Santa Fe: Art, Culture and Wow! the Landscape
A Wild Blue Yonder Trip with Politics & Prose
March 30 – April 8, 2027
Everything just feels different in Santa Fe. Maybe it’s sharp line between the crisp blue skies against the iconic adobe architecture. Here different cultures have mingled over the centuries: from the Spanish colonialists to the indigenous American Indians, from its historic draw
for many artists to the technical know-how of nearby Los Alamos National Labs.
In the city, we’ll visit the historic Governors Palace where local artists sell their handmade jewelry, as well as the stunning Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill, with views across the landscape.
Many of our visits will be private tours only for our group. For instance, we’ll drive an hour or so out of the city to Abiquiu, where Georgia O’Keeffe’s home and studio have only recently been open to the public. And of course we’ll see her art at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum back in town. On another day, we’ll have a landscape tour at Ghost Ranch, where O’Keeffe also lived and worked.
We’ll spend time in Taos, which had the state’s first art colony and remains an artistic mecca. Leaving Taos, we’ll take the High Road back and visit the Chimayo Sanctuary, one of the most beautiful examples of Spanish Colonial architecture.
One morning we’ll explore the valley of Bandelier National Monument, where we’ll wander through the ruins of the villages and homes of the Ancestral Puebloans. On the way back, we’ll pause in Los Alamos to visit its museum about the Manhattan project and the history of the area.
A very special day will be spent in San Ildefonso Pueblo, a still inhabited pueblo, where we’ll have a walking tour and a home-cooked “feasting,” plus learning about the black-on-black pottery the pueblo is known for.
You’ll also have time to explore the city on your own, perhaps visiting the historic Loretto Chapel, strolling Canyon Road, Santa Fe’s historic art district, and of course sampling the characteristic southwestern cuisine.
Itinerary
Please note that we may make changes to this itinerary in response to unexpected closings, road conditions, weather or other unforeseen events.
Tuesday, March 30, 2027
Arrive in Santa Fe, where we’ll stay at the historic hotel La Fonda on the Plaza. The hotel, first built in the 1920s, sits on the site of the town’s first inn, established when Santa Fe was founded in 1607, which makes the property the oldest hotel corner in the US. The rooms and public spaces all contain original art from its decades of history, but La Fonda also offers all the amenities you’d expect of a four-star hotel.
5:30pm Meet in the hotel for orientation.
Wednesday, March 31
9:30am After a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s La Plazuela restaurant, we’ll have a private tour of the hotel, where we’ll also learn about Santa Fe’s history and many of the famous people who have stayed here.
11:15am We depart for Museum Hill on the outskirts of Santa Fe. We’ll visit both the beautiful Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art (and you’ll surely spend some time in their intriguing gift shops). You can have lunch at the Museum Hill Café, which features local specialties, salads and sandwiches.
3pm We return to the hotel for a bit of relaxation or an exploration of the Plaza, the heart of Santa Fe.
5:30pm Meet in the hotel for wine and conversation.
Thursday, April 1
8:45am We walk over to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, home of the largest collection of her paintings in the world. We’ll have a private tour of the museum before it opens at 10am. You’ll have time afterwards for personal exploration, to watch the film about O’Keeffe, and browse the gift shop. Later, you can have lunch on your own on the Plaza.
1pm We depart for an hour’s drive to Ghost Ranch, our first exposure to the magnificent landscape of this part of New Mexico. Ms. O’Keeffe lived and worked at Ghost Ranch when she first came to the Santa Fe area. On our private landscape tour, our bus will take us to several locations where she painted the mountains and valleys, and our guide will show us pictures of her paintings exactly where they were painted.
3:30pm We return to Santa Fe.
5:30pm We meet in the hotel for wine and conversation.
Friday, April 2
9:45am We board our bus for the 45-minute drive to Bandelier National Monument, located in a ruggedly beautiful canyon. Here are ruins of a civilization of ancient Puebloans. A mile-long mostly paved trail leads you through the site. You can even, if desired, climb a wide and sturdy ladder to peer into the dwellings carved centuries ago into the soft rock. Bandelier is a peaceful place where you hear the birds singing and watch the little lizards scamper across the rocks. There’s a small café as well for snacks and coffee.
