Every room held a new surprise. From the dryer slide...

...to the drums made out of dinosaur bones, there are tons of things to play with throughout the exhibit.

Meow Wolf was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. I had so much fun exploring and felt like I was a kid every time I discovered a new secret room!

Once I was relaxed, I enjoyed their famous Japanese shiatsu massage. This is one of the only places in the US to get a true shiatsu massage. It was amazing! I finished the night with an anti-aging facial.

Can you imagine this as your view every day?

After that, I headed to the Frey Trail which zig zags up the mesa. Views at the top were gorgeous!

I made the trek back down and headed on the trail that led me to the Alcove House. Along the way, I saw my first petroglyphs. These would quickly become my favorite part of New Mexico.

After about a half of mile, I arrived at the Alcove House. It can only be reached by climbing a series of ladders.

It took no time at all for me to get to the top. I can’t believe that the Pueblo people had to carry supplies up and down these ladders!

The views at the top were amazing. I found a nice spot in an alcove and enjoyed a snack while basking in the culture and history of this place.

I kind of want to climb these rocks!

Bandelier was AMAZING! The petroglyphs and ancient dwellings make you feel like you’ve stepped back into time. I feel so lucky to have visited such a culturally significant place.

The park ranger building is located about a mile down a bumpy, dirt road. There wasn’t a ton of stuff to see or do within this park. I did the short La Jara Loop hike which provided a nice opportunity to see the park. Unfortunately I didn’t see any bison or prairie dogs on my walk.

Afterwards, I did the short trek to the mountain pond.

I wanted to love it here, but it wasn’t as scenic as I hoped it here. I think this is some place best visited during the summer when wildlife abounds!

I ordered my enchilada “Christmas” style with a combination of red and green sauces. They both had the perfect amount of heat. Notice the sopapillas and honey in the background? These came free with every entree! I love a sweet treat at the end of my meals and these took care of that craving.

The Anasazi tribes used these pictures as a way to communicate with each other. These look like two people waving but most likely symbolize some spiritual figure or ceremonial being.

The top of the mesa is home to Tsankawi ruins.

Evidence of ancient life is everywhere. Thousands of pieces of ancient pottery are scattered throughout the intertwining trails.

After leaving the mesa top, trails led downward to ancient cliff dwellings and hundreds of petroglyphs.

You could use wooden ladders to get up and down or opt to do it Anasazi style with ladders carved in stone.

The trail was worn into the rocks. Can you imagine how long it took to make this happen?

Petroglyphs were scattered all along the hillside. The sun can be identified in the drawings below.

The man with the flute...could be the tribe symbol or a spiritual being.

I loved trying to interpret what they meant.

I think if I had the chance to do it over again, I might have chosen archaeological studies in school. Seems way more intriguing then business.

Below appears to be the Anasazi version of a modern day plat map!

Visitors of Bandelier National Monument often overlook this hidden gem. I’m glad I made time in my schedule to walk through a piece of history.

Wild animal encounters were the last thing from my mind. I took the Cave Loop Trail to the Slot Canyon Trail which is where the real fun began! I hit the start of the slot canyon before the sun rose above the rocks. It was eerily quiet as I wondered along the winding path.

I couldn’t resist the photo opportunity provided by this massive tree. I may or may not be looking for a bit cat above me.

It felt like I was in another world walking on the sandy trail.

Narrow passages opened up to provide stunning view of the rocks above.

Before too long, I would begin the short hike to the top of the mesa. Every image was worthy capturing, and I stopped along the way to document the journey.

Once at the top, the trail opened up to views of the slot canyon below.

I was surprised and delighted when I realized that the trail continued to two breathtaking overlooks.

I was even able to make a few FaceTime calls. It felt good to be able to share this special place with family and friends before heading back down. The slot canyons were just as magical the second time around.

I finished the remainder of the Cave Loop Trail which brought more scenic vistas and another encounter with a cliff home.

Tent Rocks is incredible. The landscape feels like you have been transported onto another planet. Hard to believe that volcanoes and a few millions years of weather can create such a surreal place.

My first stop of the day was Whoos Donuts, home of the blue corn donut! I’m a big donut connoisseur so I seek out the best places to try them in any city I visit. I couldn’t decide on just one so I got two to sample!

The first was a chili glazed apple fritter which was a spicy twist on a classic treat. The real winner, however, was their famed blue corn, blueberry lavender donut.

Look at the color on this thing! It tasted as good as it looks. I enjoyed it so much that I went back again the next day for another one!

I sampled a few of the elixirs before finally placing my order. A peanut butter truffle paired well with the Tzul hot chocolate. Tzul, Mayan for dog, is their latest creation featuring a hint of caramel and Mexican spices. Every single cup sold provides a donation to the Santa Fe Humane Society.

Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with petroglyphs? My trip wouldn’t have been complete without stopping at Petroglyph National Monument. I had just enough time to pop into the visitor center and do a very short hike before heading to the airport. Wish i could have explored this area a bit more but my flight home wasn’t going to wait. I did get so to see a few petroglyphs before saying goodbye to The Land Of Enchantment.