The Best Things to See and Do in Taos

With almost 300 days of sunshine a year, Taos welcomes visitors with its high desert beauty, world-class skiing and snowboarding, historic landmarks, rafting, hiking and some of the finest shopping in the Southwest. From Santa Fe, take the 56-mile High Road to Taos, shown here, or drive just a portion for stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, pueblo villages, small farms, Carson National Forest, old adobe churches, galleries and more.

Buy a red chile ristra (a string of dried pods) from a local shop, sip an herbal "cuppa" at Tea-O-Graphy and look for art, clothing and collectibles in the historic district at Taos Plaza. Use our guide to find the best things to see and do in Taos.

Taos Inn, located just steps away from Taos Plaza, is known for its authentic, adobe-style architecture and charming guestrooms furnished with antique furniture and wood-burning fireplaces. While you're there, visit the hotel's Adobe Bar for its legendary Cowboy Buddha margarita, made with Herradura silver tequila, Cointreau and lime, or tame your appetite with a platter of tamales or the blue corn piñon-crusted trout with green chile goat cheese crema at Doc Martin's Restaurant.

For more than 1,000 years, the Red Willow People have lived in Taos Pueblo. Usually open to the public, it closes for some events and ceremonies and for about 10 weeks from late winter to early spring; check the website before you go. Approximately 150 people live full-time in this UNESCO World Heritage Site where electricity and running water are not allowed. Stop by the visitors center and browse the shops for mica-flaked pottery, silver jewelry, fine art and more made by local artisans.

Seven more pueblos lie north of Santa Fe. Look for the bison herd at Picuris Pueblo; visit the hotel, casino and resort at Ohkay Pueblo (formerly San Juan Pueblo); or the Puye Cliff Dwellings Vistors Center and Museum at Santa Clara Pueblo.

Explore more than 100 years of art in the Harwood Museum of Art. World-class works of art, videos, prints and photographs reflect the area's rich multicultural heritage, and its Agnes Martin Gallery attracts visitors from around the world to its collection of Abstract Expressionism paintings. The Mable Dodge Luhan House, once the home of an influential arts patron and now a historic inn, is nearby. Travel back to the 1850s at the oldest museum in Taos, the Kit Carson House & Museum. Once the home of frontiersman Kit Carson, it's now a National Historic Landmark.

Orlando's New Mexican Cafe is a don't-miss for locals and visitors alike. Located in El Prado, just north of Taos, this colorful, family-owned eatery, known for its enchiladas, margaritas and fish tacos, has been voted the Best Mexican Food in Taos County since 2005. Everything is handmade from scratch with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. For more New Mexican cuisine, try the huevos rancheros or blue corn veggie enchiladas at Golden Piñon, also in El Prado; it serves lunch and breakfast.

Golfers at the Taos Country Club, which is open to the public, enjoy the beautifully manicured greens and surrounding scenery. Golf Digest gives this course a 4-star rating for its Jep Wille design, which includes four sets of tees. Book a "Stay and Play" package or play a round and relax with a beer or martini at the Terrace Bar and Grill. Not a golfer? Book a trail ride with Rio Grande Stables, go trekking with Wild Earth LLama Adventures, ride a raft with Los Rios River Runners or go goat hiking or goat snowshoeing — depending on the season — with the guides at The Little Goat House.

Situated on 40 acres of fields and flower, vegetable and goji berry gardens, Taos Goji Eco Lodge offers rustic cabins and other lodgings for visitors who want to relax or explore its active farm and home to alpacas and other animals. Ask for the Aldous Huxley cabin, where the famous writer once lived; the Poet's View; or the Pond Casita, once a chicken coop and infamous hangout for desperadoes. The cabins are fully furnished. There's also a historic trading post and a barn where guests can gather to tell stories, practice hatha yoga or meditate. Two glamping teepees have queen-size beds and access to outdoor bathrooms and showers, a hot tub and an infrared sauna.

Casa Gallina, near historic Taos Plaza, is another choice for a restful stay. Casa Gallina means "hen house" and refers to some 40 hens that roam the peaceful farmland setting and provide fresh eggs daily. The casitas are decorated with antiques, local art, hand-crafted furnishings and textiles from New Mexico, Mexico and around the world. Museums, shops and more are nearby.

