Winner of Trip Advisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award
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Downtown History Tour
Let our experienced guides introduce you to the rich history of Santa Fe.
Our downtown stroll will expose you to Santa Fe's 400-year history, serene adobe architecture, religious landmarks, and colorful culture. Stops on this tour include the Plaza, 109 East Palace Avenue, Cathedral Park, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, and Loretto Chapel.
Depart: 10 a.m. daily from the concierge desk at La Fonda Hotel.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $30 per adult; children 12 and under go free with adult supervision. Single walkers are welcome but there is a minimum charge of $50
Recommendations: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
Walk-ins welcome although reservations are appreciated. Contact Sita at (505) 577-7645.
“I’m in love with Santa Fe;
Like it better every day;
But I wonder, every minute,
How the folks who aren’t in it,
Ever stand it, any way,
Not to be in Santa Fe.”
Mae Peregrine, Santa Fe, 1915
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Chocolate Walking Tour
Chocolate is known to have been an integral part of Native cultures in Central America for over 3,000 years, serving important roles in medicine, religious ceremonies, and trade.
Chocolate made its North American debut over a thousand years ago in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon. In the 16th century, it became wildly popular in Europe, where new recipes and technology enabled the evolution of modern versions of this “gift of the gods.” (Aztec meaning of Cacoa).
Our experienced guide will lead you through this intriguing history from its beginnings as a drink all the way to the ubiquitous chocolate bar and other variations that we see today.
We will explore the flavors of four local chocolate shops, each occupying a unique niche in the diverse Santa Fe food experience. From ancient elixirs to modern decorative wonders, you will not want to miss this immersive chocolate experience.
Threaded throughout our tour will be the history of Santa Fe, the oldest capital city in the United States
Minimum of 2 people
Maximum of 12 people.
Duration: 3 hours
Price: Children 7 and under go free; ages 7 to 16 are $35 each; ages 16 and older are $55 each.
Recommendations: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
Please call to arrange a time and date: Contact Sita at (505) 577-7645.
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Spy Walking Tour
From earliest days of the Spanish, to the Civil War, to days of the atomic bomb, and to more modern times, spies have always been active in the historic capital of New Mexico. Spies operated in diverse and creative ways to provide information for decisive history-altering decisions.
The tour features Santa Fe’s major spy hangouts, drop sites, and operational details that resulted in top secret information being exchanged. Join Jean McLarty and meet colorful personalities and explore historic details, from brilliant successes to missteps and tragedy.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $35 per adult; children 12 and under go free with adult supervision. Single walkers are welcome but there is a minimum charge of $60
Recommendations: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
Please call to arrange a time and date. Contact Jean at (508) 733-3666.
“The single greatest intelligence coup of the Soviet KGB, their single greatest counterintelligence coup, and the planning of their most infamous assassination all took place within one mile of the statue of Bishop Lamy in front of the St. Francis Cathedral in central Santa Fe, New Mexico. Not by coincidence, that statue has been a favorite spot over the years for clandestine-intelligence officers to gather and snap a photo”
“A Spy’s Guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque” by E.B. Held
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Billy the Kid Downtown Walking Tour
Billy the Kid was one of the most notorious outlaws of the Wild West. Legend has it that he killed 21 men—one for each year of his life. But before “The Kid” became a bloodthirsty killer he claimed Santa Fe as his home town. It is here that he spent some of his formative years learning how to ride horseback, how to speak Spanish, and how to sing for his supper.
It was in Santa Fe where he learned to handle a gun. Unfortunately it is also where he spent four of the last months of his life, in the Santa Fe Jail.
Our tour visits the locations where he roamed as a kid, the church where his mother married his stepfather, the hotel where he washed dishes, and the jail where he was incarcerated. We also view the Palace of the Governors, where the governor, Lew Wallace, offered Billy a pardon for his part in the legendary Lincoln County War but later reneged.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $35 per adult; children 12 and under go free with adult supervision. Single walkers are welcome but there is a minimum charge of $60.
Recommendation: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
Please call to arrange a time and date. Contact Ken at (512) 569-9613.
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Historical Architecture and Interior Design Tour
This 2-hour walking tour offers an in-depth history of the architecture and designs styles over the last 400 years in the Santa Fe downtown district.
We’ll seek out the roots of Santa Fe’s architecture in the adobe-based haciendas and missions of the Spanish colonists. We’ll look for Territiorial accents that came in with the opening of the Old Santa Fe Trail. And we’ll explore the surprising transition from Neo-classical buildings popular in the late 19th Century to the iconic Spanish-Pueblo Revival Style we enjoy today.
