One of the rewards of my visit to The Inn of Five Graces, besides my delightful stay was meeting the then Inn concierge, Marjolaine Greentree. A charming well-traveled woman, I enjoyed chatting about her days in Africa, she is very in tune with local artisans and activities. The Inn offers a plethora of hiking, fishing, and hot air ballooning activities. She has moved on to her private travels and the front desk has a new concierge.
The Inn of Five Graces has a newly opened spa. Walk to dining: 315 Wine Bar, a short block away, features modern French cuisine. Covid dining on property or walk away menu.
The Inn of Five Graces, Santa Fe
Santa Fe is home to several world class museums, one could stay for a luxurious week and mosey about the museums, enjoy a dawn balloon ride, take an extensive photography class, afternoon bike rides, and opera or music in the evening! We should reserve early for the opera and festivals. There are plenty of interesting activities to keep the kiddos busy.
Blocks and blocks of interesting boutiques, including one of my favorites the Inn owners Souk warehouse! Seret & Sons. Allow several hours to explore this treasure filled shop, stacked to the rafters with authentic Tibetan rugs, architectural elements, furniture, Kilims – if you can’t get to Morocco or the markets of Cairo, this is the next best wandering.
A few doors away, look for Mediterrania. Antique wood tables laden with Uriarte Talavera, fine European antiques, another truly dangerous retail therapy palace!
A sampling of the long list of activities shared by Inn of Five Graces
Hiking – Aspen Vista Length: 10 miles Degree of Difficulty: Moderate Seasonal: Open Year-Round (Snow in winter: Snowshoe or Cross-country Ski). The Aspen Vista trail is the most popular trail in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The gradual uphill climb and the width of the road make it ideal for skiers of all abilities and ages. The road is closed to motorized vehicles including snowmobiles.
The Borrego –Bear Wallow – Winsor Trail Length: 4 miles Degree of Difficulty: Easy Seasonal: Open Year-Round; Best spring to fall; (Snow in winter: Snowshoe). The Borrego Trail is located just a few miles up the road from the Chamisa Trail head and is another excellent choice for hikers and Trail runners alike. The Borrego is a loop hike that follows three trail systems for approximately four miles. A well-defined trail winds through lush pines with rolling elevation dropping down to Big Tesuque Creek and a lovely meadow perfect for a picnic. The trail follows the Winsor Trail for a short distance west to the Bear Wallow Trail. Follow the Bear Wallow Trail uphill until it reconnects with the Borrego Trail.
La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site Length: 3.5 miles Degree of Difficult: Moderate Seasonal: Open Year-round (Snow in Winter Possible). Hundreds of petroglyphs, dating from pre-contact time and the Spanish colonial era, can be found along the mesa above the Santa Fe River. Most of the petroglyphs were placed there by Keresan-speaking puebloan people living in the area between the 13th and 17th centuries. The descendants of these people now live down the Santa Fe River along the Rio Grande at the Cochiti and Santo Domingo Pueblos. The area is known for the great number of hump-backed flute player images and a great variety of bird figures. The site is also of interest to those tracing the route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, as the ancient road passed along this trail as well.
Biking Santa Fe is blessed with miles of both road and off-road riding. It is possible to be in a pristine forest within fifteen minutes of riding from Downtown Santa Fe! The Santa Fe National Forest is home to one of the best mountain biking trails in the country, the Windsor Trail.
Fishing High Desert Angler This company offers private half-day and full-day trips on private and public stretches of the Pecos River just 45 minutes to an hour from the shop. They guide fishing trips all over Northern New Mexico and have private access on streams in New Mexico and Southern Colorado.
Fly Fishing in New Mexico This is a fly-fishing guide service offering guided fishing trips in the Santa Fe,Chama, and Taos areas as well as on the San Juan River and in the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The experienced fly fishing guides can take you trout fishing on all types of waters, from large rivers to high mountain spring creeks and lakes, we have them all here in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. The landscape is breathtaking and extremely diverse, with everything from deserts, canyons and mountains with alpine forests of pines and aspen to mesas of cactus and juniper.
Hot Air Balloon Rides Weather Permitting Santa Fe Balloons The wonderful pilot, Johnny, has piloted balloons all over the world. He is one of the world’s most experienced balloon pilots and with over 8,000 hours of balloon flights; he has maintained a spotless safety record. Johnny searched long and hard to find a location near Santa Fe that was both spectacular and safe for his hot air balloon flights. He found it in the incredibly beautiful and serene area known as Las Barrancas (The Ravines).
Summer Whitewater Rafting Santa Fe Rafting Conveniently located in the center of Santa Fe, Santa Fe Rafting has guided thousands of guests down the Rio Grande. Trips include the popular Racecourse, the Taos Box, the Chama River,
and float trips. The trips vary between half and full day excursions and allows for an entirely
new perspective of the New Mexican landscape.
