Living around Santa Fe, NM, USA

[+ E.T.Bass]

I'm looking for a vacation home near Santa Fe, where I'd spend a good chunk of my time after I retire.

 

Is anyone familiar with the pros and cons of that part of the world?

 

One area I'm considering has improvements for home development and is at 7500 ft. elevation.

I'm wondering if I can manage living at that altitude.

[marylander1940]

I'm looking for a vacation home near Santa Fe, where I'd spend a good chunk of my time after I retire.

 

Is anyone familiar with the pros and cons of that part of the world?

 

One area I'm considering has improvements for home development and is at 7500 ft. elevation.

I'm wondering if I can manage living at that altitude.

 

Not precisely on subject but you should visit 10,000 waves spa!

 

[Daverwr]

The Mexican food is stellar! I spent a week there in a New Mexican cooking school. It is home to a lot of lesbians.

[+ E.T.Bass]

The Mexican food is stellar! I spent a week there in a New Mexican cooking school. It is home to a lot of lesbians.

The area I'm looking at is being developed by a lesbian.

[Spursy]

I've been to Santa Fe many times and love it. My perspective is that of a tourist, though. I think Santa Fe and its surroundings have a little something for everyone. For the nature lover, there are hiking options galore, skiing in the winter, whitewater rafting / kayaking in the summer, and national parks nearby. For the art lover, Santa Fe has (if I recall this bit of trivia correctly) the second most art galleries in the United States behind only NYC; that's not per capita, that's total. Plus it has plenty of outdoor art shows as well, the Georgia O'Keefe museum, and the beautiful Santa Fe Opera House. For the history buff, it has Bandelier National Monument (with its remnants of cave-dwelling society) and Los Alamos nearby. The spa scene is terrific, and it's a foodies paradise as well. There are plenty of festivals throughout the year.

 

Within the city center (an area maybe 3/4 mile in diameter?), it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to find a chain retail store or chain restaurant. That in and of itself makes it radically different from almost everywhere else in the county. It's been a few years since I've been there, but I think there might have been one retail store that was a chain in the city center. But that was it. There are definitely chains outside that core, central area, but the city center is unique.

 

The landscape and environment of northern New Mexico is probably what attracts me most. The altitude means that there are seasons, and also means that the mountains have some vegetation. The landscape is filled with sage, and when you're out on a hike somewhere, the air is fresh and smells cleans. I feel like I see better there -- no doubt due to lack of humidity (and perhaps pollution) versus what I normally experience in the Midwest.

 

As for the altitude, my sense is that everyone gets used to it. When I visit, I notice it -- mostly through shortness of breath during hiking or stair-climbing, for example -- for half a day or so, but not after that.

 

Anyway, enough rambling on - I'm a big fan of Santa Fe, at least as a visitor. Any @marylander1940 is definitely right about Ten Thousand Waves. It's a wonderful spa, Japanese onsen-style, built into the side of a mountain a couple of miles outside the city. It's a really neat facility with some terrific therapists. It used to be cruisy as well. The owners cracked down on that some years back and eliminated the nude, co-ed bathing area. But it's still a great place to get spa services and spend a half day or full day.

[rustyrex]

As someone that lives 50 miles from Santa Fe Spursy just about hit all the highlights of living in the area. New Mexico truly has a beauty of it's own. It's different from AZ. There are plenty of small towns and communities that have festivals year round. There is skiing, the holidays each have their own charm in Santa Fe, especially Christmas. If you want to get away every once in a while, southern NM has White Sands and Carlsbad caverns, both each awe inspiring in their own right. Santa Fe is however pricey, but since this is a vacation home.... The people are friendly enough, a lot of people from all over the world come to Santa Fe for it's charm. The plaza is truly unique. Santa Fe is said to have more gay people per capita than San Francisco, I don't necessarily believe that but we are a noticeable crowd in the city. It's called the city different for a reason.

[+ Topseed]

Visiting Santa Fe and living in Santa Fe are two very different things. I’ve done both.

 

As to living in SF: remember it’s a small town. Roughly 75,000 people. The first thing newcomers are asked is: “Are you full time, or part time?”. A big chunk of wealthier Santa Fe are part-timers, notably Texans, who have second (or third) homes there. With that, it can be challenging to build friendships with the part-timers.

 

The second newbies are asked is: “Where do you live?”. This is code for: Do you own or rent?

