6 Calming Places in Santa Fe for Nature Lovers and Art Enthusiasts

With its ancient origins and artistic energy, Santa Fe and its surroundings are the perfect place to quiet down and catch your breath. New Mexico’s capital is known for relaxing vibes and an easygoing way of life all year around. Wonderful weather, vibrantly diverse examples of Americana, and inspirational landscapes all create “The City Different”: a destination teeming with hidden spots that emit serene vibrations.

The locals attribute the calming, mystical vibe here mostly to the landscape. While many people associate Santa Fe with desert landscapes, it’s the highest elevated U.S. capital, with shocking ecological diversity. Woodlands cover the Sangre de Cristo foothills leading towards the Rocky Mountains. With four distinct seasons and over 320 days of sunshine, some of Santa Fe’s best-kept secrets are hiding in mother nature’s palm. Hiking trails offer calmness and meditative moments, guiding hikers through the ruins of long-lost civilizations and natural landscape features like rocky outcrops shattered by meteors. Even outdoor attractions, like the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, keep up a wild, secluded feel across paths verdant with indigenous flora. 

With all this natural beauty, it’s no wonder that droves of artists and creators call Santa Fe home. Breathtaking landscapes offer creative inspiration, and much art can be found incorporated into the scenery. Some masterpieces, like Ethyl the Whale, dominate the landscape, while others, such as the poetic stones on the Haiku Pathway, require a closer looking. Oftentimes, Santa Fe feels like a living, open-air gallery you have all to yourself: populated at just under 90,000, beautiful seclusion is available everywhere.

Santa Fe’s rich sightseeing also runs deep thanks to a long, storied past. As the oldest U.S. capital, the city’s vibrant history and cultural diversity are heavily influenced by a kaleidoscope of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican heritages, among others. Each cultural legacy offers opportunities for reflection, education, and meditation—including ancestral spiritual places like La Conquistadora.

Here are six places around Santa Fe and its surrounding landscape that inspire a quiet wonder.