El Paso is a Spanish city located in the westernmost point of Texas alongside the Rio Grande river. It is connected with the borders of the United States and Mexico which makes it the 22nd-largest city in the US and the sixth-largest city in Texas.
This city center is famous for its rich culture, large military presence from historic times, and beautiful sunsets at all times. El Paso, Texas is not only considered the safest city but is also filled with rich natural history and events that make it special in its own place.
Here you can find historic sites, museums, downtown art showcases, the Rio Grande river, Fort Bliss museum with interesting artifacts, Spanish colonial revival style buildings, and many more cultural centers.
El Paso Texas is a great destination to visit for travel and fun activities and if you are looking for things to do in El Paso then you are in a right place. Here is a list of El Paso attractions and historic sites.
Here are 10 Things to Do in El Paso for Fun
Explore these 10 amazing and fun things that you can try doing and exploring in El Paso.
1. Visit the El Paso Zoo
El Paso Zoo is the perfect place to be with family and friends. Built-in the heart of El Paso, the zoo houses many species of animals like lions, tigers, and giraffes. This zoo has more than 220 species of animals which includes some of the endangered ones like the amur leopard and Aruba rattlesnake.
The family safari tour is one of the most famous things to do in El Paso. The visitors can take the safari tour to learn and witness animals’ habitats and surroundings. It gives the experience of watching the wildlife from up close which is in itself a great experience to have.
More things to do in El Paso zoo? You can take part in the educational programs organized by the zoo and see behind the scenes and enroll in the interactive exhibits. For example, you can visit the Discovery Center to learn about animals and their environment, a perfect live entertainment.
El Paso Zoo is an interesting place to visit to learn about animals and to have great fun with family and friends.
2. Hit the El Paso Mission Trail
The El Paso mission trail is one of the most popular historic sites in El Paso, Texas. The mission trail includes three Spanish Colonial missions- the Ysleta mission, the San Elizario mission, and the Socorro mission.
This mission trail is one of the longest trails in the United States, plus it was also termed as the “national historic trail” in the year 2013.
The El Paso mission trail is filled with many cultural events throughout the year including Yselta mission Annual fiesta and Socorro mission festival to celebrate these historic missions and the culture of the field and nature trails based on the three adobe churches.
While visiting the mission trail you can also explore the downtown El Paso area, the restaurants, and local artists’ art galleries and observe downtown El Paso’s history from up close. Mission trail is a good place to visit if you are interested in history and cultural activities.
3. El Paso Holocaust Museum
El Paso Holocaust museum and study center is an educational facility and a national memorial. This museum cum national memorial was built to conserve the history of the holocaust and the impact it left behind because of World War II.
This museum’s mission is to keep alive the history in the best way possible plus, it is the only bilingual holocaust museum in the United States. El Paso Holocaust museum houses permanent exhibits, and educational and public events.
Here you can take part in interactive activities like movie screenings and book signings, and exhibits. The museum also organizes cultural programs and workshops for students. This is a good place to visit as it uncovers the untold stories of the saviors and gives you a picture of the past.
4. El Paso Museum of Art
The El Paso Museum of Art is a beautiful place to visit if you have an eye for art and want to appreciate it.
Paso museum of art is a historic building located in the Arts Festival Plaza, El Paso. It was founded in 1959. Holding its grace till now, it is the most visited place in downtown El Paso. It is also an accredited art museum within 250 miles and gets 100,000 visitors in a year.
In the museum, you will find art from a variety of cultures and eras such as Mexican, European, and American art, that beautifully explain their past and how things were back then.
El Paso museum holds some of the finest and permanent collections of art which include works from the Baroque, renaissance, and impressionist periods plus from modern arts to contemporary pieces of art.
There you can witness a sculpture garden, an interactive exhibition space, and a library that makes this museum more tempting and classic. The El Paso Museum of Art also showcases some exquisite pieces of art, you can explore all of it in the museum and also attend lectures to gain knowledge.
You will find workshops and special events to keep you on your toes and not be a bore if you are into history. In the El Paso Museum of Art, you can take paid tours or explore the place alone. Here you can find some other fun activities to do such as, going to concerts hosted by them, film screenings, and lectures about art.
This place also is family-friendly as you can play scavenger hunts, do art making, and storytelling your family members here. This museum also organizes the annual El Paso festival of art that celebrates the city’s art and culture.
Paso museum of art is an amazing place to visit to learn about art and culture, not only of Mexican culture but of different regions too.
5. Visit the Magoffin Home State Historic Site
If you’re a fan of history and looking for things to do in El Paso then, this is the right place for you to visit.
The Magoffin house state historic site is a house where the multicultural generations of the Magoffin family resided, they not only had a huge participation in the civil war and military service but also were part of the trade on the Santa Fest- Chihuahua trail.
Magoffin’s home was part of the national register in 1971 in El Paso.
It was built in 1875 and still stands as the grand model of territorial style architecture it is a commendable symbol of culture and history in El Paso, Texas. The house is conserved and holds the essence of history and illustrates the late 19th-century neighborhood’s daily life.
Here you will find the original pieces of furniture, clothes, photos, and many more things on display to excite the feeling of being present in that period of time, it is indeed an astonishing feeling to be experiencing history.
You can take a guided or self-tour in the Magoffin house and take part in cultural events often organized there. These include the history of El Paso and the Magoffin family and concert series during the summer months.
