I recently took a Fancy Navajo Rez Tour with my Instagram bestie Jen earlier this month. Jen and I have always talked about going on a road trip together. A trip where we could take our time traveling, stop at places we always wanted to, and of course snap some beautiful pictures along the way.
We have both traveled through the Navajo Nation many times, but often it’s for a quick weekend trip back home. There are so many wonderful and interesting places on the Navajo Nation, that we haven’t explored. Tourists come from all over the place to visit, but why not us? So we packed up the chidí (car), blasted Jen’s 80’s tunes, and hit the road! If you follow me on Instagram, then you got to tag along in my Instagram stories here.
The Fancy Navajo Rez Tour was a fun filled 5 days starting in Chandler, AZ . Our top destinations were Gallup, NM, Canyon De Chelly (Chinle, AZ), Monument Valley, Page, AZ.
We of course made many stops in between. I’ll be recapping our trip into 4 parts: Gallup & Window Rock, Canyon De Chelly, Monument Valley, and Page. So, stay tuned for all 4 parts in the coming weeks. It was such an amazing road trip and I am so happy I got to visit all of these places with my Instagram bestie. If you are looking for a wedding photographer check out her website here.
My hopes are that these blog posts serve as a guide to anyone traveling to the Navajo Nation and the surrounding areas. Some areas I am more familiar with than the others. I grew up in Fruitland, NM, so the surrounding areas are most familiar to me. So, I will also share a few other places that I love in places that I have visited frequently. I know there are so many places to see and visit that we didn’t get to visit. So, feel free to add in the comments section of this post, some of you favorite must see, eat, and do in these areas.
Our first stop was Gallup, NM which is right outside of the Navajo Nation.
It’s usually a stop my husband and I make on our way home, but usually it’s to gas up, grab a quick bite to eat, or stop at the Flea Market on the weekends. I’ve never really just hung out in Gallup like my parents and grandparents once did. Often you hear Gallup is a certain way and you should just drive right through. But I have always been intrigued by the town. It was nice to explore the area for an afternoon and I was quite surprised by all the beauty.
Gallup Flea Market:
If you are in Gallup on a Saturday this is an absolute must stop! This was our first stop when we arrived in Gallup, NM. We actually left at 5am so we wouldn’t miss stopping here before it closed at 2pm. However, come to find out the market is now open from 9am to 5pm every Saturday. Yay!!
I just love the atmosphere of flea markets especially this one. This is a great place to purchase jewelry and art directly from the artists themselves. You can also find a variety of styles from the surrounding tribes that live in the area. However, my most favorite part is the FOOD!!
You would be surprised by the variety of foods they sell here. From Native foods to Filipino and Mexican food. There is something for everyone. My must buy Native Foods are Navajo Tea, Tamales, steam corn, Pueblo baked goods (pies, cookies, and bread), and a roast mutton sandwich. There are a variety of vendors that offer prepared foods as well as foods that you can prepare at home.
Depending on the season you may also be able to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables from local farmers. On this last visit, I picked up the most deliciously sweet cherries. Although we did not eat at the Flea Market I saw vendors selling Kneel Down and Piki bread that looked sooo good!
El Rancho Hotel Restaurant:
Call it a tourist trap, but as you are driving on the I-10 outside of Gallup, you’ll see billboards advertising all of these historic sites. One that always stuck out to me was the El Rancho Hotel billboards. “Stay where the stars have stayed” is what the billboard reads and there are black and white photos of famous western film actors from the 1950’s. I’ve always wondered WOW, I wonder what a site to see that was. Famous movie stars staying in Gallup, NM of all places.
I have driven by the hotel many times and it seems out of place with its European architectural elements. I often wondered what is was like inside. To my surprise it was very reminiscent of a log cabin. I didn’t know there was a restaurant inside until Jen suggested it. It was a little bit creepy inside, I’ll admit.
