Mid trip update:

Aug 13 (Arrive):

• Turquoise Trail from ABQ to SFE - beautiful drive; we didn't stop but Madrid looks like a cool little town with several restaurants and shops. There were a lot of bikers and hippies. Obviously a fun side trip for people who know about it.
• Sandia Peak - beautiful views of ABQ and fun switch back drive although would have been more fun in my car vs the rented Nissan Rogue
• Getting into Santa Fe we took the easy out and had lunch at La Puebla in La Fonda. A little touristy but the food is still really good. Everything else was pretty crowded because we rolled in about 12:30.
• Dinner at Sassella. Fantastic Italian restaurant. It's more rustic Italian than pasta Italian.

Aug 14 (SFE):

• Sun Mountain hike - easy to moderate hike that takes about 1.5 hrs. Good to get the blood pumping and it's basically within Santa Fe and less than 10 min from where we were staying.
• Lunch at La Casa Sena which has a great inner patio and really cool bar. Mediterranean food. Get the fritter appetizer.
• Drove out to Opera site just to look at it. It's apparently opera season here right now and I didn't know that was a thing. All of the cultural elites from all over descend upon Santa Fe and do several days of opera out at the opera house that overlooks the highway.
• Drove through some new, high end neighborhoods around the opera site and pretend house hunted.
• Dinner at Gabriel's which is on highway just past opera. Fun place but really crowded (due to opera goers). Get a reservation for sure. As a former waiter in college, I was pretty amazed at the skill of the dudes there full on sprinting through the patio with trays of drinks and food over their shoulder. And the ground is uneven brick on top of it.

Aug 15 (SFE)

• Did Canyon Road most of the day and found one of those kinetic wind pieces for our new place on the coast we are moving to. We try to have one piece of art from every place we visit and it took our third trip before we could find something that made sense for us. (Can't freaking afford most anything else!)
• Lunch at The Teahouse at end of Canyon Road. Shockingly, they have all kinds of great tea. Turkey sandwich was fantastic.
• Dinner at Sazon. Highlight meal of trip. We've eaten here before but did not remember it being this incredible the first time. We've decided this may be our best dinner ever. It was simply incredible and if you like mezcal and tequila this is your holy grail restaurant.

Aug 16 (Today!Depart to Taos)

• Headed to Los Alamos and at least drive 4 along Valles Caldera. Plan to hit several of the pull outs on 4 and check that out.
• We either have lunch at Smith's in Los Alamos or Rancho De Chimayo depending on time and location when we get hungry
• Will take High Road into Taos
• Dinner at medley

Aug 17 (Taos)

• Breakfast at Gutiz or Michael's Kitchen
• Excursion: Drive up to Taos Ski Valley? Hike? Check out High Bridge over Rio Grande
• Dinner at The Love Apple

Aug 18 (Drive back to ABQ)

• Taking Low Road 68 back to ABQ

For the flight inclined:

AA flies into Roswell
Boutique Air flies into Carlsbad from DFW
Denver Air Connection (Key Lime Air dba) flies into Clovis from DFW

average_joker said:

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For the flight inclined:

AA flies into Roswell
Boutique Air flies into Carlsbad from DFW
Denver Air Connection (Key Lime Air dba) flies into Clovis from DFW

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United also flies IAH to Hobbs in far SE New Mexico which works well if starting with Carlsbad Caverns.

I don't trust those little airports, toi many long delays or cancellations. If you want to visit southern NM use El Paso. If you want to visit northern NM fly to ABQ ( or possibly Santa Fe).

I fly to get from Ruidoso to Houston or Dallas several times a year. I can get to ROW in just over an hour, but I have found that the extra 1-1.5 hrs to get to ABQ or ELP makes more sense. More (and typically cheaper) options and less risk of delays and cancellations.

Have to agree with those who say fly into Texas and drive to New Mexico. Amarillo and Lubbock both are about 100 miles from Clovis. Fly Southwest into either and rent a car. I bet you'll get there quicker and a lot cheaper.

I'd check travel time and total cost before I'd fly into Roswell or Clovis.

Amarillo or Albuquerque if you want northern NM, Lubbock or Midland for Ruidoso, El Paso for southern NM.

Staying in downtown Santa Fe tomorrow. Any recs on dinner? Would like to stay in the area. I've heard SF has incredible chefs.

Casa Sena is our favorite place to go. The patio will be closed now but one of the best patios and food in Santa Fe!

Clafoutis for breakfast day after tomorrow. Have to drive from downtown, but worth it

I just booked a mountain cabin for the week before Christmas in Ruidoso, NM. We're not skiers and I'll have my wife and three daughters with me (18, 14 and 11 years old). What are some fun things to do in Ruidoso over a four day stay?

RightWingConspirator said:

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I just booked a mountain cabin for the week before Christmas in Ruidoso, NM. We're not skiers and I'll have my wife and three daughters with me (18, 14 and 11 years old). What are some fun things to do in Ruidoso over a four day stay?

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Flying J Ranch puts on a good Christmas-themed western music show with dinner
Snow tubing at Ruidoso Winter Park
Outdoor ice skating at Wingfield Park
White Sands NP (~1.5hr drive). May be worth including a stop at the space history museum in Alamogordo on the way (don't do it on the way back, you will be too sandy)
Visit Lincoln and see all of the Billy the Kid stuff
Pillow's Funtrackers for go-carts and mini golf
Lots of hikes around, but you may or may not have to deal with snow on them