9 Best Places to Go Shopping in Santa Fe

Downtown Santa Fe is densely packed with locally owned businesses selling everything from clothing and jewelry to books and pottery. Park the car and set out on foot to explore the boutiques and galleries housed in earth-toned adobe buildings. Between the shops and tree-lined squares, shoppers will pass by bakeries, cafes, and city landmarks like the Cathedral Basilica.

Southwestern style is heavily featured here, including 2 custom hat companies operating since the 1970s, and family-run Back at the Ranch, which makes cowboy boots in every color imaginable. Complete your outfit at Double Take and Rio Bravo, 2 large vintage shops stocking Western apparel and accessories. 

The Native American Artisans Portal at the historic Palace of the Governors is an outdoor market where you can purchase handmade jewelry and crafts directly from Native American artisans. This is the place to find authentic, quality pieces, as each artisan is carefully vetted for mastery of their craft.

The market is set against the backdrop of the Palace, a National Historic Landmark that is part of the New Mexico History Museum. Every day of the week artists arrange their beadwork, textiles, silver and turquoise jewelry, and leather goods on blankets along the portal. Chat with makers and select a gorgeous original piece to take home with you. 

Santa Fe Plaza has been a focal point of the city for centuries. The tree-lined square is surrounded by significant landmarks, hosts many of the city’s festivals and markets, and offers plenty of opportunities for shopping.

Many of the shops bordering the Plaza have been around for decades, including Shiprock Santa Fe, which is run by a fifth-generation Navajo arts dealer and sells handwoven rugs and Pueblo pottery. Jewelers sell custom silver and gold pieces featuring turquoise, opal, and other fine gemstones. If you wander a couple of blocks in any direction, you’ll come across art galleries, lifestyle shops, and the city’s oldest bookstore. 

The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is one of the oldest and largest in the country. More than 150 growers and producers set up shop each week in the indoor pavilion and outdoor stalls in the Railyard Arts District, selling seasonal fruits and vegetables, flowers, and homemade provisions.

Come to browse the colorful offerings and meet local producers in the lively community space. You’ll find bundles of sunflowers, fiery red chili peppers, freshly baked cinnamon buns, and jars of local honey. The market is open year-round on Saturday mornings and additionally on Tuesday mornings from May through mid-December. 

Sena Plaza is a 19th-century adobe compound turned shopping and dining center in downtown Santa Fe. A dozen shops and galleries wrap around a shady central courtyard that provides a serene escape from the city. Peruse the international vintages at the wine shop run by restaurant La Casa Sena and stick around for smoky steaks and Mediterranean plates served in the courtyard.

In the shops, you’ll find jewelry crafted by local silversmiths, unique home decor, and contemporary Southwestern Art. The Rainbow Man has been a fixture of the neighborhood since 1945, carrying an eclectic collection of folk art like kachinas and Day of the Dead figures alongside Mexican jewelry and textiles. 

Santa Fe Railyard is the city’s new arts district, outfitted with galleries, restaurants, and shopping. Sleek modern architecture stands next to industrial buildings and crisscrossing railroad tracks in this energetic hub. The district is home to both the sprawling Saturday Farmers’ Market and a Sunday Flea Market, where Native American, Mexican, and Southwest antiques and artwork are sold at bargain prices.

Home goods and interior design shops are common here, and the museum store at SITE Santa Fe offers a selection of unique gifts. Upscale consignment shops and boutiques by New Mexico-based designers sell high-quality clothing. To find your next great read, swing by the metaphysical bookstore The Ark or George R. R. Martin’s speculative fiction bookshop Beastly Books. 

The infamous Canyon Road is home to nearly half of the city’s art galleries. You’ll want to set aside the better part of a day to meander by these 100 galleries, housed mostly in charming adobe homes along a photogenic half mile (0.8 km) of road. Along the way are restaurants, gardens, and over 20 jewelry stores and designer boutiques.

The galleries attract major art enthusiasts and casual collectors to their range of pottery, lithographs, contemporary sculptures, and Navajo weavings. Boutiques on Canyon Road sell quality art and clothing, like pieces made from naturally dyed linen. Keep your eyes open for the popular Santa Fe Teahouse, a delightful spot for afternoon tea and scones. 

Santa Fe Place Mall has outposts of popular stores like H&M, Hot Topic, and Hobby Lobby in a spacious shopping center 20 minutes west of downtown. Department stores like Dillard’s and JCPenney offer clothing, accessories, and beauty products. This is a great 1-stop shop for everything from sneakers to sunglasses.

The mall is clean and family-friendly, with a food court offering crowd-pleasers like tacos and Dairy Queen. There is a Regal cinema on site, plus a huge climbing gym and an arcade with games like Guitar Hero and Pacman to keep the kids entertained while you indulge in some retail therapy. 

DeVargas Center is Santa Fe’s friendly, neighborhood mall. Located just north of downtown, the shopping center is a convenient option for busy shoppers and a key destination for bargain hunters. Affordable clothing, home decor, and kitchen and office supplies occupy the majority of the retail space.

Well-known names like Ross and Sally Beauty Supply line the halls of this quiet mall. Stop in the bookstore, beloved by locals, to hunt for literary treasure among the endless stacks of new and used titles. Round out your trip down nostalgia lane by knocking down a few pins at the bowling alley.