The menu consisted of Mexican and American foods with a splash of New Mexican food items and each one was named after a famous movie star from the 1950’s. I thought it was quite kitschy and cute as I adore that old Hollywood style. I ordered the W.C. Fields which is a Green Chile burger and to my surprise it was DELICIOUS!!! The green chile had a medium heat to it and the French fries were perfectly crispy. Sorry no pictures of the food. It was quite dark inside.
Other places I eat when I am in Gallup:
Downtown Gallup
I’ve only ever been in a few shops in downtown Gallup. So, I was excited to explore all of the pretty murals and shops. I love that a lot of places are starting to revitalize their downtown areas. We saw advertisements for an Art Crawl that evening, that I wish we had time to visit.
Instead we made our way to the prettiest Textile/Weaving shop called, Weaving in Beauty. I had seen this place pop on social media and it did not disappoint. If you are a weaver or fiber artist, then this is a must stop for you. They have a variety of weaving tools and supplies. They even offer weaving classes in the prettiest weaving room in history!!! Jen and I were blown away by this mural painted by Leandra Yazzie.
There are an overwhelming amount of trading and pawn Shops in downtown Gallup. The only one I have most frequented is City Electric Shoe Shop. We didn’t stop in any of the shops but admired the old vintage signs. Isn’t it crazy to think some of these signs have been around for so long. They in themselves are just as iconic.
We stopped for a tea break at the Gallup Coffee Company which is a little gem. I have been here previously and I have enjoyed all of their drinks. It’s the perfect little place to study, read a book, or catch up with friends. I also loved how they incorporated Native Art from local artists in the shop.
We spent most of our time looking for murals. We were on the hunt for the Marilyn Monroe mural that Jen had told me about. I was like what??? No way!! Sure, enough we found it at the bottom of a hill on an old red brick building that next to the prettiest Welcome to Gallup sign. You honestly would miss the Marilyn Monroe mural if you weren’t paying attention. It’s on the corner of Cliff Side and S Puerco Dr. Have you seen it before?
Window Rock, AZ
Our last stop of the day was the capital of the Navajo Nation in Window Rock, AZ. YES the capital!! I have fond memories of this place in high school where I would frequent the Navajo Times archives at the Navajo Nation Library for a project I was working on about former Navajo Nation Chairman Peter MacDonald. It was my era of resistance, as the cool kids would call it these days. I wanted to revolutionize the Navajo Nation Government. These days my form of resistance takes another space here on social media. Ha!
You cannot miss seeing the beautiful Window Rock!! It was so calm and quiet while we were here. I instantly felt like I was home. I will always be amazed by this beautiful land formation and the stories behind it. There is no admission fee but please make sure pick up your trash when you leave. I changed into this gorgeous blush colored tank from Can’t Fail Designs that I picked up at the Gallup Flea Market but you can buy online here. It has the Navajo Nation Seal on it.
One of the last places we stopped was the Starbucks inside the Diné Bashas Market. I just think it’s so awesome that there is a Starbucks on the Navajo Nation. Like wow? How cool!! However, if you want to stick to more local eats and drinks then you must stop at the Window Rock Flea Market. There are a variety of places to eat and shop.
Other places to visit:
Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Fancy Navajo Rez Tour where we made stops in Ganado, AZ and Canyon De Chelly.
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Want to read about my travels and my Fancy Rezcation at Vee Quiva Hotel and Casino? Then head on over to this post. https://thefancynavajo.com/2019/05/15/my-fancy-rezcation-at-the-vee-quiva-hotel-casino/
Thankyou for this great post. It just so happens I will be spending three days in Gallup next week. My purpose is to visit David Yellowhorse and see his beautiful art but now with your post have plenty of other things to check out. Thankyou.
That’s great!! Safe travels!!
I need to do a road trip up there. I’ve only driven past Gallup, but have always wanted to stay and explore, especially the El Rancho Hotel. Thank you for sharing some of your recommended places!
Yes!!! It’s such an interesting place that I think you would just love!!!