A Guide to El Paso - As Written by a Hokie Who's Stuck There

Editor's Note: Bumped to the front because EPHokie did a great job putting this guide together. If you're making the trip to El Paso and have questions, she might be able to answer them in the comments.

Safety

Safety first, kids. Don't go to Juarez. Just don't. I don't care what you've heard - NO. Also, visiting Lower Valley (far East side) isn't a great idea, nor is driving Paisano after dark.

El Paso is located in the high desert - the elevation here is 4000+ feet above sea level. For those of you who live at or near sea level, it's not going to be fun when combined with the low humidity. Drink a LOT of water. Really. Bring a refillable bottle of water and keep it topped off all day, every day. Also not fun at this elevation is the sun - if it's at all sunny, please wear sunscreen. You will burn much faster here. Finally, the lip balm of your choosing (I'm a Burt's girl, myself) will be greatly beneficial. (Also, if you're prone to nosebleeds or are sensitive to low humidity, consider asking your hotel for a humidifier to put in your room. It'll make life so much nicer.)

El Paso 101

El Paso is a city shaped by geography both natural and artificial. We're stuck smack dab in the middle of the mountains and framed between the borders with New Mexico and Mexico on the west/north and south, respectively. Add in all the land owned by Fort Bliss, and you've got one very weirdly shaped city. The mountains pinch down on Central, diving the city into East side and West side (I live on West side, and this whole guide will have a West side bias. Sorry not sorry, I hate East side.) Then, Fort Bliss separates Northeast from East side. As East side is the only side unrestricted by geography, most of the urban sprawl happens over there.

El Paso is the 19th largest city in the US, and the population is 80% Hispanic.

Weather

There is a 99% chance the temperature at kickoff will be somewhere between 30 and 70 F. There is a ton of variability in the weather here, even within a single day. Bring layers.

There are a lot of elevation changes throughout El Paso, which means the temperature throughout the city won't be the same. (Example: It's usually 5-10 degrees colder at my apartment than it is on campus.)

If there's a front rolling through, expect a LOT of wind. Like, Blacksburg-level winds. But add dust. If the winds get too high, you may get to experience the fun that is a dust storm! (Though those are usually saved for the spring. Usually.)

Transportation

You will need a car - this is not a walking city, the buses are terrible, and the cabs are a rip-off (Cab to the airport from my apartment: 30 minutes late and 50+ dollars). However, the drivers here are horrifically bad. The worst I've ever experienced in terms of sheer stupidity (and I've driven in NOVA, Jersey, and NYC). So if you're getting a rental, you might wanna think really hard about getting their insurance policy, especially if you dont have cat-like reflexes. Because you will need them.

As it will be New Year's, I've got to warn you - El Paso has a drunk driving problem. Please, please, please be careful if you're driving on New Year's Eve. And if you're driving and you'll be drinking, remember that AAA usually will do free rides/tows home/to your hotel on New Year's. Put the number in your phone!

Also, texting or talking on your cell phone while driving in El Paso is illegal. There are itty-bitty little signs about it when you drive into the city, so... most people don't know this. The cops will still pull you over and ticket you for it, though. Jerks.

Where to Stay

I know the football teams will be staying at the airport hotels, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it. East side is a nightmare - the roads are terrible, the drivers are terrible, and it's pretty much the definition of urban sprawl. (I will again admit to a West side bias, here. But really, I hate having to go over to East side.) Plus, it will take 25-30 minutes, or possibly more, to get to campus from the area. Not only is West side more convenient, it's also nicer and more compact. On the West side, most everything is easily accessible from Mesa Street, while driving on East side is way more confusing (on that note - bring something that's got GPS-based directions capability. It's confusing out here). There's a hotel thats basically right on campus, but it's a bit of a rip-off. Personally, I'd go with one of the cluster of hotels on Remcon Circle. They're all pretty decent, good prices, convenient to Mesa Street and I-10, and only 10-15 minutes from campus.

Food

Mexican/Tex-Mex

Personally, I like El Taco Tote (a chain that started in Juarez) for "fast food" (depending on if theres a rush or not, they can actually be kinda slow). I highly recommend the barbacoa. They have a salsa bar and loads of fresh toppings. This isn't your mom's Mexican - no cheese, yes radishes and pickled onions. They've got a ton of locations all across the city.

Barrigas is a great sit down place. Their margs are pretty good, and I always get the white chicken enchiladas, though I've heard the albondigas (meatballs) are pretty tasty.