Our tour includes a glimpse inside churches, a classic Harvey House hotel, and two former homes, including the Inn of the Turquoise Bear, once the lively focus of artistic life in 1920’s and 30’s Santa Fe.
Minimum of 2 people
Price: $55 per person
For those who would like an extended tour, I include a 3 hour version. This tour additionally features the Saint Vincent Sanatorium (TB was a big player in the territorial time). La Posada (former home of Julia and Abraham Staab) and the beautiful interior of the Saint Francis Cathedral and La Conquistador Chapel.
Price: $70 per person
Recommendation: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water. These tours involve somewhat more distance than our other tours.
Please call to arrange a time and date. Contact Sita at (505) 577-7645.
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Downtown Santa Fe Ghost Tour
Mysterious harp music is heard off the Santa Fe Plaza in the middle of the night. The ghost of a young bride who was tragically killed on her wedding night is frequently seen at a downtown hotel. And the spirit of a woman from Santa Fe high society whose grief over the death of her youngest child reportedly still roams house mansion where she lived. These are a few of the stories of ghosts and the paranormal that have arisen in Santa Fe over its more than 400-year history.
This tour will explore many of the legends of hauntings around downtown Santa Fe. Included in the tour are:
La Fonda Hotel, where several ghosts have been reported
The Santa Fe Plaza, where Spanish soldier killed in battle and even a notorious Wild West outlaw are said to roam the streets at night;
La Posada Hotel where Santa Fe’s most famous ghost, Julie Staab, is said to still wandered the halls of what used to be her family home
And much more!
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $40 per adult; children 12 and under go free with adult supervision. Single walkers are welcome but there is a minimum charge of $70.
Recommendation: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
Please call to arrange a time and date. Contact Ken at (512) 569-9613.
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Santa Fe’s Gourmet Food Shoppes Tour
Many people come to Santa Fe for the food! The city’s chefs have become artists in their blend of fusion with traditional fare. But what visitors don’t realize is that home kitchens in the city also have access to gourmet food choices, thanks to numerous shops full of delicacies chosen by dedicated purveyors of fine food ingredients.
This tour visits as many as a dozen specialty food shops in the downtown district. From farm to haute cuisine, you’ll discover what culinary delights can be made with a broad selection of items from well stocked shops that pride themselves in offering the finest from around the Southwest and the world.
Although the tour is designed to simply acquaint you with the specialty of each shop and its location so you can return to your favorite one later, you may want to bring a bag over your shoulder in case you can’t resist buying while on tour!
Limit 10 people. Not advisable for children 12 and under.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $35 per person
Recommendation: Comfortable shoes and a bottle of water
For reservations please text Allen at 269-861-5203
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Canyon Road Walking Tour
Join one of our experienced guides as we explore iconic Canyon Road, one of the most unique art destinations in the world. Once a picturesque residential street, Canyon Road is now home to over 100 art galleries, shops and restaurants. The distinctive architectural styles of old Santa Fe are well represented along the walk.
We will meet at the La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza and walk a few blocks along the Alameda to join Canyon Road. We will visit selected galleries and you will be able to remain to explore, dine and photograph in this beautiful setting.
Learn why our unique culture, architecture, history and Native Pueblo/Spanish heritage has resulted in Santa Fe receiving the “World Legacy Award” by National Geographic Traveler.
Day/Time: Fridays 11am-1:00pm or by Reservation
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $40 per adult. Single walkers are welcome but there is a minimum charge of $60.
Special Group rates are available.
For questions please contact Tom Gallegos. Text or Phone: (505) 577-2980
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About Our Guides
Sita Jamieson Caddle
Sita has called Santa Fe home since 1979. She fell in love with its vibrancy, culture and history, eventually receiving a training through the New Mexico History Museum to become a historical walking guide. Her tours emphasize Santa Fe's diversity and culture and how that has shaped the beauty and development of the city to what it is today. In addition to History Walks, she also offers a Chocolate Tour, which includes the history of the amazing cacao tree as well as tastings from five of the chocolatiers in town. Recently she added a Historical Architecture and Interior Design Tour which features many of Santa Fe's iconic buildings.
Allen Steele
As one of the most requested tour guides by hotels in Santa Fe, Allen likes to share the city’s rich history in the form of stories. He is known for his ability to combine all the stories he knows into a rich mosaic of one of the country’s most historic cities. His love of history has resulted in Santa Fe’s two most recent books about the history of “The City Different.” He calls Santa Fe the Southwest’s Capital for history, culture, art and cuisine and he shares colorful summaries of all these subjects on his tours.
