Vacation Travelers Can Experience a Summer of Love in Taos, New Mexico

TAOS, N.M.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Travel is not just about the destination. It’s about the journey. This summer, the Town of Taos, New Mexico, will celebrate the 2009 Summer of Love featuring the 40^th Anniversary of actor Dennis Hopper’s 1969 classic film Easy Rider, the quintessential American journey, which was partially filmed in Taos while Hopper lived there.

“If you’re looking for something different and relaxing this summer, then Taos is the place to be”

“If you’re looking for something different and relaxing this summer, then Taos is the place to be,” said Town of Taos Public Relations Manager Cathy Connelly. “We’re offering visitors a positive, authentic Taos vibe, and a lifetime experience they can’t get anywhere else,” she said.

The 2009 Summer of Love, in Taos, will feature a variety of art and film shows, festivals, concerts and other special events from May through September. Hopper’s own art will be featured at the Harwood Museum of Art.

Connelly recommends families planning a summer vacation visit the Taos Vacation Guide online for lodging deals and weekend getaway packages. The town is also sponsoring a four-day travel sweepstakes for two. It includes two roundtrip airfares, three nights' lodging, meals, recreational outings, spa treatments, a gallery shopping spree, museum tickets and a Harley-Davidson guided tour from Ride the Dream.

Enter the Taos Travel of Love Sweepstakes at http://taossummeroflove.com!

All of this summer’s events are posted on the town’s Calendar of Luv:

Stroll through galleries at the Spring Arts Celebration featuring art, sculpture and pottery from local and international artists.

Cruise to a Memorial Day motorcycle rally in Red River and ride to the Taos Ski Valley's first Thunder Rally beginning on July 31st.

Taste regional and international wines during the Toast of Taos, or discover art in local galleries, and even a Hippie Homecoming.

Watch traditional dances at the Taos Indian Pueblo Festivals and Pow Wow and take cooking, writing, art or yoga classes.
Watch and cheer the world's toughest bicycle racers race 1000 miles from California to Taos in the RAAM's Race Across the West.

Summer visitors always enjoy great outdoor recreation activities including:

Splashing and dashing on white water rafting trips under the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.
Taking a Llama Adventure Trek in the wilderness for lunch.
Taking a challenging mountain hike or pedaling bikes from downtown to the Taos Ski Valley.
And, even hot air ballooning before brunch.

In honor of Easy Rider, Dennis Hopper is exhibiting his photos and artwork at the Harwood Museum of Art. “Hopper at the Harwood” will also feature an exhibit of artists who came together in the ‘60s. Artists featured this summer at the Harwood Museum of Art include: Larry Bell, Ron Cooper, Ronald Davis, Ken Price and Robert Dean Stockwell.

“Taos appeals to everyone,” said Connelly. “The Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark, has been continuously inhabited for over a thousand years.” Tourists can visit the pueblo or decide to visit ancient Indian grounds just outside of Taos, where they will enjoy soaking at the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa.

Whatever the vibe, the people in Taos are living the high life as they relax, rejuvenate and recharge this summer.

Taos Travel Resources: