Compare Santa Fe Holiday Traditions: Beyond the Ordinary by Road Scholar

Day 1
Registration, Orientation, Introductions, Welcome Dinner
Santa Fe, NM D Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Check-in available from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration 3:00-5:00 p.m.: After checking into the hotel and getting your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, to get your welcome packet containing your up-to-date schedule and other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet at the front desk when you check in. Orientation at 5:00 p.m.: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Transportation for program-related activities will be via motorcoach unless specified otherwise.>br> Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In the hotel meeting room enjoy a plated meal or buffet; selections usually include a choice of entrées and coffee, tea and water.

Evening: Take the rest of the evening to continue getting to know your fellow participants, relax, and get a good night’s sleep for the full day ahead.

Day 2
New Mexico History Lecture, Santa Fe Plaza, Museum Hill
Santa Fe, NM B,L,D Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; walking several blocks up to a mile over paved but uneven sidewalks; standing for up to two hours at museums. The activity level for this program is "On Your Feet." Participants should be able to walk up to two miles daily on varied terrain and stand for as long as two hours. Please note that all program activities takes place at an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level.

Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel

Morning: This morning our Group Leader will lead a discussion about the history of the area that is now New Mexico, from its earliest Ancestral Puebloan inhabitants to the Spanish and American soldiers and settlers who followed. We'll also hear about Santa Fe and why it's called "The City Different." We'll then head out on foot to explore Santa Fe's Plaza area, the historic heart of the city. We'll visit the impressive Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, the lovely Loretto Chapel with its intriguing staircase, and other sites as determined by the Group Leader.

Lunch: Plated meal at a popular local dining spot includes selection of entrées, coffee, tea and water (additional beverages available for purchase.)

Afternoon: After lunch we'll board our motorcoach and depart for Museum Hill for visits to the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture and the Museum of International Folk Art. The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture features pottery, jewelry, sculpture, baskets, and other objects made by Native Americans from the earliest times to modern day, scrupulously documented and beautifully displayed. Most of the work is from the Southwest. The Museum of International Folk Art focuses on indigenous populations from around the world through their art – ranging from ceremonial dress and masks to furniture. The museum hosts the largest collection of international folk art in the world, including wings featuring some of the 106,000 pieces donated by collectors Alexander and Susan Girard and Lloyd Cotsen's Neutrogena collection.

Dinner: Plated meal at a local restaurant.

Evening: Return to the hotel; remainder of the evening at leisure.

Day 3
Georgia O'Keeffe, O'Keeffe Museum, Free Afternoon
Santa Fe, NM B,L Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Walking up to several blocks over uneven sidewalks with inclines; standing up to an hour at museum

Breakfast: Buffet at the hotel

Morning: We'll start the morning with an expert-led presentation about the life and art of Georgia O'Keeffe. One of the most significant artists of the 20th century, Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was devoted to creating imagery that expressed what she called “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it.” She was a leading member of the Stieglitz Circle, avant-garde artists who began to flourish in New York in the 1910s. O’Keeffe’s images—instantly recognizable as her own —include abstractions, large-scale depictions of flowers, leaves, rocks, shells, bones and other natural forms, New York cityscapes and paintings of the unusual shapes and colors of architectural and landscape forms of northern New Mexico. After the lecture, we'll walk four blocks to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, which holds the largest collection of O’Keeffe’s work in the world – over 3,000 of the artist’s works – comprising 140 of her oil paintings, almost 700 drawings and hundreds of additional works. The museum offers a varying selection of O’Keeffe’s work, as well as works by other artists in changing exhibits.

Lunch: Plated meal at a local restaurant includes coffee, tea, water (additional beverages available for purchase.)

Afternoon: Free afternoon for independent activities. There are a number of museums, shops and galleries in this area, all within walking distance of the Plaza. Nearby museums include the New Mexico Museum of Art, the New Mexico History Museum, the Palace of the Governors, and the Museum of Contemporary Native Art. You might also enjoy visiting the lovely Loretto Chapel with its intriguing spiral staircase and the State Capitol building. The State Capitol houses the "State Capitol Art Collection," featuring the work of local New Mexico artists, sculptors and photographers. Those willing to travel a few miles down Cerrillos Road (city bus transportation available on Sheridan Street near the Plaza) might enjoy visiting "The House of Eternal Return" at the Meow Wolf Art Complex. A uniquely Santa Fe experience, "The House of Eternal Return" is a multimedia, interactive art experience that has been described as “immersive storytelling.” Developed with the generous support of Santa Fe resident and "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin, it was an immediate sensation after its opening in March 2016 and already has become a destination attraction for adventurers from around the world, attracting over 1,000,000 to date. It's been recommended by CNN Travel as one of "the best things to do in Santa Fe," and declared by CBS News to be New Mexico's "most Instagrammed destination." It's a far cry from traditional Santa Fe style, but is a lot of fun for the open-minded young-at-heart. then gather at the hotel, board the motorcoach and depart for lunch destination.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost so that you can enjoy what you wish or sample the local fare. Not to be confused with "Tex-Mex," New Mexican cuisine is a fusion of Native American and Spanish ingredients and techniques. Santa Fe is known for the breadth and depth of its culinary offerings. There are a number of fine restaurants within walking distance, including the hotel's restaurant, Eloisa. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and directions.

