# Toas, NM- What to do for a week?



## Cheapseater (Dec 27, 2014)

My wife wants to visit Toas for the artist aspect in her. My question is there enough to do in and around the Toas area to justify a week in the area? We are considering a June 2015 visit. 
While my wife is really interested in the art scene, I am looking for other options, although I do enjoy western art aka Charles Russell, etc,
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.


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## Deb from NC (Dec 27, 2014)

We loved Taos...there are  5 or 6 nice museums that you can do...you can buy 1 ticket that gets you into all.  There's also the Taos Pueblo.  We did day trips to Los Alamos, Bandalier National Monument and Santa Fe. The Wyndham there is very nice.  Much to do in the area, but you will need a car for sure.  We look forward to going back someday!


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## Luanne (Dec 27, 2014)

We live in Santa Fe and found that 2 to 3 nights in Taos was plenty for us.

In addition to what has already been mentioned in the area, go out to Earthship, which is beyond the Rio Grande Gorge.  Fascinating.

http://earthship.com/visit-us


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## DaveNV (Dec 27, 2014)

We spent a week in Santa Fe, and found a day trip to Taos was all we needed.  The rude treatment we received at the Taos Pueblo was so outrageous, we ended up leaving town shortly thereafter.  I've traveled all over the world, and have never encountered such rude people as those @$$holes working at that place. I will never go back.

Dave


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## Luanne (Dec 27, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> We spent a week in Santa Fe, and found a day trip to Taos was all we needed.  The rude treatment we received at the Taos Pueblo was so outrageous, we ended up leaving town shortly thereafter.  I've traveled all over the world, and have never encountered such rude people as those @$$holes working at that place. I will never go back.
> 
> Dave



Dave, I'm sorry you experienced that kind of treatment.  That was not our experience at all when we visited the Taos pueblo.


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## DaveNV (Dec 27, 2014)

Luanne said:


> Dave, I'm sorry you experienced that kind of treatment.  That was not our experience at all when we visited the Taos pueblo.



I was truly shocked, and the rudeness was from more than one person at Taos Pueblo. It was so completely unexpected, and it was so totally different than everyone had been so far that week, it completely soured us on the whole town. We stopped at the St. Francis church to take some pictures, then we headed back to Santa Fe.  After we got back to Las Brisas, I did a bit of online checking, and found that apparently this extreme rudeness toward visitors is very common at the Taos Pueblo. Definitely not the way to treat people whose money you're trying to get.  Luckily, there was plenty of other things happening that week, so Taos became just a sore spot in an otherwise fantastic vacation.  

Cheapseater, I'd recommend you consider staying in Santa Fe, and drive up to Taos if/when you want. There are lots of great galleries, museums, and amazing architecture in Santa Fe to occupy your time.  The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is just one that should be seen. http://www.okeeffemuseum.org

Dave


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## Laurie (Dec 27, 2014)

We also had a wonderful experience at Taos Pueblo - very informative tour guide, a young woman using her earnings for her college tuition - in fact, for me it was one of the highlights of our week in Santa Fe. Everyone else there treated us courteously as well.  

Another highlight was a tour at Ghost Ranch (outside Abiquiu) to several of the sites Georgia O'Keeffe painted. Very informative also, in addition to the gorgeous scenery.


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## DaveNV (Dec 27, 2014)

Laurie said:


> We also had a wonderful experience at Taos Pueblo - very informative tour guide, a young woman using her earnings for her college tuition - in fact, for me it was one of the highlights of our week in Santa Fe. Everyone else there treated us courteously as well.




I'd like to think this was an isolated case, but apparently it wasn't.  I just know it'll be a cold day in a very warm place before I go there again. I'd likely go back to Taos, just not to the Taos Pueblo.  Having someone yelling and running across the parking lot, gesturing and screaming "Move your f---ing car!!!" was not a great way to start my visit.  Turned out it wasn't even my car he was talking about. The conversation went way downhill from there.

Anyway, I've made my point. 'Nuff said.

