RVshare’s Top Vacation Destinations El Paso, Texas, No Matter the Duration
About a 50-minute drive from El Paso is Las Cruces, New Mexico, where you can tour Old Mesilla, the place where Billy the Kid was put on trial. It boasts a historic courthouse, a basilica, and a central plaza with a kiosk. Then, see the exhibits and the model trains at the Railroad Museum, housed in a Santa Fe Railroad depot. You'll love the adobe style of the Fountain Theater, built in 1905, where you can screen classic films. Come mealtime, follow the Walk of Flame Green Chile Trail to find restaurants offering green chile-based dishes, such as green chile posole and even green chile vodka.
Find relatively lower temperatures in Fort Davis, only a three-hour drive away. See both old fort buildings and restored versions of these at Fort Davis National Historic Site. Take a selfie with the historic Jeff Davis County Courthouse in the background. Children will get a kick out of the Old West exhibits at the Overland Trail Museum. Dark skies in this part of the state make it an ideal location for stargazing, so book an evening visit to the University of Texas McDonald Observatory.
Take a day-long road trip from El Paso to Dallas while planning to spend at least three days taking in the sights. Get your bearings by ascending 470 feet to the top of The Ball, which is what the locals call the observation deck at Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas. History comes alive at the Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District, where you can see the Kennedy Memorial and tour the Texas School Book Depository to learn more about JFK's assassination. Other museums of interest include the Perot Museum of Science and Nature and the Dallas Museum of Art. Sixty-six acres of gorgeous gardens await you at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, situated on the shores of White Rock Lake.
Explore El Paso, Texas, in an RVshare RV Rental
Human settlements in the El Paso area can be traced back as far as 10,000 years ago. When Spanish colonization came to the region, Franciscan friars founded El Paso del Norte, encompassing what is now El Paso and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. El Paso was still regarded as part of Mexico when Texans rebelled in 1836, and the Republic of Texas came to exist. However, El Paso was considered to be within the borders of Texas by the time the republic was annexed by the United States in 1845.
The introduction of the railroad led El Paso to grow and prosper, and so did the oil boom of the early 20th century. During the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s, exiled revolutionary leaders like Pancho Villa and Victoriano Huerta spent time in El Paso. Conrad Hilton, of Hilton Hotels fame, opened his first high-rise hotel property in the city in 1930. Although El Paso was hit hard by the Great Depression, the city knew prosperity once again during WWII and in the ensuing Cold War years. Fort Bliss, headquartered in El Paso, expanded and brought in hundreds of service personnel along with their families.
Affectionately known as Sun City, El Paso today has a population of 867,000. During your visit, get around the city via streetcars, renovated to resemble vintage El Paso streetcar models from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Tour the historic downtown area or visit the El Paso Zoo. You'll find a wealth of excellent museums, including the Museum of Art, the Museum of History, the Museum of Archaeology, and the Holocaust Museum. An intriguing way to visualize the city's history is via a self-guided walking tour of its famous murals.
RVshare’s Top Picks for State Parks Near El Paso, Texas
Over 130 miles of multi-use trails distinguish Franklin Mountains State Park, located right at the edge of El Paso. Mountain bikers love this park, as do rock climbers, and there's also great birdwatching here.
Leasburg Dam State Park in New Mexico is only an hour away. Situated along the Rio Grande, the park features a cactus garden and an observatory for dark-sky night viewing. Any activity that offers a break from the heat is always popular, so plenty of travelers come to canoe, swim, kayak, and fish. You can go birdwatching by yourself here, or take a ranger-guided bird walk.
About 80 miles from El Paso, in Columbus, New Mexico is Pancho Villa State Park. The highlight of the park is the exhibit hall showcasing the history of the 1916-1917 military expedition to hunt down Pancho Villa. This is another great park for bird enthusiasts, and there's a playground for kids, as well as trails for hiking and biking.
Events Near El Paso, Texas
Viva El Paso – Performed annually on weekends in July, Viva El Paso is a musical extravaganza staged outdoors at the McKelligon Canyon Amphiteatre. Its aim is to tell four centuries of Southwest history through music, dance, and song.
Sun City Craft Beer Festival – Held every year in May, this festival lets attendees sample a huge variety of craft beers, hear live music, and even ride a mechanical bull.
El Paso Ice Cream Fest – An event starring everyone's favorite frozen treat, the El Paso Ice Cream Fest is held every July downtown. Grown-up treats like margaritas are also available, and there's live music, retail vendors, and kids' games.
Best Nearby RV Parks and Campgrounds
Amenities like an on-site RV technician are what set El Paso Roadrunner RV Park apart. Conveniently located just a few blocks from Interstate 10 in El Paso, the pet-friendly property has a store, showers, free Wi-Fi, a laundromat, and a propane tank exchange service. Another good option is Mission RV Park, situated near the intersection of Highway 375 and Interstate 10, also in El Paso. Mission RV Park has 188 sites set on 15.5 acres and features a clubhouse, a swimming pool, a spa, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and volleyball courts.
RVshare’s Top Picks for RV Dump Stations Near El Paso, Texas
Take care of a necessary part of RV life by using the dump station at the El Paso Roadrunner RV Park for only $10. It's conveniently situated within walking distance from several restaurants, with one just across the street. Or, try the Flying J Travel Plaza in El Paso, where you'll also find a restaurant, an ATM, showers, and a laundry facility.
Best RV Storage Facilities Near El Paso, Texas
Find excellent RV storage in El Paso at Northeast Storage, which offers economical RV parking for $30 a month, or at Desert Cielo RV and Boat Storage, featuring covered RV parking and a dump station.
