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Santa Fe Fiesta?

itchyfeet

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We're thinking of going to Santa Fe next September. In doing research I found that there is a Fiesta there that starts the Thursday after Labor Day and continues through the weekend. Has anybody been there during this time? Is it fun? TIA
 

gregloucks

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September is a great time to visit SF - monsoon season is winding down, the temps are nice (maybe high of 75-80, low of 45-50) and the winds usually lay down a bit in the fall. Fiesta is probably worth seeing once if you have never been here, especially if you prefer to visit places at a time when there is a lot of activity. Other events around that time of year that you might also enjoy are Indian Market, which is the largest show of native American art in the world and the biggest draw to SF every year (the weekend before Labor Day) or the Wine and Chile Fiesta which is a week of events revolving around wine and chile (peppers, not Texas style chile) - this is the last week of September which is a beautiful time of year as the aspens have usually started turning. Wine and Chile weekend would be much quieter than the other two choices and likely easier to find a place to stay near town. Before we moved here (from the Golden State), the end of September was always our favorite time to come, but then again we liked SF when it was quieter and had already done the Fiesta and Indian Market events.

I hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about the different events, places to stay, eat, etc.
 

CATBinCO

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I would like to know if the weather in Santa Fe during the week of Thanksgiving is still nice? We would be driving down from Colorado Springs. Are there restaurants around that would serve Thanksgiving dinner? What about kids activities (our daughter is 10, son is 2). We would be staying at the Villas of Santa Fe through an II trade. Thanks!
 

gregloucks

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I would like to know if the weather in Santa Fe during the week of Thanksgiving is still nice? We would be driving down from Colorado Springs. Are there restaurants around that would serve Thanksgiving dinner? What about kids activities (our daughter is 10, son is 2). We would be staying at the Villas of Santa Fe through an II trade. Thanks!


Our weather is similar to what you get in CS, except that your winter is a little longer and slightly colder. Absent some significant variation from average, expect highs in the 40's/50's and lows in the teens/20's, with very little precipitation. Perhaps your biggest weather issue might be to keep an eye on what the weather is like in the Raton Pass, assuming you are coming down I-25.

As for restaurants serving TG dinner, pretty much all of the nicer places do that since there are so many tourists in town that weekend. The Villas of SF is close to the plaza area and the many restaurants located there, so your choices will be many. If you deciede to eat out that day, you might want to look around on your very first day and get a reservation somewhere while they are available. Maybe check out some places online like Coyote Cafe, Pasqual's, Inn of the Anasazi, La Casa Sena, Ristra, Santacafe, The Olde House at the Eldorado - they are all nice and close to your unit (maybe others will add to or subtract from this list based upon actual experience on TG day). Or for more casual places, look at Santa Fe Bar & Grill - walking distance and Zia Diner. Or you could always just order the complete meal from Albertson's, which is less than a block from where you are staying.

As for kids activities - that is a tough one. Unfortunatley, SF isn't a great kid destination. There is a Children's Museum on Old Pecos Trail (5 min drive). You could go visit the Anasazi cave dwellings at Bandelier National Monument (40 min drive). You could drive up to Taos and see the pueblo and the Rio Grande Gorge (75 min drive). Actually, you could go home through Taos without adding a ton of time to the drive. You could go down to Albuquerque and ride the tram up Sandia mountain. Or go to the Audobon Center at the top of Uppper Canyon Road (5 min drive). They have some great stuff for kids. Plus there are many easy hikes in the foothills around town - look up the Dale Balle trail system.

I hope that helps a little. Enjoy your trip!
 

Luanne

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I would like to know if the weather in Santa Fe during the week of Thanksgiving is still nice? We would be driving down from Colorado Springs. Are there restaurants around that would serve Thanksgiving dinner? What about kids activities (our daughter is 10, son is 2). We would be staying at the Villas of Santa Fe through an II trade. Thanks!

We were in Santa Fe last year over Thanksgiving and will be again this year. Last year it was cold and we had some snow. I don't know about the restauarants as we were visiting family and had dinner at their house. One of the things we all enjoyed was visiting Bandelier National Monument.

http://www.nps.gov/band/
 

madra dubh

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We're thinking of going to Santa Fe next September. In doing research I found that there is a Fiesta there that starts the Thursday after Labor Day and continues through the weekend. Has anybody been there during this time? Is it fun? TIA

We were in Santa Fe two weeks ago and went to the Burning of Zozobra (Burning of Old Man Gloom) in Fort Marcy Park. This year the burning was on the Thursday after Labor Day. We drove up from Albuquerque on the advice of some locals. It was very crowded in the park -everyone from adults to infants. The crowd was very well mannered and well controlled. This is definitely a unique event - not something you are likely to see in the northeast.
 

skiHauz

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We were there at the burning of Zozobra too. All the locals we met called us crazy for going. As mentioned, the park was packed and it was a bit nuts getting out - a huge mass of people funneling out through some narrow gates. It was a truly wild and unique experience. When you go - best to find a spot near the front or edge of the park away from the gates - and sit tight for a while at the end. We got caught in the mass of people leaving and it could have gotten real bad really quick. But as noted people were actually very well mannered. Overall a real cool experience and something you don't see every day (or maybe ever). Just be prepared for LOTS of people.

We were staying at the Villas de Santa Fe which was perfect as it is very close to the park where the burning is held.
 
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