Seen through the eyes of Ann Hamilton

Who went: To celebrate my 60th birthday, my husband Duz rented for a week a beautiful 7500 square foot vacation home in San Miguel for me and several friends. The accommodations included the services of a housekeeper, cook, gardener and pool attendant. The friends who joined me were Bobby Gene Ward, Peggy Langston, Pam Chenevert, Rhonda Lindsly, Diane Kirkland, Wendy Willis, Angela Ferrara and Lynn Washauer.

Hotel/Bar Recommendations: Since we were staying in house, we only visited the area hotels for dinner and drinks. The Rosewood San Miguel and Hotel Matilda look like great places to stay. At the Rosewood, the view from the Sierra Nevada bar is so picturesque, and tapas are served at 4 p.m.

Where to eat: We loved going to Del Sol for breakfast. Everything was delicious!

Item of clothing you shouldn’t leave home without: A good pair of walking shoes are necessary because most of the streets in San Miguel are cobblestone, dating back to Mexico’s colonial days. Leave your Blahniks, Louboutins and Jimmy Choos at home.

Favorite historic landmark: The hub of all activity in San Miguel is Jardin Square. The San Francisco Church was also a favorite spot of ours.

Local attractions worth a drive by: The churches throughout San Miguel are beautiful, and it’s worth spending a day walking to see them all. We also found a great spot for one-of-a-kind jewelry—Piedras Custom Jewelry Design by William Harris and R. Luis Pantoja.. They make all of their own jewelry, and the experience is also in going into their home, where they serve wine amongst their many pets!

Worth the splurge: If I were building a home, I would want to bring a truck to San Miguel and stock up at the market! The tablecloths and napkins are exquisite. And if you are able to purchase their beautiful glass bowls, shipping is definitely worth it!

Something surprising we learned on the trip: San Miguel is very safe.

Insider’s tips: Taxis are very inexpensive. Also, locals are extremely helpful, and most spoke English.

We would suggest this trip to others because: San Miguel is very artsy, and the shopping for home décor is great!