Palace of the Governors: The state history museum is set in Santa Fe’s original government offices, a thick-walled adobe first built in the Spanish colonial era. A new wing, opening in May 2009, will hold even more fascinating exhibits.

La Fonda: TheSanta Fe Trail trade route ended on the doorstep of this hotel, which has witnessed the city’s fluctuating fortunes — and harbored its assorted characters — for centuries.

Canyon Road: This winding street of galleries is the heart of Santa Fe’s art scene — and its social life — when it’s packed with potential collectors and party hoppers on summer Friday nights.

Museum of International Folk Art: In the main exhibition hall, all the world’s crafts, from Appalachian quilts to Zulu masks, are jumbled together in an inspiring display of human creativity.

Bandelier National Monument: The hidden valley of Frijoles Canyon was home to the ancestors of today’s Puebloans, in an elaborate city complex and cliff-side cave apartments.

Ghost Ranch: The spread where Georgia O’Keeffe kept a house occupies a patch of dramatic red-rock cliffs and wind-blown pinnacles. Hike up to Chimney Rock for the best view across Abiquiu.

Chimayó: Faith is palpable in this village north of Santa Fe, where a chapel is known as “the Lourdes of America,” thanks to the healing powers attributed to the holy dirt found here.

Las Trampas: In this remote mountain village on the high road to Taos, the San José de Gracia Church is a pure example of colonial Spanish adobe design.