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Incredible Cañon City

Posted on by Econogal

Hidden Gem of Southern Colorado

Recently, I stayed overnight in Cañon City, Colorado. This gave me an opportunity to explore a delightful town nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Prior visits, even overnight stays, lacked time to wander around.

Quite a few tourists were staying in the same hotel and their excitement at breakfast was catching. There are many things to enjoy in the area, not the least is the Royal Gorge. But I limited myself to exploring downtown midweek. The quiet early hours gave way to groups of tourists and residents as the morning approached the noon hour. Hidden treasures are the norm in Cañon City.

Vibrant Downtown

Store Front in Cañon City
Mel’s Mills

An early start translated into prime parking near Macon Plaza and the historic city library. From there it was a short backtrack down to Main Street. As I strolled up and down several blocks numerous coffee shops greeted the other early birds.

A few shops such as Cheryl’s Book Nook and Mel’s Mill welcomed those strolling by with doors propped open to allow the cool morning air to circulate. I spent time browsing through the used books finding an Erica Ferencik novel at the former and Tammi Hartung’s Homegrown Herbs at the latter. Hartung is a resident of the area. Mel’s Mill showcased local honey, herbal teas and regionally sourced flours and sunflower oil. I could have spent all day loitering in this natural health store!

Another open door first thing in the morning was found at the Chamber of Commerce. The entire Royal Gorge Region was represented at the office. One could easily spend a week based out of Canon City exploring the beauty of this hidden gem of the Rockies. I left with a plethora of guides and maps outlining trails and recommending historic museums and sites.

Artwork Everywhere

Various examples of public art peppered the downtown area. Fossil beds are nearby. So I was delighted by the painted dinosaurs in Cañon City similar to the painted horses in Kentucky. Additionally, walls of buildings sported murals depicting days gone by.

The architecture of the buildings throughout town harks back to frontier days of the west. Three story hotels match up across from banks of similar size. The restoration of these structures is ongoing. Cañon City is preserving and modernizing at the same time.

Painted Dinosaur Graces Main Street

Painted Dinosaur Statue
Public Art Dinosaur Style

Bears, a Colorado Favorite

Wood statues of bears holding cute sayings
Ubiquitous Colorado Bears

Carnegie Library in Canon City

Sampler quilt on display in Carnegie Library.
Silent auction for quilts funds summer reading program.

One of the blends of old and new is the downtown public library. Located on peaceful Macon Plaza, the original Carnegie Library remains with a new extension allowing room for computers and an upstairs children’s library.

My visit coincided with a silent quilt auction to support the library. The displayed quilts accented the restored stenciling and the original tile and wood work of the Carnegie section. Furthermore, numerous quilts decorated the remainder of the library as well.

Across the plaza from the library is the former post office which now serves as the Fremont Center for the Arts. Additional murals are joined by rotating art collections. June 2023 showcased a theme of Openings, Doorways and Windows.

An added bonus was the incased display of old postal boxes. Varied community meetings and events are held in the event center.

Cañon City Businesses

Main Street is delightful, and I made several shopping stops in other parts of the city. Prior visits had included shopping at a quilt store downtown. Unfortunately, it was gone but a new store, First Stitches, has opened up just across the highway from the downtown district near the train station. Browsing through this store yielded purchases for the quilt room.

Another delightful place along the highway is Di Nardo’s Cider Mill & Farm.  Although harvest is still months away, local honey, pickles, jellies and of course cider can be found.

My last stop of the day was as I was heading East. The Winery at the Abbey is always a must visit. In addition to wine tastings and selling their own wines, the store is full of fun gift products. Everything from wine stoppers to tea towels. Additionally, the Abbey also serves as a great place for group meetings. Many enlightening hours learning about the history of this territorial location have been spent inside this event center.

Time passed quickly. Before I could hike along the river or explore the numerous trails my schedule demanded an adios. But I will return again and again to Cañon City.