12:15pm We depart Bandelier for our short drive to Los Alamos, where you’ll find a selection of places for lunch.
2pm We gather for the very short ride to Fuller Lodge, where the first scientists to arrive in Los Alamos stayed, occupying what was until then a prestigious boarding school for boys. There’s a museum about the Manhattan Project, as well as a house or two where scientists lived.
3:45pm We return to Santa Fe.
No meeting this evening.
Saturday, April 3
10am We walk over to the New Mexico History Museum for our private docent tour. The museum opens into the historic Palace of the Governors, an adobe-style building constructed in 1610 as the seat of government for New Mexico. At the time the territory was the Spanish colony of Nuevo Mexico. Over the centuries the political landscape changed, with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the Spanish return, Mexican independence in 1821 and ultimately US statehood in 1912.
The rest of today is free for you to explore on your own. We suggest you visit the New Mexico Museum of Art and the IAIA Contemporary Art Museum, both near our hotel.
No meeting this evening.
Sunday, April 4
10am We depart for our private visit to San Ildefonso Pueblo, a community that was established around 1300. It’s a federally recognized tribe renowned for its distinctive black-on-black pottery, perfected by the famous potter Maria Martinez in the early 20th century. Our hosts, Elmer and Deborah Torres, live at the pueblo. They’ll introduce us to the pueblo and its customs and daily life. After a walking tour, they have invited us for an authentic home-cooked meal in the “feastings” tradition of their people.
After lunch, local potters will come to talk about their techniques and exhibit some of their handmade work.
3pm We depart for our ride back to Santa Fe.
5:30pm Wine and conversation at the hotel.
Monday, April 5
9:30am We board our bus for the drive to Taos, where local expert and author Garrett Peck will lead us in the town. We’ll begin at the Mabel Dodge Luhan house; she was a very influential hostess to many of the artists who congregated in Santa Fe and Taos in the ‘30s. Garrett will take us on a walking tour around the historic Taos Plaza.
2:15pm After lunch on our own, we’ll have a brief visit at the Sanctuario de Chimayo on our picturesque drive back to Santa Fe. The small church, a National Historic Landmark, is a site for frequent pilgrimages because of its history as a place of miracles. It has been an active place of worship since 1813.
No meeting this evening.
Tuesday, April 6
9:30am We depart for our private tour of recently opened house and garden of Georgia O’Keeffe in Abiquiu. We’ll see her studio and home exactly as she experienced it when she lived there.
12:30pm We gather for lunch (on your own) at the historic Abiquiu Inn in the ancient Rio Chama valley. You can eat outside on the garden terrace or inside with its kiva fireplaces and local art on the walls.
2:30pm Return to Santa Fe
5:30pm Farewell meeting in the hotel.
Wednesday, April 7
Depart for home or your next adventure.
Price: $7285. (There is never a single supplement to pay with our trips.). Click here to Register.
Here’s what’s included:
- Full stay in the four-star historic La Fonda Hotel
- Complete breakfast from the menu each morning in the hotel
- Transportation to all the places noted in the itinerary
- Admissions for all museums and sites in the itinerary
- Private tours for the group at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Georgia O’Keeffe house and studio, Ghost Ranch O’Keeffe landscape tour, and New Mexico History Museum
- Evening get-togethers in the hotel several nights before dinner
- Restaurant recommendations for enjoying the cuisine of Santa Fe
What’s not included: : lunches and dinners, transport to and from the airport, your flight to Albuquerque or Santa Fe and back home, transport from and to airports, or anything else not listed under “What’s included.”
