Subtract The holiday season has come and gone. Marking the passing of time with years that end and begin with a changing of light – a new trip around the sun – is a blessing. The gathering of family and ritual (whatever yours is) breaks up our daily routines and gives us a chance to … Read more
The Return of the Light “This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go and becomes the future; the place of caught breath… “ – Margaret Atwood, Eating Fire: Selected Poetry 1965-1995 This month as icicles drip from the boughs … Read more
Season of Gratitude Greetings, I love this time of year as it turns our focus on gratitude for all the gifts 2022 has unwrapped. There is no greater joy than honoring each of our guests for playing a vital role in Heritage Inspirations (H.I.) story, as well as recognizing the dedication and passion that our … Read more
The Season of Discovery with Heritage Inspirations As the Cottonwoods turn golden along the Rio Grande, and the Canada Geese flies overhead in long rope formations, New Mexico prepares for winter. Farmers Markets still boast beets, winter squash and fresh cider, most operating till the end of October. And many New Mexicans prepare foods by … Read more
Entering the Mandala: The Journey to Radical Self-Care with Heritage Inspirations
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: None
Entering the Mandala: The Journey to Radical Self-Care with Heritage Inspirations As the nights grow longer and the Aspens flicker with autumn gold, it is a time to turn inward, peel back the layers of the year, and connect with the elemental rhythms of nature. No place is like New Mexico in the fall. Startling … Read more
The Art of Possibility: The Balloon Fiesta + other Albuquerque Wonders
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: None
The Art of Possibility: The Balloon Fiesta + other Albuquerque Wonders Many visitors to the state of New Mexico pass through Albuquerque as a portal to their vacation without really understanding the city’s distinct magic. Albuquerque has an artsy, contemporary vibe, with Route 66 architecture, shady adobe neighborhoods, farmers’ markets, and sustainable restaurants. But more … Read more
Taos Pueblo: A Contemporary Story of Resiliency + Vibrancy
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: 5
Taos Pueblo: A Contemporary Story of Resiliency + Vibrancy This August we welcome back the opening of Taos Pueblo. Inhabited for over a 1000 years, the story of Taos Pueblo is a story of origin. Red Willow Tribal Members have been living in harmony with the land and its resources for time immemorial. Located on … Read more
Nourishing the Magic of Taos This edition we will explore the many treasures of our region (see our in-house map!) as well as ask the question, “How can travel nourish the magic of Taos?” Here at Heritage Inspirations we have created pint-size tours that support small businesses, engage local and Tribal Member guides, offer locally … Read more
Design is both Wave + Particle
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: Comments Off on Design is both Wave + Particle
Design is both Wave + Particle the elemental attraction of culture, nature, and discovery Artists have been inspired by the sacred beauty of New Mexico since a time that was before time. The landscape bends the heart in a multitude of directions. Walking rain over a silver mesa feels romantic, the blaze of a blue … Read more
H.I. Insider’s Guide to Summer 2022 “And summer‘s lease hath all too short a date.” ~ William Shakespeare Mind As you fly into Albuquerque and peer out the round oval of your window, you will see the Sandia Mountains swell out of the earth waves of an ancient sea. The Rio Grande winds its way … Read more
A Time to Gather Heritage Inspirations has crafted complimentary tours to Santa Fe’s most celebrated markets and festivals so you can design a whole week of activities and discovery around your visit. “New Mexico’s markets celebratethe height of culture and the depth of community.” IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD A Map of Santa Fe’s Most Vibrant Communities … Read more
Come along with Heritage Inspirations guide Daniel Gibson as he explores the many questions and wonders of Chaco Culture Historical Park. A long time guide and visitor of the site, Gibson engages us with a personal account of his experiences, and raises questions about place, origin, and change…
chaco unearthed This month we meet with GB Cornucopia, career Interpretive Ranger for Chaco Culture Historical Park + founder of the Chaco Night Sky program Over the course of 34 years GB has shared his enthusiasm for archeoastronomy with park visitors, and has humbly engaged his Pueblo and Navajo friends to gain a fuller understanding … Read more
Architecture of the Soul The buildings were grand and impressive, vessels to behold on the waves of desert plateaus. They were oriented to the stars and heavens, a perfectly placed window could illuminate a ceremonial chamber with a ray of light from the solstice sun. These are the facts, but the rest is a mystery. … Read more
Beyond the Itinerary
Take the Plunge: Exploring New Mexico’s River Gifts
Category: Beyond the Itinerary | Comments: None
Take the Plunge: Exploring New Mexico’s River Gifts Is there a better way to experience the great outdoors than a river rafting or kayaking excursion? You’d have a hard time convincing me, as it combines the beauty, excitement and sense of discovery found on a backpacking trip, with the river’s flow bringing the landscape to … Read more
