My sister's family lives in El Paso, Texas, which is so far away that we see them only a few times a year. Thank God that El Paso offers so much culture, history, and natural beauty that it's a fantastic place to visit in its own right. Here's a quick rundown of our most recent trip that may be helpful if you're going West.
1. Fly or drive? Come on now. Have you ever seen Texas? Have you ever driven across Texas? Driving across Texas takes approximately eight weeks, and for days at a time you pass through nothing but dry rocks, tumbleweeds, and circling buzzards waiting for you to give up. We once drove to El Paso to help my sister's family move there, and that trip punched my lifetime limit. There are few out-of-state direct flights into El Paso, so travelers from outside Texas will likely have a transfer in Austin, Dallas, or Houston. A wonderful surprise? The El Paso airport is staffed by the friendliest people and almost always operates smoothly with little traffic.
2. Pack light or check bags? I typically advocate for making a packing sketch to help you travel minimally, but on El Paso trips, we take advantage of Southwest's two free checked bags—not for clothes or personal items, but to export tons of Mardi Gras cups and throws for my sister's family.
3. Airbnb or hotel? El Paso hotels are largely isolated in downtown away from the residential areas, so it's an ideal city for Airbnb. For family trips especially, Airbnb offers precious separation of space, so family members can have privacy and keep different sleeping hours. Also, having kitchen access for meals saves a ton of money on a family trip.
4. Cooking at home or eating out? When we travel, we generally stick to eating out only for dinner. In fact, I love visiting grocery stores in other locales; it's a fun way to peek into the real life of another place. Pro tip: let your kiddos choose a giant box of whatever cereal they want for their breakfast all week—easy, fun, budget friendly. (But remember who you really are and don't forget your own coffee supplies.)
5. Summer or winter? We have done both. The desert climate differs dramatically from our own in both seasons: summer is hotter than the surface of the sun, but radically dry; winter gets chilly as soon as the sun sets. If you visit in summer, booking an Airbnb with a pool is crucial. One fun thing in fall is the early-November Dia de los Muertos festival downtown, which includes a colorful parade.
6. Shorts or pants? Advice for summer in El Paso: it may seem counterintuitive, but long and loose clothing helps protect your skin from the desert sun. Think wide legs pants, long-sleeve linen button downs, loose maxi dresses. Do not plan to rewear items unless you have laundry access; your clothes will get sweaty even just walking to and fro. Sunglasses do not suffice at peak sun hours, so bring along a wide-brimmed hat. And always pack a swimsuit!
7. Heat or humidity? I'm admittedly conditioned by the thick humidity of Louisiana, but every time we visit El Paso, I cannot believe how dry it is. I have found that even though daytime temperatures climb past 100 degrees, I actually sweat less in El Paso than in Louisiana. You also dry off instantly if you get wet. How does anything stay alive in a place as dry and hot as Mars?
8. Gravel or grass? One of my favorite elements in El Paso is the desert landscape. Most homes do not have grass lawns, but instead dry landscaping of gravel, cacti, and desert flowers. I particularly love the desert flowers, with their strange shapes and dusty beauty. They offer a profound reminder: no matter how dry and lifeless things seem, there's always a way to bloom.
9. Ceviche tostada or coctel camarón? Nothing compares to the freshness of my two favorite Mexican dishes in Juárez. So, obviously, I get them both.
10. Activities or chill? We have a general rule of thumb for travel with kiddos: one activity per day, scheduled for after lunch. That way, morning can be low-stress and accommodating of various sleep schedules—early birds can head out for a quick run or to sip coffee by the pool, and nobody has to wake up earlier than he or she wants. Also, it always takes 75 times as long as you expect to move a group along, so this itinerary pattern helps enormously to reduce stress while still maintaining a sense of structure and plan.
Some highlights from this trip:
Day 1: We walked around downtown El Paso, including some historic buildings, statues, monuments, and Dave's (really wild) Pawn Shop that displayed everything from gold jewelry to human mummies; then we visited the El Paso Holocaust museum, at which we discovered an exhibit honoring Jewish rescuers that listed some of Colin's Norwegian relatives! Pro tip: the Coffee Box is excellent (and made out of a really cool shipping container), and happens to be right next to the main downtown parking lot.
Day 2: A huge highlight was our mini road trip to Carlsbad Caverns. We hiked down 750 feet below the earth's surface into what seemed like an alien planet. We also witnessed the sunset flight of half a million bats from the cave mouth (filed under "Incredible Things I Had No Idea Existed"). I'll share separately about that experience because it totally blew our minds!
Day 3: We visited Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to eat lunch at our favorite restaurant, La Nueva Central; see the historic mission cathedral; shop in the wonderful markets; and learn at the Museo de la Revolucion en la Frontera. The kids love going to Mexico (is it the giant helados?) and we value the opportunity it affords for them to learn more about other people in other places. Both of them downloaded Duolingo on their own after this visit! Pro tip: Driving across the border means you have to drive back, and that can take an eternity. You can park your car on the Texas side at one of many public paid parking lots, and then take a 10-minute walk across the Paso del Norte bridge. Make sure you look for the bridge marker that notes exactly when you're crossing into Mexico—it's a cool moment.
Day 4: We enjoyed the glorious air conditioning, arcade games, and budget-friendly pizza buffet and salad bar at Peter Piper Pizza, then had a giant barbecue and pool party at the Airbnb.
It's important to add that El Paso and Juárez are both central in the current migrant crisis. As we enjoyed a beautiful trip with our children and extended family, someone else’s children and other families were in the same place having radically different experiences. My sister and brother-in-law are photojournalists who cover migrants and the border; you can follow them for firsthand news and information. If you'd like to support the needs of our migrant brothers and sisters in El Paso, consider Annunciation House, which offers housing and support for unsheltered children awaiting their next point of legal processing. Catholic Charities for the Diocese of El Paso also offers services for families.
Muchas gracias, El Paso y Ciudad Juárez! We can't wait to see you again soon.
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