Willa Cather's Sante Fe, New Mexico

 

April 4 - 10, 2025

Willa Cather, one of America’s greatest novelists, found deep inspiration in New Mexico’s art, history, and landscapes. Politics and Prose is offering this unique opportunity to walk in Cather’s footsteps on a magical trip to Santa Fe and the surrounding pueblos. The itinerary includes expert-led walking tours, scenic drives, and day trips to the real places Cather described in many of her writings, including in Death Comes for the Archbishop.

This is a six-day tour with numerous options to explore Willa Cather and her fictional Archbishop Latour’s time in New Mexico in depth. New Mexico is stunningly beautiful, called the “Land of Enchantment” for a reason. The places that Cather wrote about in Death Comes for the Archbishop are real places, and she described them from her own experience.

ITINERARY

Please note that, depending on weather, unexpected closings and other unforeseen events, we may amend this itinerary.

Friday, April 4

You’ll fly into either Albuquerque International Sunport or the Santa Fe airport and taxi (on your own) to the hotel.

Our historic and luxurious hotel, La Fonda on the Plaza, is where Cather and her partner Edith Lewis stayed in 1925 and 1926. It was founded as a railroad hotel in 1922 and is known as the “fantasy on the Plaza.”

6pm Meet in the hotel for orientation and conversation.

Saturday, April 5

9:00am We leave the hotel for a walking tour of Willa Cather’s Santa Fe (1.5 miles), exploring sites that inspired Cather’s novel and reading from her articles, interviews, and letters. We’ll end up at the colorful columns at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts for a group photo.

Noon – 2pm: Lunch on your own downtown.

2pm We meet at the Plaza bandstand for a tour of the New Mexico History Museum, which includes an exhibit on the Fred Harvey company, which focused on railroad-based tourists and which Cather extensively used during her Southwestern travels.

6pm Meet at the hotel for wine and conversation.

Sunday, April 6

9:30am We depart for our two-hour drive to Acoma Pueblo, the stunning pueblo built atop a 365-foot mesa that Cather wrote about in chapter 3 of Archbishop, “The Mass at Ácoma.”

11:30am Lunch on your own at K’aag’a Café, plus time to explore the cultural center’s exhibits and gift shop.

1pm Board the Acoma tour bus to drive to the top of the mesa for the pueblo tour.

3pm. Board our bus for the 20-minute drive to Laguna Pueblo, where we tour the 1699 mission church, an exquisite example of Pueblo-colonial architecture with its stunning yet simple altar. Cather got stuck for three days in Lagua in 1925. Then we’ll have a 1.5-hour drive back to Santa Fe, passing by La Bajada hill on the return. This is a 500-foot volcanic escarpment that the Spanish built 23 hairpin turns to ascend and later included Route 66 (it’s today superseded by Interstate 25)

No group meeting tonight.

Monday, April 7

8:30am We board our bus for the Low Road to Taos.

9:45am We arrive for our visit to the San Francisco de Asís Church (Ranchos de Taos), arguably the most famous church in New Mexico with its rounded adobe buttresses and captured by Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keeffe. Cather included a mass at the church in Archbishop.

10:15am Depart for Taos Plaza

10:30am Arrive Taos Plaza and start walking tour. Cather spent far more time in Taos than she did Santa Fe, and her 1925 visit was crucial for the development of Archbishop. The city is like a miniature Santa Fe and had the state’s first art colony. Our walking tour will include public restrooms, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Taos Plaza, Hotel La Fonda de Taos, the Kit Carson Home & Museum, and Bent Street.

11:45 am Lunch on your own. Best nearby lunch choices include Bent Street Grille, Michael’s Kitchen & Bakery, The Gorge Bar & Grill, La Cueva Café, Taos Mesa Brewing, all within walking distance of Taos Plaza.

1:45 pm Tour gathers at Taos Plaza in front of La Fonda for a short drive.

2:00 pm Visit the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, where Cather stayed for eighteen days in July 1925, an experience that percolated ideas for Cather that went into Archbishop. Now an inn and conference center, actor Dennis Hopper owned the place during the Easy Rider era in the 1970s.

