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Taos, NM

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TAOS PLAZA · YELP ASSISTANT

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Recommended Reviews - Taos Plaza

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Cassandra A.

Great plaza with many stores to shop from. Love the decor and design and how clean it was.

Katherine K.

Nice, little plaza with some local shops. My guy and I walked around the area and enjoyed the grassy area in the middle with the pets. The shops were nice for the most part. Some of them do sell similar items, but we still managed to find a nice variety to look at. The shops were a lot better than the food and drink options we found. Those were not as impressive.

Larry P.

Picked up a few items needed! Beautiful town up in the mountains! North of Santa Fe New Mexico!

Mezmeri G.

this is a good place to hand out with friends. people played music, alot. DO RECOMMEND!

Betsy M.

If local shops, history and some great little cafes and dining spots are your thing ... spend the day at Taos Plaza to get some good walking in. Very walkable and nice learning for insight how the town of Taos came to be.

Jo S.

I sooo wanted to love Taos Plaza, but it seemed to me dusty,sad, in bad shape, a bit of a depressed area. Parking is hard, we did find a meter, not enough coffee shops and restaurants around, public restrooms were dirty. I expected more art, a more happening place. It doesn't compare to Santa Fe Plaza! We ended up eating at the Gorge Bar and Grill which wasn't bad. But I recommend waiting and visiting the John Dunne shops area first and Bent Street. These areas around the plaza are more Taos, more artistic with better stores and art galleries. The place has a tad of a charm, of a glory long gone. But if you are in Taos, stroll around, especially during Covid many attractions are closed in the area!

John F.

After spending days in the old town sections of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, Taos was a great finally to our New Mexico vacation. Taos is a very small town with a number of great attractions. I especially enjoyed the Taos Plaza. It was a beautiful spring day and it was a great place to sit back and enjoy the street musicians that played for tips in the square. The plaza is surrounded by shops and restaurants so I was happy to sit and relax on a nice day while my wife got her shopping fill for the day! (I'm only good for only stopping for a short time!). This little town was one of my favorite stops on our NM Trip.... plus the drive up from Santa Fe is spectacular! Make sure to add this execution to and NM itinerary.

Sandeep R.

If you're driving up to Taos for a day-trip, this place is worth a visit by for ~60 minutes Some recommendations 1. There's lots of small businesses that provide an insight into the local arts and crafts scene and I'd recommend stopping by at some of them. 2. Plenty of great restaurants as well (Lambert) and small cafes and sweet shops. 3. I'd also advise reading up on Taos's rich and intriguing history before stopping by here.

Taos Plaza
Helene S.

Although Taos Plaza was established in 1796, many of the current surrounding buildings date mostly from the 1930s. The original fortified plaza served to protect the village, merchants and its livestock. It was kept under close watch to protect the fledgling city. Since the buildings were contiguous, many fires over the years spread rapidly from building to building destroying the original structures. Today, it houses a quiet square surrounded by the historic Hotel la Fonda de Taos, art galleries and souvenir shops. Check out the Charles Collins Gallery. It is located just off the plaza with two interesting outdoor sculptures.

Me
Peter M.

Don Fernando de Taos Not much has changed since my last visit to Taos back in 2011, but I was glad to able to make my way back there earlier this year. This epicentre of culture, history, skiing and other alpine activities is a must on your next New Mexico journey. A little smaller than Old Town ABQ or the Santa Fe Plaza, this plaza, located in the Historic Downtown Taos area has much to offer. First off, it's a historic site which dates back to the 1600s, it's brimming with activity as its full of shops and galleries, and it has restaurants, bars and lodgings. Upon my arrival, I had to drive around a little to find parking. There are meters but the one I parked in front of was 'out of order' so I got lucky. I walked around the perimeter of the plaza and poked my head into souvenir shops, galleries, a few services, clothing and apparel stores and I browsed the menus of a few restaurants. I was there in February of 2020 and the plaza was packed with skiers as well as tourists and locals. Taos is known worldwide as a haven for alpine sports as it has its world-renown ski area, Taos Ski Valley. The Plaza is decorated in the Spanish-Adobe style that is popular in New Mexico and the region and it is a pleasure to see for yourself. Locals are friendly and the skiers are more than happy to share their stories of barreling down Kachina Peak. There is a Historic Hotel located right on the plaza called Hotel La Fonda De Taos, where you can get rooms or Suites. There are other lodgings close by as well. From May until October there is a Farmers Market, and in the Plaza, in the summer there is live music and concerts nightly. Taos and its surrounding area is a great place to visit, and there are so many things to do. If you do visit the area, staying downtown near the Plaza area would put you centrally to most things to do. Check out the Historic Taos Plaza if you're ever in the area or looking for a new destination for your next travel adventure.

