Albuquerque / Santa Fe in February

There's skiing in Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is a good choice. We spent about 10 days in New Mexico in 2018, and three were in Santa Fe. Yes to renting your car (easy at the Albequerque airport, not a long drive to Santa Fe, about an hour). We stayed at the Governor's Inn near the plaza in Santa Fe and would go back in a minute. Great rooms, parking, terrific breakfast, and a congenial bar where a lot of the locals come. Short walk to the plaza, where there is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and lots of eateries and vendors. The Plaza ioffers a pleasant stroll. We found the Georgia O'Keefe Museum to be a big disappointment. Definitely drive to Museum Hill (not far) and visit the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Museum of Ininternational Folk Art (especially outstanding). On your way to or from Museum you could stop by Loretto Chapel for its small museum and spiral staircase.
We visited Taos on one day, driving there on the high road and returning on the low road. The high road takes about 1 1/2 hours, but stop at Chimayo and visit the Sanctuary church there. In Taos we didn't visit the town (lots of art galleries but to my mind too artsy and touristy), but went to the Pueblo. It is the oldest continuously inhabited community in the US. Read up on the rules for visiting. It is the home of Native Americans, not an amusement park, so it is important to respect the rules for behavior. We had a lunch in a tiny cafe with about two tables. On our way back the low road we drove along right next to the Rio Grande (yes, that one).
Our third day we drove to Los Alamos to see some sights about the nuclear bomb development. The Bradbury Science Museum there was the highlight for us. It is really outstanding. We had lunch there and drove back by way of Bandolier National Monument. There are cave homes of ancient Puebloan peoples, plus some nice hiking trails.
Three full days can give you a wide variety of things to see and do. We have very fond memories of our time in Santa Fe (and our other days exploring moire of New Mexico).
Have a wonderful time in New Mexico. And Santa Fe is a neat town!

P.S. When you give some time to Albuquerque to see the state capital, there is also the International Balloon Museum, worth a couple of hours...very nice! And the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Certain days you can see some Indian dancing and ceremonies. It would be great if you could snag a fourth day to spend in Albuquerque to see the above.

I grew up in Santa Fe and visit often. Here are a few of my favorite recommendations.

Santa Fe Motel & Inn
https://santafemotel.com/
Great location, nice price, warm hospitality. Walk to the Plaza and the Railyard.

All the state museums are excellent, both those downtown and on Museum Hill.
https://www.newmexicoculture.org/museums/

Explore Canyon Road’s galleries and shops.

For New Mexican cuisine:
The Shed
La Choza
Plaza Cafe
Tia Sophia’s (breakfast and lunch only)

For chocolate drinks and candy:
Kakawa Chocolate House

For something completely different, there’s the original Meow Wolf.
https://meowwolf.com/visit/santa-fe

And if you want to buy some quality, Native-crafted turquoise and silver jewelry, shop at Sun Country Traders or with the artisans who sell their work underneath the portal of the Palace of the Governors (on the Plaza).

Also, be mindful that you’ll feel the high altitude—7,000 feet. Stay hydrated and wear a hat and sunscreen (even in the winter).

I hope you have a great time.

It is the Inn of the Governors, noit Governors Inn.

I stayed at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe for a conference the December before the pandemic and really like the hotel—it’s walkable to the plaza, church, Palace of the Governors, etc. We ate at The Shed.

I loved Meow Wolf in Santa Fe. One of the most fascinating places I’ve been. Difficult to describe, and yeah, some people may not enjoy it or find it too weird or “Huh, I’m not getting it.” for their taste. I thought it was cool!

We visited in 2019 and stayed in La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, which I really liked a lot. Other things we enjoyed in Santa Fe were the Loretto Chapel, the Georgia O'Keefe Museum, and Meow Wolf. We also visited Georgia O'Keefe's home in Abiquiu which I can't recommend highly enough- you just need to be on it for when the tickets go on sale as they sell out right away. I know with three days your time is limited but we also had an amazing day on the Cumbres and Toltec Railway: https://cumbrestoltec.com/. It leaves from Chama which is in the northern end of the state. Good luck with your planning.

The Drury Plaza Hotel indeed occupies a handy downtown location. It's also a former hospital, where my brother was born and where I had my tonsils removed. ;-)

Just be aware that snow/ice is a more likely concern in the much higher elevated Santa Fe than ABQ, and could impact your drive...there is a commuter rail train that connects the two cities:

https://www.riometro.org/395/New-Mexico-Rail-Runner-Express

I lived in Santa Fe several decades ago and visit just about annually. To the excellent suggestions and recommendations I'll add these thoughts:
Very likely there will be snow in Santa Fe and the farther north/higher altitudes you go (e.g., Chama, Bandelier, Los Alamos, Taos, etc.) the more there will be, and the smaller the highways and roads will be.

Someone mentioned seeing the state capitol in Albuquerque - it is in Santa Fe ("The Roundhouse"). Street parking near the Plaza shouldn't be a problem in the off-season, but just in case, you can park in the state government parking lots a few blocks away for free on weekends.
For authentic regional cuisine, where the locals actually eat, Tia Sophia's near the Plaza and Tortilla Flats on Cerrillos Road. Not fancy, but excellent New Mexican food.
Unless you're driving up from Alb after dark, consider driving to Santa Fe via Hwy 14 (aka the Turquoise Trail), which adds a little time but is much more scenic and interesting than I-25. Then take I-25 back to Alb when you depart.
For me the best shopping for jewelry (other than direct from the makers under the portico on the Plaza), pottery, and rugs is at the Palms Trading Post in Albuquerque. Huge selection, good prices. I haven't bought from shops in SFe in years.
The International Folk Art Museum on Museum Hill is unique and worth a visit. Well, all the museums up there are, but that one is something extra-special.
Enjoy!

I wrote a trip report recently.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/new-mexico-and-a-bit-of-texas

Kate also has loads of information about Santa Fe.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/beyond-europe/santa-fe-taos

Whenever I’m in Santa Fe, I always make time for a hot tub at Ten Thousand Waves

https://tenthousandwaves.com/

Thanks all for the fantastic suggestions! Now I wish I had a month to visit...