Take a bit of Taos home with sage and pine-scented shampoos and lotions, mountain spring bath salts or sage sticks from Bison Star Naturals, a small American Indian business that sells products made with organic, natural, locally sourced ingredients. Look for authentic American Indian art, jewelry and other treasures at Atcitty's on Taos Plaza. At Rottenstone Pottery in nearby Arroyo Seco, shop for whimsical face jugs, wood-fired bowls and pitchers, colorful wine cups and more. Wannamaker Pottery, also in Arroyo Seco, is a source for outside-the-box cups, plates and other contemporary ceramics.

Natural spring water fills the soaking pools at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa. Set in the high desert between Taos and Santa Fe, the resort has an unusual combination of four different, sulfur-free waters that have emerged from volcanic aquifers for thousands of years. Book a stay in a pueblo-style suite, cottage, vintage trailer or the historic hotel. Slather yourself with a special skin-purifying clay at the Mud Pool, relax in the steamy Soda Pool or experience the resort's other rejuvenating pools.

Immerse yourself again in Arroyo Hondo, about 11 miles north of Taos and home to Black Rock Hot Springs. Its rugged, rock-bottomed pools, which run along the Rio Grande, usually stay near body temperature but can fluctuate depending on the season and river run-off.

Each Saturday morning for approximately 28 weeks from May through October, people from diverse cultures — American Indian, Anglo, Spanish, Asian and others — come to shop and enjoy live music at the Taos Farmers Market. In 2023, it's open May 13 to October 28; visit the website for future dates. The market is a great place to find local produce, meats, eggs, honey, baked goods and fresh-cut flowers. Vendors also sell body products made from wild-harvested or locally sourced ingredients, including sage, piñon and juniper.

Check out the female-run Indigo Market, at North Taos Plaza, for clothing, home goods and other products from around New Mexico, such as saguaro cactus perfume and hand-loomed, pigment-dyed blankets.

Satisfy your sweet tooth at Chokola, a bean-to-bar, small-batch chocolate maker and the winner of multiple awards. The makers combine old Mayan practices for taking cacao beans from harvest to chocolate with modern technology to create hand-crafted treats that are organically and ethically sourced. Try the sipping chocolates, pastries and truffles in the Chocolate Cafe, and take home treats like Hacienda Azul (chocolate-covered sunflower seeds) or Lachua bars (chocolate flavored with fruits and strawberries).

If you haven't spoiled your appetite, visit the Farmhouse Cafe and Bakery for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Its ingredients come from local ranchers and farmers, both large and small. Gluten-free and vegan options are available.

For breathtaking views of New Mexico, take to the sky. Rio Grande Balloons takes you aloft for about an hour and celebrates your landing with champagne and light snacks. The sunrise flights pass the Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument and Sangre de Cristo Mountains. From September to December, if the weather allows, the balloons dip into the gorge to see the Rio Grande course through the 600-foot-deep canyon.

Rather keep your feet on the ground? Hike a little-known, 5-mile trail with numerous creeks — the El Salto del Agua Canoncito. It borders tribal lands and permits dogs on leashes. The 4-mile out-and-back Rio Grande Gorge West Rim Trail is great for horseback riding, mountain biking or hiking.

Taos has focused on sustainability for decades since architect Michael Reynolds began building off-the-grid homes with solar and wind power. Some of these self-sufficient dwellings, called Earthships, are available to rent. The "Hobbit-meets-Blade-Runner" units lie about 30 minutes from Taos in the 600+ acre Greater World Earthship Community. Book a tour (the project is still under development), rent a home or sign up at Earthship Biotecture and learn to build your own. For lodgings within walking distance of town, stay at luxurious El Monte Sagrado. Choose an American Indian, premier or global suite, a mountain room or a historic casita. Don't miss the eco-friendly Living Spa with its sunlit shower, saltwater pool and naturally cooling waterfall system.

Dine inside an historic adobe home that is now Lambert's Restaurant and Bar, or order al fresco in the courtyard when the weather's warm. Everything on the menu is handmade fresh from scratch and uses local produce, meats and seafood sourced from large and small farmers and ranchers. Shown here is a Black Angus petite filet served with a mole demi, roasted garlic potato mash, red chile leeks and a seasonal vegetable such as Brussels sprouts, a mainstay on the menu.

If you're on-the-go, look for food trucks and stands on the streets and plazas around Taos. You'll find everything from Bomb Street tacos to Amelia Salvadorian Food.