El Paso Texas is a city of borders… On its western side it borders with Mexico, and on its northern side it borders with New Mexico.

El Paso is also a city from the old West and has made numerous appearances in Western movies.

Because of its colorful background, I think El Paso Texas is a very interesting city to visit.

Here are some of our favorite… 

Things To Do In El Paso Texas

Franklin Mountains State Park

Franklin Mountains State Park is a massive mountain park in El Paso. I think it is great for an outdoors experience.

There are several picnic sites and two hiking trails along the Trans-Mountain Road, and the Parks service is expanding the trail network. You can also do rock climbing in McKelligon Canyon.

If you like primitive camping, there are some camping sites in the Tom Mays area (off the Trans-Mountain road), but keep in mind that it is really primitive, i.e. no water or electricity. There are some RV sites as well.

Franklin Mountains can be a lot of fun for families with older kids, but it might not be best for the little ones.

Wyler Aerial Tramway

If you go to Franklin Mountains State Park, you may as well also go on the Wyler Aerial Tramway, which is in the park. It is an aerial cable car that goes up the mountain to Ranger Peak.

The view of El Paso Texas and the surrounding area is simply amazing from up there, and there are telescopes at the top to make the experience even better.

I think it is a good idea to plan your visit to get to the top about 30 minutes before sunset. That way you get to see the El Paso area in daylight, but you also see a beautiful sunset, as well as El Paso at night.

El Paso Zoo

While Franklin Mountains might not be quite suited for small children, I think the El Paso Zoo definitely is!

It has a variety of animals from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including the cute little meerkats, lions, elephants, tigers, spider monkeys, various types of birds and reptiles… all in all, enough to make it a fun experience for everyone.

I think a visit to the El Paso Zoo is worthwhile, especially also if you have small kids. If you go in the summer, it’s probably a good idea to go early in the morning before the heat sets in.

Bob-O’s Family Fun Center

Bob-O’s Family Fun Center is a great place to take the kids. My kids love video and arcade games, so Bob-O’s is high on their list.

In addition to the arcade games, Bob-O’s has a great laser tag facility, batting cages, go-karts, bumper boats, and 3 rides for the little kids. Bob-O’s also has a great miniature golf course that is great fun for adults and kids alike.

I think Bob-O’s is a fun place to hang out with the kids. My kids will definitely agree with that!

Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld

Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld is a water park with enough water rides to keep the whole family cool. (It is located about 30 miles north of El Paso in Anthony, TX.)

My kids are older now and like thrill rides, making the Alien Vortex perfect for them. They also like Price’s Treehouse, which is a slide with many twists and turns. I like Raging Rapids, a bumper ride down a stream.

If your kids are small, Toddler’s Cove will be great for them. There is also The Old Woman & The Shoe, which is a slide for infants and toddlers.

On a hot summer day, Wet ‘n’ Wild is definitely the answer, and El Paso Texas has plenty of hot summer days!

U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Museum

The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Museum is an indoor & outdoor museum that shows various air defense systems used by the US Army.

The museum has air defense weaponry that stretch as far back as World War I up to systems as modern as being used to launch nuclear warheads.

The Air Defense museum will be popular with boys, in particular. Admission to the museum is free, which is a bonus.

I hope you have a great time in El Paso Texas!

When visiting El Paso, you are likely to get hungry and look for El Paso restaurants.

Here is a guide to a few good restaurants in El Paso, TX.

Considering that El Paso is in West Texas and located right on the Mexican border, you can expect at least two types of restaurants… Steakhouses and Mexican restaurants!

I will however show you some other options too. 

Cattle Baron Steak & Seafood

If you’re going to be in El Paso, you need to have at least one meal at the Cattle Baron Steak & Seafood. I don’t think you will be sorry!

They are a steakhouse, so expect to find some real good steaks there. The ribeye is very good. But steak isn’t all they do there. They have a variety of interesting appetizers, good soup, several different hamburgers, pork and chicken dishes, and seafood.

With a variety of food like that, I’m sure everyone in the family will find something they like at the Cattle Baron.

Kiki’s Restaurant & Bar

For Mexican food, Kiki’s Restaurant & Bar is a great choice.

Their food is excellent, they have a great variety, and their service is really good too. One of my favorites are enchiladas. They also have daily lunch or dinner Specials at great prices!

