongside her husband. Stop by their sun-drenched showroom and you might catch her at the bench, soldering something quietly spectacular.
Chocolate & Cashmere
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like—and somehow even better. This airy boutique along the main plaza pairs featherlight Mongolian cashmere (knit in Santa Fe) with handmade bonbons infused with flavors like lemon verbena, mezcal, and passionfruit.
Common Thread
A visual feast of hand-loomed textiles and clothing from across the globe, Common Thread is where you go when you want to feel something—literally and emotionally. Bolts of fabric sold by the yard make it dangerously easy to imagine yourself starting that capsule collection.
Starr Gallery
Come for the Zapotec wool rugs—each one a narrative in color and pattern—stay for the cushion covers and wall hangings. Whether you’re redecorating or just browsing, Starr is a warm, texture-rich delight.
Tres Estrellas
Housed in an 18th-century adobe, this textile gallery leans deep into history: Navajo weavings, Saltillo serapes, Pueblo and Rio Grande blankets, all displayed with reverence and an eye for story.
WHERE TO SPA
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa
Founded in 1868, Ojo Caliente is the OG of American wellness resorts. The property sprawls across 1,100 acres and offers access to forested trails for hiking and biking—but no one will judge you if you don’t leave the springs. Soak in lithium-rich mineral pools, book a hot stone massage, or stretch out in a yoga class. The Posi Primo suites come with private soaking tubs. The on-site restaurant sources much of its produce from its own garden, so even the food feels healing.
WHERE TO EAT
Doc Martin's
A beloved local institution serving New Mexican classics all day. Blueberry-piñon pancakes and huevos rancheros in the morning; chile rellenos and blue corn enchiladas at night. The margarita list is short but mighty.
The Love Apple
Set in a former chapel, this cozy dinner spot feels quietly devotional about its food. The vibe is warm, the cooking from scratch, and the wine list robust. Start with the avocado-grapefruit-mint beets, follow with squash-poblano soup or gnocchi, and don’t leave without the blue cornmeal mix for home.
Suchness
A 32-seat labor of love from husband-and-wife duo Kevin and Meg Sousa. He runs the kitchen solo (and is a James Beard alum); she oversees wine and service. The food is bright, thoughtful, and rooted in what's fresh—think hamachi with peanut and aji amarillo, carrot Bolognese, hazelnut tart with pear sorbet.
Doc Martin's; Suchness
Juliette
Tucked inside the Hotel Willa, Juliette is the kind of place where corn, chiles, and peas from nearby farms show up in all the best ways. Chef Johnny Ortiz-Concha lets the ingredients shine—on buttery focaccia, beef-fat potatoes, and a green chile cheeseburger worth detouring for.
Manzanita Market
Come for the soups, salads, and sandwiches; stay for the organic ice cream served in vintage teacups. This all-day café on the plaza also sells local provisions ideal for stuffing into your tote before heading to the airport.
Bread Club
Tiny but mighty. Swing by for a breakfast burrito, or snag a loaf of Hatch green chile cheddar bread for later. (You’ll wish you’d gotten two.)
Tomorrow and Tomorrow
A bakery named for a Shakespeare soliloquy—but this one delivers the goods. In the morning: eggs, coffee, and pillowy ricotta toast. At night: crisp-edged sourdough pizzas fired in a French stone oven.
Manzanita Market; Bread Club; Tomorrow and Tomorrow