How to Vacation Like a King in Santa Fe On The Cheap

Photo by Maddy Baker on Unsplash

Santa Fe is probably New Mexico's most beautiful city. Founded in 1607 by the Spanish it's the oldest European founded city in the United States.

The ornate Spanish architecture makes you feel like you're riding in with Conquistadors (whether that's a good thing or not depends on who you ask). The Sangre De Cristos overshadow Santa Fe with craggy majesty, and the high desert scrub land fills the air with the scent of sage.

But Santa Fe is also probably one of the most expensive places to vacation in New Mexico. If you're not careful, you could spend your life savings in one weekend.

So, if you're not rich like all the fur-clad folks walking around in various kinds of fancy boots, how to you take advantage of Santa Fe's riches?

1. Don't Shop Where Everyone Else Does

Because Santa Fe is an old city, it's full of little alleyways and side streets. While the main square downtown is beautiful, it's not where you're going to find the best deals. The vendors in the main square pay top prices for their spots and they aren't going to lower their prices any time soon.

If you're traveling to Santa Fe during the holiday season and you want to buy a local nativity set, there are plenty of little shops that sell top of the line clay art at much cheaper prices than the main stores downtown.

2. Check The Review Sites

Review sites like Yelp, Consumer Search, and Buyer Reviews often include price counts on their reviews.

If you want to get the most out of what you buy in Santa Fe, you should do your research as you shop. Other customers have already been where you've been. They'll tell you whether what they bought was actually worth the price.

Sure, the higher the price, the better the quality....sometimes. Sometimes you can get the same thing the affluent people visiting Santa Fe are buying but at a much lower cost if you do your research.

3. There are Plenty of Free Things To Do

You could pay a lot for entertainment in Santa Fe, and you'll get some quality entertainment. Head over to see a film at the Jean Cocteau Cinema that G.R.R. Martin owns. Or pay the cover fee for any of the bands playing at numerous venues around the city.

But if you're on a budget, there are enough free things to fill your time, why pay money?

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is open to the public most days. You can marvel at the artistry created in 1869. It's the back drop for a dozen films as it's a classic Spanish cathedral from the New Mexico area.

Every Saturday and Tuesday from 8 AM to 1 PM the Santa Fe Farmers Market brings in the best food and produce from the region. And if you want the best green chile in the state, get your butt to this market in the early Fall.

The whole market smells of roasting chili as a dozen or so farmers spin their roasters in the open market air.

It's not that hard to vacation cheaply in Santa Fe. You just have to do your research, check into an airbnb and live the high life.