For newsy Santa Fe tidbits and unique travel ideas, I’ve been following @santafetraveler on twitter.
Now, the husband-wife team behind the tweets, Santa Fe travel concierge and trip planning providers, Billie Frank and Steve Collins, have launched a new travel blog, SANTA FE TRAVELERS, highlighting things to see and do in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico.
The blog will feature the inside scoop on local attractions, day trips, history, art, culture, music. local personalizes, food and news about the hospitality and tourism industries in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico.
To learn more, visit www.santafetravelers.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Every once in a while a travel hunch pays off. Such was the case during a recent stay at the Santa Fe Sage Inn. I’ve had the Inn on my travel steals and deals radar for awhile. To keep abreast of their latest news on special savings and vacation packages, I subscribed to their newsletter and followed them on facebook and twitter, but up until now, I hadn’t had a reason to book a visit.
I love a good deal as much any traveler on a budget. And finding one in trendy Santa Fe, especially in the heart of the summer high season, can take some sleuthing.
The Sage Inn promised affordable downtown lodging with a slew of tempting freebies - complimentary continental breakfast, free wireless high speed Internet, comfortable renovated rooms, free parking, and free Plaza shuttle. So when my husband’s college-aged granddaughter came to visit and wanted to spend a few days in Santa Fe before heading back to our place in the southern mountains of New Mexico, the Sage Inn sounded like just the ticket.
And it was. It was also clean, convenient, and super friendly. Imagine that.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
The Town of Taos is not only a great destination for art, outdoor recreation and culture, it’s also one of the most pet-friendly towns in the Southwest. The famed artsy enclave boasts at least 20 lodging facilities and a number of restaurants with outdoor patios that are Fido-friendly.
“Travelers come to Taos to relax, but worrying about leaving their four-legged companions behind can be stressful, especially since many of us consider our pets as part of the family,” said San Geronimo Lodge owner, Charles Montgomery, whose Taos bed and breakfast (B&B) permits dogs. “We love dogs, as we have two of our own, and understand the importance of sharing a great experience like Taos with a canine companion.”
Prior to booking a hotel or B&B, travelers should first contact the hotel or B&B to understand what the individual policies are when staying with a pet. Depending on the facility, some hotels may require the owner to be secured in a crate when left alone in the hotel room. Dogs need only have the appropriate vaccinations for rabies, DHLPP/Parvo and Bordetella. For cats, leukemia shots must also be current.
Pet-friendly Taos hotels and B&B’s include, but are not limited to:
Adobe and Pines B&B Inn - dog walking yard available; $25 one time pet fee; crates required for pets in rooms alone; dogs must be leashed in common area. 4107 State Road 68 Taos, NM (575) 751-0947/ 1(800) 723-8267 www.adobepinesinn.com mail@adobepines.com
American Artists Gallery House B&B - limited pet friendly rooms available; $25 for up to 2 nights, $10 per additional night; pets cannot be unattended. 132 Frontier Lane Taos, NM (575) 758-4446/(800) 532-2041 www.taosbedandbreakfast.com taosbandb@gmail.com
Casa Europa B&B Inn and Gallery - maximum of two pets allowed in La Casita only; must be leashed in common area; $20 fee per pet, per night. 840 Upper Ranchitos Taos, NM (888) 758-9798 www.casaeuropanm.com stay@casaeuropanm.com
El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa - permits well-behaved pets under 40 pounds; dogs need to be leashed in common area.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Send your Mom’s best and favorite recipe, and if she’s the winner, her recipe will be featured on the Mother’s Day menu at one of my favorite Santa Fe stays, The Bishop’s Lodge. As the winner, she will also receive a night in one of the Lodge’s Deluxe rooms as well a spa treatment at the award-winning Sha Nah Spa.
Submit recipes by Wednesday, May 5th to Executive Chef Carmen Rodriguez at crodriguez@bishopslodge.com or submit your recipe at the reception desk at Bishop’s Lodge.
Mother’s Day Brunch at Bishop’s Lodge will be served Sunday, May 9th, 2010 11:00AM - 3:00PM. For more information visit www.bishopslodge.com.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Ski New Mexico announces EXTENSIONS
Skiing in New Mexico is the best it has been all year. The snow is great, the days are longer, and the sun makes for warm days. All of the resorts are receiving new major snow falls every other day. The public response to the outstanding conditions has helped the resorts to extend their closing dates and hours of operation. There is still about a month of great skiing remaining. Now is the time to get out and enjoy the best skiing of the season.
Resort Updates:
1. )SANDIA PEAK SKI AREA:
Sandia Peak Ski Area will once again be extending the 2009-2010 season through March 28, 2010. 14” inches of new snow overnight and a 79” inch base has provided the best skiing and riding conditions at Sandia Peak in years. The area will be open Wednesday March 24 through March 28 for the “final week of skiing and riding for the 2009-10 season”.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Snowshoeing in the snowy woods of New Mexico isn’t an adventure possibility that many visitors know exists. But the wilderness near the town of Taos is thick with inviting public trails. One of the most scenic is a 2.5-mile trail thru lush forests of spruce and fir up to Williams Lake, nestled in a glacial basin in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Local Wisdom: “At Williams Lake, you are at tree line, with incredible views of Wheeler Peak. Look for the Bighorn Sheep on your way!” says Stuart Wilde of Taos Snowshoe Adventures.
Getting There: From Taos, follow US 64W 4 miles north to Jct. of NM 150. Turn right, and follow NM 150 to Taos Ski Valley. At the upper parking, turn right on Twining Rd., and follow sign for Williams Lake Trail/Bavarian Lodge. The road switches back and climbs above the Village to the trailhead (4wd recommended). Park in the Williams Lake Trail lot and gear up. Elevation at the lake is 11,000 ft. so pack appropriate winter gear, and check local conditions before you go. Never snowshoe or hike alone.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".