Westside (El Paso) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Westside in El Paso with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

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Westside El Paso blends Franklin Mountain views, UTEP culture, historic homes, Mexican-influenced dining and Rio Grande valley landscapes for curious visitors.

Between the Mountains and the Rio Grande

Westside El Paso is a broad, locally understood part of the city rather than a sharply defined administrative district. It stretches across a varied landscape west of central El Paso, from the foothills of the Franklin Mountains towards the Rio Grande and the Upper Valley. Within it, established areas such as Kern Place, Sunset Heights, University Heights and the communities along Mesa Street give the west side a character that shifts from historic housing and university life to commercial corridors, desert slopes and irrigated farmland.

Neighbourhood Character

The most memorable views come from the transition between mountain and valley. Scenic Drive and the roads climbing towards the Franklin Mountains look across El Paso, Ciudad Juárez and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert, while lower areas are marked by cottonwoods, palms, acequias and the green agricultural ribbon beside the river. Near the University of Texas at El Paso, red-brick academic buildings, student cafés and the Sun Bowl add a youthful rhythm to the older residential streets of Kern Place and Sunset Heights. The architecture ranges from early twentieth-century bungalows and stucco homes to later suburban developments and modern apartment buildings.

Local Life and Exploring

Westside El Paso is experienced less through a single central plaza than through its connected streets, viewpoints, campuses, restaurants and neighbourhood parks. Mesa Street and Doniphan Drive are useful commercial spines, while the UTEP campus, Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and the foothill roads provide focused cultural and landscape stops. Dining is diverse, with Mexican and borderlands cooking alongside independent cafés, pizza, burgers and contemporary restaurants. Distances are considerable, so a car is often the most convenient way to combine the mountain viewpoints, university district and river valley in one outing.

Explore Westside on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Westside, mapped for you.

Westside essentials

Getting There

Westside El Paso is easiest to reach by road from central El Paso via Interstate 10, which runs along the southern part of the area, or via Mesa Street and other north–south corridors. Doniphan Drive and Country Club Road provide access towards the Rio Grande valley, while roads leading towards the Franklin Mountains serve the upper neighbourhoods and viewpoints. Sun Metro buses connect the west side with downtown, the UTEP area and other parts of El Paso, although routes and frequencies vary across this extensive area. From El Paso International Airport, allow for a cross-city drive rather than expecting a short local transfer.

Getting Around

The west side is not compact, and most visitors will find a car the most practical way to combine UTEP, Kern Place, Scenic Drive, Mesa Street and the Upper Valley. Some areas are pleasant on foot, particularly around the university and established residential streets, but long distances, arterials and steep foothill roads limit walking as a complete transport option. Sun Metro serves the main corridors, while cycling is more comfortable on selected local streets and valley routes than on busy roads. Mountain viewpoints may have uneven surfaces, limited shade and slopes that require care.

Safety

Use ordinary urban precautions throughout Westside El Paso: keep valuables out of sight, lock vehicles and remain alert when crossing or walking beside wide arterial roads. Heat, intense sunlight and dehydration are more immediate practical concerns around the Franklin Mountains, especially during warmer months, so carry water and avoid strenuous walks in the hottest part of the day. At night, choose well-lit routes and organised parking areas, particularly around entertainment districts and large university events. Desert terrain can be rough, and visitors should not climb beyond marked or clearly established paths.

Emergency Situations

Call 911 in the United States for police, fire or medical emergencies and state whether you need an ambulance, the fire service or law enforcement. Give the dispatcher a clear street address, landmark or road name, particularly in the spread-out foothill and valley areas. For outdoor incidents, describe the trail, overlook or access road as precisely as possible. Carry identification, water and any essential medication when exploring the mountains or river valley, and remember that mobile coverage can vary in less developed or shielded terrain.

Do's and Don'ts

Respect residential streets, university rules, private farmland and posted access restrictions, as much of Westside El Paso blends visitor-oriented places with ordinary homes and working agricultural land. Ask before photographing people, homes or private property, and do not enter fields or irrigation channels without permission. In restaurants and bars, tipping is customary for table service in the United States. Keep noise down near residential areas at night, queue considerately on public transport and take litter with you, particularly in mountain and river-valley settings where waste can harm wildlife.

Local Tips

The University of Texas at El Paso is a useful orientation point, with the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens and distinctive campus architecture offering a concentrated introduction to the region’s landscape and culture. Combine a foothill viewpoint with a separate drive through the Upper Valley rather than trying to cover both on foot. Mesa Street is useful for dining and everyday services, while older residential areas are best explored slowly and respectfully. Check venue, campus and road information before setting out, since events, heat and occasional mountain access restrictions can affect plans.

