Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe, New Mexico is located in the north central region of the state, and is the state capital, as well as the state’s third largest city.  The population in Santa Fe is approximately 72,000.

Santa Fe enjoys a cool climate, with temperatures in the winter holding around forty degrees and the summer reaching into the mid-eighties. There is average rainfall and a moderate amount of snow in the winter.

Because of Santa Fe’s varied and interesting history, the city is still culturally rich today.  The city’s first inhabitants were the Pueblo Indians. Then, the Spanish were residents in the area until 1921when  New Mexico became America’s forty-seventh state.

Now, Santa Fe celebrates its culture and history through art galleries, music, and museums, and is full of outdoor sculptures.  When the city was originally designed it was planned around a central plaza that still exists today.  The Santa Fe Opera puts on wonderful performances every year; it also stages the annual Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, which take place in the beautiful Lensic Theater.  There are also many historic churches, missions,and other government buildings for the history buff to explore. Santa Fe is home to many artists who are drawn to the beautiful landscapes that surround the city. One of the city’s most famous artists was Georgia O’Keefe.

Santa Fe gives its retirees everything they need: culture, history, and a fabulous landscape. It is a hard place to pass up.