SANTA FE, NM

Despite its rich and sometimes turbulent past, Santa Fe was slow to grow. Until 20 years ago, it was not a major city by any standard. Since then, the population has grown from around 40,000 to over 60,000. Zoning laws from the 1950s, written by visionary civic leaders, helped the growing city retain the enchanting charm that makes it one of the most fascinating in the country.

Plaza

Nowhere is this charm more evident than on Santa Fe Plaza. Shaded by 150 year-old cottonwood trees, this grassy square is surrounded by historic buildings. The ancient adobe structures, with their gentle corners and irregular earth-tone walls, bake in the soft light of the New Mexico sun. The hustle of the modern city teems to the south, but on the Plaza life slows, and the locals affectionately call their home "the Land of Mañana."

On the north side of the Plaza is the Palace of the Governors, the oldest public building in the country. Across from this grand structure, Pueblo artisans sell the fruits of their labors on colorful blankets at the Santa Fe Indian Market. The remaining three sides of... more