How long is the drive from Las Vegas, NV to Santa Fe, NM? The total driving time is 9 hours, 19 minutes.
11 Unimaginably Beautiful Places in New Mexico That You Must See Before You Die
- Carlsbad Caverns (Carlsbad)
- Ghost Ranch (Abiquiu)
- Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (San Juan County)
- Taos Gorge (Taos)
- White Sands National Park (Dona Ana/Otero County)
- Blue Hole (Santa Rosa)
What many retirees are finding is better deals, say experts: The median home in New Mexico costs just $151,900 and the cost of living is 3.1% lower than the national average. That makes much of the state far less expensive than Arizona's most famous retirement havens.
Las Vegas is located 110 miles (180 km) south of Raton, 65 miles (105 km) east of Santa Fe, 122 miles (196 km) northeast of Albuquerque, 257 miles (414 km) south of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and 326 miles (525 km) south of Denver.
The Las Vegas NM crime rate for 2018 was 848.36 per 100,000 population, a 12.77% increase from 2017. The Las Vegas NM crime rate for 2017 was 752.28 per 100,000 population, a 14.77% decline from 2016.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A new study ranks Albuquerque among the least safe cities in the country. In its new “Safest Cities in America” list released Monday, WalletHub ranked Albuquerque's 137 out of 182. The city got especially low marks for “home and community safety” and “financial security.”
When it comes to safety, Santa Fe visitors should be more concerned about the elements and altitude than the crime rate, which is relatively low. The area's elevation and dry climate may pose health risks – particularly altitude sickness – to those who are not used to it.
It was called Las Vegas by the Spanish. The name means The Meadows in the Spanish language. They had a lot of these in 1854. The city is known for its dry weather, as is the rest of southern Nevada. It is surrounded by deserts.
Rounding out New Mexico's top five safest cities is Las Vegas (not that one), recording a 7.52 per 1,000 violent
crime rate which is near New Mexico's state average.
Safest Cities in New Mexico, 2019.
| Rank | City | Safety Index |
|---|
| 5 | Las Vegas | -0.28 |
| 6 | Carlsbad | -0.3 |
| 7 | Deming | -0.47 |
| 8 | Roswell | -0.8 |
If you want to stay in a place and just walk around and visit, then stay in Santa Fe. It is more expensive, but the touristy areas are closer together. If you want to use one place as a center location for day trips, stay in Albuquerque. Albuquerque is cheaper and there is a lot to do close by.
Albuquerque International Airport
Taos is a great place with plenty to see - even without the Pueblo being open. Taos IS full of tourists and is essentially a small town with not a lot going on. The Plaza is kinda interesting but Santa Fe would be a better base. I heartily recommend Acoma: Sky City pueblo about 90 minutes west of Albuquerque.
Non stop flights from Albuquerque – ABQ direct flights
- Atlanta, Georgia – ATL – Delta.
- Austin, Texas – AUS – Southwest, Allegiant Air.
- Baltimore, Maryland – BWI – Southwest.
- Carlsbad, New Mexico – CNM – Boutique Air.
- Chicago, Illinois – MDW – Southwest.
- Chicago, Illinois – ORD – SkyWest Airlines, Envoy Air, Republic Airline, United, GoJet Airlines LLC / United Express, American.
As you drive south from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, take time to visit these 10 stops that make the Turquoise Trail such a rich road trip.
- Casa Grande Trading Post, Petting Zoo and Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum.
- Cerrillos Hills State Park.
- Cerrillos Station.
- Turquoise Trail Sculpture Garden.
- Mine Shaft Tavern.
When it comes to figuring out the best route to take, you're also probably wondering about the distance from Phoenix to Albuquerque. Well, depending on which highway you end up taking, the driving distance between these two cities is about 420 miles and takes about six and a half to seven hours to drive, without stops.
The nearest legal crossing point would be Douglas / Agua Prieta… just under 400 miles, or about a 6-hour drive. What is the best way to drive across the border from Tucson across the border into Mexico?
The 2.5-hour route from Phoenix to Flagstaff along I-17 allows plenty of time to stop at attractions along the way. A legendary pie place, an experimental town, and a national monument with two distinct locations, will be some of your options for turning an interstate drive into an adventure.
