Ways to Cool Off in Taos

It’s hot out there! 

If you’re planning a trip to Taos in the summer, you’re probably going to experience some high desert heat. But in Taos, there’s always a respite from the blazing sun. From mountain tops to air-conditioned cultural havens, catching a breeze is easy aqui en Taos if you know where to go.

Here are the 7 best ways to cool off in Taos!

Taos Area Wineries & Bottle Shops

The best way to cool off in Taos is from the inside out! Taos is fast becoming a wine destination with options ranging from the local to the far flung. Local wineries like Vivác, Black Mesa, and La Chiripada have welcoming tasting rooms just a few miles south of Taos where you can sample cooling white and pink wines (and some reds, too!) and learn about New Mexico’s long history of winemaking while you sip.

Want options? Visit Parcht, Corner Office, or Barro Vino for a great wine selection!

If you’re in town looking for a bottle, there’s no shortage of options. The wine shop at medley. has a curated selection of over 300 wines from across the globe, The Cellar has a great selection of organic and biodynamic wines, and Del Norte Liquors is unassuming from the outside but has some of the best deals on fine wines inside. Grab a bottle of rosé or bubbly to put on ice at home, and you’ll be chillin’.

Find a Pool!

For a dip in a cool pool, head to the Quail Ridge. It’s a Taos institution that has a great, understated vibe. Swimming lessons are available in the summer, and there’s a hot tub and a kiddie pool to boot. Pack a picnic and plan on spending the afternoon. Oh, and tennis anyone?

You can also catch a game and some rays at the Taos Spa & Tennis Club, which features both indoor and outdoor pools as well as tennis, racquetball facilities, and fitness classes.

Cool off with Taos Art

All of our great museums are cool, literally and figuratively. From the Blumenschein and the Martinez Hacienda (the Taos Historic Museums) to the venerable Harwood and Couse-Sharp Historic Site, the divine Millicent Rogers Museum, the treasured Taos Art Museum at Fechin House, and museums featuring the infamous Kit Carson, Governor Bent, John Dunn, and the rest of the Old West, a museum is one of the best ways to cool off in Taos—and you might just learn something about the rich cultural heritage of Taos in the process! 

Visit Taos Pueblo

Taos Pueblo, if open, is always cooler as it’s up close to the Mountain, and it’s a lovely place to spend a hot day with the little Rio rushing down, cutting through the red willows and cattails, and the little bridges built by hand over centuries. An afternoon spent slowing down in that ancient village will bring your body temp down a few degrees, and you’ll take a different attitude back to town when you leave. 

Note: If you are planning a trip around visiting the Taos Pueblo, you’ll want to make sure they are allowing visitors. COVID-19 had a drastic effect on native lands across the country and many of them are not allowing visitors for an extended time.

Hit the slopes, during the summer

Taos Ski Valley is not just for skiers. Its higher elevation, Alpine forests, and meadows blooming with wild flowers make it one of the best ways to cool off in Taos. Take a hike during “monsoon season” in mid-to-late summer to hunt for mushrooms that can be turned into culinary delights at home. Or go horseback riding along trails and streams that cut through forests and open onto majestic vistas. End your day at any one of the resort’s great hotels for a cocktail while watching the sun go down.

Have a river day

The Rio Grande is always on the agenda when the sun’s blazing in the summer sky. Pack a picnic for a riverside lunch and you’re all set. Make sure to bring hats, sunscreen, and water, too. And good walking shoes. Your destination could be the John Dunn Bridge or any one of a dozen of campsites running from the Taos Junction Bridge to Pilar and beyond. You can take it from there!

There are also many rafting options in Taos that will get you and your family out of the heat and in to some fun.

Taos is different, find a different way to cool down

If all else fails, and it’s just too hot to think about getting dressed, let alone getting out, then one must have Plan B firmly in place. Whether you’re lucky enough to live here, or lucky enough to have snagged an Airbnb, the Staycation Kit really is the best way to cool off in Taos: a big fan, a big umbrella, a blow-up kiddie pool, snacks, ice cream, and lemons for a huge pitcher of lemonade (you can spike it with whatever you have on hand), a bottle of bubbles, and a chaise longue or two under your umbrella where you can lounge while the kids splash around in the water (which goes to water all your thirsty plants at the end of the day). It’s a win–win way to cool off in Taos!