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Taos Attractions
With a history shaped by pre-Columbian civilization, Spanish colonialism, and the Wild West; outdoor activities that range from ballooning to world-class skiing; and a clustering of artists, writers, and musicians, Taos has something to offer almost everybody. Its pueblo is the most accessible in New Mexico, and its museums represent a world-class display of regional history and culture.
A Tip for Museumgoers
If you'd like to visit five museums that comprise the Museum Association of Taos -- Blumenschein Home, Martinez Hacienda, Harwood Museum, Millicent Rogers Museum, and Taos Art Museum -- you'll save money by purchasing a combination ticket for $25. The ticket allows one-time entry to each museum during a 1-year period and is fully transferable. You may purchase the pass at any of the five museums. For more information, call tel. 575/758-0505.
Art Classes
If you'd like to pursue an artistic adventure of your own in Taos, check out the week-long classes in such media as painting, Native American pottery making, and weaving offered by Taos Art School (tel. 575/758-0350; www.taosartschool.org). This organization is especially known for its weaving and horseback-riding creative "odyssey." Open since 1989, the school is a virtual campus in which classes go where they need to be. For instance, a painting class on Georgia O'Keeffe is held in Abiquiu, a Pueblo pottery class at Taos Pueblo, and a class on churches in New Mexico is held at five different churches in the region. The fees vary from class to class and usually don't include the cost of materials.
13 Results
- Historic Site
D. H. Lawrence Ranch
A trip to this ranch north of Taos leads you into odd realms of devotion for the controversial early-20th-century author who lived and wrote in the area in the early '20s. A short uphill walk from the ranch home (not open to visitors), is the D. H. Lawrence Memorial, a shedlike… - The Performing Arts
Fort Burgwin
This historic site (of the 1,000-year-old Pot Creek Pueblo), located about 10 miles south of Taos, is a summer campus of Dallas's Southern Methodist University. From mid-May through mid-August, the SMU-in-Taos curriculum (including studio arts, humanities, and sciences) includes… - Museum
Hacienda de Los Martinez
If you ever want to get a taste of life on the Southwestern frontier in the early 19th century, this adobe complex is one of the best places in New Mexico to start. It was built along the Rio Pueblo between 1804 and 1827 by a farmer and trader, and served as the…$Around Town
- Museum
Harwood Museum of Art of the University of New Mexico
Sometimes smaller is better, like at this museum next to the former home of Taos painter Burt Harwood. The high-ceilinged building is chock-full of works by artists from Northern New Mexico and Latin America (Larry Bell, Ernest Blumenschein), but it's not so much that it's…$$Around Town - Museum
Kit Carson Home and Museum
Taos' most famous frontiersman bought this adobe home near the plaza as a wedding gift for his blushing bride Josefa Jaramillo in 1843. They lived here until 1868, when they both died a month apart. Today, three rooms have been restored and furnished as they were when…$Around Town - Park/Garden
Kit Carson Park and Cemetery
Major community events are held in the park in summer. The cemetery, established in 1847, contains the graves of Carson, his wife, Governor Charles Bent, the Don Antonio Martinez family, Mabel Dodge Luhan, and many other noted historical figures and artists. Their lives are described… - Museum
Millicent Rogers Museum of Northern New Mexico
Thank Millicent Rogers, the late Standard Oil heiress, for popularizing the turquoise and silver Native American jewelry that has become such a Southwestern fashion standard. You can also thank her for this collection of 7,000 pieces of Hispanic, Native American, and Anglo artworks…$$Around Town - The Performing Arts
Music from Angel Fire
This acclaimed program of chamber music begins in mid-August, with weekend concerts, and continues up to Labor Day. Based in the small resort community of Angel Fire (located about 21 miles east of Taos, off US 64), it also presents numerous concerts in Taos, Las Vegas, and Raton. - Landmark
Rio Grande Gorge Bridge
This impressive bridge, west of the Taos airport, spans the Southwest's greatest river. At 650 feet above the canyon floor, it's one of America's highest bridges. If you can withstand the vertigo, it's interesting to come more than once, at different times of day, to observe how the… - Religious Site
San Francisco de Asis Mission Church
If this squat adobe edifice about four miles south of Taos looks familiar, it's because this Spanish Colonial church has inspired artists since it was built in 1816. Almost elemental in its strength and simplicity, the building's design is a classic mix of Spanish…$Ranchos de Taos - Museum
Taos Art Museum at Fechin House
A rotating collection of 600 or so paintings, drawings, and prints made by the Taos Society of Artists fills the former home of Russian émigré artist Nicolai Fechin. The institution's 1920s white adobe building is decked out like a Russian country home inside, with elaborate carved…$$Around Town - Neighborhood
Taos Pueblo
It's amazing that in our frenetic world more than 100 Taos Pueblo residents still live much as their ancestors did 1,000 years ago. When you enter the pueblo, you'll see two large buildings, both with rooms piled on top of each other, forming structures that echo the shape of Taos… - The Performing Arts
Taos School of Music
Founded in 1963, this music summer school located at the Hotel St. Bernard in Taos Ski Valley offers excellent concerts by notable artists. From mid-June to mid-August there is an intensive 8-week study and performance program for advanced students of violin, viola, cello, and piano.…
Taos Shopping
Given the town's historical associations with the arts, it isn't surprising that many visitors come to Taos to buy fine art. Some 50-odd galleries are within walking distance of the plaza, and a couple dozen more are just a short drive from downtown. Galleries and shops are generally open 7 days a week during summer and closed Sundays during winter. Hours vary but generally run from 10am to 5 or 6pm. Some artists show their work by appointment only.
