TEN GREAT ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES IN SANTA FE

Note: Please excuse the appearance of the text below. Blog-spot is being uncooperative. I wanted to get this up and not wait until the gremlins in the computer decide to behave.

Coming to Santa Fe with the kids in tow? We don’t have easy-fixes like Disney World, Sea World, Busch Gardens or Six Flags, but what we have is definitely better! It may take a little imagination and advanced planning, but you can design a trip that is sure to excite even the grumpiest child. My seven-year-old grandson is gifted (not just a grandmother’s bragging- it’s documented!) and needs to be challenged. In a school essay on vacations this year, he named New Mexico as his favorite place to visit- and believe me, it has nothing to do with the fact that his grandparents live here. I planned a really great trip for them last year Here are ten great places that the entire family will enjoy.

THE SANTA FE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM is a great place for families with young children to visit. (I confess, this one is more fun for the kids, parents will get their enjoyment from the smiles on the youngsters’ faces- although there are activities that parents can do and enjoy.) It is an intimate place with hands-on inter-active stations that will delight the young. The museum has enthusiastic volunteers who will engage the kids in activities. When done inside, explore the grounds, which offer more fun activities, including a green house with a menagerie of small critters and an area with giant percussion instruments. There is an admission charge. Hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10-5 and Sunday Noon -5.

THE INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF FOLK ART is located on Museum Hill™(Camino Lejo). The Girard Wing’s permanent exhibit features colorful folk art from more than 100 nations. Children love this wing. There are lots of dioramas loaded with small colorful people and things that kids can relate to. I have heard kids excitedly saying “Mommy, Daddy, look at this, look at this.” Best comment ever at the angels and devils showcase. “Mommy, Mommy, there’s angels and devils, where’s God?”It is a bright, happy place and I always leave with a smile on my face. Hours: 10-5, Closed Mondays (except between Memorial and Labor Days).

BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT located about an hour north and west of Santa Fe, offers a view into the past of New Mexico. First settled circa 12^th century, the ancestors of the current-day Cochiti Indians lived here until the mid-fifteen hundreds. You can see pueblo ruins, explore the caves via ladders, see petroglyphs and hike the extensive trails. Kids will really enjoy climbing the ;adders into the caves. Hours will vary seasonally and the Visitor’s Center suggests calling them or checking the website, which they say, has up-to-date information. They are open daily except Christmas and New Year’s Days. There is a per car admission charge unless you have a National Parks Pass.
EL RANCHO DE LOS GOLONDRINAS a living history village offers visitors a journey into New Mexico’s past. “The Ranch of the Swallows" now a living history museum, dates from the early 1700s and was an important paraje or stopping point along the famous Camino Real, (the Royal Road) from Mexico City to Santa Fe. They are open weekdays in April and May by reservation only (and there are a lot of school groups on field trips). On weekends they have special activities and festivals. On the first weekend of the month June – October there is a themed festival (check with concierge for schedule. Visit on weekends if you can. They have docents in period costumes and live demonstrations of traditional crafts and life skills. When my grandkids were there they got to build mini-adobe blocks which were going to be dried and used at the Fiesta de los Niños (The Festival of the Children) weekend towards the end of the summer. Check the schedule on their website for the date. There is an admission charge. Open June 1- September 30 for self-guided tours from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

RANDALL DAVEY AUDUBON CENTER sits at the top of Upper Canyon Road at an elevation of 7500. Families can hike and explore nature at this local outpost of the National Audubon Society. There are 135 acres of land and it is surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest and the protected lands of the Santa Fe River Watershed. The center offers guided bird walks on its two nature trails. There are over130 species of rare and common birds- apparently someone has counted- as well as lots of plants and wildlife. A great trick with kids is to get them to sit quietly in the wood and see what animals will com by. If one shows up, they will remember forever. Take a picnic and spend the day. There is a nominal admission charge. They are open daily from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

SKIING: Both the SKI SANTA and TAOS SKI VALLEY offer excellent downhill skiing and snowboarding in winter. The season starts sometime around Thanksgiving, snow permitting, and goes into early April. Call the individual area or check their website for the schedule- it changes yearly. The Santa Fe area is 45 minutes from town and the Taos ski area about 2hrs, 15 minutes. Both offer lessons, rentals and packages. Cross-country skiing is also an option in Santa Fe. There are also cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, sledding and sleigh rides when the snow is on the ground.
FLY-FISHING is a great activity for the whole family. The kids get really excited when they catch a fish. The Pecos River is a terrific place for a day of angling. Don’t forget to buy your licenses! Need instruction or a guide, call us and we can help you arrange for this service.
RAFTING is a fun activity with kids. There are several companies that offer full and half-day trips on the Rio Grande River. Float trips are available to children about age 4 and up and the Race Course, with lots of Class Two rapids is open to children 6 and older. I would not advise taking children under the age of four. While safety equipment is provided, the child must be old enough to obey orders and to sit still for over an hour- if they don’t you could go into the river.. The rafting season is from mid-April until Labor Day.
INDIAN PUEBLO CULTURAL CENTER The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s mission statement is: “To preserve and perpetuate Pueblo culture and to advance understanding by presenting with dignity and respect, the accomplishments and evolving history of the Pueblo people of New Mexico.” The museum’s permanent exhibition offers a historical overview of the Pueblo peoples. They also have a contemporary arts and crafts section that showcases the work of Pueblo artists and artisans. The Center has Pueblo dancers on weekends. Stop in at their restaurant where you can sample Pueblo foods if you are adventurous or eat the usual.
FORT UNION NATIONAL MONUMENT is about an hour and a half north of Santa Fe. The fort was established in 1851 to watch over the Santa Fe Trail an important trade route from Missouri. During its forty-year history, it functioned as a military garrison, territorial arsenal, and military supply depot for the southwest. It was abandoned when the railroad made it obsolete. The site offers a 1.6-mile trail around the ruins. There are standing adobe walls and foundations from many of the former structures and there are explanations of the buildings, the people and the life they led. It is really fun and informative. It will give the whole family a sense of history. Visitors may opt to do a shorter .5-mile tour. The largest visible network of wheel-ruts from Santa Fe Trail is at Fort Union. They are open year-round From Memorial Day to Labor day hours are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The rest of the year they are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. They close Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. There is a small admission charge unless you have a National Parks Pass.

And while we’re on the subject of kids in Santa Fe, here are a few really kid friendly restaurants. When my grandsons arrive at the airport in Albuquerque, their first words are “Kiddy Corral, Kiddy Corral!” This is the outside dining area at the back of COWGIRL BAR AND GRILL a landmark in Santa Fe. The KC has kid-friendly play stuff. Parents can sip Margs while the kids have a ball. Make a reservation, a lot of locals go here and at dinner the demand for its limited space can be high. If the kids like pizza, the very casual ILVICCINO WOOD-FIRED PIZZA is a casual place close to the Plaza. Order at the counter and they deliver to the table. In the summer, the enclosed patio is fun. If you want something a little more formal, two places offer entertainment during dinner that older kids (at least 5 unless your kids are very well-behaved) might enjoy. THE CANTINA AT LA CASA SENA does what they call the Best of Broadway. The servers are all entertainers and they sing for your supper. I always leave in a really up mood- it’s fun here. LOS MAYAS has entertainment nightly and the schedule varies. The menu offers what I call “main-course” Mexican cuisine and New Mexican options. Fernando Antillas, the owner is a very warm man and welcoming host. You will feel like family. There are other places that are kid-friendly, but these are places that my grandsons really enjoy, so I wanted to pass them on. The Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau offers an extensive list of dining options.