New Mexico

Santa Fe and Taos: A Tale Of Two Cities

Program No. 11009RJ
Get an insider’s perspective on Santa Fe and Taos alongside local artists, exploring several world-class museums, enjoying traditional music and learning about Native cultures.

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Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Apr 29 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Itinerary Note

Private Group - Heard Museum

Filling Fast!
May 6 - May 12, 2024
Starting at
2,499
May 20 - May 26, 2024
Starting at
2,599
May 27 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Jul 8 - Jul 14, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Sep 2 - Sep 8, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Filling Fast!
Sep 9 - Sep 15, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Sep 16 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
3,049
Filling Fast!
Sep 23 - Sep 29, 2024
Starting at
3,049
Oct 14 - Oct 20, 2024
Starting at
3,049
Oct 21 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
2,549
Oct 28 - Nov 3, 2024
Starting at
2,549
Nov 4 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
2,399
Nov 18 - Nov 24, 2024
Starting at
2,399
Mar 10 - Mar 16, 2025
Starting at
2,549
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Mar 24 - Mar 30, 2025
Starting at
2,549
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Apr 7 - Apr 13, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Apr 21 - Apr 27, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

May 5 - May 11, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Itinerary Note

Please Note that this date is a Women Only date.

May 12 - May 18, 2025
Starting at
2,649
May 19 - May 25, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Jun 2 - Jun 8, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Jul 7 - Jul 13, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Sep 8 - Sep 14, 2025
Starting at
2,749
Sep 15 - Sep 21, 2025
Starting at
2,749
Sep 22 - Sep 28, 2025
Starting at
3,149
Oct 20 - Oct 26, 2025
Starting at
3,149
Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2025
Starting at
2,649
Nov 17 - Nov 23, 2025
Starting at
2,499
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 29 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
3,279
Itinerary Note

Private Group - Heard Museum

May 6 - May 12, 2024
Starting at
3,179
May 20 - May 26, 2024
Starting at
3,359
May 27 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
3,359
Filling Fast!
Jul 8 - Jul 14, 2024
Starting at
3,359
Sep 2 - Sep 8, 2024
Starting at
3,359
Sep 9 - Sep 15, 2024
Starting at
3,359
Sep 16 - Sep 22, 2024
Starting at
4,159
Sep 23 - Sep 29, 2024
Starting at
4,159
Filling Fast!
Oct 14 - Oct 20, 2024
Starting at
4,159
Filling Fast!
Oct 21 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
3,229
Oct 28 - Nov 3, 2024
Starting at
3,229
Nov 4 - Nov 10, 2024
Starting at
2,919
Filling Fast!
Nov 18 - Nov 24, 2024
Starting at
2,919
Mar 10 - Mar 16, 2025
Starting at
3,169
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Mar 24 - Mar 30, 2025
Starting at
3,169
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Apr 7 - Apr 13, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Apr 21 - Apr 27, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Itinerary Note

Taos Pueblo may be closed for its annual “quiet time;” if so, we will visit the San Ildefonzo Pueblo.

Filling Fast!
May 5 - May 11, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Itinerary Note

Please Note that this date is a Women Only date.

May 12 - May 18, 2025
Starting at
3,339
May 19 - May 25, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Jun 2 - Jun 8, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Jul 7 - Jul 13, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Sep 8 - Sep 14, 2025
Starting at
3,509
Sep 15 - Sep 21, 2025
Starting at
3,509
Sep 22 - Sep 28, 2025
Starting at
4,259
Oct 20 - Oct 26, 2025
Starting at
4,259
Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2025
Starting at
3,339
Nov 17 - Nov 23, 2025
Starting at
3,079

At a Glance

Less than 70 miles from one another, Santa Fe and Taos are the jewel cities of northern New Mexico, seemingly enchanted places set amidst the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Adobe pueblos built by ancestral peoples still stand, elegant Spanish colonial plazas serve as meeting places as they have for four centuries and beautiful museums display the work of artist-pilgrims who gathered here to find inspiration in the land. Examine Santa Fe and Taos through the eyes of those who have called them home and discover not only what they share, but also what sets each apart.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to four miles daily over varied terrain. Standing for up to two hours at a time. Getting on/off motorcoach multiple times a day. Elevations up to 7,500 feet.

What You'll Learn

  • Learn about artist Georgia O'Keeffe and visit the New Mexico Museum of Art.
  • Be moved by the ancient Native traditions and cultures preserved in a local pueblo and gain insight into the enduring nature of the Pueblo people.
  • Enjoy a cooking demonstration by a local James Beard Award-winning author and chef and visit the historic village of Chimayó.