Meet the Makers + Inspired Partners
New Mexico River Adventures
Category: Meet the Makers | Comments: 2
Name of business: New Mexico River Adventures What they do: Offer a variety of outdoor experiences, from running a wild whitewater run through the Class IV rapids of the world-famous Taos Box to a scenic float through the colorful canyon of the Rio Chama How long they have been doing it: In 2010, seasoned travelers … Read more
FREE TO ROAM: Ready to get back into the world? HI is ready to take you there. Here, at HI, we identify with your craving to awaken, and have crafted adventure experiences that will elevate your soul and join you with others who share your excitement about getting back into the world. A Map to … Read more
Pueblo Women: Strong and Stronger When I was a child growing up in the North Valley of Albuquerque, our family was blessed to have a woman from San Felipe Pueblo, Lupe Valencia, in our lives. She would come once a week or so to assist my mother, who was raising five kids, with the household … Read more
Name of business: The Feasting Place by Norma and Hutch Naranjo What they do: Host people from all over the world who want to learn about culture, traditional knowledge, and the sustainability of Pueblo life How long they have been doing it: They have been in business for 22 years Where they are located: On … Read more
ABQ: Lifting the Veil on Burque Albuquerque is the epicenter of southwestern influence and tradition, set at the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. ¡Bienvenidos! In 1706, Fransico Cuervo y Valdés wrote to King Philip V, “I certify to the king, our lord and the most excellent viceroy that I have founded a villa (village) in … Read more
Bienvenidos! Welcome to my new column I’ll be writing monthly for the Heritage Inspirations newsletter! I am thrilled to wander across the landscape of New Mexico, where I was born and raised, to report on outings in this mystical, beautiful place. Here, the land seems to be reborn daily as the sun cracks over a … Read more
Meet the Makers + Inspired Partners
Taos Mountain Outfitters
Category: Meet the Makers | Comments: None
Name of business: Taos Mountain Outfitters What they do: Sell and rent outdoor gear and apparel. How long they have been doing it: The business since 1969, current owners since 2016 Where they are located: 113 N Plaza, Taos, NM 87571 Whether you’re into trail-running, backpacking, or snowshoeing among the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos … Read more
Make Travel Plans – Rebirthing Enchanting Traditions As we start off the New Year here in the Land of Enchantment we were bedazzled by the earth painted white with a much anticipated snow storm. To witness the morning sunrise and evening sunsets that cast their intoxicating light across our landscapes illuminated by snow diamonds, is … Read more
Chaco Canyon Glamping – New Moon and Equinox Expeditions
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: 2
Glamping with Heritage Inspirations in Chaco Canyon, will connect your body to your soul. The open blue skies with billowing clouds are as mesmerizing as watching the waves of the sea collide with the shore. Feeling the sandstone cool your skin and warm your soul is invigorating. Connecting with an ancient civilization whose descendants are … Read more
Private Vault culinary experience Q&A with Heritage Inspirations Founder, Angelisa Murray, and Chef & Culinary Program Director, Marianne Sundquist, about the launch of their new culinary collaboration with The Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe. Angelisa Murray Heritage Inspirations Founder + CEO Marianne Sundquist Chef + Culinary Program Director Heritage Inspirations is known … Read more
Taos Pueblo is a place where the mind is forced to step into a different time. A place where acknowledgment of the indigenous people and their history, culture and abilities cannot be denied. It’s a foundation for the voices of the untold story, kept from us as children. As the visitor walks through the adobe … Read more
Heritage Inspirations is partnering with Heritage Hotels & Resorts to offer guests a Wellness Program in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque. This program is free for hotel guests and an integral part of our wellness pillar. The program consists of a wellness walk that highlights the uniqueness of each destination and drops you into the … Read more
Over the past few years we have grown up significantly and are emerging from the pandemic like a mountain bluebird ready to fly the nest. This level of evolution felt like the right time to rebrand ourselves with a new logo and image that speaks more intimately to who we are and the principles upon … Read more
This is the land of the Tewa, a Native American Puebloan group. They inhabited this land since the aboriginal times and you can feel their deep rooted traditions and history imprinted upon this earth. The Tewa tribe were known as a peace-loving people, surviving as farmers and herdsmen. They are famous for their religious beliefs, … Read more
The Puebloan people began to build in the canyon on a grand scale around 850 C.E. and construction of their Great House Pueblos continued for over 300 years. Their architecture design was pre-planned and many of the great houses were built over decades and even centuries. Our day trip begins early in the morning. Shortly … Read more
