El Paso, Texas: Three Free things to do in El Paso; things to do

Three Free things to do in El Paso

The westernmost city in Texas, El Paso straddles the Rio Grande on the U.S.-Mexico border.  It is the largest of three cities that form an international metropolitan area--El Paso; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and Juarez, Mexico.  Nearby Fort Bliss is the nation’s second-largest military installation.  With an average 302 sunny days each year, El Paso is one of the sunniest locations in the United States and embraces "Sun City" as a moniker.  It is also why there are so many outdoor activities available.

1.  El Paso Museum of Art   1 Arts Festival Plaza, (915) 532-1707.  Tu-Sat 9am-5pm, Thur 9-9pm, Sun 12-5pm.  The diverse collection here includes contemporary works from southwest U.S. and Mexican artists, as well as American and European classic masterworks (think Botticelli and Van Dyck), Spanish retablos, and Mexican colonial art.  It is best known for the 57-piece Samuel H. Kress collection of 12th- through18th-century European art.  More than 6,000 pieces are in the permanent collection, and the museum hosts many temporary exhibitions such as the WWII show I saw featuring works by local native Tom Lea.

entrance to El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas

cheetah mural on exterior of El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas

gigantic open art gallery in El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas

Virgin of Guadalupe statue at El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas

Native American painting by Fritz Scholder, a personal favorite,
at the El Paso Museum of Art in Texas

2.  streetcars  The restored vintage streetcars that run here were once part of a fleet used in San Diego in the 1960s.  Now they run two loops through El Paso, stopping at many popular sites.  Do download the free “El Paso Street Car App.”




3.  murals  Many colorful murals are encountered as you walk through the downtown area.  The “El Segundo Barrio Murals” brochure is a helpful assistance to finding many of them.

streetcar mural by the convention center in El Paso, Texas


BOOM! mural by the convention center in El Paso, Texas

Things to do across the border in Juarez.

Things to do in nearby Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Things to do in West Texas.
Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2020 Carole Terwilliger Meyers