ANGELISA MURRAY HAS SOME ADVICE for travelers, whatever their destination: “Take a tour,” says the CEO of Heritage Inspirations tour company. “Beginning with a tour is positively the best way to start your trip.”
As a longtime hospitality professional and guide, Murray should know. She has led adventure trips in New Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Arizona, Utah, and the San Juan Islands. But for Murray, it’s more than a job, it’s also how she lives her life. “The first thing I do when I travel is seek out a local guide,” she says, recalling how her seventysomething guide in Saint Lucia added humor and insight to the experience. “The whole thing is so much richer.”
That’s especially true in a place like New Mexico, with its tightly woven tapestry of history, culture, art, food, people, and natural wonders. “Tours allow you to go off the beaten path, on a road less traveled,” Murray adds. “In New Mexico, we are that.” So Heritage offers guided experiences that include an e-bike tour of Santa Fe, a walking tour of Old Town Albuquerque, an horno baking tour at Taos Pueblo, and a two-day immersion in Acoma Pueblo and Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Embark on an unforgettable adventure through the city of Santa Fe with the City Different E-Bike Tour, offered by Heritage Inspirations.
Photograph courtesy of Heritage Inspirations.
For Murray, the value in curating these trips comes from breaking down barriers and giving voice to the storytellers who know a place, its history, and its traditions best.
That’s also why this month’s “Tour de Nuevo México” feature takes you along to explore Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area’s otherworldly landscapes, Ghost Ranch’s artistic legacy, Los Alamos’s atomic history, Acoma’s amazing Sky City, Santa Fe’s culinary scene, and Albuquerque’s haunted spots.
In fact, we at New Mexico Magazine feel like your own trusted guides. Our staff works hard to bring you the heartbeat of the Land of Enchantment in every issue. So I’m proud to announce that the International Regional Media Association recently recognized those efforts at its 44th annual awards by bestowing 20 honors on this publication, including the coveted title of Magazine of the Year.
We know what a privilege it is to tell the stories of this place and its people. But you need to be here to truly understand. “Experiences tell those stories,” Murray says. “They create those aha moments. The power of travel is profound.”
Read more: Atop a millennia-old, windswept mesa, Acoma Pueblo guides continue to tell the long story of a stunning place—on their own terms.
