Location: Santa Fe
Top Things to do in Santa Fe
Things to do in Santa Fe, New Mexico (NM): The Best Gardens
Venture into the unspoiled beauty of 7,000-foot Rocky Mountain vistas, marvel at the contrast of ancient native culture mixed with modern arts, feast on legendary cuisine and relax in rustic sophistication. A visit to Santa Fe, Travel & Leisure's #1 Cultural Getaway, feels a lot like a visit to Europe. The Spanish Colonial charm of this historic destination has been enchanting travelers for over 400 years. And Santa Fe shows no signs of slowing down.
Restaurants in Santa Fe
1. Absolute Nirvana Spa & Gardens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 205 reviews
Experience sublime bliss in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. Featuring traditional Asian spa rituals and luxurious rose petal baths, we are dedicated to the ancient healing art of using plants, herbs and spices for inner and outer beauty. In addition, we offer therapeutic, hot stone and Thai massage, as well as a selection of rejuvenating and anti-aging facials. Our staff of Master-level therapists, all with 17 to 30 years of experience, will nourish your body and soul.
Reviewed By klpp - Convoy, United States
I treated myself to a 90 minute deep tissue massage after a long day of travel. The facility was a serene hacienda style structure and a staff that was attentive and intuitive to the body’s needs. I did not want to leave, but did feeling totally relaxed and rejuvenated with the best massage I’ve ever experienced.
2. Allan Houser Sculpture Gardens and Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 60 reviews
Just a 30 minute drive from Santa Fe, off the historic Turquoise Trail, the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden and Gallery offer the rare opportunity to experience the work of an American Master Artist. The gardens feature approximately seventy bronze, steel, and original stone sculptures, set among lush Juniper Pines and breathtaking mountain vistas. The gallery contains four rooms of smaller sculptures, drawings, and paintings. This property is closed to the general public, but private tours are available Monday-Saturday year round. It is recommended to contact us at least four days in advance to book a tour. Please note: the gravel paths of the gardens are not handicap accessible. We can provide a golf cart (seats up to five people) for visitors with mobility limitations.
Reviewed By SeattleFoodie3934 - Seattle, United States
Be forewarned that reservations are required. Allan Houser was an amazing Native American artist and sculptor. His history and works are on display and should not be missed! We accompanied friends who made the reservations. The tour was amazing and educational. It was the highlight of our trip to the Santa Fe area!
3. Wiford Gallary and Sculpture Garden
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 10 reviews
Reviewed By MsLoveTravel - Knoxville, United States
This Gallery is mostly outdoors...you will want to sit and watch (so bring a coffee or the like?) and be mesmerized by these moving sculptures you will surely want to buy. They also have stationary sculptures that would add interest to your garden but we spent more time watch the moving wind sculptures. This area is full of galleries and can be crowded if not visited in the off season. Advice: go early to snag parking or take public transport.
4. Santa Fe Botanical Garden
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 277 reviews
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden strives to benefit all Santa Fe and New Mexico citizens, and our area's many visitors. The Botanical Garden is an independent nonprofit, not a part of the four Santa Fe state museums, with a commitment to affordable admission and providing monthly Community Days free for New Mexico residents. Our educational mission raises awareness of critical issues such as water conservation, climate change impact, and responsible gardening practices. SFBG consists of the Botanical Garden on Museum Hill and the Leonora Curtin Wetland Preserve. The Gardens provides an "outdoor living room" where everyone can connect with nature, marvel at amazing plant varieties, and benefit from a place for contemplation. Visitors can relax under shading ramadas, discover a century-old red bridge, and explore the Art Trail, where changing exhibitions of sculpture will encourage return visits. With an array of native and traditional plants, awe-inspiring stone and metal work, and breathtaking vistas, the Botanical Garden is the essence of New Mexico. The Landscape Architect is W Gary Smith, and we are currently in construction of a 2nd phase, an Ethnobotanical garden to open in 2016. Please stop by and enjoy beauty and lessons to be learned in the garden! Thank you.
Reviewed By Wtrloom - Santa Fe, United States
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden on Museum Hill is a lovely place for one or many repeat visits. Visitors enter and buy tickets through a well-stocked gift shop (which is an excellent place to find botanical books). The garden itself has two parts--the first a charming English-style orchard surrounded by perennials and a beautiful rose and lavender borders. Anyone wanting to learn what plants are possible in Santa Fe's steppe environment should visit and be inspired. The second part of the garden is "Ojos y Manos: Eyes and Hands," a new ethnobotanical garden that opened in October, 2016. Here, in gardens and exhibits geared toward education, visitors can explore the relationships between plants and people, whether for food and cookery, textile production, medicinal and spiritual rituals, and sources for tool-making. The garden offers many educational programs for both children and adults, including yoga and tai chi classes amidst the plants, evening music events in the summer, and the popular winter "Glow," a wonderful holiday light show. Disclaimer: I am a volunteer docent in the garden, but first and foremost, I am a member who loves to visit throughout the year to see how the garden changes with the seasons.
5. Plants of the Southwest
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
