Want to take a trip back in time this summer? Perhaps Taos, New Mexico, should be your destination, if you’re reminiscing about days of social distortion and artistic upheaval.

The high-altitude, excessively artistic city is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the so-called Summer of Love — 1969, the year when Woodstock shocked American parents, captivated their teenage sons and daughters and a generation found a new outlook on life.

Taos’ connection to those predominantly East Coast events is claimed through the seminal film “Easy Rider,” starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, filmed partially in Taos, which led to people wanting to visit.

It’s similar to what the wine buddy flick “Sideways” did for the Santa Ynez Valley just a few years ago. Here’s a question to ponder: What will the so-called “Sideways effect” look like in 40 years in the Santa Ynez Valley?

Anyway, “Easy Rider,” which was released in 1969, had the tagline “A man went looking for America, and couldn’t find it anywhere.” The soundtrack nailed the music of the era. Many movie fans experiencing that tag line sentiment came to Taos and never left, and the result is a community that is proud of its so-called “hippie heritage.”

An editorial from “The Taos News,” published in 1968, expresses concern about the “hippie problem”: “In recent weeks, good Taosenos have rumbled loudly that ‘Something’s got to be done about the hippies!’ Perhaps there is reason, individually. Perhaps there is the father whose son or daughter has taken to wearing beads and forswearing soap. That father may do as fathers have always done to protect their young, justifiably. “Others have gone to the officials of Taos and said ‘Do something.’ A letter-writer this week: ‘I think the town council and the people of Taos should become more outspoken on the hippie problem, and do it now, before the tourist season is in full swing.”

Looking back on it now, it’s pretty funny stuff. But today, it’s worth pointing out that Taos is now fully capitalizing on the fact that with retirement, many of the Baby Boomers who were part of the Summer of Love are now successful retirees with money to spend on things such as art and entertainment. The marketing blitz is designed to jar their consciousness in a difficult economy.

The city’s galleries, spas, high-end restaurants and hotels have poured lots of advertising dollars into the promise of attracting big crowds this summer, and numerous free glossy publications tout the culture and relaxation to be found in Taos. One local professor, Nathan Rousseau, expressed concern about this in a recent editorial in the Taos News.

“The problem with the summer of love in 2009 is more about what killed the summer of love in ’69 than about what the period sought to accomplish,” Rousseau opined. “It is difficult to avoid the ads that tell you how much of a discount you can get on the beads, summer dresses, etc., in order to look the part in this summer of love.

“While there will be serious talks going on about important things during this summer of love, it is hard for me to get away from the possibility that this is more of a commercial gimmick than anything else — and for whom? Locals and visiting Texans who don’t care?”

If you are looking for history before hippies, there are numerous offerings here. This was the place where some of the bloody battles of the early West were fought, including a struggle between the Taos Indians and the American frontier government that resulted in the brutal scalping of Governor Charles Bent in his Taos home, in front of his wife and children, in 1847

You can visit Bent’s home, as well as that of famed American explorer Kit Carson, within a few blocks of each other. The governor and the explorer were related by marriage.

If you are a traveler on a budget, enjoy walking around and looking at the exterior street art — or even the gallery pieces — they don’t charge you to look.

To sample local fare, there are good local restaurants such as Michael’s Kitchen (304 N. Pueblo Road, www.michaelskitchsen.com, 575-758-4178) or Eske’s Brew Pub (Des Georges Lane, southeast of Taos Plaza, 575-758-1517, www.eskesbrewpub.com), where you can get delicious local dishes and meet and greet local people for very reasonable prices.

At Michael’s, New Mexican specialties come with a delicious basket of sopapillas (fried dough pillows) that will make your mouth water. Eske’s special green chili stew, available with or without turkey, is a bargain not to be missed.

Campers can find spots for just $5 per night in the adjacent Carson National Forest (named for early Western explorer Kit Carson, who had his home in Taos). There is also an assortment of budget hotels in town.

During the winter months, Taos turns into a base camp for skiers and snowboarders, who flock to the slopes in the mountains north of the city. Angel Fire Resort, The Red River Ski Area, Taos Ski Valley and Enchanted Forest Cross Country Ski Area are all within an hour’s drive.

For more information about Taos attractions, visit the website www.Taosvacationguide.org or call (800) 816-1516.