Kiki’s is great for families with children, and for either lunch or dinner.

Kiki’s is located fairly close to the Wyler Aerial Tramway if you wanted to stop off for a meal to or from the tramway.

Healthy Bite

Healthy Bite, in downtown El Paso, offers great light, healthy meals. They serve breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, and paninis.

Everything is freshly-prepared while you wait. The owner is also very friendly!

The only slight drawback is that the Healthy Bite is quite small, so be prepared take your food to eat elsewhere. The food itself more than makes up for this though. Give them a try if you want a light, tasty meal.

State Line Restaurant

The County Line BBQ restaurants are very popular in Texas. In El Paso, it is called State Line Restaurant. (I’m guessing that has something to do with it being right on the border with New Mexico.)

Like its counterparts elsewhere in Texas, the State Line restaurant serves excellent BBQ and is also very popular. They have a variety of BBQ platters, steak, and sandwiches to choose from.

If you decide to spend a day at Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld, State Line restaurant is on your way there.

Italian Kitchen

As the name suggests, the Italian Kitchen is a fine Italian restaurant in El Paso. The restaurant is in an old house, so going there feels a bit like going to eat in an Italian family’s home.

The Italian Kitchen has a nice variety of Italian dishes, like Chicken Cacciatore or Cutlet Paramagiana (yummy!) and, yes, pizza. Full portions can be quite big, so they have half-portions available for many dishes.

Their service is very good too. If you’re in the mood for Italian food, I think you’ll have a good time here.

Other El Paso Restaurants?

These are only a handful of all the restaurants in El Paso. If you want to look at other choices, here are a few more restaurants in El Paso to consider.

Bon Appetit!

Need a few good El Paso hotels to consider for your vacation?

Unless you have family in El Paso to stay with, you will be looking for hotels at some point during planning your vacation.

There are several hotels in El Paso to choose from. I have filtered that list down to a few hotels that are located near attractions or restaurants.

Here they are… 

El Paso Hotels

Holiday Inn El Paso (Sunland & I-10 W)

The Holiday Inn El Paso in Sunland, and just off I-10 W, is one of my favorite El Paso hotels.

Why? It is only about 2 minutes’ drive from State Line restaurant, on the other (east) side of I-10 is the Sunland Park shopping center. And if you go north on I-10 for about 20 miles, you will be at Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld. Very convenient!

The hotel itself is very nice too. The rooms are clean and the staff are very friendly. In addition to the State Line, there are also several other restaurants in the area. There is also the hotel’s own restaurant that you can try.

Fairfield Inn & Suites

The Fairfield Inn & Suites also has a great location.

It is off I-10 and a few miles north of the Holiday Inn, which puts you even closer to Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld. Right next door are movies, and across the road is a big Walmart in case you have forgotten something at home.

The hotel itself is in great shape, the rooms and hallways are clean, and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Like the Holiday Inn, they also have a pool and hot tub. There are also several restaurants in the area.

Hilton Garden Inn

The Hilton Garden Inn is another good one among El Paso hotels, and is located closer to downtown El Paso.

Their rooms are comfortable and their staff are very friendly and helpful. Like the other hotels, they have an outdoor pool and a jacuzzi. They also have a great complimentary breakfast.

If you need to be close to the University of Texas in El Paso, this hotel is a great choice. There is also a major hospital nearby.

Hyatt Place El Paso Airport

The Hyatt Place El Paso Airport is located close to the airport, which makes it great for business travelers, but since we’re talking about family vacations, it is nice that is it also fairly close to the El Paso Zoo.

The rooms are really nice. Each has a HDTV, DVD player, video game consoles, and of course the usual refrigerator and coffee machine. Wireless internet access is also available. It also has a fitness facility and an outdoor pool.

The Hyatt Place also has a good complimentary breakfast.

SpringHill Suites El Paso

The SpringHill Suites El Paso is right next door to the Fairfield Inn & Suites (#2 above), which means it is also right by the movies and is great if you’re planning to go to Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld.

The rooms are clean and have refrigerators, microwaves, coffee machines, and wired internet access (so remember to take a network cable along). The hotel also has a nice pool and hot tub.

There are a variety of restaurants in the area, so it should be easy to find a place to eat.

Other El Paso Hotels?

If you want to look at a few other choices before making your decision, here are a few more hotels in El Paso.

Have a great stay in El Paso!