Easy Fall Weekend Getaways
The desert town of Taos has seen its share of creative types pass through: Ansel Adams, D. H. Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe. They were far from the first people to discover its charms, though. For at least a millennium, Tiwa-speaking American Indians have lived in the multistory Taos Pueblo (tours are free), one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the United States. Spanish farmers followed in the 17th century, while a half-dozen painters showed up around 1900 and established the first Taos artists’ colony. Take in their work at the Taos Art Museum and Fechin House. New Agers, spirulina-smoothie advocates, and second-home owners form the most recent wave. “Misfits from all over the place somehow fit in here,” says river guide Adrienne Reynolds.
The aesthetic is too refined, though, to tolerate scruffiness. Instead, you’ll see elaborate eco-conscious retreats like El Monte Sagrado Living Resort & Spa (doubles from $309), where the 84 guest rooms and suites are detailed with elaborate Moroccan tile work, engraved wood panels, and kiva-style fireplaces. The Taos standard: mixing luxury with a dash of kitsch, as at the outdoor Adobe Bar at the Taos Historic Inn (drinks for two $24). Built in 1936 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it’s marked with a neon sign touting dining, cocktails, and curios. Nora Boxer, a local poet, is partial to the Cowboy Buddha margarita-“cowboy plus Buddha equals Taos,” she says. At Joseph’s Table (dinner for two $100), chef Joseph Wrede serves contemporary Southwestern dishes like hedgehog-mushroom risotto and ruby trout with golden caviar in a cloistered space of dark wood and private alcoves. Diners show up in jeans, of course.
But the outdoor options at Taos are even more enticing than the artsy atmosphere. Blast down Class III rapids on the Rio Grande with Los Rios River Runners (half-day trips $49), or explore the 110 runs at Taos Ski Valley (lift tickets $66; opens Nov. 27). “This town is a pioneer place for building, architecture, and off-the-grid living,” says artist Hillary Kane, whose work is sold at J. Bradford Pottery. “And yet there are tumbleweeds blowing down the street.”
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