Downtown El Paso - El Paso, TX

The first Europeans to settle in El Paso were Spaniards who arrived in the 16th century. Spanish colonists inhabited the area through the end of the Mexican revolt of 1821, when the country cut ties with Spain. After the Mexican War ended and the Rio Grande became the border, El Paso began to take its modern shape.

As with most cities of the west, the arrival of the railroads in the late 1800s brought prosperity and an economic boom to El Paso. Progress also brought trouble, as saloons, brothels and gambling halls lined the streets. Legislation in the early 1900s brought all that to a halt, and El Paso became a modern municipality.

The El Paso Museum of Art puts on a number of exhibitions each year, covering a wide range of classical as well as modern American, European and Mexican artists. The museum grants free admission to active military personnel.

Named after Anson Mills, a U.S. Army officer who originally planned the city of El Paso, Anson11 provides fine dining and luxury surroundings in an historic building. Appetizers include seared spiced yellowfin tuna and steak tartare. King salmon with roasted brussel sprouts and Muscovy duck breast are just two of a wide range of popular entrees. Desserts range from light poached pear with vanilla custard to avocado cheesecake. Anson11 also has a bistro for the lunch crowd, serving burgers, artisan pizzas, pasta and seafood.

In El Paso, Mexican food restaurants have to compete with home chefs who cook authentic border food. Downtown's L&J Cafe does an excellent job, providing a wide range of fresh Mexican dishes at reasonable prices. Locals love the green chile chicken enchiladas and chile rellenos. Its sopapillas and honey make a light dessert. Just a bit north of downtown, the Black Orchid Lounge provides craft cocktails in a speakeasy atmosphere with live jazz on the weekends. Lounge bartenders enjoy experimenting in mixology, which means new drinks appear regularly on the specials board. The Lounge also occasionally hosts open mic nights.

The Pint & Peanut sits right downtown on San Antonio Street near the U.S. 85 exit. Popular with soldiers, this bar has a wide variety of beer and moonshine alongside regular cocktails and wine.

The majority of El Paso residents use private transportation to commute and run errands. A freeway system that includes I-10 runs through the entire metro area, providing easy access to all parts of El Paso. Sun Metro provides bus service throughout the El Paso area, including Fort Bliss. Disabled individuals may also qualify to take advantage of door-to-door service.

Uber provides its ride share service in El Paso. Riders can also order pickups from one of several cab companies over the phone, but hailing a cab requires a large dose of patience. Downtown El Paso only has one road with a bike path, but light traffic during non-rush hour makes cycling relatively safe. Downtown El Paso provides a wide variety of retail and entertainment options in a small area, which makes walking a viable option for day out in the neighborhood.

San Jacinto Plaza sits in the middle of downtown El Paso, which provides a green space with large trees where residents go to sit, relax and have lunch away from the office. Every holiday season, the Plaza hosts the site of a holiday parade and tree-lighting ceremony. Twinkling lights adorn the plaza, turning the area into a festive wonderland.

El Paso has more than 200 parks citywide, including 10 skate parks. The Northeast Regional Park covers more than 25,000 square feet, including a capsule area where skaters test their courage by going completely upside down.

Extremely affordable housing makes El Paso one of the most attractive large cities in which to live. At 13 percent below the national average, the cost of living in El Paso rivals other much smaller municipalities. Exemplary of the area's other low costs, the price for a one-way fare on public transportation to the city center runs at $1.50. Downtown El Paso renters only pay about $825 for a one-bedroom apartment, while the cost of a beer at a local bar runs about $4. Gasoline runs about 20 percent less per gallon than the national average.

Hommework sells fashionable street wear for young professional men and women. Trendy long sleeve and polo shirts for men are its best sellers, but women love the eclectic mix of dresses for both day and evening wear. It sells hip jewelry, scarves and caps to complete any ensemble.

Local shoppers who like edgy clothes head to V&X Boutique on Mesa Street, just north of downtown. The store sells both men's and women's clothing along with funky jewelry and other accessories. One-of-a-kind items make frequent trips necessary to find just the right items.

For vintage clothing and antique furniture, The Red Door brings a little bit of everything to downtown shoppers. Jewelry, signs and records provide just a hint of what The Red Door has. With a tattoo parlor and coffee shop also inside, The Red Door creates a fun afternoon destination.

The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso provide high-end retail items at discount prices. Shoppers take advantage of close-out and overstock opportunities at retailers such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, Banana Republic and Perry Ellis.

Downtown residents have easy access to fresh produce on a year-round basis at the Artist and Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning. Along with fresh produce from local farms, the market rents space to artists and vendors selling art and homemade craft products. The market takes on a fair atmosphere every weekend, with street musicians providing entertainment.

Albertson's is located just north of downtown. There are also a variety of other large markets spaced throughout the city.