North Hills West - El Paso, TX

El Paso Texas began to grow economically after World War II, especially as the oil industry boomed in Texas. Two of El Paso's significant museums sit just outside the North Hills West neighborhood. The National Border Patrol Museum & Memorial Library on Transmountain Drive tells the history of the U.S. Border Patrol and displays a lot of its equipment. Right next door, you'll find the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.

Just south of the North Hills West neighborhood, you'll find Cohen Stadium, home of the El Paso Diablos, El Paso's minor league baseball team.

If you want to eat out in North Hills West, you'll have to head a bit south to find restaurants and bars, which stretch out mainly along Gateway Boulevard and Sun Valley Drive. The restaurants in northeast El Paso tend toward the casual, with lots of pizzerias as well as Asian and Mexican spots.

Ardovino's Pizza, an El Paso favorite, specializes in ultra-thin crust pizza. Try the chili calzone appetizers as well for a spicy taste treat, and don't forget to check out the wide beer selection. If you want something lighter, check out the caprese salad.

Casa de Torta on Gateway Boulevard serves up terrific tortas and burritos, all made hot and fresh. Check out the chili verde or barbacoa burrito, or try the Cuban pork torta stuffed with juicy, caramelized pork. Unusually for a Mexican place, Casa de Torta's French fries win universal raves from locals.

Everyone in northeast El Paso has a favorite dish at China Valley Chinese Restaurant on Sun Valley Drive. Some love the sweet-and-sour chicken, while others point to the won-ton soup or the General Tso's chicken.

While you have to leave North Hills West for your nightlife as well, just down the road, you can find plenty of bars and lounges to choose from. The Texas Stagecoach Saloon bills itself as the last honky-tonk in El Paso, featuring fun entertainment that rotates weekly, including pool tournaments, beer pong, and live bands on weekends.

El Paso's Sun Metro public transit system runs one bus route through the North Hills area to connect it to the rest of the city. Because of North Hills West's location as one of the most remote neighborhoods in El Paso, most residents rely on their cars for basic transportation. U.S. Route 54 begins in El Paso and runs right past the edge of North Hills West to help them get out of town, whether headed to New Mexico or all the way to Illinois. Drivers find plenty of free parking in North Hills to help make life easy.

While taxi companies tend to focus on downtown El Paso, you can call Uber to come out to North Hills West when you need door-to-door service.

A couple of dedicated bike lanes run through the North Hills West area, and Franklin Canyon State Park to the immediate west holds plenty of bike trails for the mountain bike enthusiast. While you can walk in the neighborhood, you'll need a car to get to restaurants or shops.

The North Hills West neighborhood of El Paso sits right in the shadow of the Franklin Mountains, with the Franklin Mountains State Park in its backyard. This wilderness park provides amazing opportunities for hiking and rock climbing, with several tent camping sites also available. Park rangers give tours and nature walks every other weekend, and Scout or school groups can also make arrangements for tours or special programs. Other special events at the park include mountain biking guided tours, bird watching, family weekend campouts and challenge hikes designed for the exceptionally physically fit.

The cost of living in North Hills West runs about 15 percent higher than that of El Paso in general, but the higher costs balance out with the significantly lower crime rates and higher education levels of the neighborhood. Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the neighborhood will cost about $800, and if you grab a beer at a local bar, expect to pay $2 to $4 for on-tap selections.

The standard fare to take a Sun Metro bus to downtown El Paso runs $1.50, and if you plan to drive instead, you'll reap the Texas advantage of gas prices that run about 13 percent below the national average.

While you won't find any shopping options in the purely residential neighborhood of North Hills West, several major shopping centers lie just to the south to meet all your basic needs. Head to the Cielo Vista Mall anchored by Macy's, Sears, JCPenney and not one, but two Dillard's department stores. The Fountains at Farah provides big-box options, including Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Barnes & Noble, Nordstrom Rack and PetSmart. Locals head to the Bassett Park Mall for its Target, Kohls and an IMAX Theater.

When you need to do shopping that's a bit more specialized than the typical chain stores in a mall can handle, check out some of the specialty shops close to North Hills West.

Pete Joseph's Pro Shop stands as a haven for local bowlers who appreciate the fact Pete keeps all your measurements on file to make it easy whenever you need a new bowling ball drilled.

Northeast Plant World Nursery on Dyer Street gives you complete instructions whenever you buy a plant or tree, and it also sells insects beneficial to your garden.

Residents of North Hills West typically head to the local Albertsons to do their grocery shopping. When you need Asian specialties, Arirang Market on Dyer Road sells Korean and Japanese specialties, including kimchi and the ever-popular Pocky snacks. Stop in at Loco Tote Jerky on Transmountain Road for awesome beef jerky. You'll have to go downtown to find the nearest farmers market. The Downtown Art and Farmers Market opens up every Saturday morning.