El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Santa Fe

Address 334 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe, NM 87507 Map, Website

El Rancho de las Golondrinas is about 25 minutes outside of Santa Fe, and well worth a stop on the road to Albuquerque or a day trip from Santa Fe

From the 17th to the 19th century, El Rancho de las Golondrinas was the last stop on the El Camino Real before arriving in Santa Fe. What visitors see today is a reconstruction of the small agricultural village, complete with staff in period costume, billed as the "Williamsburg of the Southwest." That is a fair way to describe the ranch, though what we found was a lot less "bustling" than the Williamsburg I remember from my own childhood. For me, the quiet added to the charm as we wandered in and out of buildings set up as weaving rooms, shops and homes. Staff were on hand to answer questions, and our kids were especially fascinated with the kitchens and beds (or really anything that they could relate to their own lives)

There is a small restaurant, and snacks are available in the gift shop, but it would be particularly pleasant to bring a picnic lunch.