Santa Fe, here we come! 
For the last four years, my family has headed west to camp in Colorado. Our first stop along the road trip adventure has always been Santa Fe. Typically we get in just in time for dinner and take off at sunrise in order to set up camp. This year we gave ourselves an extra day to enjoy Santa Fe and oh how we enjoyed this city! We had the Wildsam Santa Fe Field Guide this trip and it was so incredibly helpful. The range of food suggestions as well as shopping was perfect. If we had more time I would have absolutely taken advantage of their activities suggestions. I will be grabbing many more of these Field Guides for our travels to come! This year I brought the canvas gym bag duffle from the shop for all of my gear and it was the perfect choice (there is still a gorgeous Orange & Blue colorway in stock)! Lightweight, durable, and easy to cram more souvenirs into with each stop. I also use the Blackburn Leather Goods Envelop Card Case everyday for all my cards and can’t sing its praises enough! This little gem transitions so easily into every little bag switch I make! Lastly I take my Cerato rollerball fragrances on every trip and wear them at home daily. This trip was heavy on the Peace Root rotation to try to keep me anxiety free and relaxed to enjoy the journey! 
The first night in town we drove to Harry’s Roadhouse. My husband and I quickly realized this was the amazing place we had enjoyed 15 years previously on a trip together and could never remember what it was called to find it again. I was so happy the Field Guide suggested it! I had the house margarita and their tostada which was truly incredible. The garden patio was absolutely lovely with a water feature stream, hanging lights, and colorful umbrellas. Don’t skip the incredible pies for dessert! We will be making this a regular stop every visit!
The next morning we started our day of exploring with a wonderful breakfast at The Pantry. This darling diner was another Wildsam Field Guide suggestion and it absolutely blew me away. The flavor combinations of my avocado toast were incredible. Nice, light, and not greasy at all! Definitely put this one on your list as well!
The Santa Fe Folk Art Festival was happening the weekend we were there but I didn’t think the kids would have the stamina for that. Luckily there was a free street fair happening right outside the El Mercado where my daughter bought gorgeous hand dyed yarn for her weaving projects and a beautiful pair of sterling earrings. I almost came home with several large cacti until I realized that transporting them back in the RV might be a nightmare. We found so many incredible little treasures at El Mercado. I left with a prison made paper frame and my kids found handmade journals, records, DVDs, and jewelry. 
The next stop was the Santa Fe Vintage Outpost. This was another vintage shopping suggestion from the Field Guide. This Santa Fe staple showcases a stunning collection of vintage western wear on one side and a mix of more modern reclaimed pieces on the other side. Definitely worth exploring if you have a dream piece you are searching for.
After thoroughly exploring the antique and vintage stores we headed to Millie, an authentic French bakery for a light lunch. This beautiful restaurant has a serene setting with spectacular French food! Definitely be prepared to wait in line. We hit the lunch rush and the kids were not thrilled about the line but it was so worth it! I had their Salade de Chevre Chaud and a sparkling lemonade which was so lovely.
After lunch we explored more of the town heading to an outdoor shop for my Father-In-Law to get some camping essentials he forgot and my son found some incredible socks for back to school. Next on the list was one of my favorite shops we visited on the trip from the Field Guide, Lost Padre Records. This was a shining gem in our shopping experience. A fabulous record store with a wonderful selection and great people where my daughter bought a Rolling Stones album and my son bought a Phil Collins record!
From there we took a little stroll to the Kakawa Chocolate House. This chocolate shop has so much variety and incredible selection! My diabetic father in law, gluten free husband, tree nut allergic son, and cream allergy daughter were all able to find something they LOVED! I tried a dark chocolate and chilli treat as well as my husband’s iced chocolate drink. I so wanted to try their healing hot chocolates but we were a little too hot to try anything warm this time. We will definitely be going back for more.
For dinner we headed to The Shed on the Plaza. We got in line before they opened in order to put our name on the list for walk-ins and enjoyed exploring the Plaza while we waited. It is always fun to either window shop or pop into the folk art and jewelry stores in this area. The Shed is an institution in Santa Fe! Gorgeous patio, fantastic drinks, and an enticing menu. I had their spicy margarita and fish tacos and it was so incredibly enjoyable! Another must visit for your list!
Finally the next morning it was time to say goodbye to Santa Fe and continue on to Colorado but first it is our family tradition to stop at the French Pastry Shop & Creperie on our way out of town. This is our go to early morning getting-on-the-road must! Their croissants and quiches are so delicious! This year we grabbed a baguette to snack on during the drive and it was divine!
Hopefully this gives you some ideas for the next time you visit Santa Fe! Be sure to take along your Jenkins & Co. road trip essentials like the Flamingo Estate Manuka Honey Rich Cream, Los Poblanos Lavender Mint Lip Balm, Blackburn Leather Goods Mini Go Bag, Blackwing Medium Slate Notebook, and Kaweco Sport Rollerball Pen!
Happy Travels!
~Laura Scott