Just a few miles outside the city on the shores of Lake Austin, you’ll find a spa called the Lake Austin Spa Resort. In 2005, Lake Austin Spa was voted by Travel + Leisure as one of the top ten best destination spas in the world. The first time we stayed at Lake Austin was for a special birthday weekend. By the end of the weekend, we were so relaxed we didn’t want to leave.  Our casita had its own patio facing the lake.  The casitas are tastefully decorated with designer details such as decorative iron work made by a local craftsman.  The decoration throughout the resort is an eclectic mix of pieces from around the world.   (more…)

I ran across a cute little travel companion the other day.  It’s called a “Pocket-Pilot” and easily fits in the back pocket of your jeans.  Laminated to protect against rain (and latte spills), it unfolds to map size and is jam packed with useful information.  On one side there’s a detailed full color map of the city with points of interest along with mass transit routes.  The other side contains photos and descriptions of the top sights within the city, day trips to nearby places outside the city and more maps to show you where.  Since every city is made up of quarters with distinctive personalities, the Pocket-Pilot also includes a listing of each quarter and a description about each.  Want to know when the city was founded, the current population and other fun facts?  The Facts section covers the major facts about the city.  It’s a great travel resource, and best of all, weighs nothing. 

Currently there are Pocket-Pilots for Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. as well as Vancouver, Paris, London and other international cities.  Pick one up at any Barnes and Noble or buy online at Amazon.com.

We just love Santa Fe.  With its Pueblo-Spanish architecture and walkable downtown, it’s a fantastic place for the girls.  It’s only 80 minutes from the Albuquerque airport, but by the time you get there you’ll feel like you’re in another world.  Visit Santa Fe between Thanksgiving and Christmas and you’ll see some beautiful luminaries displayed around town. Or spend an evening gathered around a kiva fireplace. During the summer you’ll see courtyards overflowing with flowers.

Santa Fe is filled with one of a kind hotels and B&Bs.  One of our favorites is the Inn on the Alameda, a luxury hotel within walking distance of the Plaza and Canyon Road.  Don’t miss the breakfast buffet.  And when you come back from a hard day of exploring, sample the wine and cheese reception each afternoon while you decide what your evening plans will be.

On Saturday morning, visit the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market. Voted by USA Today as one of the top ten farmer’s markets in America, it’s filled with fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Spend the afternoon exploring the shops and landmarks around the Plaza. 

On Sunday walk along Canyon Road and browse through some of Santa Fe’s art galleries. You’ll see an amazing assortment of art including contemporary, Southwestern and Native American.

If you’re looking for one of the ultimate dessert places, you’ve found it!  Mozart’s Coffee Roasters and Bakery has amazing desserts and excellent coffee.  You can choose from cheesecakes, several types of chocolate cakes, fruit tarts, brownies, and more. Mozart’s roasts its own coffee beans so their coffee is always fresh.  The desserts are so good here that Bon Appetit magazine selected it as one of the “Top Ten Favorite Dessert Places in America”.

One of the great things about Mozart’s is its setting.  After you choose your dessert you can head outside, relax on their lake-side decks, sip your coffee and watch boats go by on Lake Austin.  During the evenings you can listen to live music from local singers and musicians.