This is one of the great gems of New Mexico! Ojo is a quiet and serene hot spring resort nestled amidst cliffs. Great farm to table restaurant on site and also plenty of lodging options. It's about a 45 minute drive from Taos and definitely something to put at the top of your list if you'll have time before or after the wedding.

They have another location in Santa Fe as well which are not actual hot springs. It's also very nice but we recommend the original.

18 minutes from El Monte Sagrado, the Gorge is Northern New Mexico's low-key Grand Canyon. You can walk the bridge and surrounding area for breath taking sights anytime of day and if you're more adventurous there are numerous trails down to the river.

For the more adventurous, there are numerous rafting and kayaking tours you can book through the Rio Grande Gorge. Tours begin about 20 minutes north of town or 20 minutes south depending on where you choose to start from. Lots of fun for kiddos.

New Mexico is horse country. You're likely to see wild horses depending on your driving route to the hotel. If you want to experience the landscape at the next level, there are plenty of horseback riding outfits around Taos that can take people of any age and level of riding experience across Taos's mesas and canyons on guided tours. Tours can be as short as an hour or last the whole day.

This is the oldest continuously inhabited human site in North America. And it's 8 minutes from the hotel. There are tours through the 1,000+ year old UNESCO World Heritage Site throughout the day which last apx 20-30 minutes.

The old spanish plaza at the heart of Taos teems with shopping, coffee shops, restaurants, etc... and is about an 8-10 minute walk from the hotel.

Well.... these are pretty whacky. Earthships are a building concept that originated in Taos. They are basically meant to be self-sustaining dwellings made from mostly recycled materials that can survive the apocalypse. Their flagship community is a 21 minute drive from the hotel and offers tours to explore these iconic dwellings.

If you want to get out into Taos's alpine forests, there are excellent hiking options around the Taos Ski Valley. If you're ambitious, the Wheeler Peak trail will take you to the highest point in New Mexico. There is a steep switch back that ascends rapidly which can be done a in a few hours or you can spend the day on the Bull of the Woods trail which ascends gradually and will also take you to several alpine lakes.

Other nice trails with less of a workout are Los Italianos and Lobo Peak.

The Neem Karoli Baba Ashram and Hanuman Temple is one of the most magical places in the 'Land of Enchantment'- which holds a pretty high bar. Our first day's ceremonies will be held here but for those curious or compelled, the temple has regular bhajan, chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, morning and evening arati and almost non-stop chai. It's a 5 minute drive from the hotel or a 25 minute walk.

If you want to see the mountains and take in the majesty of Northern New Mexico from the comfort of your car, this is an exquisite and well trodden loop drive that takes you north out of Taos, into the high country from Questa and loops through the alpine towns of Red River, Eagle's Nest and Angelfire and ultimately circles back to Taos.