Seen through the eyes of: John and Amy Cambre

Who went: John, Amy, Eliza (4), Louisa (2) and Adelaide (7 months)

We went because: We told our travel advisor, Kristin Diehl, that we wanted to go somewhere that had a “winter wonderland” vibe, although we did not want to ski. She encouraged us to go to Santa Fe!

How our plans changed because of COVID: We had to push our trip back at the last minute. It was super helpful having a relationship with Kristin because we were able to easily get everything rescheduled.

Where we stayed: Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi. It was beautiful, sweet and so accommodating.

Where we ate: Due to COVID restrictions, there was no indoor dining at the time we were there. Instead, we ordered food from the restaurant at the hotel (which was delicious), ate tasty Southwestern-flair food from The Shed, and also celebrated our five-year anniversary with takeout from Ostería d’Assisi.

Favorite historic landmark: We went down to Diablo Canyon and it was absolutely breathtaking.

Attraction worth a drive-by: We aren’t big skiers, especially with little ones; however, we took a Jeep ride up the mountains and watched the skiers at the Santa Fe ski basin.

Fun experience off the beaten path: We drove up to Angel Fire, New Mexico, which is about two hours north of Santa Fe, and went on a sleigh ride through the snow. It was so magical and beautiful even though it was very cold!

Worth the splurge: One experience that we loved and was totally worth it was the pottery class that we took. It was a private class taught by the owner of Green River Pottery. He even sent us all of the pieces that we made after we left. 

How this vacation differed from others pre-coronavirus: The hardest thing about this trip was the no eating indoors, especially with a family of five and little kids. It helped that our hotel room had a great fireplace, and for a couple of meals, the hotel let us eat in the library.

Something surprising we learned on the trip: The desert and the snow can exist at the same time in the same place. You know you are from Louisiana when…

We would suggest this trip to others because: It’s something different and such a beautiful state.