If you're like me, the holidays burned you out and now there's all of these New Year Resolutions to uphold to. It's a lot. So for my next little adventure, Drew and I drove out to Taos, New Mexico to relax, unwind, and refresh ourselves for the new year.

The Drive

Driving from Denver, Colorado all the way to Taos, New Mexico is quite long, but if you get started early enough, it's just enough to be relaxing. It's only four and half hours. We made sure to be up by 6:30 a.m. and left around 7:45. Pack some snackies, eat a hearty breakfast (ours was gluten-free pumpkin spice waffles and fried eggs), and get on the road. On the way, there is Colorado Springs and Pueblo if you feel the need to stretch or have a meal.

We stopped at the Tanner Gun Show in Pueblo, Colorado. This is a personal "Do Not Recommend." That being said, Drew got to try weird fudge and jerky, and we met some interesting people.

Arrival

This town has a very local feel to it. Almost all of the buildings are adobe-like. Kokopellis are everywhere, a common symbol for the Southwest. The influence of art and Native American culture is very apparent here. A movie featuring "Cowboys and Indians" could be filmed here. We drove in through the dusty town looking for somewhere to satisfy our hunger. We decided on going to The Alley Cantina. This little Mexican pub was a saving grace to our empty stomachs. They have vegan/vegetarian and gluten-free options. I had a burrito (for veggers, like me, ask for the veggie green chili and no cheese or sour cream), and Drew ordered the cheese enchiladas. This place is for when you need sustenance after a long night of drinking sooooo not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to eat mountainous portions of sinister Tex-Mex.

After leaving with our bellies stuffed, we walked around the historic Taos Plaza. We walked around the cute galleries. A lot of the shops included souvenirs and mugs with generic names plastered on them. If you know me, I don't really like souvenir shops, but there were some authentic art galleries and beautifully curated, local shops that sold handmade goods. My favorite art gallery was the Acuarelas Studio Gallery. The man that owns the gallery is Leandro Martin Rodriguez. He paints a lot of Native American portraits. He had salt-and-pepper hair all the way down his back and a kind smile. He reminded me of Phillip, my brother, who will probably become a old man selling Native American art. I definitely recommend checking out his work.

Drew enjoyed the Natural Accents of Taos gallery. We popped in and the cutest puppy came up to gnaw on our boots, which instantly put us in a good mood. There are varied types of art here. The woman running the shop does all the jewelry lying in the cases herself. The art the stood out the most to us was wire mesh formed into beautiful, human forms. The artist's name is Ray Wiger, another guy to check out.

WorldMark TaosPicture from Booking.com, edited by me — WorldMark Taos
Picture from Booking.com, edited by me

Lodging

It was nearing 4 p.m., and it was time to check-in to our hotel. There are many options in Taos, and you can stay in hostels or Airbnb’s but we wanted something a little more private. We stayed at the WorldMark by Wyndham. This little location is tucked right behind the main street so you can walk to anywhere in the town. The hotel kept the Southwestern theme even though it's owned by Wyndham. WorldMark hotels are nice to stay in because there a little kitchenettes if you want to make your own food. If you're not looking to spend a ton of money, but want something clean and private, stay here! Our first night in, we ordered food from a pub next door, stayed in and cozied up after the long drive.

What To Do

On the second day, we woke up a little after 9 a.m. Drinking cabernet the night before kept us sleepy. We went to a breakfast place across the street called BearClaw Bakery & Café, a quaint little café with fifties' hits playing in the background. It's not so vegan-friendly but has a lot of gluten-free options. After eating, Drew went on the quest for a poncho. We went walking around everywhere, but he had no luck (thank God). It was time to go to the hot springs.

Our trip was a time to wind down. We weren't looking for a load of adventurous, rigorous activities. Taos is known for skiing and snowboarding, but we went for a relaxing experience. What I wanted to do the most was go to the Ojo Caliente Hot Springs.

Maybe a little less than an hour drive are the Springs. They are a must when you go here. You may think, ehh, we came to ski, or ugh, it's too far out. It's worth it. Driving up the dirt road, the adobe houses are tucked behind a main road of little houses. The Springs are right along the hillside. We enter the lobby and it's so quiet. With relaxing Native American flutes playing, a fire place crackling, we checked in, grabbed our towels and were ready to soak. There are many different types of springs (soda, lithium, arsenic, etc.) as well as a mud pool and sauna. Tip: Go during the week, it's cheaper and I'm sure it's way less crowded. We tried out a few but our favorite was the Soda Spring. It's a silent area so if you want to meditate, this is the place. Sit near the back where the fresh water is pouring out a spout. It's warmer and the trickling sounds remind you that you're sitting in a natural spring.

After bathing for a few hours, we wanted to catch a glimpse of the gorge around sunset so we showered and headed back to Taos. On the road back to Taos, there is the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It's the seventh highest bridge in the U.S. I needed to see this. It was nearing twilight hour. Every few minutes I'd be freaking out, "We're going to miss it!" We finally got there in the nick of time. It was super chilly so we needed to be quick. The gorge beneath the bridge is scary high. It's hard to look straight down. The backdrop of blue mountains with purple and orange skies seemed painted. I took a few pictures with my smartphone (I forgot my dSLR, I was so upset) and nothing seemed to capture the grandiose view you could only see in real life.

We needed to head back before we, rather I, got "hangry." We decided on Mexican once again. A majority of the restaurants here are Mexican because of its roots. This restaurant was my favorite place. It was called Bella's Mexican Grill. We were the only two there. It was only 5 p.m. The outside had a beautiful little patio, that would look whimsical during the summer. The waitress was so nice and was very accommodating to our high-maintenance diets. I had the best veggies fajitas. The complimentary salsa was homemade and delicious. If you go anywhere to eat, I suggest this place.

Leaving

The next day we grabbed some, wait, can you guess it? Yes, Mexican food. La Cueva is a little local spot for real Mexican food. I had veggie mole and eggs. Before I went vegetarian, I loved chicken mole so I was stoked to find this one was vegetarian!

I wanted to go the Taos Pueblo on our last day but we we got there, it was closed. It might have been for cultural reasons, but they're usually open during this time. I was bummed out, but instead we took a detour on our way home. Make sure to check out when they have cultural closings.

If you have the time, go to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve. It's a sight to see. We were ill-prepared as this was an impromptu stop. I was in boots but Drew was wearing Converse. It was cold and windy and we didn't realize how hard it was to walk in the sand. I still enjoyed taking a quick walk up. You can also sandboard here. I suggest this being a summer activity, but you can rent gear year round. There are also other hikes in the area. One that was suggested to me was Zapata Falls, just a few miles away.

After an amazing few days, I felt more alive and refreshed. I was struggling to feel inspired but this place made me feel whole again. If you need a quick getaway, I highly suggest this magical place.

If you're thinking about going, check out taos.org for more suggestions that best suit your vacation! Or if you’re thinking of a shorter trip, and you want to check out the Great Sand Dunes, go here!

This is my first travel post that was more of a story than a guide or quick tips. Do you like it? Should I go the quick guide route? Maybe both? Let me know in the comments whether or not you enjoyed this style or something more succinct.

Thanks for reading!

Relaxing Trip to Taos, New Mexico