Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico and is a city known for its beautiful architecture, its artsy vibe, its sunny southwestern heritage, and plenty of opportunities for fun outdoors to enjoy its spectacular scenery. Even better, it’s known as one of the most gay-friendly destinations in New Mexico. Truly, there is something for everyone in Santa Fe!
A Look at Santa Fe’s History
Santa Fe means “Holy Faith” in Spanish, and it was indeed initially founded by the Spanish in the early 1600s, making it the oldest capital city in the United States. Over its 400-year history, Santa Fe has served as a commercial center, an important hub for trade, and a city with a rich artistic and cultural legacy. Today, it remains a city with a deep history and a forward-thinking future. It is truly a diverse, welcoming, and wonderful place to live.
A Few Fun Facts About Santa Fe
Read more fun facts about Santa Fe here.
Santa Fe’s LGBTQ Community
Santa Fe is a city that loves and supports its LGBTQ community with a variety of resources, including:
PFLAG Santa Fe is the city’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is the largest grassroots organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG is well-known for its mission of supporting LGBTQ people, friends, family, and allies across the country in a wide variety of ways. With 500 chapters and more than 200,000 members in the United States, PFLAG plays a critical and important role in providing advocacy, support, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
The Human Rights Alliance of Santa Fe
The Human Rights Alliance of Santa Fe has been serving the LGBTQ community in Santa Fe since 1993. The mission of the group is to educate, encourage, engage, and celebrate LGBTQ inclusion, pride, and acceptance for all. The group works continually to accomplish this mission through event-planning, community building, and advocacy, and it’s a great way to be involved and connect with others.
What's the Weather Like in Santa Fe?
Those who live in Santa Fe can expect more snow than rain – which is probably not what most would initially expect of a city in sunny southwestern New Mexico! The city receives around 26 inches of snow on average per year, and about 15 inches of rain. Residents can also expect plenty of sun – around 283 days per year in fact, which is significantly more than the national average. Highs in July typically reach into the mid-80s. while it is not unheard of for temperatures to drop into the teens in the winter. Fall and spring are typically mild and pleasant and are wonderful times to enjoy all of the natural beauty that Santa Fe has to offer.
Can’t-Miss Events in Santa Fe
Santa Fe Pride is the city’s largest annual celebration of its LGBTQ community, and it’s one celebration that’s full of festivities and fun. Whether you enjoy parties, parades, family-friendly activities, networking opportunities, or all of the above, you can find it here. It’s one event you’ll want to be sure to put on your calendar!
Where to Live in Santa Fe
Unlike some cities which tend to have one particular area of town that’s the “gayborhood,” the LGBTQ population in Santa Fe tends to be a bit more spread out. This isn’t bad news though – in fact, it simply means that the entire city is quite welcoming. You'll find many different LGBT-owned businesses and shops across the city, as well as many wonderful neighborhoods.
Although all of Santa Fe is gay-friendly, there is a specific neighborhood that is having a bit of a boom. Aldea is a neighborhood where the community pride in ownership is obvious. It is clean, well-manicured and has a low crime rate. There are also a variety of homes suitable for gay singles or couples in the area including family homes, townhomes and garden homes. The median list price of homes currently for sale in Aldea is around $594,000.
If a neighborhood with more historic buildings is your taste, then you should also check out Historic Eastside, a neighborhood that runs up into the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The homes are smaller here and are bordered by parks and walking trails. Another historical neighborhood is Guadalupe, which stretches along the “Camino Real”; the famous road to Mexico. There is a warehouse district here that is known for its live-and-work studios, shops, galleries and eateries.
Arts and Entertainment
The Canyon Road Art District has more than 100 art galleries within its one square mile, making it the densest concentration of art galleries in the world. Whatever medium and style of art you like, you’re sure to find it here. The variety and talent is truly amazing.
The Way OUT West Film Fest, formerly the Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, is a very popular LGBTQ film festival that was initially founded in 2003 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has since expanded into Santa Fe. For over a decade, the festival has been presenting amazing LGBTQ films to the community. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a show – or several – for yourself.
Parks and Recreation
When many people initially think of New Mexico, they imagine warm, dry weather, so skiing may not often come to mind. In fact, however, Santa Fe has an excellent, nationally-known skiing scene. Ski Santa Fe offers 86 trails and plenty of opportunities for fun.
Santa Fe Nightlife
The Matador is a popular Santa Fe dive bar with a strong LGBTQ following. Despite its tiny basement space, it draws good crowds and has a funky vibe, strong drinks, and friendly people.
Though not specifically an LGBTQ spot, El Farol is known as one of Santa Fe’s most historic and iconic bars and restaurants. This historic Spanish tapas restaurant sits on beautiful art-gallery-lined Canyon Road and is well-known not only for its excellent food but also for its well-crafted drinks and live music.
Contact a Santa Fe Gay Realtor Today
If you're ready to make a move to Santa Fe, at www.gayrealestate.com, we're here to help you take the first step toward finding an agent who knows and loves the community, and who can help you find a home and a neighborhood you'll love. We're proud to have a network of excellent realtors in Santa Fe, and we would love to help connect you with the right one. Contact a Santa Fe gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
