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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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.
Year
2025
  • 2024
  • 2025
Date
Nov 17 - Nov 23
  • Mar 10 - Mar 16
  • Mar 24 - Mar 30
  • Apr 07 - Apr 13
  • Apr 21 - Apr 27
  • May 05 - May 11
  • May 12 - May 18
  • May 19 - May 25
  • Jun 02 - Jun 08
  • Jul 07 - Jul 13
  • Sep 08 - Sep 14
  • Sep 15 - Sep 21
  • Sep 22 - Sep 28
  • Oct 20 - Oct 26
  • Oct 27 - Nov 02
  • Nov 03 - Nov 09
  • Nov 17 - Nov 23
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Please Note: The program differs on certain dates.
Select trip year and date
2025
  • 2024
  • 2025
Nov 17 - Nov 23
  • Mar 10 - Mar 16
  • Mar 24 - Mar 30
  • Apr 07 - Apr 13
  • Apr 21 - Apr 27
  • May 05 - May 11
  • May 12 - May 18
  • May 19 - May 25
  • Jun 02 - Jun 08
  • Jul 07 - Jul 13
  • Sep 08 - Sep 14
  • Sep 15 - Sep 21
  • Sep 22 - Sep 28
  • Oct 20 - Oct 26
  • Oct 27 - Nov 02
  • Nov 03 - Nov 09
  • Nov 17 - Nov 23
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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7 days
6 nights
14 meals
6 B 4 L 4 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Santa Fe, NM
D
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your Road Scholar name tag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 3:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from the Group Leader and a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Transportation for program-related activities will be via motorcoach unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In our private hotel meeting room.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night's rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
History & Culture, Santa Fe Plaza, Music Performance
Santa Fe, NM
B,L
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Walking up to 4 miles over paved and uneven terrain with inclines; standing for a few hours; elevations of 7,000–7,500 feet above sea level. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Our Group Leader, who is also a local expert, will lead a discussion in the meeting room about the history of the area that is now New Mexico, from its earliest Ancestral Puebloan inhabitants to the Spanish and American soldiers and settlers who followed. We'll also hear about Santa Fe and why it's called “The City Different.” We'll then head out on foot with the Group Leader to explore Santa Fe's Plaza area, the historic heart of the city. We'll visit the impressive Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the Palace of the Governors, the Loretto Chapel, and other sites as time permits.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. There are a number of museums, colorful galleries, and shops within walking distance of the hotel. Museums include the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum (advanced reservations recommended), the New Mexico History Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Native Art. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Not to be confused with "Tex-Mex," New Mexico's unique cuisine has been influenced by ingredients and techniques used in Native American and Spanish cooking. Santa Fe is known for the breadth and depth of its culinary offerings. There are a number of fine restaurants within walking distance of the hotel and the Santa Fe Plaza.

Evening: In the meeting room at the hotel, we will enjoy a performance by a local musician that showcases the music of the Southwest.

DAY
3
Faith & Spirituality, Museum Hill, Red Mesa Cuisine
Santa Fe, NM
B,L,D
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 45 miles, 1.5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 2 hours at a time; uneven brick sidewalks, unpaved dirt (mud if there is precipitation).

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will gather in the hotel meeting room for an expert-led presentation that explores the history of spirituality in Santa Fe, the City of Holy Faith. We will be introduced to the indigenous sacred landscape, develop an understanding of the influence that Catholicism had on the city and the people in it, and then explore the way that Santa Fe became a haven for alternative spirituality through the twentieth century.

Lunch: At a local restaurant

Afternoon: Next, we’ll board the coach and ride to Museum Hill where we'll explore the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture features pottery, jewelry, sculpture, baskets, and other objects made by Native Americans from the earliest times to modern day, scrupulously documented and beautifully displayed. The Museum of International Folk Art focuses on indigenous populations from around the world through their art – ranging from ceremonial dress and masks to furniture. The museum hosts the largest collection of international folk art in the world, including wings featuring some of the 106,000 pieces donated by collectors Alexander and Susan Girard and Lloyd Cotsen's Neutrogena collection. We’ll return to the hotel for some time to freshen up before departing for dinner. Late afternoon, we’ll gather at the hotel, board our motorcoach and travel a few miles south of Santa Fe to Red Mesa Cuisine in Eldorado. Before dinner, we will hear from local chef Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D., a Native American foods historian, culinary anthropologist, photographer, and James Beard Award-winning author.

