New Mexico, which was part of the Spanish empire and Mexico before becoming a US territory that turned into a state, should be on your must-visit list. It’s the perfect place to be awed by how gorgeous your country is (high desert is crazy colorful) while simultaneously needing to remind yourself you’re still in your country (the adobe stops seeming like a gimmicky amusement park within hours).
Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders were here (you knew that) and D. H. Lawrence, too, among countless other creative/ahead-of-their-time types.
And JetBlue just made it a lot easier to see what drew them. Nonstop JFK-Albuquerque flights started in April. That hasn’t happened since TWA in the late ’80s. There’s one daily each way from $99 (jetblue.com).
There are countless places we could send you, but Santa Fe, Albuquerque and I-25, the highway between the two, are the best way to start.
SANTA FE
In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains — perhaps best experienced at the Ten Thousand Waves spa (3451 Hyde Park Road, tenthousandwaves.com) — Santa Fe is second only to New York in its number of art galleries. The state capital also is home to 250-plus restaurants — from casual-Southwestern The Shed (113¹/₂ E. Palace Ave., sfshed.com) to serious new-American Restaurant Martín (526 Galisteo St., restaurantmartin.com) — the “miraculous staircase” at the Loretto Chapel (207 Old Santa Fe Trail, lorettochapel.com) and a strict building code (no high-rises, all adobe).
Stay @ La Posada de Santa Fe
330 E. Palace Ave., laposadadesantafe.com
A 5-minute walk from the downtown plaza and Canyon Road’s gallery mile, this hotel features 6 beautifully landscaped acres with soothing kinetic sculptures. It’s a former private estate, and one of the first places in this part of the country to show art. Check into one of the 127 “casitas,” from $189, originally built for visiting artists. They’re all unique, from size to shape to amenities (fireplace, patio) to décor (viga and latilla ceilings; think Southwestern log cabin). There are also 30 suites, from $145.
Breakfast burrito @ Tia Sophia’s
210 W. San Francisco St., 505-983-9880
Diner-like Tia Sophia’s believes they invented the breakfast burrito. They’re massive and come smothered in chile (“not responsible for too HOT,” says the menu), from $7.25, or hand-held, from $5.25. If there’s a line (it’s popular) or if you just like your latte, $3, from an awesome Seattle-trained guy, check out teeny Holy Spirit Espresso (225 W. San Francisco St.; 505-920-3664; holyspiritespresso.com) and meet barista Bill Deutsch.
Tapas @ Taberna La Boca
72 W. Marcy St., labocasf.com
Opened September 2012 to make room for fans of La Boca, chef James Campbell Caruso’s more-formal sister restaurant (same address, different entrances, semi-overlapping menu), Taberna serves small plates — like wonderful grilled artichokes with Spanish goat cheese and mint, $12 — for lunch and dinner.
Hike @ Dale Ball Trails
santafenm.gov
Green or red might be the state question, chile-wise, but colors in New Mexico hit the full spectrum. Go on a hike to see what all the artists see. The depth of desert colors and shapes can be explored on 30 miles of trails minutes from downtown Santa Fe, or from the funky (OK, phallic) Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument (Exit 259, from southbound I-25, follow signs), $5 per car, about halfway back to Albuquerque. The slightly longer, more challenging trail here lands you on a 630-foot mesa in view of the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and Sandia mountain ranges, and the Rio Grande Valley.
Learn @ Santa Fe School of Cooking
125 N. Guadalupe St., santafeschoolofcooking.com
Established in 1989, this school is the place to delve into Southwestern cuisine’s Mexican, New Mexican, Spanish and Native American (blue-corn gnocchi arrowheads with guajillo chile sauce) components. The Red Chile Workshop, $75, ends with a comparison tasting of everyone’s efforts (chile sauces, tortillas).
Shop @ Kowboyz
345 W. Manhattan Ave., kowboyz.com
Wall after wall of new and used cowboy boots and rack after rack of western wear will impress you at this fantastic shop that outfits actual cowboys, and the movie stars who play them. Also explore “Cowboys Real and Imagined” at the great New Mexico History Museum (113 Lincoln Ave., nmhistorymuseum.org), $9.
Dinner @ Il Piatto
95 W. Marcy St., ilpiattosantafe.com
If you stroll the Saturday morning Farmers Market at the Railyard (1607 Paseo de Peralta, santafefarmersmarket.com) you might run into chefs like Matt Yohalem, whose training included time at Union Square Café and Le Cirque. His sublime 18-year-old farmhouse Italian restaurant, Il Piatto, nods to New Mexico with just the right heat in everything, like red-chile linguine with fresh mussels and saffron crema, $22.79.
ALBUQUERQUE
Much like “The Wire” created all sorts of attention for Baltimore, “Breaking Bad” has generated tourist interest in its location. Accordingly, the visitors bureau has some official guidance (itsatrip.org/breakingbad), and from April to October, ABQ Trolley Co. (208 San Felipe St. NW, abqtrolley.com) offers a 3¹/₂-hour, 38-mile, 13-location, rated-R tour, $65. But there’s more to the state’s largest city, and it’s not just the annual fall Hot-Air Balloon Fiesta (balloonfiesta.com). Neighborhoods like Nob Hill buzz with boutiques and nightlife; the main drag is historic Route 66 (Central Avenue), whose refurbished signs and architecture still offer a thrill.
Snakes @ American International Rattlesnake Museum
202 San Felipe St NW, rattlesnakes.com
Old Town Albuquerque is like a mini Santa Fe (think adobe and old churches). If you’re seeking quality art or jewelry, check out Studio 13 (323 Romero St. NW, 505-430-4288). The other side of the plaza contains the largest collection of rattlesnakes you’ll probably ever see. You might know the American International Rattlesnake Museum ($5 admission goes to conservation) from “The Late Late Show” with Craig Ferguson (his rattlesnake mug), but it’s no joke. The museum is a little quirky (snake oil ads), a little scary (snakes) and a lot interesting (more snakes: skinny, fat, little, big, gorgeous, albino, etc.).
Tacos and tequila @ Zacatecas
3423 Central Avenue NE, zacatecastacos.com
James Beard Award-winner Mark Kiffin’s newest venture is named for Mexico’s central state. This excellent upscale taqueria (seared Pacific rock cod, $10) has great cocktails, or build your own margarita with a variety of tequilas and liquors, from $7.
Taste @ Gruet Winery
8400 Pan American Freeway NE, gruetwinery.com
Just off I-25 is the tasting room of Gruet (pronounced groo-ay — these folks are from France) where méthode champenoise-style wine has been made by the same family since 1987. And it’s pretty great, as you likely know, since about one-sixth of their production goes to New York. Taste five wines for $7; reserve tasting is $15.