Judith Fein Guides to Slow Travel in New Mexico

JUDITH FEIN SAYS SHE “lives to leave.” The Santa Fe–based writer, who has contributed to more than a hundred publications, is passionate about traveling—but not just any travel. In her new book, Slow Travel New Mexico: Unforgettable Personal Experiences in the Land of Enchantment (UNM Press, 2024), Fein and her photographer husband, Paul J. Ross, collaborate on a love letter to New Mexico that also serves as a guidebook for immersive travel.

Take your time. “When you slow down, your life becomes more exciting,” Fein writes. “No matter what you do or where you go, you begin to discover new aspects of yourself and what is possible in your life.”

Set out with no expectations. “Slow travel is, first of all, giving up the need to obsessively plan,” she says. Instead, consider: “What does the road trip offer you? How does it let itself be known on its own terms, rather than you deciding what it’s going to be?”

Ask questions. “If every time you say, ‘What’s that?’ and you stop, and you find out what ‘that’ is, your road trip becomes an adventure,” Fein says. “Follow up until you have the answer.”

Be connected and open. “If you [approach your travels] like that, every road trip is going to be exciting, even if it’s an hour away, five days away—it doesn’t matter,” she says. “It’s an attitude.”

Read more: New Mexico features 25 magnificent scenic byways, totaling more than 2,900 miles across a diverse landscape. Hit the road to follow one of these four scenic byways based on your interests.