One of the oldest cities in the United States, El Paso city is also among the most distinct—primarily composed of ristra-bedecked adobe buildings, and shadowed by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, it’s strikingly beautiful. For example, nearby Hueco Tanks State Park boasts world-class rock climbing on its large “huecos.” Keep your eyes peeled for pictographs. Meanwhile the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens downtown is home to nearly 700 species of plants. From shopping in art galleries to golf course hopping and browsing museums filled with Native American and pre-Columbian artifacts, there are so many memorable things to do in El Paso.
The sun always shines in El Paso—or at least, it feels that way in this Mexican-American border town said to have roughly 300 clear days annually. The largest city in West Texas by population and personality, El Paso is where Texan and Mexican culture blends: Ciudad Juarez lies right across the Rio Grande, and plenty of things to do—think Spanish missions, rodeos, mariachi concerts, Tex-Mex cuisine, and country dances—are alive and well here. Exploring the lively downtown, visiting free museums, and checking out a minor league baseball game are ideal ways to spend sunny days here.
The El Paso Streetcar runs the same vintage cars that once connected with Ciudad Juarez on two loop lines, roughly from downtown to the University of Texas at El Paso campus. Sun Metro runs buses through most of downtown and some outer neighborhoods—but, like most Texas-sized cities, it’s designed for cars. If you don’t have one and plan to explore farther afield, ride-shares are an option.
If you’re interested in history and culture, you’ll want to read up on the role this city played in World War II. Present day, there aren't any historic sites you can visit, but reading up on it is fascinating. For example, nearby Fort Bliss was home to German and Italian prisoners of war up until 1946. The city also had its own civil war, albeit versus Mexico, in 1877.