Valentine's Bakery is the place to get authentic Mexican pastries (so authentic you might have trouble communicating if you don't speak any Spanish. Pointing usually works, though) and super cheap lunches. Again, go with the barbacoa, or try a torta (damn, now I want a torta). Go grab some lunch and pick up some pastries for breakfast the next day.

Chico's Tacos - I have never been, mostly because I think the only thing worth driving over to East side for is the airport. However, word from the locals is: it's drunk/frat boy food. Not actually good, just something to eat when you're feeling really lazy.

BBQ

I know there's some Key Players who are big on the BBQ (some, ha!). There's two places in El Paso I like for (admittedly Texas-style) BBQ.

State Line - Literally on the state line between Texas and New Mexico. Half of the building is in each state. The New Mexico side is actually a liquor store, since NM has less draconian liquor laws than Texas. IIRC, you're allowed to go buy yourself beers and whatnot from the store and drink them in the restaurant, but I get the margs there - you can get a "full shaker marg" - approximately 3 drinks for the price of 2 or so, IIRC. It's a sit down place, and wickedly popular, but I don't recall if they take reservations or not. However, El Paso folks eat early, so if you don't mind staying up, places clear out pretty fast after 8 or so. Get one of the combo plates, you know you'll want to try everything.

Rudy's is... special. But the food is really, really worth it. The restaurants are half restaurant, half gas station. There are no plates. And you buy your meat by the pound. However, it is amazingly tender, moist, and overall excellent. You can choose between the sissy "sause" and the regular Rudy's "sause." Try a taste first (I am admittedly a spiciness wimp, but I still find the sissy sause to be fairly intense). If you love it, you can buy a whole bottle to take home with you - and they sell their rubs, too. Love their rubs. Personally, I'm a huge fan of their turkey and the regular sausages (they have jalapeno sausages, too). I also like the creamed corn, and they have a good beer selection. Grab a Shiner (or whatever pleases you, but when in Texas...) out of the tub of ice while you're waiting in line, and they'll crack it open for you once you've bought everything.

Everything else

I know this is a little weird, what with 80% of the city being Hispanic, but Japanese Crepe House on the West side is amazeballs. If you happen to go in the evening, you're bound to meet the owner, who is super sweet and loves to talk to his customers. I always go for the authentic Japanese entrees and a dessert crepe, but be warned go on a REALLY empty stomach if youre going to do that. So. Much. Food.

Singapore Cafe, on Mesa Street down near campus, is a great little cheap Asian place.

Tara Thai, which is kind of hidden by the Rib Hut, is pretty great Thai food for the area, but it's a little pricier. They also no longer have a bar, just beer and wine. However, it is pretty much right next to the Cincinnati district - which is kind of bar central for West-Central El Paso. Parking in the area is a nightmare if you don't feel like paying for the garage, so be warned (though TT has a few dedicated spots for their customers).

In terms of bars, however, I like the Hoppy Monk. It's a little further from campus, but they have 70 beers on tap, and even more bottled. They also have pretty good food. Try the burger sliders sampler and get a basket of fries. If you're wanting to watch any games on the local channels, though, this is not the place. They didn't bother to pay for them with their satellite TV.

Toro Burger is to die for, but they no longer have a location on the West side. Theres one right by the airport, though, so if you're staying over there, or if you're hungry when you get in, drop by.
If you're looking for a local alternative to Starbucks, try out Kinley's House. Their food menu is small, but adequate, but their drink menu is massive and well priced. I love the matcha lattes. Parking here can be a pain, but they give a discount to the drive-through customers as an incentive to not park in their lot.
Coronado Prime Meats is a butcher shop, but they also sell chile verde and BBQ, as burritos and by the pound.

Lastly, if you've got a bit of a sweet tooth, try International Bakery. They're in the same shopping strip as CPM. Their cakes can be hit or miss, but the frosting is always good and the other pastries... just yum. Try the railroad tracks (IIRC thats what theyre called) - in fact, I might be nomming on one of those right now.

The Campus, the Stadium, and Tailgating

So while the campus isn't Hokie Stone levels of beauty, it's still pretty and unique. The buildings are all based on Bhutanese architecture, so it's worth a stroll through. Sun Bowl Stadium is nestled into the mountains (Cops will literally sit on top of them and watch for people behaving badly. Someone mentioned civvies watching from up there, too - I'm not sure its permitted anymore.) and is massive compared to the population's interest in UTEP football (Possibly because they're terrible? Naw, that can't be it...).