3:00pm We take the High Road back toward Santa Fe

4:00pm We stop to visit the Chimayó Sanctuary, the most significant pilgrimage site in New Mexico, which Cather visited in 1925 and mentioned in Archbishop.

5:00pm We depart Chimayó for Santa Fe and our hotel.

No group meeting tonight. 

Tuesday, April 8

8:30am We depart on our 45-minute drive to Pecos National Historical Park, where we’ll stroll along a 1.25-mile paved trail through the Ancestral Pueblo site. Cather included this site in chapter 4, “Snake Root.”

11:30am We begin our return to Santa Fe via the village of Lamy to view the Cerro Colorado quarry, which provided the sandstone for the St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe, which Cather covered in chapter 8, “Gold under Pikes Peak.” We’ll drive past the Lamy train depot and the trackside site of the El Ortiz hotel, where Cather resided many times, including for three days in 1925.

12:45pm Lunch on your own at Bishop’s Lodge SkyFire restaurant. Tour the SkyFire art collection. [I’m wondering here if we should make a group reservation and have the back room, which seats a couple dozen people. In any case, we do want to let them know that we are coming.]

3:00pm Tour Bishop’s Lodge and the SkyFire art collection. Cather wrote about the 1853 adobe house that Archbishop Lamy constructed as his country retreat, now the most historic structure on the property, in her novel’s final chapter, “Death Comes for the Archbishop.” Bishop’s Lodge became a resort in 1918, and Cather visited it in 1926 for her research. The restaurant has an extensive art collection that dates to the 1920s.

4:00pm Return to Santa Fe

6:00pm Wine and conversation at the hotel.

Wednesday, April 9

10am: Visit the stunning Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, with many of her paintings from this area. You might want to taxi or walk to Canyon Road to visit the many (very tempting!) art galleries there; book a massage; or just relax on the Plaza and do some downtown shopping. Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Thursday, April 10

Depart for home. 

Here’s What’s Included:

- A seasoned and wonderful guide, Politics and Prose instructor Garrett Peck.

- Two trip Politics and Prose assistants who will help with any questions.

- All nights at the four-star La Fonda on the Plaza

- Full hot breakfast every morning

- Wine and conversation socials several evenings

- Admissions to every museum or other site mentioned in the itinerary.

- Bus and Driver for all-day trips and transportation from ABQ airport to the hotel.

- Restaurant recommendations for lunches and dinners..

What's Not included:
Airfare, taxes, tips, lunches and dinners, airport transfers.

Suggestions for Reading in Preparation for a Rewarding Visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Click here for the reading list: https://www.politics-prose.com/santa-fe-trip

Ready to Pack Your Bags?

The price for the trip is $4325. You’ll have your own room without paying an additional single supplement. To reserve your space, register here: https://www.wildblueyondertrips.com/trip-registration.

Before signing up, be sure to read all the Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions. If you have more questions, contact:

Politics and Prose programs team at classes@politics-prose.com

For booking questions email:

Sheila Campbell scampbell@wildblueyonder.biz

(301)-587-4555

To secure your space, mail your deposit check, made out to Wild Blue Yonder in the amount of $500, to Sheila Campbell, Wild Blue Yonder, 1001 Spring Street, Suite 623, Silver Spring, MD 20910. If you’d prefer to pay by credit card (there’s a 3% surcharge), email Sheila at scampbell@wildblueyonder.biz and she’ll send you a Paypal invoice.

FAQs

A Few Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who should come on this trip?

This is the perfect trip to take by yourself; you’ll make new friends and will always have people to do things with if you like. Or come with a friend or spouse or partner. You can spend time with each other and also have time to pursue your separate interests. The trip is also perfect for any small group that wants to travel together but doesn’t want the hassle of planning it all in advance. Do note that there is a fair amount of walking; usually about a mile and a half per day.

Q. Can I come early or stay on for some extra days?

Of course. You might particularly want to arrive early so that you can acclimate to the altitude. You’ll pay for your extra nights directly to the hotel when you get there.