Please be sure to read all the Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions. If you have more questions, you can contact either of the trip leaders directly:
Sheila Campbell
301-587-4555
Robin Sherman
301-654-3648
Physical Requirements for This Trip
Although this trip is not strenuous, you will be walking quite a bit, and standing for an hour or so in museums. You must be able to climb two or three flights of stairs without difficulty, and walk on a flat surface at least a mile. Most importantly, remember that Santa Fe is the highest city in the US at 7000 feet. You'll want to drink plenty of water, get lots of rest, and go easy on the alcohol while there.
A Few Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who should come on this trip?
This is a perfect trip to take by yourself; you’ll make new friends and will always have people to do things with. Or come with a friend or spouse or partner. The trip is also perfect for any small group that wants to travel together but doesn’t want the hassle of planning it all in advance.
Q. Do I have to pay a single supplement?
No. This trip is priced based on each person having his or her own hotel room.
Q. I’m coming with a spouse or partner, and we want to share a room. Do we both have to pay the full rate?
For people who share a room, we offer a discount of $150 each.
Q. How many people will be on the trip?
The maximum number of people is 18, so you won’t feel like you’re part of a huge group. We’ll have two trip leaders, so you’ll often find yourself in a smaller group.
Q. When is the trip?
The trip begins on Tuesday, March 30 and ends on Wednesday, April 6, 2027.
Q. Can I fly directly to Santa Fe?
Santa Fe has a small airport, with most commercial flights arriving from the west. From other cities, you’d most likely have to change planes. We recommend flying to Albuquerque, the nearest large airport, which is just a bit over an hour’s drive to Santa Fe. We’ll provide you information about how to get to the hotel from the airport.
Q. Can I arrive early or stay on later in the hotel?
Yes. If you would like extra nights in the hotel, we can arrange them for you, so that you wouldn’t have to change rooms once the official trip begins. We’ll need your decision on extra nights by November 1, 2026.
Q. Why do you call this a “trip” and not a “tour”?
We’ve included the things we like best about group travel, including the convenience of having someone plan daily itineraries for you. But there are lots of things we dislike about tours, so here’s how this trip is different:
- You won’t be seated at long tables for big group meals at “We accept bus tours” restaurants.
- You won’t have very early morning calls to leave the hotel.
- You only unpack and pack once – we’re not touring, but staying in one hotel where we can really get to know the area well.
- It’s up to you if you’d like to do everything with the group or go off on your own some days.
Q. Tell me about the trip leaders.
Sheila Campbell of Wild Blue Yonder has been organizing informal groups of travelers for years – often on hiking trips in France, England, Italy and Spain. She’s managed trips for Politics & Prose for fifteen years. She lives in Washington, DC, where she has been a volunteer at the National Gallery of Art for many years. She spends a couple of months a year in Europe, mostly in England, France and Italy.
Robin Sherman has been traveling with Sheila for over 40 years, and has hiked with her in the US, Italy, Portugal and France. Robin notes, “Sheila and I have driven all over the country (we are known for our ‘unplanned detours’ because something looked interesting). We love learning about a place – what’s new, what’s old, where should we eat, what should we see, where can we go next. Planning our trips has been a highlight; a mix of thoughtful detail with room for spontaneous adventure and exploring. Creating a unique travel experience takes time, pre-planning , an open mind and a genuine love of creating a memorable experience for the people who choose to journey with us.”
Q. Why aren’t lunches and dinners included in the price?
Restaurants that accept tour groups are usually the last places we want to eat. And we hate eating at long tables where we haven’t got a choice about what to order. Instead, we’ll find typically local places for lunch, and there are lots of restaurants to sample at dinner. You can choose where you eat, and with whom and how much you want to spend.
Q. Do you require us to buy travel insurance?
We strongly encourage you to buy travel insurance, both for trip cancellation and medical coverage and evacuation. Please read our Terms and Conditions carefully to see our cancellation policy. Also be aware that trip insurance companies are very strict about what they will and won’t reimburse you for, so read their policies closely. You’ll get your best price for trip insurance if you buy it as soon as you pay your deposit.
Q. Is there internet access at the hotel?
Yes, free wifi comes with your room.