They picked a brilliant time to begin a construction project on Sun Bowl Drive (right at the beginning of the semester, awwwwww yeah!) and it's still ongoing. When they first started it up, the traffic was awful. Of course, as I said, that was right at the beginning of the semester, so there was a lot more traffic then. I would expect it to be a problem again for the game. It will probably also affect the tailgating situation, since it's caused several parking lots in the area to be closed. I'm not 100% on this (tailgating isn't really a huge thing here - see former snarky comments about UTEP football and people's interest).

However, if you don't feel like grilling out in the parking lots, Cincinnati district (Bars! Food!) is just off campus and is definitely walking distance to the stadium. (Well, I would imagine it's no farther than, say, the Litton Reaves lots to Lane. Probably shorter. I haven't actually walked it before, but I know people do.)

Attractions and Side Trips

There's not a ton to do in the city, but there are a few things. If you're into hiking, check out the Franklin Mountains State Park - specifically the Tom Mays unit. Like climbing/bouldering? Drive out of town to Hueco Tanks. (If you're really into climbing, you've probably heard of it before.) And if you like nature, but not necessarily hiking, check out the Wyler Aerial Tramway. You can ride up and walk down, or ride round-trip. Check the hours before you try to go! They're a little weird.

The other thing in town that I think is cool is the War Eagles Air Museum. Take a student ID and get in half-price to see all sorts of still-operational historic WWII & Korean War planes, plus a badass historic car collection. There's also a decent zoo in town, for those of you who might be bringing kids along.

If you're going to be sticking around for a couple of days and making a vacation out of it, you're definitely not going to want to stay in El Paso the whole time. Las Cruces and White Sands/Alamogordo/Cloudcroft/Ruidoso are both doable as day trips, and while I would highly recommend an overnight at Carlsbad Caverns, it would also be doable as a day trip. Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos are all within driving distance, but are not really day trip material.

Las Cruces - Take a drive up 28 to Mesilla and Las Cruces. It's a really cute little road that runs parallel to I-10, and there's all sorts of farms, wineries, shops, and historic sites in the area. I'm a fan of La Vina Winery, St. Clair Winery, and Luna Rossa Winery. Drop by Mesilla Plaza - it's a national historic landmark.

White Sands - Visit the national park, where you can go sledding down the sand dunes. Or, go to the White Sands Missile Range Museum (not in the same location! Be aware!). Also in the area are the New Mexico Museum of Space History (complete with IMAX) and the National Solar Observatory on Sacramento Peak.

Carlsbad Caverns - I. Love. Carlsbad. Seriously, I've been twice and I want to go back again. Its SO cool. I would definitely recommend a 2-day, 1-night trip out there (the town of Carlsbad is just off the parkland, with loads of hotels and restaurants. Theres also an itty-bitty town (White's City) just at the park entrance, but there's just a few overpriced restaurants and a gas station there.) I would highly recommend doing the self-guided tours and adding on a few ranger-guided ones, as well. (They're quite reasonably priced and go to areas of the caves that aren't open to the general public.) You can reserve tickets for these tours ahead of time (there's only a limited number of spots available on each tour), but December/January isn't exactly peak season, so while I would recommend it, it's probably not necessary. If you do go, make sure to take a light jacket or a sweatshirt - it's chilly down there. I would begin your trip by hiking down the Natural Entrance - it's really cool to watch as all the formations begin to sprout up the deeper you go. Everyone's going to be doing the Big Room walk, and it can take a while (they don't call it the Big Room for nothing!). For the ranger-guided tours, the King's Palace and Left Hand Tunnel tours are the most accessible and least strenuous. The Left Hand Tunnel tour is cool because it's all done by candlelight. I really liked the Lower Cave tour, though. There's less pretty formations during that tour, and more focus on history and sustainability. It also requires a little more athleticism to get into and out of the Lower Cave, though once you're down there, it's pretty easy. There are a few more tours that are definitely more a caving experience, but I haven't done them. You'll want to check times, days, and availability for all tours before going. (As a note, if you've been to any caves back east, there is some serious concern about white-nose syndrome affecting the bats. Anything you might have worn into caves back east could potentially contaminate the caves here, so think carefully about your wardrobe.)

If you've made it this far, congratulations! Or if you TLDRed and skipped to the bottom, HAI! Enjoy El Paso, cause I sure as shit won't be here during the Sun Bowl. Wave to me on the TV!