Cañon City Boasts a Carnegie Library

Exterior view of Cañon City Library
A Carnegie Library

Vibrant Downtown

A small downtown Main Street with a Mountain in the background

Hometown Winery

Grape Vinyard

Incredible Cañon City

Wintertime Santa Fe

Posted on by Econogal
Inn of The Governors
Street view of Indian Market
Indian Market at Santa Fe Square
Dried flowers in balcony boxes
Dried Flowers fill the Boxes
Dried arrangements in large pots
Dried Arrangements Welcome Guests
The Santa Fe square without crowds
A quiet winter day

I traveled to Santa Fe for the three-day weekend. It was the first trip in the heart of winter. I have visited Santa Fe many times but always in warmer weather. However, the day time temperatures were spring-like with highs in the mid-fifties.
There were some differences. Fewer tourists translated into some restaurants closed for a week or so. Some of the stores had shorter hours. The number of sellers at the Indian market on the plaza also seemed diminished. A perfect time to visit from my point of view.

Inn of the Governors

The last few visits to Santa Fe I have used the Inn of The Governors as my base. This independently owned hotel prides itself on service. The owner applies the Total Quality Management Theory of Dr. Edward Deming and it shows. In addition to great service, the hotel is centrally located with easy access both to the Plaza, Canyon Road, and my favorite shopping spots.

I fell in love with the Inn of the Governors back in 2010 when I was staying at another hotel just a few blocks away. Each morning I ran an 8 mile circuit since I was training for a marathon. The Inn of the Governors has boxes of flowers hanging from the balconies. Each time I reached those flowers I had less than a mile left. As you can see in the pictures, the hotel uses dried flowers in the wintertime to achieve this same welcoming look.

Dining

Even though some restaurants take a few weeks off in January, there were great places to eat. One of my favorite Italian restaurants is in Santa Fe. Osteria D’Assisi is about six blocks from where we stay. It was too cold to eat on their outdoor patio this visit but we enjoyed a wonderful meal listening to live piano music. I love eating here.

Just a block away from the hotel is Café Pasqual’s. Reservations will be needed if you want to eat at this restaurant featuring organic ingredients and community tables. I chose a traditional chicken mole enchiladas while my travelling companion enjoyed salmon that tasted like it was just caught. The space is small and inviting with great service.

Another busy spot is Del Charro, which happens to be connected with Inn of the Governors. This popular watering hole and restaurant is always packed. Movie crews often use Del Charro in their filming. The prices are very reasonable with set daily specials. I loved my chicken fajita but saw quite a few hamburgers being served. This is a great place if you feel compelled to watch a game on TV as Del Charro has multiple TV’s throughout their rooms.

Art

In addition to great food, Santa Fe is known for its art. In addition to a plethora of museums, travelers on a tight budget can appreciate the many artists by strolling through galleries. Canyon Road can be overcrowded in the warmer months, but was very accessible on my wintertime trip. This road lined with art galleries winds uphill towards the mountain. However, the hill could be slick if a snowstorm hits.

The best part about art in Santa Fe is the multitude of mediums. Paintings can be found in oils, acrylics, watercolors and mixed. Furthermore, Santa Fe takes art to the next level. Water fountains, metal sculptures, bells from recycled material, furniture, traditional bronzes and many other art forms are present. At one museum I even watched video art for the first time.

Seret and Sons

My main goal this trip was to find a decorative gate to use with the exterior wall that will be built this spring. So my first stop was at Seret and Sons, just one street over from The Inn of the Governors. The Seret family specializes in unique furniture, but they also have a yard of ornamental doors. I found a pair of teak doors that will serve as the gate to my side yard. Again, the service was fantastic.

Since my goal was accomplished so early in the trip, the rest of the time was spent soaking up the glorious weather and wandering in and out of shops, galleries and a wonderful bookstore. Needless to say books were purchased and reviews will take place in the future. Just across from the bookstore is a neat shop called Sequoia.

Sequoia

Sequoia is named for the owner, a designer/artist working with iron, natural woods and stones to create beautiful furniture and artwork for the home. I loved many items in the store and one came home with me. Sequoia, the artist, another master of customer service, is someone I hope to do much business with in the future.

Santa Fe in the wintertime can be great for the serious shopper. The crowds are much smaller than at their peak. Fortunately for me the weather cooperated. Sunny skies and temperate days gave way to nights just chilly enough to use the fireplace in our hotel room. If you haven’t been to Santa Fe, consider a visit. This historical city tops the list of my favorite weekend escapes.