Happy June everyone! Over Memorial Day Weekend I embarked on a solo road trip to a state I’d never been before: New Mexico! I explored the towns of Santa Fe and Taos and had an amazing time. I was only able to stay for one night, so I’d love to go back to New Mexico and take some more time to see everything it has to offer. This is a little recap of everything I did and saw during my short time in New Mexico. If you haven’t already watched my road trip vlog, you can check that out right here!

Santa Fe

My first destination for my solo road trip to New Mexico was the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. I arrived around 11:30am and was excited to see that the market was huge! There were a lot of people there because it was a beautiful Saturday morning, but I had a lot of fun wandering around and checking out all the vendors. I didn’t purchase anything this time around, but I highly recommend visiting the market if you want to pick up some local produce, baked goods, or arts and crafts.

After exploring the farmer’s market, I made my way over to REI Santa Fe. REI may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but as a former employee, I find it interesting to visit the different stores when I travel. REI is also typically a great place to buy local goods, and especially souvenir items. While there, I grabbed a few freeze-dried foods and snacks to have for dinner at my campsite.

For lunch, I decided to stop by La Choza because it has amazing reviews, with some people calling it the best Mexican restaurant in the whole city. I had pretty high expectations, and La Choza did not disappoint. To start, I tried their house margarita with prickly pear, which was highly-recommended in reviews. The margarita was incredibly fresh and not too sweet – just my style! I also got an order of their chips and guacamole. While the guacamole wasn’t as chunky as I usually like it, the flavor was amazing and I loved the addition of blue corn chips. For my entree I tried the crisp taco plate with green chile beef. The taco itself was amazing and the green chile beef was super flavorful. The plate also came with beans and posole, a type of pork/hominy soup that I had never tried before and really enjoyed. I chose a sopapilla for my side item which was super simple but surprisingly delicious, even though I totally forgot to try it with honey!

After lunch, I made my way over to Kakawa Chocolate House, which was one of my favorite stops of the whole trip. Kakawa serves up drinking chocolate and all kinds of chocolate creations ranging from truffles to caramels and even brownie sundaes. I got their Mayan drinking chocolate with whipped cream which was the perfect combination of sweet, bitter, spicy, and creamy. I also tried a sampling of their truffles and caramels which were mind-blowingly good. The prickly pear truffle and pinon caramel were my favorites!

Next, I decided to visit the downtown Santa Fe area. I didn’t have a specific destination in mind, so I just wandered through the various streets and popped into a few shops. I stumbled across a beautiful church in the heart of the city that was an amazing find, and I loved the big park in the main square as well. The whole area has a very artsy feel, with lots of galleries, museums, and art vendors around every corner. I didn’t get to spend much time exploring, but would love to come back sometime.

Taos

My next stop on my New Mexico road trip was Taos, where I’d be spending the night. Taos was about an hour and a half drive from Santa Fe, and the ride there went by the Rio Grande which was beautiful. Taos is a pretty small town, and I immediately loved the atmosphere as soon as I arrived. My first stop after checking in to my campsite was the Taos Inn to try their world-famous Cowboy Buddha Margarita. The margarita was very fresh and delicious, and I took my time enjoying it.

As the night came to a close I returned to my campsite at Taos Valley RV Park and settled in for the evening. I had hoped to do some hiking while in New Mexico, but wildfires had sadly closed many of the national forests. All the more reason to plan another visit!

If you’re looking for simple and comfortable camping or RV accommodatioins, I definitely recommend Taos Valley RV Park. All the facilities were very nice and well-maintained, and the park was surprisingly quiet so I got a great night of sleep. There are also beautiful views of the surrounding mountains which made for a beautiful sunset.

The next morning, I started my day with a visit to Michael’s Kitchen for breakfast. The restaurant is clearly a favorite in town because it was very busy, but I was able to grab a table without any wait. I opted for the atole-pinon pancakes which were made of blue corn. I absolutely loved how hearty and almost savory these pancakes were in contrast to your normal buttermilk shortstack. On my way out, I also grabbed a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread, a chocolate croissant, and an apple empanada. All of their baked goods were amazing!

After breakfast, I took a short stroll through downtown Taos. Like Santa Fe, Taos is full of shops, art galleries, and museums. I picked up some handmade margarita glasses, which I can’t wait to use, and enjoyed my morning walk through town before beginning the journey home.

All in all, I had an amazing trip to New Mexico for the first time! I loved all the art and history that was evident in each town, and would love to return to explore some of the state’s beautiful hiking areas as well. I definitely recommend paying a visit to New Mexico if you’ve never been. What are your favorite things to see and do in New Mexico? Leave your recommendations in the comments so I can be sure to incorporate them during my next trip!