Santa Fe is North America’s oldest capital city and the oldest European establishment west of the Mississippi. But those long roots simply set the scene for the destination that calls itself the City Different. Whether it’s diving into Santa Fe’s diverse art scene, staying in a traditional casita, or exploring the historic downtown surrounding the Palace of the Governors, everything in the area is sprinkled with a taste of Old West charm.

The allure of getting to Santa Fe is on such a pedestal that it’s been put into Broadway musicals songs. But in real life, thankfully, the Santa Fe Regional Airport (SAF) has daily nonstop flights from Denver, Dallas, and Phoenix — all of which connect to other hubs around the country. The larger Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) is an hour’s drive away, with shuttle services into top Santa Fe locations. The commuter train New Mexico Rail Runner also runs daily between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. If you’re planning to travel around the region (like to Taos, which is an hour and a half to the northeast), a car rental will likely be the best choice, though a bus service also runs along Cerrillos Road and a free shuttle goes from the train depot to Downtown Santa Fe, Museum Hill, and Canyon Road.

Just how common are sunny days in Santa Fe? While the national average is 205 days, the New Mexico capital averages 325 days of sunshine annually. At a 7,200-foot altitude, Santa Fe temperatures are moderate, with the hottest temperatures in July and August in the 80s and 90s Fahrenheit, but generally only three to six days of anything higher than that. Thunderstorms do roll through during the season, but are in and out quickly. Winters get colder, as January can hit lows of 17 degrees Fahrenheit, but temperatures usually hover in the 30s. Snow falls from November through April, usually averaging 32 inches for the season. But ultimately, the city is proud that its low humidity and clear skies make it one of the country’s most comfortable climates.

This museum highlights the work of the famous American modernist painter, known for her depictions of flowers, skyscrapers, and Southwestern landscapes. The museum includes galleries of her work, as well as tours of her Abiquiú Home and Studio.

In one half-mile stretch along the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, more than 100 galleries, boutiques, and restaurants pack the street dedicated to the fine arts.

The 20.5-acre garden features native plants mingling with other species brought in to show how they can thrive in the arid conditions. Stroll through the art trail in the Orchard Garden and discover the shared history of humans and plants in the ethnobotanical Ojos y Manos: Eyes and Hands Garden. Also look for the new 3.25-acre Piñon-Juniper Woodland, since the piñon (or pinyon) pine is the state tree.

While the exact origins of the two-story adobe home on East de Vargas Street have been lost, it’s been labeled the oldest building in town on an 1882 map — and may date back even further by a century or two.