It’s been named one of the safest cities in America, the most affordable, and both the Mexican Food and Boot Capitals. It doesn’t have the buzz of Austin or the Riverwalk of San Antonio.
But it has heart. Companies like Lucchese have been in business for 137 years making boots for everyone from presidents to musicians. There are restaurants that have been open for over 100 years. The city hosts the annual Sun Bowl, among many other events.
The city has a number of unique neighborhoods downtown, including Union Plaza, Las Plazas Art District, Office District, Government District, and El Centro. It’s also a short drive from otherworldly landscapes of Big Bend National Park and Las Cruces and White Sands National Monument in neighboring New Mexico.
History
El Paso has been the site of many important events over the years. The famous Pancho Villa watched the Mexican Revolution across the border from the city. Elizabeth Taylor lived here for a time before marrying Conrad Hilton, who opened his first high rise hotel in the city. And it’s where President Taft
The Sun City, as it’s known, has suffered this year with a mass shooting that targeted the thriving Latinx community. The sister city of Juarez just across the border is as much of El Paso as any sort of suburb. The border is a dominating presence, including walls on both sides and the ever-changing Rio Grande. The Chamizal National Memorial has sections on both sides.
Attractions
El Paso’s attractions educate on the history of the region, starting with the El Paso History Museum. They have exhibits on the Native American traditions, the Chihuahuan Desert, and the city’s baseball traditions. The El Paso Holocaust Museum was founded by a survivor and includes information on concentration camps and the rise of the Third Reich.
Located in the city’s former Greyhound station, the El Paso Museum of Art has an incredible Latin American art collection. The National Border Patrol Museum covers the agency’s history.
If that’s not enough, Concordia Cemetery is the final resting place of Wild West legends like John Wesley Hardin as well as a number of Buffalo Soldiers. You can also catch the best views of the sunset from Rim Road or see an El Paso Chihuahuas baseball game.
Food and Drink
El Paso has a strong Mexican influence in its food scene, but that’s not all. For example, Lick It Up has plant-based Mexican street food and sells from a downtown cocktail bar. Mamacita, inside of the Hotel Indigo, has bold flavors in its breakfast and lunch dishes.
Martha’s Cafe and L&J Cafe are known for their traditional versions of Mexican favorites. Anson Eleven has two unique dining experiences incorporating diverse flavors in dishes like wood-fired pizza, pasta, and seafood. Taft Diaz honors the historic meeting between the American and Mexican presidents with influences from both sides of the border alongside craft cocktails.
The Coffee Box 
1922
Start your day with a nitro cold brew from the Coffee Box, a mural-covered shipping container downtown. Later in the day, you can visit one of the city’s craft breweries, including DeadBeach Brewery and El Paso Brewery.
The city also has an incredible cocktail scene. 1922 is a speakeasy on a quiet downtown street that has Prohibition-inspired cocktails. Funky and affordable drinks are found at El Velvet Elvis at the Pershing Inn. International has three different experiences within one bar including laid-back rooftop vibes and clubby bottle service. Monarch and Blackbird Cantina Deluxe are two other fun spots.
Public Art
El Paso is an incredibly colorful city with murals in most neighborhoods, but especially in Segundo Barrio. Many feature elements of Texan culture and Mexican influences. This map from Visit El Paso provides information on the locations of murals and other public art projects.
Boutique Hotels
I was really impressed with where I stayed in El Paso. The Hotel Indigo opened in 2016 and has over 100 stylish rooms. They feature colorful murals and furnishings inspired by their surroundings. The hotel has a rooftop pool, a bar, and a downstairs cafe.
Many of the historic buildings are being transformed, or renovated, into boutique hotels as well. The Hotel Paseo del Norte is scheduled to open in 2020 and will be in Marriott’s Autograph Collection. The Gardner Hotel is a hotel and hostel that has cozy rooms decorated in the 1920s style.
And the Stanton House takes its inspiration from the nearby art museum with modern furnishings and colorful artwork. There are also traditional chain hotels like the DoubleTree, Aloft, and the like.
Have you ever been to El Paso?
My visit to El Paso was part of the SATW Convention, which included my hotel rate and most meals.
Loved this post! Thanks a lot for sharing this :)
Definitely more than meets the eye. Something amazing in El Paso is El Cuartito where you find Mexican Ramen! Also located in a box similar to the Coffee Box you visited.