Q. What will the weather be like?
It’s hard to tell. Santa Fe is typically quite sunny, but cool in the early mornings in March and April. Of course it could be cool and showery, or warm and dry or warm and wet. Our advice is to come prepared for just about anything. Bring clothes suitable for spring weather, an umbrella, a jacket and – most important of all – very comfortable walking shoes.
Q. What to wear?
You needn’t dress up for this trip. Wear your most comfortable clothes for walking. Just about every place we go will be casual.
Terms and Conditions
Please read this information carefully, as payment of a deposit represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.
Trip Prices
Trip price includes hotel accommodations on a single or double occupancy basis, breakfast at the hotel, daily transportation to locations as outlined in the itinerary, entrance fees to museums and houses with the group as listed in the itinerary, evening social events to plan the next day’s activities, and the services of the trip leaders as outlined in the trip description.
Not included in the trip price are entrance fees to museums and other attractions not expressly included in the itinerary; taxis or other forms of city transportation; airfare and airline baggage fees; lunches and dinners; hotel, restaurant or airport tips; personal expenses such as beverages, laundry or room service; internet wifi except as established in the trip description; airport transfers or any other services not specified in the trip description.
Please note that we cannot guarantee any special requests for hotel rooms.
Registration and Payment
The payment of your deposit confirms your reservation. Deposits may be paid by check made out to Wild Blue Yonder, Inc., or credit card via PayPal. There is a 3% surcharge for PayPal.
Your deposit is refundable for two weeks from the date it is received by Wild Blue Yonder, except for deposits made less than 90 days before a trip departs; those deposits are completely nonrefundable. Two weeks after the receipt of the deposit by Wild Blue Yonder, deposits are not refundable for any reason and will be forfeited if you cancel your trip reservation. Cancellations must be made in writing by either letter to Wild Blue Yonder or email to scampbell@wildblueyonder.biz. Cancellations become effective on the date they are received by Wild Blue Yonder.
Once your reservation deposit has been paid, you will receive a confirmation email and further information to help you plan your trip.
We reserve the right to cancel any reservations that are not paid in full at any time after the final payment is due. If you make your reservation after the final payment due date, payment in full will be required immediately.
Full final payment is due November 1, 2026.
Cancellations and Refunds
For any cancellations made before November 1, 2026, you will forfeit your deposit but will be refunded any other payments you have made. If you must cancel your trip, the effective date of cancellation will be upon our receipt of your notification, which must be made in writing either by email or letter. No refunds are possible after November 1, 2026.
We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance when you pay your deposit for this trip.
Additional Nights
If you would like to arrive early or stay on for longer than the official days of the trip, we will make reservations for you at the hotel. After November 1, you’ll need to reserve directly with the hotel if you’d like extra rooms.
Health and Medical Issues
We welcome all travelers, but you must be in good health to participate in our trips. This trip requires a reasonable amount of walking – up to a mile, possibly uphill or on uneven pavements or very old paved streets and streets without curb cuts. You must be able to climb several flights of stairs and board buses on your own. We regret that we cannot provide individual physical assistance; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you, and you will have to incur the costs of taxis or other special transport you might need.
If you are unable to navigate this amount of walking, you will not be able to participate fully in the trip, and we suggest you choose another type of trip. We cannot provide individual alternatives to the planned group activities. If your fitness level does not allow you to keep up with the group and/or travel on public transportation, you will be responsible for planning your own activities and for any additional costs incurred (for instance, but not limited to, personal taxis, train tickets, and entrance fees).
Trip Insurance
We strongly recommend that you purchase both trip cancellation insurance and traveler’s medical and evacuation insurance for your trip. Should you have to cancel your trip after you have paid in full, we cannot offer refunds other than specified above, because we will have already paid the costs of your trip to our vendors.
Arrival and Departure Dates
It is your responsibility to make sure you arrive on the specified trip start date. We cannot refund part of your trip if you arrive late or leave early, unless you have notified us of your different start or end date by November 1, 2026.
