Travel & Stay

JSX

If prices and times align, this is absolutely the way to go!

Contour Air

Search via Google Flights with TSM as the destination. Flights between Taos and Denver run on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays only. If prices and times align, this is absolutely the way to go!

Santa Fe (SAF)

The closest commercial airport. United and American fly to SAF regularly via Dallas, Phoenix, and Denver. Fingers crossed that by the wedding, there will also be a flight from Chicago. CHO-ORD-SAF FTW!

Albuquerque (ABQ)

A sweet little airport. For East Coast residents, there is a direct flight on United from Dulles (IAD) to ABQ that operates daily. There's also a JetBlue flight from JFK that runs seasonally. All major car rental companies are available at ABQ — we recommend renting a car here rather than relying on shuttles.

Before you leave the airport, stop into Los Poblanos — one of New Mexico's most beloved farm and lavender estates has a retail shop right in the terminal. Beautiful botanicals, soaps, and locally made goods. A wonderful introduction to New Mexico.

Denver (DEN)

Only a good option if you want to tack on a trip through the Front Range. Marcus and Annie love driving through Buena Vista and Salida to get to Denver — a little longer than going via Colorado Springs, but worth the extra time. Several direct flights daily from Richmond on Southwest, United, and Frontier.

The High Road to Taos

The classic mountain route winds through centuries-old Spanish Colonial villages in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Allow extra time — there's a lot worth stopping for.

Highlights along the way:

• Chimayó — El Santuario de Chimayó is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in North America — a humble adobe that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Deeply moving. Inside the back room, pilgrims collect the tierra bendita — holy dirt said to have healing powers. Some take it home. Some eat it on the spot. You know who you are.
• Rancho de Chimayó — Just up the road from the church, a New Mexico institution serving legendary red chile in a historic hacienda.
• Truchas — A dramatic ridge-top village with sweeping views and working artists' studios. Sugar Nymph Bistro is here for a meal or a slice of pie.
• Las Trampas — One of the best-preserved 18th-century adobe churches in New Mexico.
• Peñasco & Sipapu — Quiet mountain villages before the final descent into Taos.

The Low Road to Taos

The Low Road follows US 84/285 north from Santa Fe, then cuts east on NM 68 along the Rio Grande through the gorge. It's the faster route — and honestly more dramatic, especially on the drive to Taos. The canyon narrows, the river rushes alongside you, and the red cliffs rise several hundred feet on either side.

Before you hit the gorge, you'll pass through Española — stop at El Parasol for the shredded beef tacos with avocado. Always. Pull over at Pilar if rafting is on your agenda — Los Rios River Runners launches from here. There are also wonderful spots to pull off and wade into the river along the way.

As the canyon opens and you climb out toward Taos, the view back over the gorge is unparalleled — the land suddenly drops away behind you and the scale of the whole thing hits at once. The day Annie drove into Taos for the first time, there was a rainbow ending right in the middle of town. An auspicious omen if ever there was one.

If you're taking the Low Road north, consider taking the High Road back south to Santa Fe — you'll see two completely different faces of northern New Mexico.