Q. I’m coming with a spouse or partner and we want to share a room. Do we both have to pay the full rate?

For people who share a room, we offer a discount of $150 each. We’ve priced the trip primarily for people to have their own rooms. But of course you can share a room if you prefer.

Q. How many people will be on the trip?

The maximum number of people is 18, so you won’t feel like you’re part of a huge group – especially since there are two trip leaders to break us up into smaller sections.

Q. Is there internet access at the hotel?

Yes, free wifi comes with your room.

Q. What will the weather be like?

It’s hard to predict these days. It should be dry with average temperatures in the 40's to 50's. Our advice is to come prepared for just about anything. Layers are always nice and can be left in the bus if it gets too warm. Bring an umbrella, a jacket and – most important of all – very comfortable walking shoes. Also bring a water bottle to refill throughout the trip – Santa Fe is very dry and you can get dehydrated without knowing it.

Q. What to wear?

Jeans are fine. At night, if you’re eating in neighborhood restaurants, you don’t need to dress up–casual slacks or nice jeans are perfect. Of course, for any place where you need a reservation, you’ll want to dress appropriately. Please bring clothes that you feel comfortable in seeing as we will be doing quite a lot of walking.

Q. Why aren’t lunches and dinners included in the price?

Restaurants that accept tour groups are usually the last places we want to eat. There are just so many delicious choices for meals in New Mexico that we want everyone to be free to eat where and when they want. Alternatively, we often make lunch the biggest meal of the day, maybe even eating at a restaurant that would be too pricey at night. You’ll choose where you’ll eat, and with whom and how much you want to spend. Keep in mind that Santa Fe’s Southwestern cuisine can be spicy – we smother many dishes with “chile” (our word for salsa) – but there are many alternatives for those who don’t like spicy food.

Q. Is it safe to walk around by myself at night?

As in any city, it makes sense to be aware of your surroundings after dark. But in Santa Fe it’s usually quite safe to be out on your own or with a friend in the evenings. Within a few blocks are cafés, take-out food, and charming bars for cocktails. Do remain in lighted and well-trafficked areas.

Q. I’d love to come on this trip, but a friend has suggested a different hotel. Can I stay there?

Because we’ll be doing so much coordination from the La Fonda, and all our walking and transportation directions start there, we don’t think it’s practical to stay in another hotel. Plus, staying elsewhere would make getting to the evening wine and planning meetings difficult. Of course you can stay somewhere else, but the price of the trip wouldn’t change, so it wouldn’t be a good value.

Q. Some friends are going to be in Santa Fe while I’m there. Can they come along with us?

Because we want to keep our groups small, we can’t invite your friends to come with us on our daily excursions. But you can bring them to our evening get-togethers. Please give us a day’s notice, and there’s an extra $15 per person charge for the wine and snacks.

Q. Do you require us to buy travel insurance?

We very strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance. Please read our Terms and Conditions carefully to see our cancellation policy. Be aware that trip insurance companies are very strict about what they will and won’t reimburse you for, so read their policies closely.

Terms and Conditions:

Please read this information carefully, as payment of a deposit represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.

Trip Prices

Trip prices include hotel accommodations on a single or double occupancy basis, breakfast at the hotel, daily transportation as mentioned in the itinerary, entrance fees to museums if with the group as listed in the itinerary, evening socials to plan the next day’s activities, and the services of the trip leaders as outlined in the trip description.

Not included in the trip price are entrance fees to museums and other attractions not expressly included; taxis or other forms of city transportation; airfare and airline baggage fees; lunches and dinners; hotel, restaurant or airport tips; costs of passports and visas; personal expenses such as beverages, laundry or room service; internet wifi except as established in the trip description; airport transfers or any other services not specified in the trip description, and gratuities/tips.

Please note that we cannot guarantee any special requests for hotel rooms.

Registration and Payment

The payment of your deposit confirms your reservation. Deposits may be paid by check made out to Wild Blue Yonder, Inc., or credit card via PayPal. There is a 3% surcharge for PayPal.

