| Central El Paso Central El Paso is old and proud of it. Not
only is it full of historic sites, from 1875 on, but it’s commercially
dynamic and happily urban. The cafes and shops along the streets have
an across-the-border atmosphere and this is the home of the landmark
(as well as venue) Plaza Theatre. The historic Sunset Heights District
is home to fancy mansions of the 1890s and on. It was also home to
Pancho Villa and a fancy mansion of his own. East El
Paso This is the largest area of town, and it just keeps
growing. El Paso’s live music is scattered throughout this district in
significant numbers. If you’re in less of a mood for music and more a
mood for history, this is also the best access point in El Paso for
the Hueco Tanks State
Historic Site. Mission Valley El
Paso While much of El Paso is old, this is the oldest part. In
fact, some of the current residents have ancestors among those very
first Spanish settlers. The three missions are nearly as old as the
settlement and still hold church every Sunday (these missions are the
Ysleta, the Socorro, and the San Elizario, connected by the El Paso
Mission Trail). The Ysleta Del
Sur Pueblo, oldest community in Texas,
is here. Northwest El Paso / West Side and Kern
Place This is an affluent, fast-growing area that is home to
Border Hospital and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP, as it’s
better known). College students often spend their nights in the
entertainment district of Kern Place, El Paso’s first
suburb. Northeast El Paso The immense and historic Fort Bliss
Military Base is here and open to tours if you’re willing to make
arrangements ahead of time. Biggs Airfield is here, so this is a fine
disembark point to enter the rest of El Paso from. |
