Texas
El Paso sits where Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua meet, split by the Rio Grande and by the northern tip of the Franklin Mountains, and it is far more rewarding than the highway sign suggests.
A mountain wilderness lies inside the city limits, a granite desert park at Hueco Tanks holds thousands of ancient pictographs, and the oldest mission churches in Texas line the Mission Trail along the river. Add a 1930 movie palace downtown, a free art museum with Old Masters, a Wild West cemetery, a baseball team that plays in the heart of town and the border city of Ciudad Juarez a short ride away, and you have a trip with real depth. This guide brings together 21 attractions, 10 hotels and 6 travel guides, with advice on timing, heat, border logistics and where to stay.
Franklin Mountains State Park
More than 24,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert peaks inside the city limits, with over a hundred miles of trails, North Franklin Peak above 7,000 feet and sunset views over two countries. A wilderness you can reach from downtown in minutes.
Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site
A National Historic Landmark of granite hills, rainwater pockets and thousands of ancient pictographs east of El Paso, with guided rock-art tours, world-class bouldering and a daily visitor cap that makes advance reservations essential.
El Paso Mission Trail
A scenic road along the Rio Grande linking three Spanish colonial churches in Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario, some of the oldest continuously used mission buildings in Texas, with adobe walls, painted ceilings and living parish life.
Wyler Aerial Tramway
A cable car up Ranger Peak in Franklin Mountains State Park, rising about a thousand feet to an overlook where you can see El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua at once. Check operating status before you go.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
More than 24,000 acres of Chihuahuan Desert peaks inside the city limits, with over a hundred miles of trails, North Franklin Peak above 7,000 feet and sunset views over two countries. A wilderness you can reach from downtown in minutes.
A cable car up Ranger Peak in Franklin Mountains State Park, rising about a thousand feet to an overlook where you can see El Paso, Ciudad Juarez, Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua at once. Check operating status before you go.
A National Historic Landmark of granite hills, rainwater pockets and thousands of ancient pictographs east of El Paso, with guided rock-art tours, world-class bouldering and a daily visitor cap that makes advance reservations essential.
A scenic road along the Rio Grande linking three Spanish colonial churches in Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario, some of the oldest continuously used mission buildings in Texas, with adobe walls, painted ceilings and living parish life.
The home of the Tigua people, the only federally recognized tribe in Texas, centered on Mission Ysleta. Learn about a community that has lived on the river for more than three centuries through its plaza, cultural programs and traditional bread.
A tiny adobe town at the eastern end of the Mission Trail, with a 1789 presidio chapel, a plaza, the old county jail tied to Billy the Kid legend and a growing cluster of galleries and restaurants.
FreeA free National Park Service site commemorating the peaceful 1963 settlement of a century-old border dispute between the United States and Mexico, with a museum, theater, gallery, trails and one of the region's best summer concert and drama festivals.
FreeA free downtown city museum with European Old Masters from the Kress Collection, strong Southwestern and Mexican art and rotating exhibitions, a calm, air-conditioned place for a rainy or very hot afternoon.
A compact, shaded city zoo near downtown with African, Asian and American habitats, a strong Chihuahuan Desert focus, a walk-through aviary and easy pacing for young children.
FreeA free city museum on Transmountain Road that traces the first peoples of the Chihuahuan Desert from Ice Age hunters to the Mogollon and Jornada cultures, with a desert garden and trails in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains.
FreeA free museum on Transmountain Road tracing the history of the United States Border Patrol through vehicles, uniforms, equipment and dioramas, from horseback inspectors to modern technology.
An 1875 adobe mansion in the Magoffin Historic District, home to a pioneer merchant and mayor, with Territorial-style architecture, period furnishings and a courtyard that shows how El Paso's elite lived on the frontier.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$Downtown
El Paso's grand historic hotel, opened in 1912 and crowned by a stained-glass dome, steps from the Plaza Theatre, San Jacinto Plaza and the best of downtown.
Check rates →Downtown
A reliable full-service downtown hotel near the convention district, with the brand's signature welcome cookie, spacious rooms and an easy walk to the plaza, theatre and ballpark.
Check rates →Downtown
A modern Marriott option beside the convention center, popular with business travelers and visitors who want a clean, contemporary base within walking distance of downtown sights.
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$Downtown
A budget-friendly downtown option with simple, clean rooms and a central location for walking to the plaza, museums and the ballpark.
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$$Central El Paso
An all-suite hotel in central El Paso with spacious rooms, a cooked-to-order breakfast tradition and an atrium setting that suits families and longer stays.
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$$Airport
A contemporary airport-area hotel with spacious rooms, a casual lobby and easy access to the highway, practical for early flights and drive-in trips to Hueco Tanks.
Check rates →Airport
An extended-stay style suite hotel near the airport, with kitchens in the rooms, spacious layouts and a good fit for longer trips and families.
Check rates →University Area
A comfortable mid-priced Hilton Garden Inn in the university area, close to the Sun Bowl district and the interstate, convenient for events and a quick run to downtown.
Check rates →North El Paso
A newer suite-style hotel on El Paso's north side, closer to the northern Franklin Mountains gateways, with kitchens and space for longer stays and outdoor trips.
Check rates →West El Paso
A no-frills budget hotel on El Paso's west side, practical for road-trippers and travelers who want low rates and easy access to the interstate and the west-side sights.
Check rates →Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Do
Franklin Mountains State ParkStay
TownePlace Suites by Marriott El Paso NorthNorth El Paso
Do
Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic SiteStay
Hyatt Place El Paso AirportAirport
Do
El Paso Mission TrailStay
Hotel Paso del NorteDowntown
While you are there
150+ concerts, shows and games are on sale in the coming months, from stadium nights to small rooms. Our sister site Purveyor lists them with dates, venues and seats.
A three-day plan that pairs a mountain morning, the Mission Trail and Hueco Tanks with downtown evenings, with notes on timing, heat and which bookings to make first.
A practical guide to choosing between downtown, the airport corridor, the university area and the north and west sides, with hotel picks by trip style.
The best day trips from El Paso, from rock-art tours at Hueco Tanks to a Mission Trail loop and the longer drives into New Mexico.
A guide to El Paso's food culture, from breakfast burritos and enchiladas to Hatch chile season, flautas, paletas and a cold drink after a hot day.
A season-by-season guide to El Paso weather, crowds and events, with advice on when to hike, when to see festivals and how to handle summer heat.
How to enjoy El Paso for less, from free museums and state park entry to scenic overlooks, cheap tacos and a lower-cost hotel strategy.