Dinner: At Red Mesa Cuisine, we'll enjoy a meal featuring regional cuisine prepared by Dr. Frank and Chef Walter Whitewater.

Evening: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
4
Georgia O'Keeffe, NM Museum of Art, Free time
Santa Fe, NM
B,L
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Walking up to two miles and standing up to 2 hours during field trip. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll start the morning in the meeting room with an expert-led presentation about the life and art of Georgia O’Keeffe. She was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and a pioneer of American modernism. Although best known for the work she produced in New Mexico, O’Keeffe was a prolific artist with over 3,000 works over the course of her career and was the first female artist to have a museum dedicated solely to her work. After the lecture, we’ll walk four blocks to the New Mexico Museum of Art. Since its opening in 1917 the New Mexico Museum of art has been an iconic architectural landmark in downtown Santa Fe. It has demonstrated that the heart of a people is reflected in the art of place. The museum was launched with an open-door policy that invited New Mexico-based artists to exhibit their works. This progressive policy inspired a vibrant museum environment where the art of established and emerging artists shared space and conversation while engaging viewers in their distinctive cultural expressions. In showcasing a broad range of art and artists, from Native American to Hispanic to European, the museum made every piece and every person welcome.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Centinela Weavers, Taos Pueblo, Millicent Rogers Museum
Santa Fe, NM
B,D
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 150 miles, approximately 3 hours total riding time. Walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 2 hours during field trips; varied terrain, uneven sidewalks and unpaved dirt (mud if there is precipitation).

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll board the motorcoach and ride 30 miles north to the village of Chimayó where we will visit the Centinela Traditional Arts Weaving Gallery. Many local families have been carrying on the traditions of Hispanic-style weaving for generations. We’ll have an opportunity to see some beautiful pieces by an award-winning, seventh-generation weaver, whose work is on display in a number of museums, including the Smithsonian. Back on the motorcoach, we will ride to Taos Pueblo (if the Pueblo is open; it sometimes closes with little to no advance notice for private Pueblo events). This picturesque Pueblo at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America. The multiple-storied adobe dwellings reflect an ancient culture. Approximately 100 Pueblo residents still live much as their ancestors did 1,000 years ago, without electricity or running water. Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark. At the Pueblo, we'll enjoy an expert-led walk through the community. We will board the motorcoach and ride to the Taos Plaza area for some time for independent explorations and lunch.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Before leaving Taos, we'll visit the Millicent Rogers Museum. Established in 1956, the museum's holdings include more than 7,000 objects documenting the arts and cultures of the Southwest, including the largest publicly held collection of Maria Martinez pottery in the world. Other significant collections include Hispanic Santos, Apache baskets, Plains beadwork, katsinas, Peyote-cult materials, Navajo Chief’s blankets and Rio Grande Valley Hispanic weavings. Departing for Santa Fe, we will stop briefly at San Francisco de Asís Mission Church en route (viewing the exterior only). Located in the historic district of Ranchos de Taos, this Spanish Colonial adobe building is one of the best-known and most photographed churches in New Mexico.

Dinner: On our way back to Santa Fe, we will stop for dinner at a popular local restaurant.

Evening: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY
6
Pecos National Historic Park
Santa Fe, NM
B,L,D
Hilton Santa Fe Historic Plaza

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 80 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 2 hours at a time during field trips; varied terrain with inclines, unpaved dirt. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll ride on the motorcoach to Pecos National Historical Park, to explore a Pueblo ancestral community and remains of a Spanish colonial church. Once called the Gateway to the Plains, this area served as a trading center and linked the ancestral Puebloans with the Plains tribes who came to trade. The site, once part of the Forked Lightning Ranch, was owned by the late Greer Garson and her husband, Buddy Fogelson. The land was donated with the hope that it would be preserved for future generations. The museum/visitors’ center features a film narrated by Ms. Garson. A mile-long, paved hiking trail circles the site, which has remains of pueblo dwellings, kivas and a mission church, all located on remarkably beautiful land in the Pecos valley 35 miles northeast of Santa Fe.

Lunch: Boxed lunches at Pecos.

Afternoon: Returning to Santa Fe, we will enjoy some free time for independent explorations.

Dinner: At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY
7
Program Concludes
Santa Fe, NM
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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