Overview
Las Vegas is a lovely town in New Mexico in the United States of America. It is an under appreciated gem and a far cry from the Southwestern chic of nearby Santa Fe, with a large collection of historic Victorian homes and other remnants from when Las Vegas was a roaring railroad town. Other attractions include the Montezuma Castle, Storrie Lake, and the New Mexico Highlands University.
1 sights · 5 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Las Vegas
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
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 ble…
Storrie Lake
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 fa…
Montezuma Hot Springs
Located on the property of the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West, these hot springs are open to the public. Do not enter the college proper but look for the pull offs along NM 65. Bathing suits requ…
City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial
Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM (10AM-4PM Sundays May-September). Exhibits on local history, the Santa Fe Trail, and Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, who held reunions in Las Vegas. Free.
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.
Fort Union Drive-In Movie Theatre
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 f…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Wettest: Jul and Aug. (climate data from nearby Santa Fe)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SAF Santa Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe — 49 mi away. Directions
- TSM Taos Regional Airport, Taos — 64 mi away. Directions
- ABQ Albuquerque International Sunport, Albuquerque — 87 mi away (major hub). Directions
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.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
- Lunch Hillcrest Restaurant
- Afternoon Lake McAllister
- Evening Byron T’s Saloon
Day 2
- Morning Fort Union Drive-In Movie Theatre, Storrie Lake
- Afternoon Montezuma Hot Springs
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
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.
Get in
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.
Get around
Drive, walk, bike, do what comes easily. The town is fairly small.
See
- 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 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 La Castaneda Hotel, an old Harvey House hotel, is definitely worth a look.
- 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 Bank of Las Vegas, the Old City Hall, and the Masonic Temple.
- 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.
- North of Las Vegas on SR-65 (Hot Springs Blvd) is the town of Montezuma and the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West. On the campus is the gorgeous Montezuma Castle, which was built as a railroad hotel and served a number of purposes before becoming part of the United World College campus. It is open for free tours, which start at 1PM on certain Saturdays and are led by students of the college. But even if you don't get inside the building, it's worth the drive up to at least see it.
Do
Do Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
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.
Do Storrie Lake
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.
Do Montezuma Hot Springs
Located on the property of the Armand Hammer United World College of the American West, these hot springs are open to the public. Do not enter the college proper but look for the pull offs along NM 65. Bathing suits required.
Buy
Experience the quaint and charming shops within the Plaza, Douglas/6th Street, and Railroad Historic Districts. These areas provides many small home-town shops, antiques, book stores, and coffee shops.
Eat
Eat Hillcrest Restaurant
A 50s diner with great food.
Drink
Drink Byron T’s Saloon
A saloon located inside the historic Plaza Hotel.
Sleep
Stay Plaza Hotel
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.
Place Historic Castaneda Hotel
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.
Go next
- Fort Union National Monument, about 30 miles east of Las Vegas via I-25, preserves the ruins of a major military installation along the Santa Fe Trail. There are interpretive exhibits and a 1.6-mile trail among the ruins. Day use, 7 days a week (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years); $3 fee, Park Pass applies. There are no services near the monument.
- Santa Fe National Forest popular destinations near Las Vegas include Gallinas Canyon and Pecos Wilderness. The Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District has full details.
- Pecos is a small town just off I-25 between Las Vegas and Santa Fe, and is the home of the Pecos National Historic Park, a small NPS site that preserves the ruins of an abandoned Indian pueblo and Spanish mission from the 17th century, as well as the Glorieta Pass Battlefield, site of a major Civil War battle in the West.
- Historic Route 66 (the "original" version) passed just southwest of town. Check its itinerary page for ideas on things to do as you move on from Las Vegas to your next destination east or south.
- Villanueva State Park is located 38 miles southwest of town. Take I-25 to the Villanueva exit and drive south 15 miles. Well-regarded for its picturesque setting, the park has overnight camping for a fee. The drive on SR 3 south from I-25 is especially appealing for those with a taste for rural Spanish settings.
Nearby
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