Well, that was what I was thinking about for the first three. Maybe not as much for the painting (thinking more O'Keeffe up at Ghost Ranch) or photography (Ansel Adams). Not current artists, but I assume there is interesting work from their modern counterparts.
The Couse Sharp Museum on Kit Carson Rd is excellent; I think you need to get tickets online but not a big deal. The Kit Carson House is another must see; right in town on Kit Carson. If you haven’t read Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides, I highly recommend; he brings an interesting perspective to Kit Carson and his life in Taos.
The Ed Sandoval Gallery features beautiful
paintings depicting life in old northern New Mexico. Ed often will be painting outside in May and is happy to chat during your visit. His wife operates the gallery, which is also on Kit Carson Rd.
For a unique view of the gorge, mesa, and mountains take a flight with Rio Grande Balloons. Flights are early AM and you’ll see wildlife, amazing vistas to the Sangre de Cristos and over to Pedernal at Ghost Ranch annd on a clear day, anll the way to CO. Plus the sunrise!! Pilot Sol Lothe is amazing; he is my boss and I work part time on his crew. So I’ve taken multiple flights and it never gets old. The gorge is amazing from the air. You’ll be back by 11 AM after a champagne toast, so plenty of time left in the day.
The gorge bridge is great, but you can no
longer walk across the bridge. There is the rim trail which is a nice walk leading from the gorge parking lot that has the best view sans the bridge overlook. The earthships are just down the road from the bridge; you can take a paid tour. It’s interesting, but with just 2 or so days in Taos I’d say skip it and just drive by for a gander at the architecture.
The Farmhouse Cafe is fabulous for breakfast or lunch; it’s a farm to table restaurant (behind Overland Ranch in El Prado) and the owner has now introduced local produce into school cafeterias and is getting local high school students involved in growing food. It has a nice outdoor seating area with a great view across pueblo land. The Love Apple is a fabulous farm to table eatery, albeit a bit pricey, but amazing.
Orlando’s is a fun Northern New Mexico place with a nice outdoor area.
Speaking of the pueblo, you must visit Taos Pueblo. It’s one of the oldest continuously occupied structures in the US and is a UNESCO site. It’s a three story adobe dwelling with other adobe dwellings alongside the Rio Pueblo. It’s one of the most beautiful pueblos I’ve seen in New Mexico (I’ve been to six so far). In early May, the pueblo celebrates the Corn Dance, which they open to the public. Seeing a religious ceremony at Taos Pueblo is really special.
South of town is Ranchos de Taos Plaza….very old adobe buildings and the San Francisco de Asis church, one of the most photographed churches in NM. Its adobe walls are HUGE, and every September local residents come to help with the “mudding” of the walls to preserve the adobe, a centuries-old tradition called the
enjarre. There’s a beautiful gallery in the plaza as well and a few other shops plus the Ranchos de Plaza Grill, a wonderful northern New Mexico gem in an old adobe building.
For fun in the ski valley, if The Bavarian is open for lunch, drive up and enjoy the view from the deck. It’s open late spring through early fall but not sure the opening date. Of course you’re free to hike as well.
There’s lots more…I think there’s more to do in Taos in late spring through fall than in winter.
Be aware early May can be the tail end of wind season, which is a real season here in New Mexico. By mid-May things are calmer.
, and I said I would ask the Divas for thoughts.
Happy for recs!
