Santa Fe Bachelorette Party: Weekend Itinerary
Santa Fe, New Mexico is a great destination for a bachelorette party! With its amazing bars and restaurants, trendy arts district, and proximity to beautiful national parks and relaxing hot springs, it’s easy to see why.
Throwing a bachelorette party in Santa Fe is the perfect way to get your bridal party excited for the big day. With its stunning backdrop of adobe architecture, tranquil natural spas, and bustling city life, Santa Fe is the perfect place to celebrate.
In this post, you’ll find an insider’s look at the best places to visit, activities to do, and accommodation to stay in for Santa Fe’s unique bachelorette party experience.
Santa Fe is the perfect bachelorette party destination for every type of bride. Whether you want to explore the great outdoors with lots of hiking, sit back and relax at a spa-like hot springs, go out and party every night, or enjoy a laid-back weekend in the arts district, there’s plenty to enjoy in Santa Fe.
Why Choose Santa Fe for Your Bachelorette Party
There are tons of cities that are known for being Bachelorette Central — Santa Fe isn’t one of them. So why choose Santa Fe as your bachelorette party destination?
- Because this isn’t your typical bachelorette party destination, you won’t have as many crowds as say Nashville or Charleston. In fact, everywhere we went seemed like us and a bunch of locals. We got quite a few questions about why Santa Fe!
- Santa Fe has a buzzing restaurant and bar scene. There are so many delicious places to choose from!
- The city is full of history and art, and the surrounding area has so much natural beauty to explore.
Where to Stay for a Santa Fe Bachelorette Party
For your Santa Fe Bachelorette party, you’ll likely want to stay downtown where most activities and restaurants are walkable. You can choose between a hotel and a vacation rental, both of which have great options.
We stayed in this beautiful modern loft condo at the Santa Fe Railyard. The space was contemporary sleek with stylish touches of Santa Fe. It was walking distance from restaurants and bars at the Railyard and Downtown Santa Fe.
While many things in Santa Fe are walkable, if you plan to stay further out or want to venture out on your trip, I definitely recommend renting a car. Keep in mind, you’ll need to book a stay at a place with parking then! Luckily, our loft came with plenty of private parking.
Where to Stay in Santa Fe:
Find the perfect place to rest your head on your visit to Santa Fe, from the top rated accommodations to unique stays you can’t get anywhere else.
- Where We Stayed: Downtown Light-filled Loft in the Heart of Santa Fe
- Top Hotel: Inn and Spa at Loretto
- Great Value: Inn of the Governors
- Unique Stay: Casa Buena Vista
Santa Fe Bachelorette Party Decorations, Games, and Gifts
We had so much fun picking out some fun décor and games for my friend’s bachelorette weekend. We definitely had to lean into the fiesta theme for our New Mexico bach bash!
Since I know penis décor isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve separated out the raunchy and the un-raunchy for your browsing pleasure:
Non-Raunchy Décor and Gifts
- Bride To Be Sash and Tiara Set — This cute and simple rose-gold set is perfect for wearing on the plane and around town. It is, admittedly, a little cheap and was hanging on by a thread by the end of the weekend; but you only really need it that long, right?
- Custom Bride To Be Sash — Or you can go a little higher quality and get a custom-colored sash from Etsy. This is a good option if the bride will need to wear the sash for another event!
- Bride and Team Bride Cups — Because you’ve gotta have something to put your margaritas in!
- Sombrero Face Banner — Okay, this one is hilarious! Surprise the bride with the groom’s face on a sombrero banner hung all around the condo! (This is also something you could make on your own if you’re crafty.)
- Final Fiesta Banners — These banners with cacti and hunky guys are hilarious and a total must for a fiesta-themed bachelorette party.
- Final Fiesta Nametag Stickers — These funny nametag stickers are great for wearing on your night on the town.
- Bachelorette Party Photo Booth Props — These cute props make for the perfect photo-opp!
Slightly Raunchy Games
- South Island Bachelorette Party Games Kit — This kit comes with 3 games: Drink If cards that aren’t raunchy; Dare Cards that can get you into some fun trouble on a night out; and a cheeky Banana Ring Toss game.
Raunchy Décor and Games
- Hunky Stripper Straws — The penis straws we had seem to have been taken off Amazon, total bummer. Instead, you can get these fiesta-themed stripper straws with the same hunky man that’s on the Final Fiesta banners.
- Penis Whistles — Just what the party needs! The whistle sound is very weak, which makes it all the more hilarious, and also keeps you from disturbing the neighbors. This pack also comes with penis-shaped confetti.
- Stick The Junk on The Hunk Game — It’s like “Pin The Tail on The Donkey” but with a naked cartoon man.
- Telestrations After Dark Game — This game is like playing “Telephone” but with drawing. Miscommunications, and bad drawing skills, abound, and most of the prompts are NSFW.
A Fun Santa Fe Bachelorette Party Itinerary
The maid-of-honor did an amazing job putting together our itinerary for the weekend! But turns out we’re not very good a keeping to the schedule. We managed to pack in a ton of great stuff anyway, so here’s our itinerary for a Santa Fe Bachelorette Weekend!
