If you are looking for a fantastic long, weekend-getaway, think about visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I recently did this trip and had a great time. It was a quick 54-minute flight from Denver but if you want to avoid flying and road-tripping is more your style it’s a little over a 6-hour drive from Berthoud.

Santa Fe is filled with so much history with many historical sites you can visit. In fact, It is the oldest Capital in the United States. It was founded in 1610 – over a century before the United States became a country. The Spanish Crown had occupied the “Kingdom of New Mexico” since 1540 and the first capital was located at San Juan Pueblo, about 25 miles north of Santa Fe. A gentleman named Don Pedro de Peralta was appointed Governor-General of the Kingdom of New Mexico in 1910 and the following year he moved the capital to Santa Fe.

If you are an art buff Santa Fe is your place. The city boasts over 250 art galleries and has one of the largest art markets in the United States.

The city also offers wonderful Native American markets where you can buy jewelry and art straight from the artists.

The restaurant scene is top-notch and home to a wide variety of options including delicious traditional New Mexican cuisine. Meals range from established fine-dining restaurants to casual spots where you can arrive in hiking shorts after a day in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.

The shopping is fantastic as well. If you like hunting for a unique treasure there are tons of consignment shops and thrift stores packed with endless surprises. If high-end shopping is more your style there are plenty of shops and boutiques to meet your needs.

Just driving around and looking at the unique architecture was enjoyable. Many of the homes (haciendas) and businesses are built with a distinct style of low-slung, earth-colored exteriors made of adobe bricks that consist of a mixture of sun-dried earth and straw. There are also California Mission Revival, Victorian and even Italianate style buildings as well.

For all it has to offer Santa Fe is a smaller city that offers a slower pace of life and a great place to kick back and relax.

The natural beauty of the area alone is a perfect reason to slow down and enjoy Santa Fe and the surrounding area. If you need a little action, however,  mountain and canyon adventures await with activities like biking, hiking, horseback riding and more at multiple state parks and nearby Santa Fe National Forest.

There are outdoor bazaars, opera houses, wine festivals and more. It appears there is always something to do. They also have kid-friendly experiences with a planetarium, a children’s museum, the original Meow Wolf immersive art experience, and a year-round Christmas Wonderland.

Santa Fe is fun, interesting and a great place for adventures and something different for couples and families. If you are looking for a unique and different vacation, I would suggest Santa Fe New Mexico for your next adventure.