General Notes

Select dates are designated for small groups and are limited to 24 participants or less.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Jerry Rightman
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Jerry Rightman
Jerry Rightman View biography
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.
Profile Image of Lois Frank
Lois Ellen Frank View biography
Lois Ellen Frank, PhD, is a Santa Fe-based chef focused on Native American foods. She is also a Native American food historian, culinary anthropologist, photographer and James Beard Award-winning author. She is a featured instructor of the Southwest Indian Nations at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and is chef and owner — along with Native Chef Walter Whitewater of the Diné Nation — of Red Mesa Cuisine.
Profile Image of Elizabeth Mesh
Elizabeth Mesh View biography
Elizabeth Mesh is an educator, artist and actor with a master’s and license in art therapy. She has led thousands of people at the SITE Santa Fe art museum. She has also been on over 20 film and TV sets in New Mexico. Biking, hiking, blue skies and clean air make New Mexico a place she loves to share. Elizabeth has been teaching traditional and expressive art for two decades and has been featured on the Home and Garden Network Television’s segment “That’s Clever!”
Profile Image of Vannetta Perry
Vannetta Perry View biography
Dr. Vannetta Perry is a retired educator and lifelong resident of New Mexico who is deeply rooted in the southwest. Her family homesteaded and ranched in Southwestern New Mexico and farmed in West Texas. As an educator, Dr. Perry worked in the university setting, teaching biology and directing science outreach programs. Her love for travel was sparked when she led research studies in developing countries. Since retiring, Dr. Perry has continued to share her love of travel and education as a travel director and leader.
Profile Image of Scott Aarestad
Scott Aarestad View biography
Since moving to New Mexico as a child, Scott Aarestad has developed a deep love for New Mexican culture, history, cuisine and landscapes. After living and working abroad with his wife for several years, he earned his bachelor's in international management and entrepreneurship from the University of New Mexico in 2015. He enjoys learning about history, spending time outside hiking and camping, volunteering with animals and playing board games with friends. Scott is thrilled to share the enchantment of the state with Road Scholars.
Profile Image of Colleen Patrick
Colleen Patrick View biography
A native of Colorado and a relative newcomer to New Mexico, Colleen Patrick has spent a lifetime visiting and learning about Pueblo culture, pottery and the movement of Native Americans and Spaniards throughout New Mexico. Colleen has been in the travel business since 2006, but has been a traveler since her childhood. She learned to appreciate new cultures and new places as a child and has loved sharing new places and cultures with guests for many years.
Profile Image of Omar Villanueva
Omar Villanueva View biography
Omar Villanueva holds a master's degree in classical guitar performance from the University of New Mexico. He is a multifaceted guitarist who performs classical, Spanish and popular music. His repertoire includes renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic and Latin music arrangements for solo guitar. He is also an accomplished and awarded singer of music from Latin America and New Mexico. He has been performing in New Mexico and surrounding states since 2004.
Profile Image of Sherry Moon
Sherry Moon View biography
Sherry Moon is a certified interpreter for the profession of heritage interpretation and an experienced group leader. She has a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and has taught communication and art. For nearly 20 years, she has been a group leader specializing in the Southwest and Alaska/Yukon. As president of the Rocky Mountain Guides Association, she is regarded as a local expert. Her interests include the arts, history, heritage, geology, reading, outdoor activities, and socializing with friends.
Profile Image of Ellen Morris Bond
Ellen Morris Bond View biography
Ellen Morris Bond has spent most of her adult years in northern New Mexico, graduating from the University of New Mexico Honors Program. She completed a Master’s Degree in Community Development at University of California-Davis. As a non-profit director, Ellen forged strong collaborations with local and regional organizations such as health councils, community foundations, tribal groups, hospitals, public schools, rural health clinics, and faith groups. She now volunteers with the local acequia/water organization and leads art and architecture groups at La Fonda of Santa Fe.
Profile Image of Sheryl Russell
Sheryl Russell View biography
Sheryl Russell was born to a farming family in Kansas. At the University of Kansas, she studied education in theatre and English literature, followed by decades of work in retail and communications systems in Dallas, New York City, and the California Bay area. Sheryl felt that she had “come home" when she moved to Santa Fe. Here she found a cultural diversity, architectural style, and historic richness that supported the next 30 years of leading explorations and study of native Southwest cultures and their history.
Profile Image of Ana Pacheco
Ana Pacheco View biography
Ana Pacheco's family settled in Santa Fe in 1692. She was the city historian from 2015-2017 and is the author of eight books on Santa Fe and New Mexico history. She was the founding publisher/editor of La Herencia, a quarterly magazine on New Mexico history, from 1994-2009. Pacheco wrote a weekly column, A Wonderful Life, for the Santa Fe New Mexican, documenting the oral histories of the elder community from 2007-2013. Since 2019, Pacheco has provided a two-hour historical walking exploration of her hometown.
Profile Image of Terri Ross
Terri Ross View biography
Terri Ross is a longtime transplant to New Mexico. First arriving in 1994, she began exploring the rich history and varied landscape of the state. She has led more than 80 group programs around the corner and around the world. She is also a local speaker in her adopted hometown of Albuquerque, making presentations on a variety of topics including travel journaling and scrapbooking, New Mexico history, traveling the Navajo lands, and driving on New Mexico Highway 4.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.





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