Responsibility
The liability of Wild Blue Yonder and Politics & Prose, individually or jointly (referred to hereafter as Trip Planners), is strictly limited. In no event will the Trip Planners be liable for amounts in excess of the amounts payable to the Trip Planners in accordance with the terms hereunder, nor will Trip Planners be liable for any consequential indirect or incidental damages arising from this agreement. Trip Planners purchase accommodations, transportation and other services from independent suppliers not under our control. We serve only as agents for these suppliers in securing trip arrangements, and therefore will not accept responsibility and liability for wrongful, negligent or arbitrary acts or omissions of these independent contractors, their employees, agents or representatives.
Trip Planners are not liable for injury, damage, death, loss, accident, or delay that may be caused by events not within our control, including but not limited to, without limitation, acts of terrorism, war, strikes, defects of any vehicle, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters or the negligence or default of any third party, nor for personal accidents.
In consideration of, and as part payment for, the right to participate in the trip, the undersigned, on behalf of himself, his dependents, heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, agrees to release Politics & Prose, Wild Blue Yonder and their officers, employees, representatives or agents, and the tour operator and its officers, employees and agents, from liability for personal injury, death, property damage or loss suffered by any person in connection with this tour, even if caused by the negligence (but not the reckless, willful, or fraudulent conduct) of tour staff or other related persons or entities. In addition, by registering for this trip, the applicant certifies that he or she is mentally and physically capable of full participation in this tour. By registering for this trip, the participant agrees to all of the Terms and Conditions herein.
Trip Planners reserve the right to correct errors in advertised prices. We reserve the right to cancel an advertised trip, decline to accept a reservation or remove a person from a trip if it is determined by us to be in the best interests of the health, safety or general well-being of other trip participants. Should you be removed, you will not be entitled to any refund for unused or missed services or costs incurred as a result of termination of your travel arrangements, including, without limitation, return travel, accommodations, meals and incidentals.
We will make every effort to conduct our trip as planned, but we reserve the right to make itinerary and other changes as necessary. If unforeseen circumstances require us to change a hotel, we will make every effort to select alternative accommodations of the same quality. The forgoing terms and conditions and all aspects of the relationship between Trip Planners and you shall be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland.
Recommended Reading
We love to read books about or set in the areas where we’re traveling. Here are some books you might like to read before you go.
Fiction
Death Comes to the Archbishop by Willa Cather, a very readable story about the lives of French priests in the early Santa Fe settlement.
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford. A classic coming-of-age story during WWII in the southwest.
Georgia: A Novel of Georgia O’Keefe by Dawn Tripp. Historical fiction.
Tularosa, by Michael McGarrity. The first in a series of contemporary mysteries set in New Mexico.
Santa Fe Rules by Stuart Woods. One of a series of local mysteries by a prolific writer.
Non-Fiction
The Bright Edges of the World: Willa Cather and Her Archbishop by Garrett Peck. This very readable biography of writer Willa Cather not only introduces us to her travels in the southwest and her writing process, but also a lot of information about Santa Fe and environs as well.
109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos by Jennet Conant. This intriguing story focuses on the early days in Santa Fe as Oppenheimer and other scientists begin establishing the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos.
Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life by Roxana Robinson, the first biography authorized by her family.
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Robert Oppenheimer.
Appetite for America: Fred Harvey and the Business of Civilizing the Wild West—One Meal at a Time by Stephen Fried. A history of Harvey Hotels, of which the La Fonda Hotel was once one.
The House at Otowi Bridge: The Story of Edith Warner and Los Alamos, by Peggy Pond Church. A history of a woman who for many years lived near San Idefonso Pueblo and Los Alamos.
The Myth of Santa Fe: Creating a Modern Regional Tradition by Chris Wilson. How Santa Fe became the tourist attraction it is now.
A History of the Jews in New Mexico by Henry J. Tobias. Jews first arrived in New Mexico to escape a Mexican Inquistion, and many others followed as the railroads arrived.
