When I told people we were planning to go to Santa Fe there was usually a pause followed by the question, "What is there to do (with kids)?" The answer it turns out is a lot, more than we could fit into a week visit despite our best efforts! We travelled at the end of August and had the most amazing weather: low 80's, no humidity and brilliant blue skies.

When we are on the road and will be in one place for longer than a night or two, we have found that it works best for us to rent a house or apartment. Blessed with a very early riser (5:30), this allows everyone to get the right amount of rest without disruption. We have used a few different websites to find places, but I seem to return again and again to HomeAway. They have rentals throughout the U.S. and the world and we have rented places everywhere from Maine to Barcelona and have always been pleased.

This time we chose a casita about 10 minutes outside of Santa Fe in the small town of Tesuque. The property is in a small community right across the street from the Four Seasons and it was recommended that we go over and have a drink on the patio as the views are spectacular, but unfortunately it wasn't that kind of trip! The casita was well appointed with two lovely patios, plenty of room to spread out and a washer and dryer. Access to a washer and dryer is another benefit to renting our own space as it means we can travel with less and those inevitable spills and messes don't have to be washed out in the bathroom sink.

One of the reasons we chose this particular spot was the community pool and it was a highlight of the trip. I've found that a pool can be a tremendous asset on any vacation with kids. It is a great way to fill a couple of hours after sightseeing or burn off excess energy before bedtime. We were lucky to have it to ourselves every time we used it, so it was like having our very own private pool. And you couldn't top the view...