The best-known artist in modern Taos is the late R. C. Gorman, a Navajo from Arizona who made his home in Taos for more than 2 decades. He was internationally acclaimed for his bright, somewhat surrealistic depictions of Navajo women. His Navajo Gallery, at 210 Ledoux St. (tel. 575/758-3250; www.rcgormangallery.com), is a showcase for his widely varied work: acrylics, lithographs, silk screens, bronzes, tapestries, hand-cast ceramic vases, etched glass, and more.
My favorite new spot to shop is the village of Arroyo Seco on NM 150, about 5 miles north of Taos en route to Taos Ski Valley. Not only is there a lovely 1834 church, La Santísima Trinidad, but there are also a few cute little shops lining the winding lane through town. My favorites are the Taos Sunflower (tel. 575/776-5644; www.taossunflower.com), selling specialty yarns and fibers, and Arroyo Seco Mercantile (tel. 575/776-8806) at 488 NM 150, which is full of cowboy hats, antiques, and country home items.
Taos Nightlife
For a small town, Taos has its share of top entertainment. The resort atmosphere and the arts community attract performers, and the city enjoys annual programs in music and literary arts. State troupes, such as the New Mexico Repertory Theater and New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, make regular visits.
Many events are scheduled by the Taos Center for the Arts (TCA), 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte (tel. 575/758-2052; www.taoscenterforthearts.org), at the Taos Community Auditorium. The TCA imports local, regional, and national performers in theater, dance, and concerts (Robert Mirabal, among others, has performed here). Also, look for a weekly film series offered year-round.
You can obtain information on current events in the Taos News, published every Thursday. The Taos County Chamber of Commerce (tel. 800/732-TAOS [8267] or 575/758-3873; www.taoschamber.com) publishes semiannual listings of Taos County Events, as well as the annual Taos Country Vacation Guide that also lists events and happenings around town.
The Major Concert & Performance Halls
Taos Convention Center, 121 Civic Plaza Dr. (tel. 575/758-5792). This convention space has an exhibit center where presentations, lectures, and concerts are held.
Taos Community Auditorium, Kit Carson Memorial State Park (tel. 575/758-4677). A comfortable, small-town space, this community auditorium makes a nice venue for films, concerts, and lectures.
7 Results
- Bars & Pubs
Adobe Bar
Nightly live music and some of the best margaritas in Taos draw folks to the small bar at the Taos Inn. The patio is a great spot to people-watch; if you're going to bump into someone you know in town, it'll be here. If you can get a waiter's attention, grab a "Cowboy Buddha"…$$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
Alley Cantina
Not many bars have a history that goes back 400 years, but this one—or parts of it, at least—was actually built by Pueblo Indians in the 16th century. The Alley Cantina went through various incarnations over the centuries before ending up as a primo spot to grab a…$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
Anaconda Bar
The lounge at El Monte Sagrado is hard to miss, what with the giant metallic snake sculpture slithering up the wall and the 11,000-gallon saltwater aquarium behind the bar. It's a chic spot compared to most in town, with occasional live music and celebrity sightings. If you get the…$$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
El Camino Cantina
Creative cocktails and undeniably Northern New Mexico décor distinguish this nightlife spot on the main drag. Lowriders—customized cars lowered to ground-scraping levels, and the culture that surrounds them—are the theme at El Camino, reflected in the old gas pumps…$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
Eske's Brewpub
A place packed with locals is always a good sign, and this snug spot near the plaza is a prime example. Set in a 100-year-old adobe home, Eske's has a dozen beers on tap, a pleasant outdoor patio, and a short but respectable menu (try the lamb stew washed down with a…$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
KTAOS Solar Restaurant & Bar
Look for the solar panels at the start of the road to Taos Ski Valley to find this family-friendly bar, which is flanked by two operating radio stations. Watch the DJs at work and, if it's nice out, send the kids to play on the grassy knoll…$Around Town - Bars & Pubs
Taos Mesa Brewing
That hangar-like building near the tiny airport north of Taos isn't for planes: It's actually a microbrewery, restaurant, and live-music venue with both indoor and outdoor stages. The building itself was inspired by the eco-friendly construction techniques used in the off-the-grid…$El Prado
