It would be really wonderful if Arizona summers actually consisted of lounging poolside for hours on end, but any true native can tell you it’s genuinely too hot to do that. When jumping in the pool feels more like a lukewarm bath than a refreshing and cold escape, you know you’re in desperate need of a more fulfilling summer vacation.
As they say, ’tis the season to “treat yourself,” so if you’re feeling like a little poolside action is just what you need, don’t let the pesky AZ heat ruin it for you. What you need is only one state away in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where average July temperatures are recorded at 86 degrees fahrenheit. Not too hot and not too cold – just perfect.
Even luckier, the Hilton Sante Fe Buffalo Thunder, just 15 minutes from the historic downtown, is offering some amazing end-of-summer deals:
With rates from $119 for summer stays, guests at the hotel can enjoy:
- Resort Pool & Cabanas – Expansive, heated outdoor pool with plush cabanas, kids pool and poolside bar and grill. Cabana rentals are available from $75 per day, inclusive of chilled bottled water, trio of snack mixes and $25 food credit to poolside bar.
- Heart Live On Aug. 29 – Heart will perform live on Aug. 29 in the resort’s Tewa Ballroom. Lead by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the American rock band Heart proved women can rock in the 1970s with hits “Barracuda,” “Crazy On You,” and “Magic Man.” Showtime is 8 p.m. with tickets available for $60-$80 online by clicking here.
- Signature Santa Fe Summer Festivals & Events – Resort guests can enjoy being just minutes away from the hub of Santa Fe’s world-class festivals and events, including:
- The Santa Fe Opera – Every July and August since 1957, opera lovers have been drawn to the magnificent northern New Mexico mountains to enjoy productions by one of America’s premier summer opera festivals. Here, The Santa Fe Opera’s dramatic adobe theater blends harmoniously with the high desert landscape.
- 64th Annual Traditional Spanish Market – Happening July 25 – 26, over 250 adult and youth Spanish Market artists exhibit hand-made artwork for sale along the streets surrounding the historic Santa Fe Plaza. Bandstand entertainment and Hispanic cuisine fill the air with regional sounds and aromas.
- Santa Fe Indian Market – Taking place August 22 – 23, visitors celebrate Native arts and culture in the largest and most prestigious intertribal fine art market in the world. The market features over 1,000 of the “best of the best” Native artists, crafts persons and designers.
- Burning of Zozobra – The 91-year-old tradition continues on Sept. 4 for the ritual burning in effigy of Zozobra to dispel the hardships, gloom and ills of the past year. Zozobra, which means “gloom,” is a massive white marionette that stands over 50 feet tall and weighs over 2,000 pounds. He’s hoisted up and after a ceremony of fire dancing and music, is torched in the night as tens of thousands in the crowd rejoice in his demise.
- Santa Fe Wine and Chile Festival – Hosted over four days Sept. 23 – 27, the 25th annual event features culinary delights from 75 Santa Fe restaurants and 100 world-class wineries for five days of epicurean pleasures. Special lunches and dinners, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations and a big-tent tasting event take place across greater Santa Fe.
If you’re surprised, trust me we are too. Who knew Santa Fe had so much to do? Not only are there festivals and markets and great pools, but the resort has a Native-American art collection valued at more than $2 million. Golf lovers and dining connoisseurs will also be happy to know the resort is home to 27 holes of golf at Towa Golf Club, and fine dining as well as an extensive wine collection is offered at Red Sage, an American grill.
-Story by Taylor Seely
