Santa Fe, New Mexico for Kids
Mountain Adventures, Children's Museum, Bandelier National Monument
Known for its sophisticated cuisine, marvelous art galleries and boutique shopping, Santa Fe is a playground for grownups. But there's plenty appealing for kids, too.
Whether you're in the capital city of New Mexico for a few days or a week, you've got some fun options when it comes to entertaining the entire family:
Outdoor activities abound in the wilderness surrounding Santa Fe. Rather than "do it yourselves" and book experiences, such as fly fishing, whitewater rafting and horseback riding, through a number of different outfitters, visiting tourists can have Santa Fe Mountain Adventures make all the arrangements for them.
This "adventure concierge" typically books various vacation experiences for families over a number of days. Mornings are typically reserved for outdoor excursions, such as the signature "Mountain Treasure Hunt," a guided hike and geo-caching, where families use GPS devices to search for hidden shoeboxes filled with trinkets for the kids. Afternoon activities usually have an arts or cultural bent—from painting pottery to cooking classes to historical walking tours. Then there's family yoga, guided llama treks and nighttime star gazing with an expert astronomer.
All the transportation, gratuities, snacks and guides are included in a day’s program with Santa Fe Mountain Adventures (plus nice perks like water bottles and a subscription to Outside). A one-day enrollment in the program with two activities is $130 for adults, $110 for children, ages 6 to 12. But rates decrease the more activity days you book. And if you’re staying at a downtown partner hotel—La Posada or the Inn and Spa at Loretto—you get preferential pricing as well.
This clever museum has dozens of indoor and outdoor exhibits and activities for toddlers to 12-year-olds. Children and adults alike can build with magnets, play in a giant sandbox, sing along to music, splash in water, get creative with art projects and much, much more. Admission is $4 a person for New Mexico residents; $8 a person for all other visitors.
About an hour’s drive northwest from Santa Fe, this archeological site is small, but impressive. Ancestral Pueblo people (formerly known as Anasazi Indians) made their homes here 600 years ago. You can climb the ladders into the cliff dwellings and marvel at the pictographs along the mile-long main loop trail. Also stroll through the informative museum and watch a 10-minute video about the park. The Junior Ranger program allows children to earn a special patch after answering age-appropriate worksheet questions. Entrance fees are $12 a vehicle for a 7-day permit.
