Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 909 Santa Fe, NM 87504-0909 (505) 955-6200 Population 55859 Time Zone Mountain Latitude/Longitude 35.68° /-105.93° Today's Forecast HIGH: 55 LOW: 26

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Attractions

As the traditional heart of the community, the Santa Fe Plaza is a good place to begin sightseeing. Forming one side of the Plaza, the Palace of the Governors is the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States. Exhibits here explore 450 years of New Mexico history. The adjacent Museum of Fine Arts offers a comprehensive collection of works by Southwestern artists. Many other notable historical attractions and museums are found nearby. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum displays some of the artist's most well-known works as well as pieces by contemporary painters and sculptors. The Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, located east of the Plaza, showcases the work of contemporary Native American artists. Its neighbor, the Cathedral of St. Francis of Assisi is an eclectic mix of adobe, French-Romanesque, and modern styles. The mystical Miraculous Staircase, a double-spiral construction with no visible means of support, may be seen at the Loretto Chapel. San Miguel Mission Church dates from 1610 and is one of the oldest continuously used churches in the nation. Further south from the Plaza, tour the State Capitol, which is built in the shape of a zia, the state's official sun-symbol emblem.

Santa Fe's Museum Hill district also offers endless hours of exploration. The outstanding Museum of International Folk Art is noted for its innovative exhibitions as well as its vast collection of objects of art from a myriad of cultures around the globe. For those interested in the indigenous people of the Southwest, visits to the Wheelright Museum of the American Indian and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture are a must. The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art is also found here.

When it’s time to escape the confines of the city, explore the beauty of mountains and desert aboard a vintage car of the Santa Fe Southern Railway. Regular tours run between Santa Fe and nearby Lamy. Or, stroll through the living history museum of El Rancho de las Golondrinas where Spanish Colonial life is portrayed on a 200-acre ranch.

Visitors are welcomed at the eight Pueblo Indian communities near Santa Fe, especially during feast days and holidays when religious dances and ceremonies are held. Be sure to check for schedules and tribal rules. Many require camera permits to be purchased, and have specific rules about what can be photographed. If you visit the Nambe Pueblo, take a picnic lunch and hike up the easy trail to the Nambe Falls. At Santa Clara Pueblo, you can make the more difficult climb to the Puye Cliff Dwellings to investigate this site of ancient Pueblo civilization.

Another traditional American Indian pastime involves a soak in one of the many natural hot springs found near Santa Fe. Find the one that suits you and spend a relaxing afternoon there. Spence Hot Springs is an outdoor pool located on public park land. Jemez Springs Bath House is owned by the town of Jemez Springs and has eight private soaking rooms. The Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs is an adobe resort with mineral pools of varying temperatures and various mineral mixes. Just a few minutes from the Plaza, the spa at Ten Thousand Waves offers both private and public tubs, along with massages and other treatments.

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