El Paso Texas is located on the far western border of the state, only about a mile from the state of New Mexico and just across the Rio Grande River from Ciudad Juarez in the country of Mexico. The city and its surrounding area boast numerous attractions and things to do, including excursions into Mexico.

One of the attractions of El Paso is also one of the city's historic hotels, the Camino Real at 101 South El Paso Street in the heart of the downtown area. It is located four blocks south of the major Route 10, and one block from the El Paso Museum of Art. The hotel was opened in 1912, and its crowning glory is it extraordinary Tiffany stained glass dome above the elegant Dome Restaurant & Bar off the hotel lobby.

Other historic El Paso Texas attractions include the Concordia Cemetery, the largest cemetery in the Southwest. Resting place since 1853 for more than 60,000 citizens, here you will find the graves of prominent and colorful characters, including notorious gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, members of the famed Buffalo Soldiers cavalry regiments formed in 1866, Chinese immigrants originally brought here in the 1880s to build the railroad, cowboys and cowgirls, ranchers, and the "tallest man in the world" Jake Erlich.

Texas Map

There is also the Union Station Passenger Depot, built in 1902 and still providing train connections between this West Texas metropolis and cities like Galveston, San Antonio, and Santa Fe. The Chamizal National Memorial sits in a lovely park on the Rio Grande. At one point, a natural change in the course of the river created a 100-year-long property dispute between Mexico and the United States. The memorial commemorates the peaceful resolution of that dispute. Here there is a cultural center as well as art galleries, a theater, and amphitheater.

Head a bit outside of El Paso TX for a visit to the fascinating Hueco Tanks (32 miles north of the city), a site with wall paintings and pictographs from prehistoric times as well as more recent Native American "graffiti” by Apaches and Kiowas. Also outside of town are many farms, ranches, orchards where you can enjoy harvest festivals, horseback riding, camping, and even join in a traditional cattle drive.

The El Paso Zoo is set on 36 acres a couple blocks from the Rio Grande and the Chamizal Memorial. There are more than 220 species of animals, including leopards and elephants, Malayan tigers and Mexican wolves, orangutans, bats, birds, and reptiles.

There are numerous other attractions and things to do in the city, including amusement parks and water parks, symphony orchestra concerts and rodeos, racetracks and casinos, and one of the top air shows in the United States. The Amigo Airsho occurs during the third week of October, and draws performers from the U.S. military like the US Navy Blue Angels and the US Army Golden Knight Parachute Team, as well as civilian aerobatic teams from around the country.

There are scores of El Paso Texas hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns to suit the tastes and budgets of just about everyone. Dude ranches provide authentic western experiences in the surrounding area, and there are camping areas galore.