Friday: Travel Day and Settling In
We left Atlanta on a Friday morning, and the time change worked in our favor, getting us into Albuquerque right around lunch time. This meant that we had plenty of time to drive to Santa Fe, go grocery shopping, and decorate the condo.
Since we had a lot of driving ahead of us, we rented a car. Our weekend itinerary heavily relies on having a car!
Lunch in Albuquerque at Monroe’s
We stopped for lunch on our way out of Albuquerque at Monroe’s.
Monroe’s has been an Albuquerque staple since 1962 when it started as a small drive-in serving New Mexican cuisine. Now, it has two locations. We stopped by the one on 4th St. for lunch.
They are known for their green chile, and specifically their green chile burger which is considered one of the best in all of New Mexico.
They serve breakfast all day, along with sandwiches and all your favorite New Mexican dishes. Save room for an order of sopaipillas, a fluffy fried pastry that you drizzle with honey.
Arrive in Santa Fe
It’s about an hour drive from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. Once in Santa Fe, we made a grocery stop to pick up snack foods and a couple local New Mexico wines.
Then we made our way to the Railyard and our condo to get settled in. We had plenty of time to decorate, take pictures, have a few drinks, and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Rail Runner train going by.
Most of our evening plans were foiled by a downpour; the wind and rain were brutal, and we were unprepared for rainy weather. But there’s nothing wrong with spending the night sitting around, chatting, and drinking in the condo!
Dinner and Drinks at BOXCAR
We did brave the rain to go get dinner. We got a wet view of the Railyard Park and the different art galleries as we walked past.
For dinner, we decided on BOXCAR, a sports bar with great food and great margaritas. They’ve got pub classics with a bit of a New Mexico twist, like burgers, sandwiches, tacos, green chile, and even a green chile mac & cheese.
This bar is also on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail. Go for their special H.O.T.T (Hot On The Trail) Margarita with green chile-infused tequila, cucumber vodka, Tabasco, and a red chile rim.
Saturday: Hiking, Hot Springs, and a Night on the Town
Saturday morning, we set out for a day in the mountains. If you haven’t already, you’ll definitely want to rent a car. You’ll get a great appreciation for New Mexico’s diverse landscapes on this drive!
Visit Bandelier National Monument
Bandelier National Monument is over 33,000 acres of national preserve near Los Alamos, New Mexico. It’s about an hour drive from Santa Fe.
This amazing landscape of rugged canyon and mesa country was once home to Ancestral Pueblo people. There is evidence of human presence in the area, from cave dwellings and petroglyphs, going back 11,000 years.
We hiked the Pueblo Loop Trail (also called the Main Loop), which is a 1.4 mile trail through the park’s archaeological sites. The trail is paved partway from the Visitor Center to the cliff dwellings. Along the trail, you can see some of the cave dwellings by climbing ladders to the cavates.
The trail becomes unpaved but maintained gravel at the Long House, a row of apartment-like dwellings that are 3 to 4 stories tall. Past Long House, the path becomes a completely unpaved nature trail.
A junction shortly after offers an off-shoot where you can climb to see the Alcove House (formerly known as Ceremonial Cave). This 0.5 mile hike takes you to the steep climb up four ladders and 140 feet from the Frijoles Canyon floor to a dwelling which once housed 25 Ancestral Pueblo people.
The views are amazing, and the climb is well worth it.
Lunch at Pig & Fig Café
For lunch, we stopped in at the Pig & Fig Café in White Rock. This locally-owned restaurant has delicious sandwiches, salads, soups, burgers, and pasta.
We got sandwiches to go (their Daily Box Lunch Special is a great deal) and ate our lunch on the way to our next stop.
Drive by Valles Caldera National Preserve
The drive to Valles Caldera National Preserve was about another hour to get to the park’s visitor center. We had originally planned to stop at the preserve and hike a short trail, but we’d ended up spending so much time at Bandelier that we had to cut it from our schedule.
Luckily, our drive to the hot springs took us right along the edge of the park where there were some photo spots along Hwy 4. Stopping here was only about 30 minutes from our lunch spot.
Also interesting to note, our drive took us through the Los Alamos National Laboratory, known for its part in the Manhattan Project and developing an atomic bomb. So if you’re wondering why you have to stop at a check point and show your driver’s license, that’s why!
Valles Caldera is a 13-mile wide circular depression, basically a huge meadow, that was created by a volcanic eruption about 1.25 million years ago.
This giant prairie landscape is a complete 180 from the red rock cliffs of Bandelier. But both have history dating back 11,000 years; Valles Caldera has been used for hunting, grazing, ranching, and logging.
Luxurious Soak at Jemez Hot Springs
Jemez Hot Springs is another 30 minutes from the Valles Caldera photo spot, and about an hour from Bandelier.
On this part of the drive, the landscape changes yet again, this time to tall pines and a hint of red clay mountains. The hot springs are tucked away in the small town of Jemez Springs.
