Santa Fe, New Mexico

The OLDEST Capital City in America!

Santa Fe has a super cool secret: it's the OLDEST capital city in the United States! The Spanish founded Santa Fe in 1610 - that's BEFORE the Pilgrims even landed at Plymouth Rock! That means Santa Fe has been a capital city for over 400 years!

Adobe Buildings Everywhere!

Walking through Santa Fe feels like stepping into a different world! Almost every building is made of ADOBE - that's a mixture of mud, straw, and water that's dried into bricks. The buildings are painted in beautiful earthy colors like tan, brown, and terracotta. All the buildings have rounded corners and flat roofs - no sharp edges allowed!

Santa Fe actually has LAWS that say new buildings downtown have to look like the old adobe style! This keeps the city looking magical and unique. It's like the whole city is a work of art!

Art Capital of the Southwest!

Santa Fe is one of the TOP art cities in America! With over 250 art galleries, it has more artists per capita than almost anywhere else. Artists love Santa Fe because of the amazing light, the beautiful desert landscapes, and the mix of Native American, Spanish, and American cultures.

The Palace of the Governors

The Palace of the Governors is the OLDEST government building in the United States that's still standing! Built around 1610, it's been used by Spanish governors, Mexican governors, American territorial governors, and today it's a museum. That's 400 years of history in one building!

Every day, Native American artists sit under the palace's long portal (covered walkway) and sell their handmade jewelry, pottery, and crafts - just like their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. It's a living tradition!

High in the Mountains!

Santa Fe sits 7,000 feet above sea level - that makes it the HIGHEST state capital in America! (Denver is second at 5,280 feet.) Being so high means Santa Fe has over 300 days of sunshine per year and gets to see the most beautiful blue skies you've ever seen!

In winter, you can ski at Santa Fe Ski Basin in the morning (just 16 miles away) and then come back to the city for art galleries and delicious food in the afternoon. How cool is that?

Three Cultures Meet!

What makes Santa Fe extra special is how three cultures blend together: Native American (who lived here for thousands of years), Spanish (who arrived in 1610), and American (who took over in 1846). You can see this mix everywhere - in the food, the architecture, the art, and the festivals!

The Food is AMAZING!

Santa Fe is a foodie paradise! The city is famous for New Mexican cuisine - which is totally different from Mexican food! Think blue corn enchiladas, sopapillas (puffy fried bread) with honey, posole (hominy stew), and of course, LOTS of green and red chile!

Santa Fe has more restaurants per capita than New York City! You can find everything from traditional New Mexican food to fancy restaurants run by celebrity chefs. The city even has its own unique "Santa Fe Style" of cooking!

Why Santa Fe is So Special!

Santa Fe isn't like other American cities. It has its own unique character that comes from being OLD (400+ years!), HIGH (7,000 feet up!), and ARTISTIC (250+ galleries!). It's a place where ancient pueblo cultures meet Spanish colonial history meets modern American art!

The city's nickname is "The City Different" - and it really is! From the adobe buildings to the amazing food to the stunning art to the three cultures blending together, Santa Fe is truly one-of-a-kind. No wonder people from all over the world come to visit this magical high-desert city!

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