Driving to Las Vegas (New Mexico)

After waiting for Denver’s rush hour to end, I hit the road for New Mexico and the beginning of my Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta road trip. I was facing a five and a half hour drive, and travel would be on I-25 all day. Not the most scenic drive, but there weren’t any reasonable alternatives.

Just before I reached Colorado Springs, my phone rang. I had not heard back from the City of Loveland Museum after my job interview and was therefore a bit curious to see Ashley’s name on the screen. I let voicemail pick up the call but looked for an exit so I could park and call her back. I spoke with Ashley, the museum’s collection manager, and she offered me the job. Wow! I will be starting immediately after I return from my trip.

After a long, but thankfully uneventful (except for the job offer!) drive, I arrived in Las Vegas, New Mexico and made my way to my hotel. The Castañeda Hotel was built in 1898 and was the first hotel built by Fred Harvey along the Santa Fe Railway mainline, connecting Las Vegas, New Mexico, to Chicago and Los Angeles. Designed by Frederick Roehrig, a prominent Pasadena architect, it was the earliest Harvey House to be built in the Mission Revival style and became the prototype of nearly all future Harvey properties.

Castañeda Hotel, Street Side

Castañeda Hotel, Courtyard and Track Side

I enjoyed wandering around the hotel and checking out its many historic features. I also walked next door to the 1889 Las Vegas depot, another beautiful Mission Revival style building constructed by the Santa Fe Railway.  Amtrak still stops here.

Castañeda Hotel Lobby

Las Vegas Depot

I returned to my lovely suite and eventually made my way to the bar for dinner. I asked the bartender if there might be a favorite local vodka, and he made a vodka tonic for me with one distilled in Santa Fe. It was delicious. The menu listed a “Harvey” Smash Burger, allegedly voted the best green chile cheeseburger in New Mexico, so I had to give it a try. It was delicious, but the addition of pickles to the green chiles was a bit odd.

My Suite