This past Christmas we did something completely different. Both sides of our family love to travel and we had been wanting to plan a trip together. The only problem is with 3 beloved dogs in the family we didn’t want to leave them behind. So, we started to seek out dog friendly drivable destinations. And what we finally decided on was Santa Fe… and it was perfect!
I’ve never been somewhere so dog friendly. Even the coffee shops welcomed our four legged friends. You probably saw my pictures on Instagram and in these posts (here and here) today I’m going to share an overview of our trip including where we stayed, ate, and entertained.
(Ps. This pink sweater comes in NINE colors and is only $59! And this cute sweatshirt is perfect for winter hibernating.)
You might remember me sharing our walk down Canyon Road. It’s a street that’s filled with over 100 galleries, restaurants, and shops. It’s a great area you must check out and I recommend sitting outside at Les Artistes for a glass of wine.
Coffee Shops
One of the first things my husband and I do when we arrive in a new place is find the nearest (and best) coffee shop. We ended up finding two that we just loved! The first one was in a book store — Collected Works has the coziest fireplace, delicious coffee, and amazing baristas. We so enjoyed chatting with everyone and the pastries were pretty tasty too.
The second place is 35° N. located on the second story of a shopping center, just off the Plaza. You wouldn’t notice it unless someone told you about it. But I’m glad we discovered it because I had the most interesting breakfast ever… an oatmeal latte. Basically, they put oatmeal with crunchy brown sugar and nuts in a cup and pour a latte over the top. It’s crazy good and caffeinated. I keep wanting to make one at home (I’ll let you know when I do.) And like I said, dogs are totally welcome at both!
(Outfit details here.)
Dog friendly Hotel in Santa Fe
At first our plan was to rent a large home that could house all of us (8 people + 3 dogs) but that task turned out to be impossible. Most homes we found DID NOT allow animals. Next, we researched hotels. We wanted one that was located in downtown Santa Fe so we could easily walk to the square and galleries. What we came up with was the Inn & Spa at Loretto. (It’s next to the famous Loretto Chapel.) It welcomed dogs and even had rooms with small patios where they could go to the bathroom. Since this was our first trip traveling with our dogs we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our family… and us! The hotel is very accommodating and loves people and pets. Their bar/lounge which is called the “Living Room” was our family (and yes include dogs too) hangout.
Growing up skiing I couldn’t believe how long it had been since I last skied. I was so nervous that I wouldn’t remember how! But after that first run down the mountain it all came back and I forgot how much I loved it. Two other people who was nervous was my husband and brother-in-law. For my husband, it was his FIRST-TIME skiing and my BIL’s second. But they both did really well and (I think) are looking forward to many more trips in the future!
Restaurants in Santa Fe
This topic is a tricky one. While there are a ton of amazing restaurants, getting in a party of 8 on and around Christmas proved difficult. (And basically impossible.) The top restaurants you all told me to check out were Geronimo, and Cafe Pasqual’s but we couldn’t get into them. We settled on Trattoria a Mano, El Farol, and Andiamo. It turned into an impromptu Italian Christmas! Make sure to check out El Farol for their live music nights, especially when they have flamenco performances and we really like Andiamo too.
Other places I want to check out when we go next time…
xo