Jemez Hot Springs has four outdoor pools of varying temperatures. These natural therapeutic mineral water pools are fed from springs originating beneath Valles Caldera National Preserve.
There are no reservations, simply walk in and grab a 1-hour or 2-hour pass. The spa is a natural oasis of beautiful landscaping, surrounded by the serene mountains, with four spacious pools with built-in seating and some sun cover.
Night Out in Santa Fe
After a full day of hiking and relaxing in the springs, we headed back to Santa Fe for a proper bachelorette party night out.
We started with dinner and margaritas at Coyote Cantina, the rooftop bar at Coyote Café. They offer Southwestern fare in a more casual space than their downtown dining room. They’re another stop on the Santa Fe Margarita Trail, with their Norteño Margarita made with Hatch Green Chile.
Next up was Secreto Lounge at Hotel St. Francis. We ordered a round of espresso martinis here. But they are also on the Margarita Trail with their Smoked Sage Margarita if that’s more your thing.
Then we ended the night at The Matador, an underground dive bar where we got tequila shots. This is why you don’t let the youngest plan the night out; who ends on tequila shots?! Also, this apparently isn’t where she was intending to take us, which is hilarious. I think she wanted to be across the street at Evangelo’s.
So I don’t necessarily recommend doing things in this order, but you’ll get a good idea of where to go for what! And every place was full of locals, so I take that as a good sign that they’re all quality places.
Sunday: Chill in Santa Fe Before Heading Home
We had plenty of time to spare on Sunday before our evening flight back to Atlanta. So we decided to spend the day exploring a little of Santa Fe before driving back to the airport.
Brunch at Tia Sophia’s
For brunch, we chose Tia Sophia’s, a small diner-like establishment that is only open for breakfast and lunch.
They have plenty of breakfast specials and everything from breakfast burritos to huevos rancheros to omelets. But be warned, they’re not responsible for too hot chile!
Exploring Downtown Santa Fe
Historic Downtown Santa Fe is very walkable. After brunch, we headed to Santa Fe Plaza to explore the shops. Santa Fe is the oldest capitol city in the United States, settled in 1610, and the Plaza is the heart of it all.
We found that the Plaza was taken up by food and artist booths for Fiestas de Santa Fe. This event held the second week of September celebrates the anniversary of the 1692 recolonization of New Mexico by General Don Diego de Vargas.
For shopping, you’ll want to head to the Palace of the Governors, an adobe structure on the north side of the Plaza. Here, you’ll find Native American artisans selling their handmade jewelry and other crafts that make the perfect New Mexico souvenirs. Housed behind the walls is the New Mexico History Museum.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, or the Saint Francis Cathedral, is Santa Fe’s main church located just off the Plaza. It was built between 1869 and 1886, and inside it contains beautiful colored stained-glass windows.
On the side of the cathedral, you’ll find Cathedral Park. This was once the site of the original St. Vincent Sanatorium that opened in 1883. Now, this beautiful oasis is a nice place to sit and enjoy the quiet greenery.
Back to the Albuquerque Airport
The drive back to the Albuquerque Airport was another quick 1-hour jaunt. We had plenty of time to check out the gift shops before breezing through security (such a breath of fresh air compared to the long lines in Atlanta) and heading home!
Santa Fe Bachelorette Weekend Map
Ready to plan out your perfect bachelorette weekend itinerary in Santa Fe, New Mexico? Use the map below to find all the attractions and restaurants listed in this post. Your bride-to-be will thank you!
Whether your bride-to-be loves adventure, history, culture, or just relaxing in the great outdoors, this weekend getaway will have a little something special for each member of her day.
So, get ready for a wild and unforgettable bachelorette weekend in Santa Fe!
Top Santa Fe Tours
With so much to see, Santa Fe can be overwhelming for any first-time traveler. To take some of the stress out of planning your visit, opt for a guided tour! Check out this list of the top Santa Fe tours to help you make the most of your time in this gorgeous New Mexico city.
- New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza
- Ultimate Santa Fe History Walking Tour
- Small-Group E-Bike Adventure Tour through Hidden Santa Fe
Ready for a Bachelorette Weekend in Santa Fe?
I hope this helps you plan a fun bachelorette party itinerary for Santa Fe, New Mexico! Santa Fe is a charming city with so much to see and do that you’re guaranteed to have a great time!
More Girls’ Trip Inspiration
Check out these other itineraries to help you plan the perfect girls’ getaway!
- Charleston Bachelorette Party Itinerary For the Laid-Back Bride
- Ellijay Winery Tour: The Best Girls’ Trip Itinerary
- How to Spend the Perfect Girls’ Weekend in Savannah, Georgia
- Winery Day Tour of North Georgia: The Perfect Girls’ Trip
Ready to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Find accommodation: You can find top hotels in Santa Fe using Booking.com or vacation rentals near Santa Fe using VRBO.
- Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Get packing: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need with my packing list resources.
Cheers!
Paige
Have any tips for a perfect bachelorette party weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico? Share them below!
