COMMENT BY
Erin from Campo, CO
COMMENT ABOUT PLACE
Campo, CO
COMMENT
A place I love
I was motivated to write this review because Las Vegas is my favorite getaway from SE Colorado, where I live. I've been there many, many times -- I stay overnight there to go shop in Santa Fe and hike in the mountains. I was saddened by the negative reviews, because I love this town. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that I don't live there (yet!), and I know that it has some crime problems. So does Manhattan :-) And I'd WAY rather live in Las Vegas than Manhattan.
I love Las Vegas for it's traditional architecture, it's green open spaces -- the Zocalo and the river walk, especially; for it's vibrant arts community, good bars and restaurants, walkability and tons of trees. It is also right on top of three wildlife reserves and has nearby access to world-class skiing and hiking in the Taos mountains and Angel Fire.
Las Vegas is a tiny town (relatively speaking) with a university, which makes it lively and intellectually more forward-thinking than a lot of small towns on the SW plains/Front Range (I know, because I live in one). Quite contrary to one of the reviews I read, I find people very helpful, kind and interesting -- so willing to talk about their town. I love the diversity of Las Vegas. I'm "white" -- but I don't want to live with a bunch of people just like me! I love the fact that so much of Las Vegas is bilingual and bicultural -- sometimes tri-cultural if you add in Native American.
That diversity also improves the food! There is a growing, thoughtful local food scene, and grrrrreat (!) New Mexican and Sonoran food. The Plaza Hotel is a treasure -- and its bar and fine restaurant are great assets. Santa Fe is only an hour away, with high-end wine and hip fusion cuisine and farmers' markets every day of the week.
I also go to Santa Fe to go to department stores and Trader Joe's, and it's nice to have access to that, but I wouldn't want to live in that sterile urban sprawl for anything. Las Vegas is like Santa Fe and Taos were before they became fashionable: affordable, quiet, pretty, historic, full of character, the real thing.