Your deposit is refundable for two weeks from the date it is received by Wild Blue Yonder, except for deposits made less than 60 days before a trip departs; those deposits are completely nonrefundable. Two weeks after the receipt of the deposit by Wild Blue Yonder, deposits are not refundable for any reason and will be forfeited if you cancel your trip reservation. Cancellations must be in writing by either letter to Wild Blue Yonder or email to scampbell@wildblueyonder.biz. Cancellations become effective on the date they are received by Wild Blue Yonder.

Please note that, should a covid pandemic recur after trip deposits have been paid, no refunds will be possible (the funds will now be in New Mexico), but we will reschedule the trip as soon as possible with no change in price.

Once your reservation deposit has been paid, you will receive a confirmation email and further information to help you plan your trip.

We reserve the right to cancel any reservations that are not paid in full at any time after the final payment is due. If you make your reservation after the final payment due date, payment in full will be required immediately.

Full final payment is due December 1, 2024.

Cancellations and Refunds

For any cancellations made before December 1, 2024, you will forfeit your deposit but will be refunded any other payments you have made. If you must cancel your trip, the effective date of cancellation will be upon our receipt of your notification, which must be made in writing either by email or letter. No refunds are possible after November December 1, 2024.

We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance when you pay your deposit for this trip.

Changes to Your Reservation

If you would like to stay on for longer than the official days of the trip, we will make reservations for you at the hotel. We will not charge you for any changes to your reservation outside of 90 days before the trip start date. From 30 – 89 days before the trip start date, if you make any changes to your reservation, a $100 per person administrative fee will apply. Changes are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. If your reservation changes from double occupancy to single occupancy, you will be charged the single occupancy rate.

Health and Medical Issues

We welcome all travelers, but you must be in good health to participate in our trips. The trips require a reasonable amount of walking, possibly several hours a day, uphill or on uneven streets or streets without curb cuts. You must be able to climb stairs and board trains and buses on your own. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance if you have mobility issues; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you.

If you are unable to navigate this amount of walking, you will not be able to participate fully in the trip, and we suggest you choose another type of trip. We cannot provide individual alternatives to the planned group activities. If your fitness level does not allow you to keep up with the group and/or travel on public transportation, you will be responsible for planning your own activities and for any additional costs incurred (for instance, but not limited to, personal taxis, train tickets, and entrance fees).

Trip Insurance

We strongly recommend that you purchase both trip cancellation insurance and traveler’s medical and evacuation insurance for your trip. Should you have to cancel your trip after you have paid in full, we cannot offer refunds other than specified above, because we will have already paid the costs of your trip to our vendors.

Arrival and Departure Dates

It is your responsibility to make sure you arrive on the specified trip start date. We cannot refund part of your trip if you arrive late or leave early, unless you have notified us of your different start or end date 90 days before the trip start date.

Responsibility

The liability of Wild Blue Yonder and Politics and Prose, individually or jointly (referred to hereafter as Trip Planners), is strictly limited. In no event will the Trip Planners be liable for amounts in excess of the amounts payable to the Trip Planners in accordance with the terms hereunder, nor will Trip Planners be liable for any consequential indirect or incidental damages arising from this agreement. Trip Planners purchase accommodations, transportation and other services from independent suppliers not under our control. We serve only as agents for these suppliers in securing trip arrangements, and therefore will not accept responsibility and liability for wrongful, negligent or arbitrary acts or omissions of these independent contractors, their employees, agents or representatives.

Trip Planners are not liable for injury, damage, loss, accident, or delay that may be caused by events not within our control, including but not limited to, without limitation, acts of terrorism, war, strikes, defects of any vehicle, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters or the negligence or default of any third party.

Trip Planners reserve the right to correct errors in advertised prices. We reserve the right to cancel an advertised trip, decline to accept a reservation or remove a person from a trip if it is determined by us to be in the best interests of the health, safety or general well-being of other trip participants. We will make every effort to conduct our trip as planned, but we reserve the right to make itinerary and other changes as necessary. If unforeseen circumstances require us to change a hotel, we will make every effort to select alternative accommodations of the same quality. The forgoing terms and conditions and all aspects of the relationship between Trip Planners and you shall be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland.