iStock International
Backed by majestic mountains and fronted by high-mesa desert, tiny Taos (rhymes with "blouse"), located on the high road from Santa Fe, is one of Southwest's most popular year-round destinations. In addition to outdoor pursuits like skiing, hiking, and rock climbing, visitors can tour a 1,000-year-old pueblo, peruse contemporary art in adobe-clad galleries, and savor authentic New Mexican cuisine (green or red chile, anyone?).
For the ethereal light of the high desert, the mouth-watering cuisine, the hippie-chic vibe, and the great outdoors.
