Drinking in Santa Fe (New Mexico): Where to get it

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• Fusion, 135 W. Palace Ave., +1 505 955-0400. Formerly "Swig." Most Santa Fe night spots have more of a coffeehouse vibe than a dance-till-you-drop atmosphere, but dancing is available here, with occasional tango lessons. "Touristy" rather than "popular with the locals," as one might expect from its location near the Plaza; LGBT-oriented according to some, but not all, visitors.
• Most of the hotels in the downtown area have bars and lounges that are geared to the traveler, with all that that entails. However, the bar of the St. Francis Hotel, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., +1 505 983-5700, www.hotelstfrancis.com, is one of the best places for people-watching in all of Santa Fe. The crowd tends to be more sedate here than at some other places.
• The Inn on the Alameda, 303 East Alameda, +1 505 984-2121, www.innonthealameda.com, includes in its rates an afternoon wine and cheese reception, and, with its location at the base of Canyon Road, offers an easy way to relax after a day of gallery-hopping.
• Second Street Brewery, 1814 Second Street, +1 505 982-3030, www.secondstreetbrewery.com. Sun noon-10PM; Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM for food, later (closing time unspecified) for the bar. Brewpub, with live music most evenings Thursday-Sunday and art exhibits (this is Santa Fe, after all...) at other times. Note that they've been fined in the past by the state of New Mexico for permitting consumption of alcohol off grounds, so they may be sticklers for keeping your drink on-site.
• Changes in New Mexico laws during the 1990s led to the development of casinos at a number of nearby American Indian pueblos. The closest to Santa Fe are along US 285 on the way to Pojoaque. Big-name acts occasionally appear and liven up the night life, although you're as likely to catch a falling star on his/her way down-and-out as a current, lively act. The two listed here may run shuttle services connecting to the major in-town hotels; inquire locally as to availability.
  • Camel Rock Casino, US 84/285 (10 miles north of town), +1 800 462-2635, www.camelrockcasino.com
  • Cities of Gold, US 84/285 (15 miles north of town in Pojoaque), +1 505 455-3313, www.citiesofgold.com
• Several of the local-style bars can be found on Cerrillos Road and St. Michaels Drive, if you'd prefer to avoid the touristy places. Warning: some of these can get rowdy, and DUI is a problem in the area as well.
  • Green Onion Sports Pub, 1851 St. Michaels Drive, +1 505 983-5198. Advertises itself as "Sports Bar/Family Dining," and is less seedy than many of the other bars on the main drags.

Santa Fe (New Mexico) Photos

• www.hotelstfrancis.com
• www.innonthealameda.com
• www.secondstreetbrewery.com
• www.camelrockcasino.com
• www.citiesofgold.com