 

Trust me: when a new resident is full time and a property owner, it’s fairly easy to meet people. My neighbors were generous in sharing their contacts in getting home projects done. (I heard this all the time: "I know a guy that.......". Happily, my neighbors shared their "guys".) Go to REI to sign up for outdoor stuff, go to the many cultural activities (post-Covid), and volunteer. There are tons of non-profits there, and all of them are looking for people. And as locals we knew where to go to dine and avoid the tourists and the hubbub of the summer festivals on the Plaza. (Local hint: when the Plaza was overrun with tourists, my neighbors and I decamped to the Four Seasons Rancho Encantado to do our drinking...I mean, socializing.) I lived in a gated community with mostly part-time residents. As our USPS mail carriers were always high on pot (I'm not making this up), I shifted all my essential bills to online, as I feared the combination of a pot-smoking mailman and the infrequent presence of some neighbors could combine to having my mail misdirected for months.

 

Keep in mind that the weather is rough on houses: stucco, flat roofs, drip irrigation systems, pest control (yes) and ongoing maintenance are all challenges. My realtor gave me the best advice: Mañana does not mean tomorrow. It just means: not today.

 

Truer words were never spoken. Getting any service person to show up, and much less close to on time, is damn near impossible. The plus of that: I learned skills and did things for myself that I didn’t think I could do.

 

Health care is problematic. It’s a local truth that Santa Feans of means leave the state for even routine health issues, going to Mayo in Arizona or MD Anderson in Houston. A shortage of doctors in New Mexico, to be sure.

 

The city itself is a snow globe. It openly resists contemporary architecture. There are many great artists who live there but do not exhibit in town. The Canyon Road galleries are mostly crap that looks terrible once you get it 50 miles out of town.

 

Travel is rough. The Santa Fe airport is miniscule. Everyone drives to Albuquerque and flies from there. Even then, be prepared to transit via DFW (which truly is a dump, imho). Locals kid that the Santa Fe motto should be: “Land of Entrapment”.

 

Night life? Don’t count on it. The sidewalks are rolled up by 8:30pm. It’s an early-to-bed town.

 

Gay life? Ditto. The one gay bar closed when I lived there. Tons of gay and lesbian people. Most are partnered, so moving there as a single gay man was limiting to my dating/sex life.

 

I did meet many people who became great friends. It is a way of life that very much lets you do your own thing. I found it contemplative. It’s all very eco; the respect for nature is abundant there.

 

Glad to return and know my way around town.

Glad too to no longer live there.

Edited July 22, 2020 by Topseed

[+ keroscenefire]

I'm looking for a vacation home near Santa Fe, where I'd spend a good chunk of my time after I retire.

 

Is anyone familiar with the pros and cons of that part of the world?

 

One area I'm considering has improvements for home development and is at 7500 ft. elevation.

I'm wondering if I can manage living at that altitude.

 

I have spent several summers living in a cabin in Colorado that is even higher altitude than that. While I am a native of the state, there are challenges, but also health benefits to living that high especially if you are not from here and you have to get used to the elevation.

 

1) 7500 is at an altitude where you might experience some altitude sickness as your body acclimates to the lower atmospheric pressure (it's actually not true that there is less oxygen, which is mostly determined by the amount of oxygen-producing vegetation in an area. Instead the lower atmospheric pressure at higher altitudes makes it harder for your lungs to get that oxygen). It could feel at first like you're sick with symptoms like headache, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath and even vomiting. You may want to spend a day or two are first at a slightly lower altitude. Your body will likely adjust but it may take a few days.

 

2) Rigorous exercise may be challenging at that altitude even for weeks or months or even really forever. In some ways this is both a good and bad thing. You will likely tire out easier, but your body actually will be working harder with less oxygen and you will increase your fitness levels at higher elevations. There is a reason why marathon runners train at high-altitude. It really does make you more fit, particularly increasing your stamina. However, do take it easy at first and don't push yourself too much, particularly if you're not athletic. Even a seemingly easy hike can end up being more than you can handle. Take breaks and start small.

 

3) There is some evidence that living at high altitude lowers your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Lower oxygen levels in your blood force your body to adapt by widening and creating new blood vessels that make it harder for blockages to form.

 

4) At higher elevations, there is less UV protection from the atmosphere and as a result skin cancer is much more common. This is especially true since New Mexico is a sunny place anyway. Definitely be careful about spending too much time in the sun. Use lots of sunscreen and protective clothing.

 

5) High altitude and dry climates will combine to make it much easier for you to become dehydrated. Definitely drink lots of water all the time. You will also likely need to use lotion for your skin as it will become noticeably drier.