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics

English	Local	Say it
Hello	Howdy	[haw-dee]
Goodbye	See ya later	[see yuh lay-ter]
Yes	Yup	[yuhp]
No	Nope	[nohp]
Please/You're welcome	Please/No problem	[pleez/no praah-bluhm]
Thank you	Thanks	[thanks]
Excuse me/Sorry	Pardon me/My bad	[par-dun me/my bad]
How are you?	Howdy partner?	[haw-dee pahrt-nur]
Fine. And you?	Doin' good. You?	[doin' good. yuh?]
Do you speak English?	Ya speak English?	[yah speak ing-glish?]
I don't understand	I ain't gettin' ya	[I aint get-tin yuh]

Eating & Drinking

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to see the menu, please	Can I check out the menu?	[kan I chek out the men-yoo?]
I don't eat meat	I don't do meat	[I don't doh meet]
Cheers!	Cheers!	[cheers]
I would like to pay, please	I'm ready to settle up	[I'm red-ee tuh set-tul up]

Emergencies

English	Local	Say it
Help!	Help!	[help]
Go away!	Git!	[git]
Call the Police!	Call the Sheriff!	[call the sher-riff]
Call a doctor!	Get a doc!	[get uh dock]
I'm lost	I'm turned around	[I'm turnd uh-round]
I'm ill	I ain't feelin' right	[I ain't feelin' rite]

Shopping

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to buy...	I wanna buy...	[I wah-nuh buy...]
I'm just looking	Just browsin'	[just brow-zin]
How much is it?	How much does it run?	[how much duz it run?]
That's too expensive	That's steep	[that's steep]
Can you lower the price?	Can ya cut me a deal?	[can yuh cut meh uh deel?]

Time & Numbers

English	Local	Say it
What time is it?	What's the time?	[whuts the tahm?]
It's one o'clock	It's one	[its one]
Half past (10)	Half past ten	[half past ten]
Morning	Mornin'	[mornin']
Afternoon	Afternoon	[afternoon]
Evening	Evenin'	[evenin']
Yesterday	Yest'day	[yess-t-duh]
Today	Today	[today]
Tomorrow	Tomorrah	[tom-raw]
1	One	[wun]
2	Two	[too]
3	Three	[three]
4	Four	[four]
5	Five	[fahv]
6	Six	[siks]
7	Seven	[sev-un]
8	Eight	[ate]
9	Nine	[nine]
10	Ten	[ten]

Transport & Directions

English	Local	Say it
Where's a/the...?	Where's the... at?	[wheres the at?]
What's the address?	What's the addy?	[whuts the add-ee?]
Can you show me (on the map)?	Can ya point it out (on th' map)?	[can yuh point it out (on th' map)?]
When's the next (bus)?	When's th' next (bus) comin'?	[whens th' next (bus) comin'?]
A ticket (to ....)	A ticket (to ....)	[uh ticket (tuh ....)]

History of Westside

River Valley and Indigenous Landscapes

Long before modern El Paso expanded westward, the Rio Grande valley supported Indigenous communities, cultivation and movement through the desert. The river’s water, fertile floodplain and network of irrigation channels made the valley markedly different from the surrounding arid slopes. Spanish colonial settlement in the wider El Paso del Norte region introduced new patterns of farming, mission activity and land use, while later political boundaries divided a landscape that had long functioned as a connected cultural and environmental corridor. The west side’s present contrast between green valley fields and dry mountain terrain reflects these underlying geographical conditions.

Settlement Beyond the Centre

As El Paso grew during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, development spread beyond the older central grid into areas now associated with the west side. Improved roads, streetcar-era expansion and the city’s rising commercial importance encouraged residential construction on the lower foothills and around the future university district. Sunset Heights and neighbouring subdivisions acquired early twentieth-century homes, including bungalows and stucco residences suited to the dry climate. Their streets formed a residential counterpoint to the industrial, railway and commercial activity concentrated closer to downtown.

Kern Place and University El Paso

Kern Place developed as a planned residential area in the early twentieth century and became one of the west side’s most recognisable neighbourhoods. Its name commemorates Peter E. Kern, a prominent El Paso businessman and civic figure. Nearby, the Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy opened in 1914; it later became the University of Texas at El Paso. The university’s growth brought academic buildings, student housing, cultural programming and athletic facilities to the foothills, helping establish the west side as both a residential district and an important educational centre.

Expansion into the Foothills and Valley

Post-war population growth pushed El Paso’s west side further towards the Franklin Mountains and along the river valley. New housing, schools, shopping centres and wider arterial roads changed the scale of the area, while the construction and expansion of Interstate 10 strengthened connections with central El Paso and the western suburbs. In later decades, the university district, Kern Place and older residential areas experienced reinvestment alongside continuing suburban development. Today, the west side retains traces of its early subdivisions while functioning as a large urban zone linking the city’s historic core, mountain landscape and agricultural valley.