Chimayo’s Bed and Breakfast Inns are few but you will find that this small, historic village is an absolute hidden jewel that is packed with culture, history, art and great traditional Northern New Mexico foods. Chimayo is home to the sacred Santuario de Chimayo. This church is one of the most visited in the entire state of New Mexico. It is known for its miraculous healings and it is a destination for many religious pilgrims. It is often referred to as the “Lourdes of America”. The church still holds mass 7-day a week and visitors are always welcome to visit or attend services. If you plan to visit over Easter weekend, book your room far in advance as there will be 40,000 – 50,000 people making a religious pilgrimage to Chimayo, over the span of that holy weekend. Otherwise, you will enjoy the quiet surroundings of this centrally located village that is normally a population of about 3,0000. Do you love to cook or know someone that loves to cook? Chimayo is also known for its Chimayo Red Chili. People travel great distances to purchase the locally grown Chimayo chili. There is even a Chimayo Chili preservation program that is dedicated to preserving this unique (and delicious) red chili. Good cooks covet this local food commodity and it is available in a mild, medium or hot variety. Chimayo chili can be purchased in the form of a chili powder; crushed chili or whole chilies that are strung together to make what is referred to as a “ristra”. Once you try our Chimayo Red Chili, you will never again be able to cook with store bought chili. It’s lip smacking good! If you can’t wait to get home and cook it up yourself, you will want to sample some of the wonderful local eats. There are two places that you want to put on your list. The first eatery is The Rancho de Chimayo. This is an old, historic hacienda that was converted into a restaurant, so the ambiance is truly authentic. They are a full service restaurant that has been serving-up traditional northern New Mexico food for over 40 years! They are open 7-days a week most of the year but they closed on Mondays during the off-season. Try one of their famous “Chimayo Cocktails”. Their Margaritas are pretty good too! Outside dinning is available during the warmer months of the year. They will also accommodate dinner guests that are traveling with their pets as long as your pet is well behaved and you dine in the outdoor dining area. The other mouth-watering stop is Leona’s. Leona’s is located in close proximity to the Santuario de Chimayo. She is very well-known for her tamales. Many visitors actually bring a cooler and stock-up on Leona’s tamales during their visit. This allows them to travel home with enough tamales to last until their next visit to Chimayo. Leona has even been featured on “The Food Network” for her tamales. She usually offers 4 – 5 different varieties of tamales. Leona’s is very small and it is more suitable for lunch or an early dinner since she closes at 5 PM. When you are done eating, you will want to visit the internationally know weaving shops of Chimayo. Many of these weavers are 7th or 8th generation weavers. Some have even had weavings in the Smithsonian! Many have won awards in the famous “Spanish Market”. This is the largest juried Spanish art show in the US. Weaving is a time-honored tradition in Chimayo. You are able to purchase hand-crafted rugs; blankets; wall hangings; placemats; hand bags; vests; coats and much more. You are even able to custom order hand-woven pieces for a minimal up-charge. They are happy to customize the size, design or colors to your exact specifications. While many near-by New Mexico residents come to Chimayo for a quick but restful getaway, most visitors find that an extended in Chimayo is best. In addition to the attractions that are actually in Chimayo, this is also a perfect, central location to base out of for an extended stay so that you can conveniently visit the entire northern New Mexico area. It is only a 35-minute drive to Santa Fe with all of her galleries; museums, opera, entertainment and fine dining. In 40 minutes travel time you can be at Bandelier National Park where you can visit ancient cliff-dwelling type ruins and hike the trails or you could arrive in Abiquiu (Georgia O’Keeffe Country) with its magical landscapes. In the same amount of time you can also be at Ojo Caliente Hot Mineral Springs. Spend part of your day having a soothing soak in the hot springs or enjoy a massage. In just under an hour you can be in picturesque Taos, which is home to the famous Taos Pueblo. There are over 8 Native American pueblos in northern New Mexico and they are all easily accessible from Chimayo. If you love to golf, you will find that the courses in the area are absolutely unbelievable, as well as surprisingly affordable. During the winter months, skiing is a popular activity since Chimayo is surrounded by 6 different downhill ski areas. Rafting, horseback riding, fishing, biking, hot air ballooning and train rides are all available close-by. While Chimayo is oozing with rustic charm, it doesn’t offer much in the way of night-life. However, if you need a bit of excitement, the casinos are just a short drive away. Good luck!