Tom Gallegos
Tom helps visitors experience Santa Fe, native Pueblos, Spanish villages, the beautiful outdoors and unique cuisine. He especially enjoys sharing the beauty and history of Santa Fe on his walking tour. Tom is a native of Taos and currently lives in Santa Fe.
Paul Hillman
Paul spent 40 years as an art director at CBS and ABC Television in Manhattan before coming to Santa Fe, where he was immediately captivated by the richness of the land and its people. A longtime outdoor sports enthusiast and history buff, he devoured as much information as he could about the Land of Enchantment before joining the Discovery City Walking Tour. Rain or shine, Paul now enjoys sharing his excitement about Santa Fe’s culture, history, and architecture with visitors from all over the world.
Ken Ortolon
Ken is a former journalist who has a passion for history, particularly the history of the American Southwest. His interest in New Mexico history was sparked in the 1980s when his wife began making frequent trips to Santa Fe on buying trips for her art gallery, which specialized in Native American art and jewelry. Ken enjoys sharing his knowledge of the centuries-old city of Santa Fe and the people who have lived here—Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American. Ken also has extensive knowledge about the notorious outlaw, Billy the Kid, and is available to lead tours focusing on Billy’s life in Santa Fe and New Mexico.
Jean McLarty
Jean fell in love with Santa Fe on her first visit over 25 years ago and in 2019 came to stay. She brings her background in science and love of history to offer a Santa Fe Spy tour that explores the espionage activities that have occurred in Santa Fe from the earliest days of the Spanish to modern times. The drop-off points and hangouts where secrets of the atomic bomb were exchanged are prominently featured. She also offers Chocolate tours that explore the long history of chocolate and introduces wonderful Santa Fe chocolatiers who offer tastes as part of the tour.
Scott Renbarger
Moving from New Mexico’s natural history to its human history was an easy adjustment for Scott, who is a geologist and local hiking guide. Join him for a unique perspective on Santa Fe’s cultural legacy, with an emphasis on the surprising rebirth of “Santa Fe Style” early in the 20th century.
Guide News
We are proud that our tour guide extraordinaire, Allen Steele, has just released another book about Santa Fe history, titled “SANTA FE’S FONDA, the Story of the Old Inn at the End of the Trail.” It is available from publisher The History Press, local shops in Santa Fe and national bookstores such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. The book was published in early 2022 in time for the centennial year of downtown’s historic La Fonda Hotel. His previous book about Santa Fe is titled “Santa Fe 1880.”
About the book “Santa Fe’s Fonda,” Dr. Rick Hendricks of the New Mexico State Historian’s office, says “The author traces the numerous changes in ownership of this special place through the years…providing a sort of genealogy of the venerable property. One can see the alternations to the structure and to the services the inn provided, which changed as proprietors came and went. There is, however, more here to learn about than just the history of La Fonda, interesting though that is. Because so many fascinating characters and important people stopped in at the hotel, telling the story of the building through the lives of the travelers who stayed there also neatly relates the history of Santa Fe through the second half of the nineteenth century.”
Testimonials
“Wow, what an informative tour of historic Santa Fe. Our guide, Allen, is so knowledgeable about all things Santa Fe. We started in the La Fonda Hotel where Allen gave us some background on this historic property and its impressive art collection. Then we walked to the plaza, explored some of the old buildings, the cathedral, and the oldest church in the US. Then he share great stories of the Wild West. This might just be the best deal in town.”
“Congratulations to Discovery Tours on its recognition in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2024,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “Travelers’ Choice honors businesses that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence. This means you have made such a memorable impact on your visitors that many of them took the time to go online and leave a great review about their experience. People rely on Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice seal to help them navigate the myriad of things to see, eat and do across the globe. We hope this recognition continues to drive business to you in 2024 and beyond.”
“Learning about the history of Santa Fe through the eyes of Sita, our most wonderful tour guide, was a great way to see the city. Sita took us on a tour of the center of the city, making stops at locations of note, and sharing both information and behind-the-scenes stories with aplomb and great knowledge. I highly recommend signing up for any and all of Sita's tours - you will not be disappointed, and will gain some knowledge of this fascinating city!”
Contact Us
To book your Santa Fe tour or for more information, please contact Sita Jamieson Caddle at (505) 577-7645.