I’m heading down with my new beau tomorrow evening, staying in a romantic casita about 4 blocks from the Plaza. Here’s what we’ve already tentatively planned:
Bandolier National Park
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
possibly Ten Thousand Waves
some yoga and meditation at one of the many yoga studios
Cafe Pasquale
Coyote Cafe
Taos (on the way back to Denver on Sunday)
I’m open to other suggestions, so…lemme hear 'em!
My advice is by a good road map, as last time we were up there we couldn’t get in, then when we got in we couldn’t get out. However, if you get in, there is the Chapel of Loretto with the famous spiral staircase built by a mysterious carpenter and also San Francisco St, where you can do a good bit of shopping. You can also view many art galleries which are randomly scattered in the general area.
Last time I checked, the Cathedral of St Francis was undergoing a facelift, so I’m not sure it’s enterable.
Let’s see … Maria’s over near the Whole Foods store. Tia Sophia’s off the square (breakfast and lunch only).
There’s also the staircase in one of the chapels (sorry, can’t remember the name, although know how to get there).
I’m jealous. I LOVE Santa Fe.
I totally forgot about the spiral staircase! Yea, that’s on the list. And if the Cathedral is still closed, I’ll be bummed. I was in Santa Fe when the Columbine massacre occurred, and spent several hours in the cathedral lighting candles and meditating (and the walls did not fall down in the presence of a Wiccan 
). I would like to return there to repeat the process.
The website for Maria’s says reservations are needed at least one week ahead of visit. Tia Sophia’s might work for lunch on Saturday - thanks!
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture - it’s been a while but I think that’s the one - was exceptional. It’s a lot bigger than it looks on the outside and the way you travel through it you really immerse yourself. I liked the food pretty much anywhere we ate - Pasquale’s, Coyote Cafe, room service at La Fonda, some divey place on the outskirts of Taos, Rancho De Chimayo if you get up there (it’s between Santa Fe and Taos) - I get so little of that food here in NYC.
St Francis was open two weekends ago, at least. Doesn’t look too great from the outside, but it’s accessible.
Go to Del Charro on East Alameda. I’ve heard their burgers are great, and their house margaritas are divine. For further food recommendations, pick up a copy of this week’s Santa Fe Reporter - it’s got their annual restaurant guide in it. Also, I didn’t think that Maria’s required reservations, so I would definitely call to see if it’s possible.
Check out Palace of the Governors, too. I was just there for the first time two weeks ago, and it’s actually an interesting little museum, doesn’t take too long to see.
And bring a good winter coat for at night - overnight lows for the rest of the week are in the low 30’s!
Personally, I really enjoyed:
Tent Rocks National Monument:
http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/rio_puerco/kasha_katuwe_tent_rocks.html
The Indian Ruins at Bandelier National Monument:
(note: check out some of the photo linsk because the one on the home page is the lamest of all the sites). Lots of cool structure you can explore and take pictures in.
The nuclear weapon display at the Bradbury Los Alamos Science Museum (if you ask nicely, they may let you ride the bomb ala Dr. Stangelove)
http://www.lanl.gov/museum/exhibits/defense.shtml
Personally, I thought the Georgia 'O Keefe museum was pretty “meh” - if you’ve seen one vagina/flower painting, you’ve seen them all. I liked the photos her boyfriend took a lot more than her stuff. Just down the street from the museum about a half block is a quonset hut where the entire inside is painted with this wild full room painting. It’s called the Awakenings Museum and that was far cooler:
http://www.theawakeningmuseum.org/whatis.htm (except I think it is now closed 
)
As far as restaurants go, the Blue Corn Cafe was nice, but somewhat generic. The Cowgirl Hall of Fame had great BBQ. We also tried a place called Tomasita’s for mexican that had excellent carnitas. I never made it to the 10,000 waves place, but really wanted to!
Bah! Just show up and munch on the free chips and salsa while you wait. It’ll probably be about an hour wait, but you can order margaritas at the bar, so it’s not a big deal. Make sure to get the Agave house instead of the regular house. It’s $.50 or $1 more, and tastes MUCH better.
Del Charro is on the corner of E Alameda and Don Gaspar. They have super cheap burgers, stuffed pablanos, and other food items. Their house margarita is pretty awesome, and it’s only $5.50 (may be $6 now), but you get the entire shaker full.
I’ve also got to plug Santa Fe Brew Co. They sponsor our rugby club, and have an excellent selection.
As for breakfast, there’s a place called the Pantry on the corner of Cerrillos and 5th (about a mile southwest of downtown). If you’re looking for some HOT chile, the Horseman’s Haven in the Shell parking lot is SMOKING. You have to ask for the hot stuff, but they’ve got pretty good New Mexican food.
If you’re at all interested in the history of atomic energy, Bradbury Science Museum is pretty cool.
Bandelier is pretty cool, and this is the -perfect time of year to go. Expect to hike about 3 miles. Afternoon is probably best at this time of year.
If you give a bit more info on what you’re interested in, I can give more recommendations. I’m going to be a couple hours south of here this weekend; it’s homecoming weekend at my college, I wouldn’t miss that for anything less than my parent’s funerals. Otherwise, I’d offer to take the two of you to dinner.
ETA:
Those places are also pretty good. 10,000 Waves is a great place to go with your new beau.
Bah, too much stuff to write about, missed the edit window:
Check out the Rio Grande Gorge in Taos. It’s a bit out of your way, but not much (15 miles?). Also, Eske’s Brew Pub in Taos makes a green chile beer. I don’t like it, myself, but lots of others rave about it. Tell them you’re a member of the “Liquid Bread” club, and you’ll get $.50 or $1 off pints.
Man, what is the love for Del Charro? We went there on the advice of a good friend, who talks it up to no end. It was the only place in Santa Fe that we actually left the Margaritas sitting on the table and left because they were so bad. The food looked like bar food, nothing special (though we didn’t stay long enough to try it). It was full of loud drunk people, in the middle of the day.
Apparently we went to the alternate universe Del Charro, because everyone else loooooves the place!
It is pretty much bar food, but it’s cheap. The margaritas are quite sweet, but they’re quite cheap. They also come with half a lime that has been soaked in tequila overnight. I guess you just had to have drank fifty of 'em or so to gain quite the appreciation. It’s usually not full of loud, drunk people, but when it was, I was probably one of 'em. 
That’s probably it. I really don’t like sweet margaritas, much prefer them all limey and sour.
As far as the drunk people… I don’t mind 'em as long as I’m one of 'em myself! But I wasn’t
Oh my … how could I have forgotten about 10,000 Waves?
Even if you don’t get any spa treatments done, the hot tubs are pretty wonderful. Especially on a cold cloudless night with stars so close it looks as though you can touch them. Sigh.
We were always able to get into Maria’s without much of a wait. It just depends on when you go.
OK … the partner Slip is home (he used to live there). Upper Crust Pizza. Green chile stew at the Pink Adobe. Cloud Cliff for breakfast.
(You can tell what we do on vacation :)).
I avoid Santa Fe like the plague because every time I go there I spend a truly obscene amount of money here.
Seriously, if your budget even comes close to permitting this, do it.
I recommend the MIG-15.