 

6) The lower pressure at high altitudes can definitely be hard on your lungs especially if you have conditions like asthma, emphysema, etc. There are a small subset of people who develop pulmonary hypertension at high altitudes, which both increases blood pressure and can make it harder to breath. This would be something you would want to check with a doctor if you decide to move to Santa Fe.

 

7) Yet overall people who live at high-altitudes often have higher life expectancies. In fact, Colorado's three highest-altitude counties have the highest life expectancy of any counties in the country (Los Alamos County in New Mexico is in the top-10 and is also mostly above 7,000 feet in elevation). This is because of the lower heart attack risk and also because many people who live in at higher altitudes are fit and less likely to be obese. There is some question of whether there is something about living at altitude that increases your metabolism and makes you less likely to put on weight or if it is simply that people who live at higher altitudes are just more active people who exercise more. My guess is it's a combination of the two.

[MscleLovr]

I’ve only visited Santa Fe so I cannot contribute, but may I say all the posts here are very interesting and informative.

 

@Topseed articulated many of my thoughts. And I can imagine it being a difficult place if you’re a single gay man. I visited with a handsome young guy I was dating in LA; we certainly never encountered any prejudice but I noticed many people were rather reserved. In marked contrast, we found the Hispanic-Americans we met open and friendly, perhaps because I speak Spanish. We stayed in the Plaza area but we did not like it very much. We both enjoyed visiting Taos and Bendelier NM.

 

@marylander1940 is very right about Ten Thousand Waves spa being wonderful and @Spursy is right that it used to be cruisy. Back then, my young man got a lot of looks. It used to be that you could reserve a large outdoor hot tub and pool with dry/wet sauna for private use for 1.5 hours and we did that a few times. It was a lot of fun to play outdoors naked in the sun but we’d always finish off in the sauna. I’ve no idea whether private use is still offered by the spa in this ‘new era’.

[+ Charlie]

A gay friend of mine retired to Santa Fe after he had one lung removed for cancer, and he said the altitude was not a problem for him. I visited him there, and he seemed quite happy and physically active. He lived there for ten years, until he got cancer in the other lung. (Another gay friend retired there with one kidney, but that's a different story.)

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

While I've never lived there, I've spent a lot of time there and the advice you've gotten so far from this thread is spot on.

 

I will add that, yes, gay life feels dead. While there are a lot of gay retirees in the area, it's not a place that attracts younger people and doesn't seem to want to even try. I have an odd admiration for that. It keeps things quiet and routine.

 

Christmas in SF is when I tend to go. It's beautiful. A postcard, really. It's perhaps the only time in my adult life I still enjoy dealing with snow and the cold (having been a native Chicagoan). New Mexican snow at those elevations is light and fluffy.

 

10k Waves is lovely, but they've gone so 'big' over the last decade that I feel a lot of the hippy-dippy charm is gone. The last few times I've been it was uncomfortably busy. Unless you rent a private tub (go with Waterfall or Ichiban), there's nowhere left to go for peace and quiet on that property.

 

It's why I drive up the road to Ojo Caliente. While it's changed a lot too, it's still got a bigger footprint and attracts less of a crowd.

[+ keroscenefire]

 

 

It's why I drive up the road to Ojo Caliente. While it's changed a lot too, it's still got a bigger footprint and attracts less of a crowd.

 

Ojo Caliente is really nice. They have some good deals on their spa treatments if you stay overnight at their hotel.

[marylander1940]

@E.T.Bass I also recommend a 4 hour trip to Mesa Verde in Colorado and not that spectacular Bandelier National Monument just 1 hour away to appreciate Native American culture in the area. You can always take the road runner for a trip to Albuquerque and you'll also find cheaper flights from there.

 

Mesa Verde, CO

 

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[+ keroscenefire]

@E.T.Bass I also recommend a 4 hour trip to Mesa Verde in Colorado and not that spectacular Bandelier National Monument just 1 hour away to appreciate Native American culture in the area. You can always take the road runner for a trip to Albuquerque and you'll also find cheaper flights from there.

 

Mesa Verde, CO

 

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Yes Mesa Verde is beautiful! Actually one nice thing about living in Santa Fe is that it's relatively easy to get around northern New Mexico/Southern Colorado. The San Juans in southwest Colorado are the most beautiful part of the state and probably some of the most beautiful part of the United States period. And a lot of that area is only a three-hour drive or so from Santa Fe...shorter than driving from Denver to that same area.