This is a great place to visit to understand the culture and history of El Paso, Texas, and the Magoffin family in depth.
6. Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino
Sunland amusement park, racetrack, and casino is a Racino in El Paso built in 1959 in Sunland park. It is most famous for its horse racing and casino that is filled with various games for adults. Here racing goes on from November to April, and the casino has table games and a poker room to enjoy games.
The casino is open from 10 am to 4 pm. Visitors can come here and enjoy the various activities and games organized by the casino like slots, blackjack, and craps with everyday tournaments and cash games.
If you want to spend some peaceful time away from the race and casino there are a number of options for dining in restaurants, food courts, lounges, and bars to eat at.
So if you’re looking for things to do in El Paso that are fun as well as exciting then this is your go-to place with games and racing and food.
7. Tour the Franklin Mountains State Park
The Franklin mountains state park is a beautiful place in the desert, here you can do lots of outdoor activities like hiking, biking, camping, and admiring nature from up close. The mountain houses a variety of wildlife, like coyotes, hawks, mountain lions, eagles, lizards, snakes, etc.
For hikers, there are trails and paths in the midst of nature, and the people camping there will find a cozy place with a back view of the city to grill food and spend a peaceful time alone or with someone special. Visitors can enjoy the wildlife and breathe fresh air to calm their minds.
The park hosts some tours and classes for nature lovers too and you can be part of it simply by sighing up for it.
Franklin Mountains state park is an amazing place to visit for a calming journey and to spend some time in nature and find yourself. You can ride a bike on trails to challenge yourself, or camp with your friends & family and enjoy food.
8. Take a Tour of the El Paso Railroad and History Museum Houses
El Paso railroad and history museum is a wonderful place to discover the history of the city of El Paso. It is a historic site located in the Union Plaza district of Santa Fe St. You can visit it to learn and witness the history of the area up close.
This museum organizes a lot of exhibitions and activities to help people explore the city’s culture and history. The history museum has one main attraction, the El Paso railroad, a working exact copy of the train where you can take a ride and explore the development and history of the city.
From here you can take a train to the Franklin Mountains State Park to enjoy and explore the place’s history and geology.
If you are looking for more things to do at El Paso railroad and history museum, then you can visit the exhibits in the museum that have historical artifacts, pictures, and details of the region like native Mexican, American, and Spanish history.
This place also displays local artist artwork and musicals, where visitors can take self-guided or paid tours and enjoy the train rides and all the programs and events organized by the museum.
9. Visit the Plaza Theatre in El Paso
Plaza theatre is the most popular theatre in El Paso, Texas, that’s been entertaining the people of El Paso since the year 1930.
It has been a house of art and culture for a long time. It offers live theatrical musicals, dances, and dramatic shows. The plaza theatre also has the El Paso symphony orchestra, the El Paso ballet company, and the southwest music company, which host commendable and artistic shows that are existing for a very long time.
People of any age can visit and enjoy shows at the plaza theatre as they organize ballet and musicals on the big stage. People can also be part of the special events featured on the smaller stages. Plaza theatre also offers free movie screenings that you can take advantage of while being there.
Overall this place is perfect for you if you are into theatre or are interested in movies.
10. Visit the El Paso Botanical Gardens
The El Paso desert Botanical Gardens is a treasured keystone heritage park located in the heart of the city center. The gardens are home to a variety of plants and flowers along with walking trails. You can admire the birds, take a long walk, photograph, and enjoy a picnic in the greenery.
El Paso desert botanical gardens’ most famous attraction is its variety of plants, there are almost 250 species of plants which include cacti, trees, flowers, and shrubs and the endangered species include Mexican fritillary which you can find in the desert.
While exploring the El Paso Botanical gardens, you can take a peaceful walk on the trails that leads to different ponds where you can watch the different kinds of species of birds. This makes this place a perfect place for a mindful getaway.
For something more active things to do in the El Paso gardens, you can join the classes and programs hosted by the gardens, like art classes, gardening classes, and yoga classes, to learn with fun. They also host programs such as art shows, holiday celebrations, and concerts.
The El Paso botanical gardens are the best place to visit if you are a nature lover or want to see its beauty in its reserved and gracious way.
Other Attractions and Activities
In addition to these places, you can also visit the Chichihuahuan desert, Tigua Indian Cultural Centre, Southwest University Park, Hueco tanks state, Western Playland Amusement Park, Fort Bliss and Fort Bliss Museum, and the Archaeology El Paso museum.
El Paso, Texas is a great city to visit for cultural attractions and live entertainment. There are lots of things to do in El Paso. Even after visiting all of these places, you can find more beautiful and worth going places in El Paso, Texas. Enjoy your vacation or journey to El Paso, Texas.
FAQs
- Is El Paso a safe city?
Yes, El Paso is the safest city to live in or visit.
2. What is different about El Paso?
There are many fun facts about El Paso, but an interesting one is that it is called “Sun City” because it is covered in sunlight for all 302 days of sun every year.
3. What makes El Paso an interesting place to visit?
El Paso Texas is filled with historical buildings connected to the civil war and world war ii, it is a city that beautifully shows the dark times its been through. It is rich in history and culture, and there are many things to do in El Paso.
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Last Updated on March 15, 2023 by Janhavi Ramesh Kowligi
