When do you know you’ve been enchanted by the Land of Enchantment?
It might be the moment you bite into a blue corn tortilla smothered in green chile and the distinct flavors of Northern New Mexican cuisine dance across your palate. Maybe it is when you see the vivid landscape at Ghost Ranch that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe’s iconic paintings. Perhaps it is the evening you experience a world-class performance in the open-air theater of the Santa Fe Opera. Or it’s simply when you watch the sunset across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the private patio of your casita at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe.
The risk you take stepping into your casita at the Four Seasons is that you might never leave. Each of the pueblo-inspired casitas has custom-made furniture, native artwork, the latest lighting and technology, a wood-burning fireplace and a private outdoor patio or balcony.
They’ve even thought of services you don’t know you want — fireplace lighting, nightly s’mores, and a menu for your canine companion. It would be easy to cozy up on the patio chaise lounge, have all your meals delivered from Terra, the onsite restaurant serving high-end regional cuisine, and watch the sun rise and set across the painted desert. There’s just one problem with that approach: the Land of Enchantment awaits just outside your door, beckoning to be explored.
One way to start your day is with a complimentary guided hike along the Camino Encantado trail to learn about the historic Rancho Encantado property. Another is to indulge in a regionally inspired treatment at the spa, such as the Mountain Spirit Purification that includes a smudging ceremony said to clear unsettled energy.
The Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado provides an “adventure architect” to help you choose among its many adventure offerings. Options include hiking, mountain biking, hot-air ballooning, whitewater rafting, golf, horseback riding, the EQUUS Experience (unique in itself), and cultural trips galore. A free resort shuttle takes you the short distance to downtown Santa Fe where you can explore “The City Different” on your own.
Stroll along Canyon Road, visiting galleries that will impress even the most discerning art aficionado. For a break, pop into Ahmyo to sample a flight of local Santa Fe wines in their hidden magical garden. If a taste is not enough, visit Gruet Winery’s cozy-chic tasting room downtown at the Hotel St. Francis to explore more of their cellar.
And if tequila is more your style, grab a passport to the Santa Fe Margarita Trail and sip some of the 50+ best margaritas offered at local bars and restaurants.
The ideal accompaniment to margaritas — or really anything — are the famed New Mexican chiles. You can have red, green, or a combo of the two known as “Christmas.” The Shed, Café Pasqual’s, and La Casa Sena are local favorites serving traditional cuisine. If you’re looking for fine-dining, visit Geronimo. And if you want a menu without chiles, La Boca offers top-notch Spanish tapas.
Santa Fe has no shortage of artists, but perhaps none as well-known as Georgia O’Keeffe. Immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired her on the Four Seasons Valley of the Shining Stone tour. Hike or horseback ride to O’Keeffe’s favorite painting spots at Ghost Rancho; tour her home and studio in the historic town of Abiquiú; and explore Plaza Blanca for a stunning array of the geologic formations that captivated the artist. Don’t miss her namesake museum, right off the square, which hosts an excellent curated exhibit on her art and life.
At the end of the day, toasting s’mores on your casita patio, contemplating the infinite smattering of stars shining against the dark sky before you, you will have no doubt that Santa Fe is the gateway to enchantment.
