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Summer of Love – Taos, New Mexico

Posted on 31. May, 2009 by Kim Mance in Taos, NM, xx production blog xx

We recently got back from filming an episode in Taos, NM. We were there to check out the Taos Summer of Love 2009, and it was quite a lot of fun.

The tourism office brought us down so we could experience everything Taos had to offer. I’ve gotta say, I was surprised at just how much there was to do in the area. Taos turned out to be a great combination of history, art, adventure, and outdoor activities. In fact, it’s such a unique spot, we really felt like we traveled abroad–just without the long plane ride.

Another fun thing was getting to meet Dennis Hopper who was helping the city celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cult classic film Easy Rider. In honor of the landmark year, he’s curated an art exhibit at the Harwood Museum downtown.

The exhibit was outstanding, and we also got to meet Hopper’s good friend, Dean Stockwell. You may know him as the actor who played quirky “Al” in the old TV series Quantum Leap. And who didn’t love Al? But the collection of his work was actually quite stunning.

Maren and I got so into the Easy Rider mood, we even took a ride on a Harley…

Here are a few more quick highlights from our trip featured on the episode:

1,000 Year-old Taos Pueblo
The Taos Pueblo is both a National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pueblo Indians built it between 1000 and 1450 A.D., and about 150 full-time residents still make it their home today. Guided tours are free (donations suggsted) once you pay the $10 per person entry fee to get into the Pueblo. (Cameras cost an extra $5.)

Taos Historic District & Its Art Scene
The entire downtown historic area of Taos is filled with delightful art galleries, shops and studios. You literally can’t go fifty steps and not see another gallery. Taos is known for its history with the arts, and has long been considered an artist colony. It’s the perfect place to go for an inspirational retreat. And of course don’t miss the “Hopper at the Harwood” exhibit running from May through September 2009 at the Harwood Museum of Art.

Hot Air Balloon Ride
Another highlight (no pun intened) of our Taos trip was a hot air balloon ride over the Rio Grande Gorge. Sweeping views of the spectacular landscape provide a memorable experience definitely worth the splurge. The fun and hospitable owner of the Pueblo Balloon Company will even give you a thrill by dropping down and dipping the basket into the river if you’re feeling adventurous.

Earth Ships
Another fun and inspirational way to spend some time is visiting the EarthShip Biotecture community, about 15 miles outside Taos. It is a planned community of completely sustainable homes, built entirely from recycled materials, as designed by Michael Reynolds. The idea has caught on and EarthShips are built all over the world, but Taos has the largest community of the unique homes. The visitor’s center allows you to learn all about these houses that provide their own electricity, heating/cooling systems, and even grow food in greenhouses watered by processed gray water used by the homeowners. $5 for a self-guided tour.

They recently set up EarthShip nightly rentals so visitors can actually stay in one and try it out for themselves. The interiors are beautiful, and the “Phoenix” model boasts a fireplace/flat-screen TV/waterfall combo. Rates are $110-$190 per night.

A Quaint B&B Stay
The Adobe Pines B&B where we stayed was an unexpectedly delightful oasis. Every square inch is so perfectly decorated in a high-end Southwest theme, it makes you feel like you’re living in another time. It has a very interesting history as well, and used to be entirely inhabited by artists, including Georgia O’Keefe.The room with a working fireplace and morning breakfast were fantastic, and the proprietors were charming and helpful.

All in all, Taos is a great place to visit to get a lot out of a vacation within the United States. Be sure to check out the Galavanting Taos episode!

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Kim Mance is host and co-creator of Galavanting.tv. and editor-in-chief of GoGalavanting.com. She’s based in Chicago, IL and some of her other writing can be found at MarieClaire.com, The Huffington Post, and Babble. She has lived abroad, loves traveling, has three kids and is always up for an adventure. Follow Kim on Twitter >>

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