Las Vegas, NM Road Trips

Las Vegas, NM is not to be confused with the far larger and better known major city of the same name in Nevada. Within the confines of the northern New Mexico references to Las Vegas or Vegas are understood to refer to the local community. To avoid being considered rude, refer to the other Las Vegas as Las Vegas, Nevada. As the population is 83% Hispanic, expect to overhear Spanish frequently as many people are bilingual.

Las Vegas was an important waypoint on the Santa Fe Trail, and later on the railroad across the Southwest. There are over 900 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the central area of town, it seems almost every single building you see is significant in some way. Walking tour guides are available. Here are some of the highlights: The 1 Plaza, where Las Vegas was founded in 1835. Today it is a shady park with a gazebo, surrounded by historic structures. On the north side of the plaza is the Plaza Hotel, a railroad-era hotel which remains a fine place to spend the night in Las Vegas. Across the street from the southeast corner of the plaza is the old First National Bank. Railroad District, where the Las Vegas train station is and so much of the city's growth centered around it. The Mission Revival 2 La Castaneda Hotel, an old Harvey House hotel, is definitely worth a look. 3 Lincoln Park, a local park surrounded by lots of beautiful old homes. Douglas/6th Street District, once the central business area of Las Vegas, today there's plenty of interesting buildings here like the 4 Bank of Las Vegas, the Old City Hall, and the 5 Masonic Temple. 6 Carnegie Park, an area of town centered around Carnegie Park, which has a Carnegie Library that was modeled after Thomas Jefferson's home, the Monticello. The surrounding blocks are filled with old Victorian homes. 7 City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial, 727 Grand Avenue, ☏ +1 505 454-1401. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM (10AM-4PM Sundays May-September).

1 Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, ☏ +1 505-425-3581. Sunrise-sunset, daily. Just south of town and adjoins a larger state wildlife preserve. There are viewing platforms and a few short trails. Best visited in late fall and early spring, when migratory birds are passing through; winter can be bleak and summer hot, and the resident population of wildlife isn't as great as the number of seasonal transients. Entry to the Refuge as well as McAllister Lake are free. (updated Dec 2021) 2 Lake McAllister. A state preserve nestled in the middle of the Las Vegas Wildlife Refuge. Seasonal fishing is available as well as limited dispersed camping during fishing season. Inquire locally for fishing conditions. 3 Fort Union Drive-In Movie Theatre, 3300 7th St (NM 518) (a couple of miles north of town), ☏ +1 505 425-9934. Open only on weekends in the summer months. A classic drive-in theater from the 1950s that has managed to survive and still shows double features on summer weekends. There's only one screen, the buildings are old, and the parking lot is rutted, but the nostalgia factor makes it all worth it. $20 a car. 4 Storrie Lake, located four miles north of town on NM 518 (7th Street). This 80 acre park is full-service with showers, RV dump station, marina, and overnight camping. It is well known regionally for its windsurfing and windsurfers are a common sight on the lake during spring, summer, and fall. There is an entry fee to the park as well as a charge for overnight camping. 5 Montezuma Hot Springs, located five miles north of Las Vegas on NM 65 (Hot Spring Blvd).

1 Hillcrest Restaurant, 1106 Grand Avenue, ☏ +1 505 425-7211. A 50s diner with great food.

Byron T’s Saloon, 230 Plaza Street (inside the Plaza Hotel), ☏ +1 505 425-1455. A saloon located inside the historic Plaza Hotel.

1 Plaza Hotel, 230 Plaza St, ☏ +1 505 425-3591, fax: +1 505 425-9659, [email protected]. Of all the historic buildings in town, the Plaza Hotel is the crown jewel of them all. It was lovingly restored in 1982, and has become Las Vegas' premiere place to stay, and is a very popular locale for meetings, parties, conventions and other events. Enjoy the Victorian atmosphere with elegant antiques and exquisite architecture. The amenities offered include the Prairie Hill Café, an in-house restaurant, the old west Byron T's Saloon, spa massage treatment, guest computer and wireless high-speed internet access, pet friendly rooms, room service, and free parking. (updated Dec 2021) Historic Castaneda Hotel, 524 Railroad Avenue (Intersection of I-25 and NM 104), ☏ +1 505-434-8800. Fred Harvey's first trackside hotel, built in 1898, carefully restored in the 2010s. The Castaneda balances historic touches and modern comfort and fixtures, with large, exceptionally comfortable rooms and a grand entry staircase. Like its sister La Posada in Winslow, there is a small gift shop at the front desk; unlike La Posada, the in-house restaurant, Trackside, is not open during the off-season. 160USD a night. (updated Dec 2025)

Las Vegas is about 60 miles east of better-known Santa Fe, along Interstate highway 25. The nearest major commercial airport is in Albuquerque, about 125 miles away. There are public airports in both Santa Fe and Las Vegas that handle non-commercial aircraft. There is Amtrak rail service via the Southwest Chief, the main Amtrak line across the southwestern United States. This stop has no ticket office and no passenger assistance provided by station personnel, though on-board employees will assist passengers between trainside on the platform and the train itself. There is a waiting room open at train time, within which is a Quik-Trak self-serve ticketing kiosk (credit card required to activate kiosk), so tickets may be obtained at the station before boarding the train. The New Mexico Department of Transportation also offers limited public bus service between Las Vegas and Santa Fe on a commuter schedule.

Drive, walk, bike, do what comes easily. The town is fairly small.