New Mexico is called "The Land of Enchantment" for a reason, and winter may arguably be the most enchanting season of all for visitors. Winters here are snowy, and Taos is a beautiful small town for vacationing on the slopes. In addition to winter sports, travelers flock to Santa Fe's beautiful light displays, known as "farolitos," which are placed throughout the city streets. Let's not leave out the state capital of Albuquerque, which has a long list of winter attractions.
Taos is a famous New Mexico destination for winter sports. Home of the Salomon Extreme Freeride Championship, an extreme skiing celebration, Taos welcomes seasoned skiers as well as beginners to its diverse terrain within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Accommodations here are plentiful, including the Alpine Village Suites, a minute's walk from the ski lifts, and Amizette Inn B&B & Restaurant, known for serving "The Great Breakfast." In addition to skiing, there's snowboarding at the Angel Fire Resort, angling at Eagle Nest Lake, and snow shoeing across Carson National Forest meadows.
The holidays are magical in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in large part because of the blend of Western, Native American and Hispanic culture here. Farolitos, or luminarias, light up Santa Fe with candlelight. The candles are nestled in paper bags and held in place by sand, and they're placed all along walls, trees, windows, and sidewalks. On December 17, Las Posadadas takes place in Santa Fe, reenacting Mary and Joseph's Christmas story outdoors for anyone who would like to watch. Throughout the month, you can enjoy Native American Indian Dances in the Santa Fe pueblos or shop around at the Winter Spanish Market.
You can't leave a visit to the state capital out of a New Mexico vacation. Albuquerque hosts a medley of winter entertainment, including the Twinkle of Lights Parade downtown, luminaria bus tours, The River of Lights, the state's largest walk-through light show, a holiday open-house at Albuquerque Museum's historic Casa San Ysidro, and various local craft shows for holiday shopping. Winter sports at Pajarito and Sandia Peak will be at the height of excitement, and travelers can enjoy a host of holiday shows at the KiMo Theater, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Popejoy Hall and more.
