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Have we decided to move to Santa Fe permanently? Find out on this episode of Leons’ Great Escape!

When Candice and I arrived in Santa Fe we were pooped and didn’t know much about our surroundings. Not exactly in the right headspace do the town justice. We had 2 choices: 1) we could hide in the RV or 2) we could hustle and figure out how to make the most of our time here. You’ll be happy to hear that we went with the hustle option. We were lucky to get a few tips from friends and family and then we spent a fair amount of time researching on YouTube, Yelp and Pinterest. It worked out and I’d like to share with you some of what transpired. Here we go!

At first blush, you that are from the San Fernando Valley in California might confuse Santa Fe for the hills of Chatsworth or the downtrodden areas in Canoga Park or Van Nuys. That was the case on the outskirts where we were staying at a place called Los Suenos De Santa Fe RV Resort and Campground. They honor Good Sam’s Club Membership so our per night fee was: $42.50. The grounds were okay and only that.

But, Santa Fe is a subtle place. It sneaks up on you and the next thing you know you’re catapulted into a rich history and inclusive people. Inclusive is a word that they want associated with their town. I saw it written on a city sign somewhere. It’s one of the defining credos of the famous Meow Wolf art installation that adds emphasis and swagger to this art town.

We start off this destination like we do in most places and that’s in a brewery. There are multiple here to choose from. Chili Line Brewing is a one barrel system in Downtown Santa Fe less than a block from the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

They’re all about smoked beer so if that’s not your thing, then steer clear. We enjoyed the novelty for a glass or two but then got palate fatigue and moved on. For crushable beer that will keep you coming back, go to the Second Street Brewery near the Santa Fe Railyard and you won’t be disappointed. The 2920 IPA was my go-to and you can take them away in six pack cans, that’s a pro tip.

Santa Fe isn’t all about beer. Our thirst for a sweat dowsed us to seek out The Cross of the Martyrs which is a quick hike with plenty of placards to read to remind you how old this town actually is and how many times it’s changed hands.

Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in North America and the oldest European community west of the Mississippi. While Santa Fe was inhabited on a very small scale in 1607, it was truly settled by the conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta in 1609.

Then came The Mexican Period from 1821-1846 that’s when Mexico gained its independence from Spain. Santa Fe became the capital of the province of New Mexico. That all changed on August 18, 1846, in the early period of the Mexican American War, an American army general, Stephen Watts Kearny, took Santa Fe and raised the American flag over the Plaza. Two years later, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ceding New Mexico and California to the United States.

Placards, many, many placards.

Santa Fe is the state capital of New Mexico. 

Elevation: 7,200
Population: 80,000+

Dig into Santa Fe, I implore you and you’ll find something rich. We found Kawaka Chocolate House and the trip might be worth it for this alone. These chocolatey concoctions will make you wish you never tried them. They’re that good. Just turn back now. You’ll fiend for them. I’m fiending at this very moment. 

We kept digging and we found The Pantry. Okay, okay, thousands of people have found this place but it’s for a good reason. The green chili here isn’t to be missed. 

We kept going and found Harry’s Roadhouse which is off the beaten path and is filled with locals that want a good stiff drink and some down home food. We were satiated and I bet you would as well. 

I would be remiss if I didn't call out The Good Stuff. Ken’s place is as quaint as they come but he named it properly. If you like records, t-shirts (Candice is wearing one of their shirts now), and coffee then he is your man. He’s your man if you don’t like any of those things. He’s just a cool dude. His shop is a page out of High Fidelity. Maybe that’s what he was going for, I don’t know. 

George R. R. Martin, of the Game of Thrones Franchise Fame,  decide to buy a theater here called Jean Cocteau Cinema. I’ll save you the trip. It was cute but that’s about it. They do have an excellent line up of movies playing but our toddler was not agreeable to any of them. 

The Railyard is where the town comes together for things like farmer’s markets, drum circles, and live music and… well, trains. Don’t walk on the tracks or they’ll yell at you, ask me how I know. This is also where you will find the Second Street Brewery I mentioned earlier.

So when is he going to talk about the elephant in the room? Holy Crap you guys… Meow Wolf is AWESOME. I’m not talking about funnel cake that isn’t stale awesome. I’m talking new sneaker and car smell combined with a perfectly landed double gainer backflip awesome. As the saying goes, the dude abides. Also, you should watch The Big Lebowski… zip to do with Meow Wolf but such a great movie.  

You’ll need at least 2 hours to take in the Meow Wolf experience. The current installation is called the House of Eternal Return and there were drugs involved in making it to be sure. This thing is trippy man… very trippy. It’s meta and there are puzzles and a plot line for those that want to dive in. It’s a good idea to purchase your tickets ahead of time and I’d recommend seeing it during the week if you have kids. We went with the 10am time slot on a Monday which is the earliest that they offer and they don’t limit how long you have access. If you’re froggy, you can come back later to take in the night life, just keep the wristband on that they provide. Protip: They don’t have much in the way of food there, just light snacks, so pack a lunch or plan on being hungry. They had some decent beers on tap at their bar but don’t pour them until 4pm. The locals all said that the best music in Santa Fe plays at Meow Wolf so maybe we’ll come back when Pepper is ready to rock. We’ll give it a few years. 

At the time of this writing, there are 2 more Meow locations under construction. Look for Meow Wolf Las Vegas sometime in 2019 and Denver in 2020.  

Could we live here? The heat is a bit much. The people do make up for it. Meow Wolf is epic. BUT, no. Santa Fe is a visit spot for the Leon crew and they’re probably glad that we’ve straddled the fence. They don’t need the likes of me trashing up the joint. Our next journey will have us traveling to San Antonio, Texas. In order to get there we’ll visit: Roswell, NM, Carlsbad Caverns, Marfa, and Junction TX. That’s a bunch of stuff… let’s see if we can fit them all into a compound show… we’ll see and we’ll see you. Until next time!