Route 66 meets outdoor adventure in Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is a small city with retro motels, rusted gas pumps and vintage road signs along the storied Route 66. “There is so much history here, and people are proud of it,” says Heather Dostie, the City of Santa Rosa’s community development grant writer, who has lived in the area for 14 years. “We’ve got a lot of families that have been here for generations. Many of the original buildings from its founding in 1914 are still standing, and even Billy the Kid stopped in during the Old West days.” It’s also known as the City of Natural Lakes for its seven spring-fed sinkholes, carved into limestone and connected by underground tunnels. With its abundance of outdoor recreation and time-honored mom-and-pop shops, Santa Rosa has become a home base for nearly 3,000 residents, rather than just a brief detour off the Mother Road.
Restaurants and stores bring midcentury nostalgia
The businesses in Santa Rosa are relics from the golden age of the American road trip. Motels and diners still have their original neon signs from the 1950s with bold typography, faded by time and sun. Joseph’s Bar & Grill and Silver Moon Café have served travelers and locals for decades. License plates from all over the country and shield-shaped Route 66 signs decorate Joseph’s retro interior. Silver Moon Café serves New Mexican classics, often smothered in green chiles. Bill’s Place, which originally opened in 1947, is an ice cream shop with vintage Blue Bunny and Coca-Cola coolers, as well as a Ms. Pac-Man machine. Locals can pick up essentials at the T&D Food Mart and Dollar General, and the nearest big-box stores are in Santa Fe or Albuquerque.
From suburban streets to sprawling properties in the countryside
Buyers will find single-family and manufactured homes in Santa Rosa with a median price of $200,000, less than half the national figure. Ranch-style builds and bungalows with stucco facades are common, along with some large Spanish Mission homes on the outskirts. Modest lots near the city’s center often sit on sand-dusted streets. Many houses have fenced-in yards, and some areas have sidewalks. Properties in the countryside offer more privacy and usually have enough space for cattle farms and horse facilities.
Recreation in the desert and on the water
Santa Rosa has a wide array of recreation options, from horseback riding through backcountry canyons to fishing and scuba diving. “We have lots of water for a desert climate,” Dostie says. The Blue Hole is an 80-foot-deep spring of sapphire-blue water for cliff jumping, swimming and scuba diving. Anglers can head to the Santa Rosa Pond, or to Perch Lake and Pecos River for fly fishing. Park Lake features a water park with inflatable obstacles, a winding water slide and paddle boats for rent. About 8 miles outside the city, Santa Rosa Lake State Park has a fully recreational reservoir for boating and water sports. It’s also home to miles of hiking, biking and horse trails through the desert and campgrounds. On the east side of town, the Tres Lagunas Golf Course is open to the public.
Events and attractions centered around Route 66
Santa Rosa offers plenty of entertainment from hot rods on display at the Route 66 Auto Museum to a vintage movie experience at the 1940s Pecos Theatre. The opening of Route 66 in 1926 made a significant economic and social impact on Santa Rosa. In honor of the iconic highway’s 100th year, the community is joining other regional cities for a centennial celebration. “We’re kicking it off this year with parades, car shows and live music that will carry out into next year,” Dostie says. “They’re actually going to implement a musical road coming in and out of Santa Rosa.” When cars drive over this stretch of Route 66, the grooves in the road will play the notes of “America the Beautiful.” Santa Rosa has other traditions during the warmer months, as well. “It’s a happening spot in the summer,” Dostie says. “We’ll typically have a motorcycle rally, a sunflower festival, some road-runner races and bands on outdoor stages every weekend.”
Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools are above average
Children begin their education at Santa Rosa Elementary, which earns a B rating from Niche. Santa Rosa Middle has a B-plus, and Santa Rosa High scores a B-minus. High school students can participate in programs like New Mexico MESA, which stands for mathematics, engineering and science achievement. The program offers hands-on experiences through field trips, mentorships and academic competitions. Higher education is available at Luna Community College, which has a satellite center in Santa Rosa.
Proximity to bigger cities in New Mexico and access to health care
Parts of Route 66 run alongside Interstate 40, the main thoroughfare in Santa Rosa. The city is about 118 miles east of Albuquerque, and Santa Fe is 110 miles northwest. Residents don’t have to drive far for health care with the Guadalupe County Hospital in town.
