Taos, NM

1988-old contemporary American on Bent Street — seasonal menus, polished service, and one of the better wine cellars in northern New Mexico. The town's special-occasion default.

Farm-to-table contemporary New Mexican in a restored 1800s adobe chapel — locally-sourced meats and produce, candle-lit dining room, and a small menu that rotates with what's coming out of the ground.

Family-run New Mexican on Don Juan Valdez Lane — shredded beef burritos smothered in signature green chile, blue corn tacos, and a colorful-walls dining room that feels like someone's family kitchen.

Inside the 1936 Historic Taos Inn ("the living room of Taos") — New Mexican-meets-contemporary-American menu, adjacent Adobe Bar with live music, and a courtyard patio under fairy lights.

Polished dining room at the El Monte Sagrado resort — locally-sourced contemporary American, big windows over a garden, and Sunday brunch that's the town's quiet upscale meal.

Small storefront New Mexican across from the Plaza — chiles rellenos, breakfast burritos, and a tight menu that the kitchen does very well. Counter and a few tables.

Modern American in the heart of Arroyo Seco — a short, ingredient-driven menu, a tight bar, and a dining room that fills with locals and ski-valley regulars. The drive up the canyon road is part of the experience.

Chef-owned New American on the El Prado-to-Arroyo-Seco road, attached to one of the area's better wine shops — modern takes on comfort classics, craft cocktails, and patios with Taos Mountain views.

New York-style pizza on the ski-valley road in El Prado — thin-crust pies, the green-chile-loaded Taoseno, pastas, sandwiches, and a patio with Sangre views. Open kitchen, family-friendly.

Bavarian alpine restaurant at the base of Taos Ski Valley — schnitzel, spaetzle, real German beer on tap, and a sun-drenched deck that's the area's après-ski default in winter.

Farm-fresh American bistro on Bent Street off the Plaza — breakfast-and-lunch driven with New Mexican touches, generous plates, and a small patio in the open-air mall. Easy Plaza-side sit-down.

Healthy grab-and-go market on Bent Street with smoothies, bowls, sandwiches, and a small grocery shelf of New Mexican pantry goods. The vegetarian-friendly counter that doesn't preach.

Eclectic pizza joint on Paseo del Pueblo Norte with creative builds, big pies, and a casual back-patio dining area. Voted best pizza in Taos since 1993; substantial portions.

Arroyo Seco ice cream shop making rotating small-batch flavors — pinon-caramel, lavender, green chile, and proper vanilla. Worth the drive from town; the village is half the appeal.

Independent brewery's mesa-top venue at El Prado — a big stage that draws touring acts, an open-air feel, and high-desert sunsets. The Mothership runs mostly around its events calendar; the downtown taproom covers everyday pints.

Naturally leavened sourdough bakery and cafe at the entrance to the historic Plaza district — minimalist menu, organic ingredients, sourdough-crust pizza nights, and a slow-food sensibility.

Long-running family-style diner just north of the Plaza — green chile, pancakes, pastry case at the front, and a clientele that runs from rancher to artist. Old-school Taos.

Casual French-leaning brunch and lunch on Paseo del Pueblo Norte — crepes, quiches, French toast, and an espresso program that's properly run. The town's French breakfast option.

3.8-mile out-and-back from Taos Ski Valley to an 11,000-foot alpine lake surrounded by an amphitheater of peaks — the area's iconic moderate hike. June through October access.

8.6-mile round-trip from Williams Lake to New Mexico's highest point at 13,167 feet — 2,000 feet of switchbacks above the lake. Full day for fit hikers; the state's marquee summit.

5-mile out-and-back near Taos Ski Valley — wooded creek climb to a high meadow with valley views. Quieter than Williams Lake, similar quality, fewer crowds.

5.5-mile loop east of Taos off US-64 — climbs through pinon-juniper to a 8,304-foot summit with a 360-degree view of the Sangres and the Rio Grande gorge.

9-mile round-trip from Taos Ski Valley along Long Canyon Creek — climbs through aspens to a high meadow at 11,500 feet. Steady, scenic, less popular than Williams Lake.

Short 1.2-mile loop at the Wild Rivers Recreation Area — overlook of the confluence of the Red River and Rio Grande, 800 feet straight down. Drive 25 minutes north for one of the best gorge views.

Flat 9-mile out-and-back along the west rim of the Rio Grande Gorge — starts at the Gorge Bridge parking lot, runs north along the rim. Easy and accessible with constant gorge views.

4-mile out-and-back from Taos Ski Valley along Manzanita Creek — moderate climb through aspens to a small waterfall and meadow. Family-doable and less trafficked than Williams Lake.

1923 art museum on Ledoux Street — Taos Society of Artists, contemporary regional work, and the renowned Agnes Martin Gallery (seven Martin paintings in a Rothko-Chapel-like setting; only one of its kind in the world).

1920s adobe home of Russian-born painter Nicolai Fechin — hand-carved interiors he built himself, his paintings, plus a permanent collection of Taos Society of Artists. The house alone is the show.

Indigenous and Spanish-colonial art and decorative arts collected by socialite Millicent Rogers in the 1940s — Pueblo pottery, Navajo textiles, santos, and her own jewelry collection. North of Taos.

1797 adobe home of Ernest Blumenschein, co-founder of the Taos Society of Artists — preserved interiors with his paintings, period furniture, and the studio he worked from. One of the deepest art-colony histories in town.

Performing arts venue on Paseo del Pueblo Norte — a 275-seat auditorium running a year-round film program plus theater, live music, and a spring film festival. The town's main performance space.

Preserved 1880s-1920s studios and gardens of E.I. Couse and J.H. Sharp, two founders of the Taos Society of Artists — original studios, paintings, and the garden where they painted Pueblo neighbors.

Continuously inhabited multi-storied adobe community for 1,000+ years — UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark. Walk among the multi-story adobes, buy directly from artisans, and see the San Geronimo Mission ruins.

Steel arch bridge 600 feet above the Rio Grande — tenth-highest bridge in the U.S. Free walking paths along the rim, the catwalks beneath the deck, and views down to the river running through the volcanic gorge.

Self-sufficient passive-solar homes built by Michael Reynolds from recycled tires, bottles, and cans — visit the sample homes, see the off-grid systems, and tour the surreal earth-and-glass architecture. Stay overnight in one if you want the full experience.

1810 adobe mission church in Ranchos de Taos — painted by Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams. Massive buttressed walls, two-bell-tower facade, and the back-side famously photographed by O'Keeffe.

Town's historic plaza on Bent Street and Paseo del Pueblo — adobe walls, cottonwoods, the original 18th-century Spanish layout still intact. Ringed by galleries, shops, and the historic Hotel La Fonda.

1920s adobe estate of socialite Mabel Dodge Luhan — where D.H. Lawrence, Georgia O'Keeffe, Willa Cather, and Aldous Huxley all stayed. Now an inn open for tours; the painted windows are by D.H. Lawrence.

1804 fortified Spanish colonial hacienda south of town — one of the few surviving examples of the Spanish-era frontier home. Restored interior, working blacksmith demos, and seasonal harvest events.