Montage of images from Taos Plaza
Ed U.

Now if Santa Fe Plaza is the gravitational center of that city, this one just didn't have the same feel to me for Taos. There was hardly a soul about except the homeless man who appeared to be staking his claim in front of the performance gazebo on a crisp Friday morning (note the sprawled legs - http://bit.ly/2LwOUBS). The car traffic careening around the perimeter certainly wasn't inviting, and only the disguised Starbucks cafe was the only place that was open. At least it offered a peek into the historic Hotel La Fonda de Taos (photo: http://bit.ly/2xpDNT4). Don't get me wrong. The adobe architecture is attractive, but if you want the pulse of Taos life, this place was DOA. RELATED - Do you know the way to Santa Fe? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: bit.ly/2I4mWdq

The front of one of the stores.
Lauren C.

A nice place to enjoy an afternoon of shopping or to grab a meal during a Taos visit. Parking is metered spots in the square or lots around the square that can be found by following the parking signs. Metered spots are not for decoration so bring quarters. The variety of shops is nice and are locally owned businesses. We found local food items, art, jewelry, clothing, kitchen goods, and gift items. The shops have reasonably priced items. Restaurants, coffee shops, dessert shops, and a wine bar are in and around the square. The Chokola chocolate shop was my favorite dessert shop in the area. I'd highly recommend this awesome dessert shop.

Taos Plaza
Bruce K.

When you've finished skiing, hiking, or just spaing (if one can "spa" then one can be "spaing"), you'll come here for the shopping and walking and more shopping. The Plaza is surrounded by several shops selling trinkets and doodads and baubles. Or you can just sit in one of the benches and enjoy the sun. There are a number of memorials here as well. Quite the hot spot!

Holiday decor all over the entire courtyard and square.

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Review Highlights - Taos Plaza

“The shopping is very touristy, the galleries are the bomb ;) The oldest/first hotel in Taos is also located inside the square.”

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Taos Art Museum at Fechin House - Sunroom with daughter's bed carved by Fechin

Taos Art Museum at Fechin House

4.8(25 reviews)
0.4 mi

We loved this museum. Nicholai Fechin was a Russian artist who left Russia for New York with his…read morefamily after the Revolution. He settled in Taos for years, building onto the house and property he'd purchased. Fechin learned woodworking from his father. The house and other buildings are filled with his amazing handiworks. Carved doors, cabinets, sculptures, everywhere you look, you see his handiwork. They blend Russian and Southwestern influences. Plus, of course, his paintings. Yes, he was also an amazing artist. The museum also has a wing with paintings by the Taos Society of Artists. There are wonderful early 20th century paintings by artists I'm just now learning about. The grounds are lovely, as well, with a garden and the burial site of Fechin's ex wife. You see, he left in 1933, when they divorced, but she stayed. It's a piece of Taos history that I recommend.

The Taos Art Museum and Fechin House are absolutely beautiful. The historic home was fascinating to…read moreexplore, and we really enjoyed our visit. Our visit did come with one disappointment that I hope the museum can help future visitors avoid..... A heads up for Mark Maggiori fans: * My husband and I drove two days from California hoping to see an original Mark Maggiori painting. * The Taos Art Museum is one of the first places that appears on Google when searching for where to view his work in Taos. * The museum's website and Google listing also suggested that his artwork was part of the collection. Unfortunately, after speaking with a docent, we learned that the museum hasn't displayed a Mark Maggiori painting in many years! They then referred us to try Parsons Gallery of the West, but they didn't have any of his work either. The gallery manager explained that Mark Maggiori is now representing himself and is no longer exhibiting locally. I completely understand that exhibitions change over time, but I would kindly encourage the museum to update its website and work with Google to correct this information. It would save other visitors from making a special trip expecting to see artwork that is no longer on display. In the end, I learned I probably should have called ahead, but I also trusted the museum's website and Google's information. Hopefully this review helps the next Mark Maggiori fan avoid the same disappointment. Despite that, the museum itself is well worth visiting. The Fechin House alone is an incredible piece of art and history!

