DESTINATION: Santa Fe

Santa Fe has long been a center for creativity, with a rich history of artists moving into the region for its convergence of cultures, mild weather and dramatic landscapes. For decades, Santa Fe has also been considered one of the world's preeminent markets for southwest Native and Folk Art, with the annual Indian Market each August drawing nearly 80,000 visitors.

But no longer just a town of traditional adobe and turquoise, this quiet desert town (and one of the oldest cities in America) has over the years has also become one of the art world's favorite getaways for contemporary art and culture.

Since 1995 with the establishment of SITE Santa Fe, the area has gained worldwide recognition through SITE's series of biennial exhibitions that have featured numerous famous artists and attracted thousands of visitors from all around the world. The town is now home to over 250 galleries, and boasts one of the highest concentration of artists, performers and writers of any city in the U.S., making it the perfect locale for summer art fairs Art Santa Fe and the new SOFA West, an annual exposition of sculpture, objects and functional art.

With surprisingly easy access to the Albuquerque and Santa Fe regional airports, a mild climate and chiles galore, Santa Fe is a wonderful option for travelers of all ages, and an affordable destination to add to your travel program.