When you are a travel blogger, all you need to do is visit different cities and write about them. And I travel for a living; it sounds exciting but not so much. You have to make sure that you portray a location in a certain way and not just any random way. I have traveled to about 18 cities from across the world with my girlfriend. But this visit to Santé Fe, New Mexico, was exceptional. It is her hometown, and we were here to meet her parents. After being together for five years, we wanted to take it a notch higher. With all the nervousness and clumsiness that follows with it, we headed out and boarded our flight.
The flight journey was about 9-10 hours. It made me agitated, though I have experience of long trips, this time was different. I have spoken to my girlfriend's parents on call and video call earlier but never met in person. It was making me sweat like a pig. But I gathered my confidence somehow and met them. They came to receive us at the airport, Santé Fe Regional Airport (SAF). All international and domestic flights operate from here, and it serves the entire vicinity and nearby cities and towns.
They drove us home. It was about a 30 minute's drive, and on our way, we stopped to have coffee at Counter Culture. The coffee and ambiance were cordially and cheerful. I could relax a bit after the coffee. Her parents were very patient and kind to accept such a clumsy and sweaty person like me for their daughter or even let me in their care or their home. But they were welcoming and warm. My visit was already half successful in the drive from the airport, and the coffee just made my day. The road was so beautiful, and I could see high rocky mountains and trees and flowers blooming.
As a travel blogger, I have to give my readers details to visit this place and experience the true beauty or avoid the mistakes I have made. We stayed here in October, and September to November is said to be the best time to visit Santé Fe. Santé Fe is the capital of New Mexico, and so during tourist season, it is jam with people from across the world. People of various languages come here for a vacation.
The hotels or any other accommodations are pretty moderately priced. It is an expensive city, but not so heavy on your wallet if you know how to choose your accommodations and food. Don't go to a fancy restaurant or hotel. A mid-range hotel or restaurant is also excellent. They provide excellent services and delicious food. My girlfriend loves to eat, so she took me to a few places, and they serve some of the unique cuisines.
We also visited some of the local sightseeing places. These places are pretty and unique-
- The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis De Assisi.
- Bandelier National Monument.
- New Mexico Museum of Art.
- Meow Wolf.
- Sante Fe Opera House.
We also planned a family picnic at Sante Fe Plaza on a Sunday. And it seemed like half of the people of the city were there. It is like a garden, only so much better as it hosts many concerts or cultural programs. We were in luck as a show was on display, we enjoyed it thoroughly. On our last day, we went out on a drive on Canyon Road and heard so much about it, so my girlfriend mainly decided to take me there just before we leave.
I had a journey with lots of highs and some lows with the nervousness of meeting her parents for the first time and leaving an impression. I guess I did a good job, and they finally said yes to our marriage. I loved the place and her folks. I was upset that I couldn't explore more but very satisfied with whatever I could make time for. We were here only for a week, but it's best to give at least two weeks. So I have decided to come here after our marriage and stay for a month and explore the city from corner to corner—a happy and successful end to our short visit to Santé Fe, New Mexico. And, whenever, I will come back again here, I will definitely book my flights through American Airlines Reservations like I did this time. They literally heard everything so patiently and arranged everything I needed. I would recommend you to try the same once.