It’s March which means that spring is just around the corner. The weather warms, the ground defrosts and the snow begins to melt, and the earth comes alive again reinvigorated by the sun. As nature shakes off the heaviness of winter and renews itself with a fresh, green start, our spirit of adventure often does … Read more
It’s February – the month of love and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. When most people think about Valentine’s Day they think about romantic love commercialized with flowers, chocolates and cards. But we like to think of it as more than just romantic love, it’s a time to celebrate all types of love. … Read more
January Travel Blog | Glampour – Reimagine Glamping with HI’s Enchanting Experience
Category: Travel Inspirations | Comments: None
Do you love to experience the great outdoors, but struggle with the lack of comfort when camping? Do you long to experience the enchantment of the New Mexico sky far from any light pollution, where you can sit back and enjoy the stars? Do you want to do it in style? We have the perfect … Read more
It’s November in New Mexico, and I’m on an early dawn hike throughout the stacks of ancient earth and the multi-layers of hued sandstone. They’re whispering to me in the golden light about a colorful story that once existed on earth, out here on the edge of the Colorado Plateau, where so many have been … Read more
Gratitude goes beyond expressing thanks to someone. These days, it has developed into a state of being that fosters a positive state of mind and is an ongoing appreciative practice that generates an enhanced presentness with life. We thought that with November almost upon us and the annual holiday of gratitude, Thanksgiving, we’d look at … Read more
Travel in New Mexico Nourishes Wellness
Category: Travel Inspirations, Traveling in New Mexico | Comments: None
Many travelers want to maintain or even enhance their personal wellbeing when they travel. Travel can be an opportunity to focus on nurturing the soul, spirit, body and mind. It makes sense if you’re taking a break to hit the refresh button, that you should incorporate rejuvenating healthy practices and tune into your body’s needs. … Read more
It’s Easy to Imagine You’re in a Foreign Locale in Santa Fe, NM
Category: The Inspiration Travel Ignites | Comments: None
It’s Easy to Imagine You’re in a Foreign Locale in Santa Fe, NM Wanderlusters unite! Have you been yearning for an overseas trip but not had sufficient time or money to go far afield? Are you eager for a sense of exotic newness, yet need to stay within U.S. boundaries? Well, there’s a reason Santa … Read more
Eight Reasons You Should Visit Albuquerque By Heritage Inspirations Guide Bobby Gonzales I moved to Albuquerque fourteen years ago to go to school and I liked it so much, I never left. New Mexico is a state like no other in the U.S. and is truly special, and while most people use Albuquerque as a … Read more
New Mexico’s Northern Mountains Benefit from a Rich Cultural & Artistic Heritage
Category: Uncategorized | Comments: 2
Northern New Mexico’s Early Cultural & Artistic History The earliest New Mexico inhabitants, the ancestral Puebloans, left artifacts and petroglyphs throughout the region and these primitive artists created images and designs that represented their spiritual practices and relationship to their natural surroundings. Their earthen architecture used basic sustainable materials, proving long-lasting and resilient to the … Read more
Tackling the Outdoors as a Beginner
Category: Travel Ignites Inspiration, Traveling in New Mexico | Comments: 1
By Heritage Inspirations Guide Sally Pryor Sally is Heritage Inspirations newest guide and she enthusiastically leads an introductory overnight backpacking experience in the glorious Enchanted Circle North of Taos. She believes backpacking allows you to know the power of your body and challenges you to experience the elements, thereby giving you wings to grow. For … Read more
The Tapestry of Taos Artisans
Category: Taos Day Tours, Travel Inspirations, Traveling in New Mexico | Comments: 3
Wandering the streets of downtown Taos we walk on imperfect roads where many artists have walked before. Roads full of wondrous stories where the famous, infamous, and little known have already treaded. Every crack in the sidewalk is a sign that someone of significance walked this way and it’s what makes Taos’ art colony completely … Read more
Why Do Women Travel? On International Women’s Day, we want to focus on women and travel. More and more women are traveling, whether alone or in groups, and here at Heritage Inspirations we’ve been contemplating what drives this female desire for travel. It’s become a common theme in the travel industry – women are traveling … Read more
Floating on Snow in the Taos Backcountry
Category: Taos Day Tours, Traveling in New Mexico | Comments: 4
Winter invites a different kind of discovery because of the silence blanketing the ground, allowing us to see things we might not have noticed in other seasons. When the trees and land get covered in white, they highlight and illuminate the texture, form and shapes of nature in poetic majesty. I must admit, this is … Read more
One of the best parts about living in New Mexico is all of the creative people living in their creative spaces. There are so many quaint and romantic back roads that lead you to the front door of an artist. One of the qualities that first attracted me to living in New Mexico was the … Read more