Evening: At leisure to explore Santa Fe's nightlife, enjoy the company of new Road Scholar friends with informal activities, or rest and relax.

Day 4
Southwest Cuisine, Cooking Demonstration, Performance
Santa Fe, NM B,L,D Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Walking up to two miles over the course of the day on paved but uneven sidewalks with a possibility of snow and ice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After breakfast, we'll enjoy a lecture about Southwest Cuisine. We will then walk to the Santa Fe School of Cooking to enjoy a demonstration class on the preparation of the unique cuisine which has made Santa Fe a 'foodie' destination.

Lunch: At the Santa Fe School of Cooking.

Afternoon: After lunch there will some free time to explore or to relax before walking to the Lensic Performaing Arts Center for this afternoon's concert.

Dinner: At the hotel; sparkling wine and dessert included.

Evening: At leisure. You may wish to go to the Plaza, where there will be entertainment from 9:00 p.m. - 12:15 a.m. featuring local musicians, slam poetry, the raising of a tin Zia symbol and a festive fireworks display.

Day 5
Pueblo Dances Lecture, Kewa Pueblo, Native American Musician
Santa Fe, NM B,L,D Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; traveling 70 miles for 1 1/2 hours over the course of the day; walking up to one mile over varied, possibly muddy or snowy terrain; standing up to 2 hours during dances at the Pueblo with no seating available.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: This morning, we'll learn a little bit about Kewa (formerly Santo Domingo) Pueblo and its feast day dances. We'll then depart for the Pueblo to see some of the dances. Kewa is one of the most populous yet least open of all New Mexican pueblos. It is a Keres-speaking pueblo established in the 15th century by immigrants from villages atop the nearby Pajarito Plateau. The pueblo has an especially lovely Catholic church and some fine arts and crafts shops. Santo Domingo artisans are known for beadwork and other jewelry and pottery. Dances are both celebratory and ceremonial; it is a privilege to be allowed to attend. Please observe quietly and respectfully during the dancing. (For guidelines regarding etiquette during Pueblo visits, please refer to the "Etiquette Guide for Pueblo Visits" in the "Web Links" section of your Information Packet. Photography of the dances is strictly prohibited. Since most cell phones are equipped with cameras, it is inadvisable even to display your cell phone while at the Pueblo. You run the risk of having your camera or cell phone permanently confiscated if you do not comply.)

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After returning to the hotel we'll enjoy a performance by local, award-winning Native American musician Ron Roybal. Ron is a fine Native-American-flute player dedicated to the preservation of traditional music. He'll perform some of his own compositions for us.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 6
School for Advanced Research, State Capitol Art Collection
Santa Fe, NM B,L,D Drury Plaza Hotel Santa Fe
Activity note: Getting on/off coach; walking up to several blocks over paved and unpaved, sometimes uneven terrain; standing up to two hours at School for Advanced Research and Capitol Building.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We begin the morning with a presentation on the School for Advanced Research. We'll then depart for a field trip to the School. Established in 1907 as a center for the study of the archaeology and ethnology of the American Southwest, the scope of its activities has grown to embrace a global perspective, advancing scholarship in anthropology and related disciplines and facilitating the work of Native American scholars and artists. While there, we'll visit the vaults in the Indian Arts Research Center. Not generally open to the public, the IARC's collection is considered one of the most remarkable assemblages of Southwestern Native art in the world, more than 12,000 items. We are very pleased to have permission to take our Road Scholar group, led by a docent, into this incredible treasure trove. We'll see many rare items such as pottery, basketry, textiles, jewelry, and more as we learn about their provenance and significance.

Lunch: Plated meal of local regional favorites includes selection of entrées, coffee, tea, water (additional beverages available for purchase.)

Afternoon: After lunch we'll travel to the New Mexico State Capitol Building. Its design is based on the Zia sun symbol (also seen on the state flag); known as "The Roundhouse," it is the only round state capitol building in the country. The building houses an impressive collection of art by New Mexico artists and sculptors. Return to the hotel following the Roundhouse visit.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: Program closing in our hotel meeting room. We'll share our experiences and exchange our farewells.

Day 7
Breakfast
Santa Fe, NM B
Activity note: Hotel checkout time: 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are departing from the hotel, please check out no later than 11:00 a.m. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please be in touch via the Road Scholar Social Network, where you can share memories, pictures, and comments. Best wishes for all your journeys!