This 10-day Southwest road trip brings together three events shaped by their remarkable locations. Begin at the Telluride Film Festival, where celebrated filmmakers and movie lovers gather in a small Colorado mountain town. Continue to the Moab Music Festival for intimate performances surrounded by Utah’s red-rock canyons. Finish in Santa Fe during the closing weekend of Fiestas de Santa Fe, a historic celebration filled with music, food, religious observances and community traditions.
The itinerary is compact because the three festivals overlap. It includes the full Telluride Film Festival program from September 4–7, followed by two selected days at the Moab Music Festival on September 8–9. September 10 is reserved for the drive from Moab to Santa Fe, leaving the final weekend for exploring Santa Fe and experiencing the fiesta.
The drive is one of the trip’s main attractions. The route begins among the dramatic peaks of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, crosses the canyon country surrounding Moab and ends in the high-desert landscape of northern New Mexico.
Advance planning is essential. Reserve accommodations early, arrange a one-way rental car and choose priority film screenings and concerts before departure. Travelers should also prepare for high elevations, changing weather and a full schedule. This itinerary is best suited to visitors who want a carefully planned cultural road trip rather than a flexible, last-minute getaway.
Attend the complete Telluride Film Festival, using four days for premieres, repertory discoveries, filmmaker conversations, and the unusual rhythm of moving between screenings in…
Use two concentrated days for selected Moab Music Festival performances, prioritizing programs whose landscape or venue makes them distinctive rather than attempting every available…
Finish with the closing weekend of Fiestas de Santa Fe. Use the final three days to understand the event as a living civic and…
Total estimate: $2,200–$14,000+ per person for ten days, excluding international or long-haul airfare