[+ E.T.Bass]

For years I assumed I would retire to Palm Springs. It would be so easy, from where I am now. But the future of Palm Springs looks worrisome to me, though I know much, much less about New Mexico versus the Coachella Valley.

[marylander1940]

For years I assumed I would retire to Palm Springs. It would be so easy, from where I am now. But the future of Palm Springs looks worrisome to me, though I know much, much less about New Mexico versus the Coachella Valley.

 

you’ll love the cultural scene in Santa Fe, plenty of art galleries all over the city and it feels like a small town because it's the state capital with the smallest population (84,000). When it snows the sun comes out and melts it from the streets and sidewalks, it only remains on top of the grass. I was there years ago and I remember staying at the Governor's Inn, swimming in the heated outdoor pool and seeing thunder snow!

 

One more thing Valerie Plame will be your neighbor!

[+ Charlie]

you’ll love the cultural scene in Santa Fe, plenty of art galleries all over the city and it feels like a small town because it's the state capital with the smallest population (84,000). When it snows the sun comes out and melts it from the streets and sidewalks, it only remains on top of the grass. I was there years ago and I remember staying at the Governor's Inn, swimming in the heated outdoor pool and seeing thunder snow!

 

One more thing Valerie Plame will be your neighbor!

I assume you didn't check those population figures: Juneau, AK; Dover, DE; Frankfort, KY; Augusta, ME; Jefferson City, MO; Helena, MT; Carson City, NV; Concord, NH; Bismarck, ND; Harrisburg, PA; Pierre, SD; Olympia, WA; Charleston, WV; and Cheyenne, WY, are all smaller than Santa Fe. The smallest of all is Montpelier, VT, with a little over 7,000. I've been to all of them, and Santa Fe feels more urban to me than any of the others, except Carson City and Harrisburg.

[marylander1940]

I assume you didn't check those population figures: Juneau, AK; Dover, DE; Frankfort, KY; Augusta, ME; Jefferson City, MO; Helena, MT; Carson City, NV; Concord, NH; Bismarck, ND; Harrisburg, PA; Pierre, SD; Olympia, WA; Charleston, WV; and Cheyenne, WY, are all smaller than Santa Fe. The smallest of all is Montpelier, VT, with a little over 7,000. I've been to all of them, and Santa Fe feels more urban to me than any of the others, except Carson City and Harrisburg.

 

That's what a local told me, I guess it's an urban legend they have.

 

Is it the highest state capital at least?

[Otto]

For years I assumed I would retire to Palm Springs. It would be so easy, from where I am now. But the future of Palm Springs looks worrisome to me, though I know much, much less about New Mexico versus the Coachella Valley.

 

E.T., how do find Palm Springs / Coachella Valley 'worrisome'?

[+ keroscenefire]

That's what a local told me, I guess it's an urban legend they have.

 

Is it the highest state capital at least?

 

That it is at more than 7,000 feet above sea level, followed by Cheyenne, Wyoming at just above 6,000 feet. Denver is actually the 3rd highest with its mile-high elevation. This is one of my favorite trivia questions because most people mess it up.

[+ E.T.Bass]

E.T., how do find Palm Springs / Coachella Valley 'worrisome'?

People that I know there gripe about how it keeps getting hotter. Too hot. Also, if the Salton Sea really does dry up, the air quality in PS may diminish like in the Owens Valley.

[+ pitman]

That's what a local told me, I guess it's an urban legend they have.

 

Is it the highest state capital at least?

Having led the way on legalizing cannabis, I suspect Denver is the "highest" state capital. A friend of mine used to refer to it as the Mildly High City.

[marylander1940]

Having led the way on legalizing cannabis, I suspect Denver is the "highest" state capital. A friend of mine used to refer to it as the Mildly High City.

 

Because of you I learned about his controversy! Thank you!

 

 

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[AshburyGuy]

I lived in Santa Fe for four years in the early 90's. I enjoyed my time there but it was a little slow for me at the time. Now, almost thirty years later, I'm looking at it again as a place to live. I still have many friends there and go back at least once a year to visit. All the responses have had good information. DM me if you have any specific questions not answered here.

[MscleLovr]

The Patti Smith Group away back in 1975 and 1976. I went to New York City several time to see Patti and her band at the night club, The Bottom Line in the village.

 

Did I miss something @WilliamM ? How does Patti Smith relate to living in Santa Fe?