The wife and I are planning to attend a wedding for one of her relatives in El Paso soon and will be in town for 3 days. We may a have a bit of spare time and I always like to investigate new places when the opportunity arises.
The vein of feedback I’ve received so far trends to “dirty, depressing, shithole border town”, but I’m looking for the straight dope. We won’t be have time to head anywhere out of town (like Carlsbad or White Sands), and I’m not keen on going into Juarez. Just looking for tips, comments, must-see/keep out zones, etc.
FWIW, the area we’ll be staying in and attending the wedding is just east of the airport. Don’t know if that’s a good place to be.
I gotta admit, El Paso is not on my list of vacation destinations. However, here is the El Paso Convention & Visitors Bureau website. I’d agree with not bothering with Juarez; if you’ve seen one border town you’ve seen them all, and I can’t think of anything that was really worth seeing in Juarez (well, there were a couple things that might be interesting, but getting back into the US from Mexico is a pain in the butt if only because of the traffic.)
Are you flying or driving? (I have entirely too many touristy suggestions along the way if you’re driving, but be forewarned that everyone hates my suggestions.)
Oh yeah, if you’re driving, if you’re starting from Mesa, are you taking the 60 over through Eastern AZ & catching I-10 in Lordsburg, or are you taking I-10 through Tucson, or another route?
You’ll want to look for “Magruder” street, which was named after my great-grandfather. My dad’s gente go way back in El Paso. I - for one - highly recommend crossing the border and experiencing Juarez. Get away from the main streets there and it’s… well, it’s a foreign country! I usually walk over the bridge, but I think there is a trolley you can take - possibly from the El Paso side - that takes you across the border and stops at several interesting spots. There are some pretty good places to eat there, too.
Otherwise, unless you visit my great-uncle - who has a house up on a hill with an incredible view of both countries on either side of a bend in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo - there’s not that much to see in El Paso, I don’t think. Go to Mexico!
The Museum of Art is a pretty decent one. If you like art, you might want to check it out. If you like modern art, you migt want to check out the Bridge Center.
If you have access to a car, you might like a drive to Las Cruces. Going over the mountain was always a favorite as a kid. Does anyone know if the tramway is still open?
I must also recommend the local fast food place, Chico’s Tacos. Oh how I long for Chico’s!
El Paso has changed a lot since I was lived there, so I am not sure what is currently there.
“dirty, depressing, shithole border town” is about the sum of it. I wish Insights was still open.
I’d suggest talking to the chamber of commerce and getting tickets for Viva! El Paso if it’s running then - take the tram up the mountain if it’s still running, tour Chamizal (and see any shows that might be running), maybe look into a day tour to see the churches out east like in San Elizario or something.
Yes, there is a wait if you take the trolley over to Juarez but it can be interesting.
I enjoyed Hueco Tanks, but be aware that it is now (finally) a protected park and you’ll need to go through a short orientation session before you tour/climb.
I’ve also heard the zoo has expanded, completely taking over Washington Park. And if you are interested in minor league hockey and baseball, they have teams. (not sure how hockey might be affected by the major league strike). Additionally, they have a minor league football (soccer to Americans) team as well.
There used to be self-guided walking tours of downtown, you follow these little yellow footprints to hell and back, but it’s been decades since I could verify that.
Other hilights include friday and saturday night drag racing out at the end of Dyer street if that’s your thing. Otherwise stay away.
Natural History Museum - is pretty impressive.
And if you’re really into sex in the car, way out on Montana street they have an x-rated drive in theater.
Whatever else you do don’t fall in love with a Mexican girl named Felina at Rosa’s Cantina. For that way lies murder and death.
*El Paso Cit-y, by the Rio Grand-e
Could it be that I could be
The cowboy in this mystery
That died there in that desert sand so long ago
El Paso Cit-y, by the Rio Grand-e
A voice tells me to go and see
Another voice keeps tellin’ me
Maybe death awaits me in El Paso.
*
This depends a lot on what you’re interested in. Do you like outdoors stuff? Museums? Old buildings (like Spanish missions)? Clubbing? Shopping? Music? While nothing compared to many other cities, there is plenty to do in El Paso.
It’s a pretty safe town. I’ve never been worried walking around anywhere.
As for Chico’s tacos, I cannot purge from my mind the vision of a rather large man standing over, stirring, and sweating into a giant cauldron full of that watery sauce that they insist on pouring all over their rolled tacos. That said, a lot of people really like them. If you like Mexican food, El Paso has a lot of good stuff to be had.
Back in 1964, my wife and I passed thru El Paso.
[ul][li] I thought we’d never get there from Dallas.[/li][li] I ate my first Mexican food there, because back then Mexican food hadn’t become popular. It was excellent.[/li][li] I barely remember thinking how the mountains looked more like piles of rocks.[/li][li] Whatever you do don’t let a Mexican taxi-driver give you a tour of Juarez.[/ul][/li]
After reading some of the other poster’s comments, I might now be more open to the idea of going back. [sup]but I think I’ll skip Chico’s[/sup]
Has the most amazing buildings…they are built upon the style of the Potala Palace in Lasa, Tibet! I don’t know how they hit on this style, but the campus is improbably nice.
Other than this, El Paso is like any border town-dirty, violent, and dangerous.
Especially if you aren’t a young, dark haired, poor single female.
But, dangerous might also be just a matter of perspective. I’ve spent time there and in East Coast Suburbia, and I feel “safer” in East Coast Suburbia. But having spent time in Manhattan, eh, I survived, better for having spent time in El Paso and Juarez than in Suburbia or Small Town America.
Hell, 15 years ago I would have considered Miami dangerous with the rash of tourist robberies and killings going on then, too.
But, personally, I would be more worried about pickpockets or car thieves than muggers or murderers. (A few years ago, it was named “the car theft capital of the U.S.”) If you go to Juarez, definitely leave your car in a supervised parking garage on the U.S. side of the border.
That’s a decent area. There are several good hotels near the airport.
I’ve heard that the War Eagles Museum is nice, if you are into planes. Also, there is a horse track in Sunland Park, which is basically in El Paso. Franklin mountains state park would be good if you want a day hike. The Chihuahuan desert is interesting, and different than the Sonoran desert that you are used too.
[sup]but I think I’ll skip Chico’s[/sup]