Dave


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## Deb from NC (Dec 28, 2014)

We also had a good experience at the Taos Pueblo, but I was a little irritated at having to pay to be able to take photos!  ( that was the first time I had run into that, and of course I could have left my camera behind, but I wanted pictures! )
I really enjoyed Taos, but we used it as sort of a " home base " to explore the area.  ( Santa Fe was actually our first choice, but we couldn't get a trade for the week we wanted ). We would happily go back to either Santa Fe or Taos.


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## Luanne (Dec 28, 2014)

Deb from NC said:


> We also had a good experience at the Taos Pueblo, but I was a little irritated at having to pay to be able to take photos!  ( that was the first time I had run into that, and of course I could have left my camera behind, but I wanted pictures! )



We need to remember the pueblos aren't there just for our entertainment and viewing pleasure. 

From the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website.  

Pueblo etiquette:

•Most Pueblos require a permit to photograph, sketch or paint on location. Some Pueblos prohibit photography at all times. Please check with the Tribal Office for the permitting process before entering the Pueblo. Once a permit is obtained, always ask for permission before taking a photograph of a tribal member. REMEMBER: cameras and film can be confiscated.

Link to the website:

http://www.indianpueblo.org/19pueblos/etiquette.html


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## Rent_Share (Dec 28, 2014)

Tribal Sovereignty​


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## dwojo (Dec 29, 2014)

You could take a day trip to Santa Fe. The scenic highway is a nice drive with several stops along the way worth making. There are a few Native American casinos near Santa Fe if you enjoy gambling as well as a winery that offers tastings.


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## tugnut (Jan 7, 2015)

Ojo Caliente Hot springs Spa. Couple miles west of Taos. Rio Grande Gorge, just north of Taos.


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## Luanne (Jan 7, 2015)

tugnut said:


> Ojo Caliente Hot springs Spa. Couple miles west of Taos. Rio Grande Gorge, just north of Taos.



We are going here for the first time later this month.  I can hardly wait!


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## lizap (Jan 7, 2015)

We visited this part of the country one time.  Honestly it just didn't do that much for us.  Pueblo was the highlight of the trip.  Maybe we just didn't know other places to go. Probably our fault....


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## Luanne (Jan 7, 2015)

lizap said:


> We visited this part of the country one time.  Honestly it just didn't do that much for us.  Pueblo was the highlight of the trip.  Maybe we just didn't know other places to go. Probably our fault....



By this part of the country do you mean Taos, New Mexico or the entire southwest? 

We moved to Santa Fe two years ago and still haven't done everything in this area.


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## lizap (Jan 7, 2015)

We stayed in Taos.




Luanne said:


> By this part of the country do you mean Taos, New Mexico or the entire southwest?
> 
> We moved to Santa Fe two years ago and still haven't done everything in this area.


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## Luanne (Jan 7, 2015)

lizap said:


> We stayed in Taos.



I agree that we didn't find all that much to do in Taos itself for more than a couple of days.  But there is so much more outside of Taos.


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## CalifasGirl (Jan 7, 2015)

http://beyondtaos.com/

Here is a link of things to do in the Taos area.

I'm surprised that you got that sort of treatment at Taos Pueblo, Dave. I have found that there are so many friendly people there in Taos. However, I did witness an incident--very isolated--of a young Native American man screaming profanities at an elderly Native American woman elsewhere in NM. I have never seen this again, which could completely change the way I see New Mexico if that happened more than once.

People have very bad days. It's very possible that you caught him on a very, very bad day, and he took it out on you because you just happened to be there. (It doesn't make it right, but it happens.)


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## northwoodsgal (Jan 10, 2015)

We stayed a week last fall in Santa Fe but used 2 days of it in the Taos area.  One day we visited the Kit Carson museum, Pueblos, bridge and drove by the earth homes.  The second day we drove the mountain circle.  Taos isn't a very big city but I think you could stretch a week if you wanted to.  There are several museums that we didn't go to and you would likely spend a few days in Santa Fe.  BUT, if your wife likes the art scene I believe she would enjoy Santa Fe much more.


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