The desert southwest is such an unusual and stimulating place. The crazy weather, the spicy food, the pueblo architecture, and the vivid colors are unique and at times, quite intense. Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities in the USA with Pueblo Indian (descendants of the Anasazi) and Spanish heritage. The historic center has an abundance of museums, art galleries, and artwork in public spaces that make it an art lover's paradise.
About an hour's drive west of Santa Fe is Bandelier National Monument, an Ancestral Pueblo archeological site that dates between 1150 and 1600 AD. Considering that these fantastic cliff dwellings, kivas, rock paintings, and petroglyphs are so exposed and fragile, it's hard to imagine why access by visitors is so permissive. The dwellings can be claustrophobic and difficult to access, but worth the effort.