Photos
Taos Art Museum at Fechin House - Fechin cabinet

Fechin cabinet

Taos Art Museum at Fechin House
Taos Art Museum at Fechin House - Painting by another Taos artist

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Painting by another Taos artist

Kit Carson House and Museum - 3/20/2024

Kit Carson House and Museum

4.9(7 reviews)
0.1 mi

Before heading back to Southern Colorado, I asked my fiancé if he was interested in visiting the…read moreKit Carson Home & Museum. It was a beautiful day on March 20, 2024, in downtown Taos, NM. Unbeknownst to me, he had been there as a young boy. Now that he's old - lol - he didn't remember the museum bring set up the way it was. We arrived at approximately 3:20PM which was forty minutes from closing time. Dave, the lone museum staff member, explained that he would stay as long as we needed, but not accept any new visitors after a certain time. Tickets to the non-profit museum were $10 per adult. Cash or card was accepted. Dave made our visit a 5-star experience. He loves history. He has read several of the books if not all of them from the gift shop. He recommended "Blood & Thunder" by Hampton Sides which was an historical account of Kit Carson's life, "yet reads like a novel." We first watched a 20-minute documentary in the theater across the courtyard highlighting Carson's key adventures. The women's restroom was nearby and reasonably clean. Then we trekked back over to the museum. If you're over 5'6" watch your head because the doorways are low. There were minimal artifacts scattered throughout, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Parking was a bit of a hassle as there was no lot - only metered street parking a ways down. And in the last words of Kit Carson, "Goodbye, friends, adios amigos."

If you are in Taos, you must see this museum and learn all you can about Christopher "Kit" Carson…read more A highlight of our visit was definitely Dave, who greeted us and gave us instructions on how to best enjoy our visit. He is so passionate about the history of Kit Carson and his influence on the area and the expansion of the West. The tour starts with a short history channel video and then continues with a walk through the house. Painstaking renovations have been taking place and are still underway on the property. You will see many artifacts, photos, and wall signage explaining the history of what you are looking at along the way. Make this a stop on your visit to Taos!

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Kit Carson House and Museum - Street view  3/20/2024

Street view 3/20/2024

Kit Carson House and Museum - Neat old pictures of Carson 3/20/2024

Neat old pictures of Carson 3/20/2024

Kit Carson House and Museum - Tour Guide Charles

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Tour Guide Charles

Kit Carson House - Carson's desk

Kit Carson House

3.9(22 reviews)
0.1 mi

What an amazing man with a life full of adventure. It's surprising that more people don't know what…read morea hero was Kit Carson and how much of an impact he had on the American West. He's got a frickin' state capitol named after him - Carson City, Nevada. I mean, WOW! Frontiersman, trapper, adventurer, military leader and finally Indian agent, Kit Carson lived a life that can only be imagined. Except for him, it was real. The Museum itself is a little small and you'd miss the rather ramshackle appearance if you didn't know it was here. A bummer really. But it is his original home, which has been restored by his brother Masons due to his historical relevance. Only a four room house, which is pretty amazing if you think about it. Watch the movie (or find it online) and tour the home, which has many of his original possessions including his saber and scabbard, brigadier general epaulettes and a number of the magazines and books of the day telling of his adventures. The small gift shop has a collection of biographies for sale as well. What a great man. Don't miss it.

Although this is the actual house of Kit Carson, it is not worth the visit, nor the money. You can…read moresee more actual items owned by Carson in other museums. If you try to visit you will find only a few free parking spaces on the street which are taken. You will then need to secure parking around the Taos downtown. The parking machines won't work. The information screens won't advance. I finally started punching random buttons out of frustration and after changing lots. To my surprise the machine asked for my license plate number! So I was successful one time and I got one receipt for all of my attempts. But I was later charged FIVE times ! Two of the charges occured one week after leaving the state. The merchant number for parking charges goes unanswered. You will then have to contact city hall. I am still waiting to get the situation sorted out. Then, your visit will be shortened due to the time wasted on finding parking. I could not watch the short film on his life. And I would say a 5-6 dollar admission would be more befitting the site than 10 dollar.

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Kit Carson House - Courtyard of Kit Carson House

Courtyard of Kit Carson House

Kit Carson House - Main courtyard

Main courtyard

Kit Carson House - Museum signage

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Museum signage

Taos Plaza - landmarks - Updated November 2026

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