Pueblo Tours New Mexico’s 19 Native American pueblos are the oldest tribal communities in the country. Each pueblo is a unique community, where contemporary residents continue to observe the time-honored traditions, beliefs, and practices of their ancestors. The pueblos are all open to visitors seeking a meaningful experience of Pueblo culture and traditions.
Taos Pueblo Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for over 1000 years. We welcome you to visit the village when you travel to northern New Mexico. Taos Pueblo is the most beautiful of all the pueblos in New Mexico.
Acoma Sky City Pueblo Acoma Sky City Pueblo highlight your visit with the Pueblo Tour, ranked as the #1 “place to honor American Indian Life” USA Today. Check in at the Admissions desk at the Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum to purchase tickets and camera permits. The tour begins with a short ride to the top of the mesa where an Acoma Tribal Member leads the hour and fifteen-minute walking tour through the historic Sky City village and the San Esteban del Rey Mission. The tour covers approximately three-quarters of a mile. (Note: There is some uneven terrain) Your guide shares Acoma’s culture and history in the type of oral presentation that our people have been passing down for many, many centuries. Spend some extra time before and after the tour enjoying the amenities at Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum.
San Ildefonso Pueblo The Pueblo was founded when people migrated from the Mesa Verda complex in Southern Colorado by way of Bandelier (elevation about 7000 feet), just south of present-day Los Alamos, New Mexico. People thrived at Bandelier due to the rainfall and the ease of constructing living structures from the surrounding soft volcanic rock. But after a prolonged drought, the people moved down into the valleys of the Rio Grande around 1300 C.E. (Pueblo IV Era). The Rio Grande and other arroyos provided the water for irrigation. The people of San Ildefonso continued to lead an agricultural based economy until the early 20th century when Maria Martinez and her husband Julian Martinez rediscovered how to make the Black-on Black pottery for which San Ildefonso Pueblo would soon become famous. From that time the Pueblo has become more tourist-oriented, with numerous tourist shops existing in the Pueblo.
Santa Fe Summer Markets & Festivals
Spanish Market Santa Fe, New Mexico
International Folk Art Market The Folk-Art Market is the largest international folk-art market in the world. Its mission is to foster economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists and folk art worldwide, as well as to create intercultural exchange opportunities that unite the peoples of the world. The Market takes place on Museum Hill adjoining the Museum of International Folk Art, just a short shuttle ride from the Inn. The Market features 150 select folk artists from over 54 countries. Visitors attending the Market can enjoy ethnic foods, artists’ demonstrations, international performances, and educational activities. The Market opens with a party on Friday, July 13th with international food, drink, live music, and the first opportunity to shop. Tickets are $225 ($175 tax-deductible) and go on sale May 1st.
Spanish Colonial Market The 66th Annual Traditional Spanish Market on the Santa Fe Plaza. A popular event for residents and visitors alike, Spanish Market features handmade traditional art from hundreds of local Hispanic artists, as well as on-going live music and dance, art demonstrations, and regional foods throughout each day. This famous Market is the oldest and largest juried Spanish Market in the United States and attracts over 70,000 visitors and collectors from throughout the world.
Indian Market SWAIA will celebrate the spectacular Indian Market festival that brings over 150,000 people to Santa Fe every August with its unique, exciting and inspiring events. From families with young children to avid art collectors, Santa Fe Indian Market attracts international visitors from all walks of life. For many visitors, this is a rare opportunity to meet the artists and learn about contemporary Indian arts and cultures. Most events are free and open to the public. Join for an experience of a lifetime.
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Festival The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta is an annual five-day weekend of events featuring the culinary artistry found in over 75 of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s many excellent restaurants coupled with the sophistication and wines of over 90 national wineries. By bringing 90 national wineries to Santa Fe to collaborate with 75 of Santa Fe’s best restaurants, a five-day schedule of food and wine events is created featuring cooking demos, wine seminars, winery luncheons, and dinners. The weekend culminates with the Grand Tasting at the Santa Fe Opera where all 75 participating Santa Fe restaurants and all 90 wineries serve samples of their best food and wine.
Chamber Music concerts are on multiple days, every week.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta From a small gathering of 13 balloons in 1972, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has grown to become the largest balloon event in the world. The Balloon Fiesta attracts more than 700 balloons and 1000 pilots. The Balloon Fiesta has not only grown in numbers of balloons and guests, but in the number of unique events as well. In addition to the spectacular Mass Ascensions, the Balloon Fiesta has added the annual Balloon Glow, the Night Magic GlowTM, and the Special Shape RodeoTM. The Balloon Fiesta is a uniquely beautiful and show stopping
Culture, history, active hiking, fishing…The Land of Enchantment.
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