Weekend: Your New Favo rite Holiday Cookie 🍪

Forget Austin — This Texas City Is Quietly Becoming the State’s Coolest Destination

theSkimm

Austin may get all the Texas glory — but that doesn’t mean you should sleep on El Paso. Located at the intersection of Texas, Mexico, and New Mexico, the Sun City has long flown under the radar. But after a significant overhaul, the West Texas town is now gaining popularity as a must-visit destination for its rich cultural heritage, hip shops (don’t miss the ones at TI:ME at Montecillo), striking natural scenery, quaint Old West vibes, and, yes, Chico’s Tacos. Plus, there are plenty of extended day-trip opportunities, including endlessly funky Marfa or Big Bend National Park, both of which are within driving distance. Yeehaw.

🛏 The Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park has hosted guests since the 1930s, but you wouldn’t guess it walking in. A massive, years-long renovation turned one of the country’s first Hiltons into a chic and contemporary retreat, with spacious rooms (expect sweeping views, Art Deco touches, and a soothing burgundy-cream-champagne color palette) and a dazzling rooftop bar in Elizabeth Taylor’s former penthouse.

⛰ No time for Big Bend? No problem — one of the country’s largest urban parks, Franklin Mountains State Park, is just over 15 miles from the city. There, you can explore more than 100 miles of multiuse trails, including the moderate Aztec Cave Trail (as the name suggests, it takes you to ancient caves) and the North Franklin Peak trail, a strenuous hike leading to El Paso’s highest point, with a 360-degree panorama of the city, New Mexico, and Mexico. Meanwhile, rock climbers should snag one of 70 daily permits for Hueco Tanks State Park, home to distinct rock hollows (aka huecos) and some of the world’s best bouldering.

🎨 El Paso’s arts and culture scene is booming, thanks to a major revitalization. History buffs can explore the city’s architecture and El Segundo Barrio, one of the nation’s most historic Hispanic neighborhoods, on a free, self-guided tour. Art lovers shouldn’t miss the El Paso Museum of Art’s Southwestern and Latin American collections. And music and theater fans can catch a Broadway show or symphony concert at the nearly 100-year-old Plaza Theatre, saved from demolition in the ’80s and beautifully restored in 2006. (Pro tip: Join the theater’s free weekly tour to marvel at the Spanish Colonial Revival design and painted ceilings.)

🍴 OK, the reason you’re really here: the Mexican food. Start at Lucy’s Restaurant, where you can’t go wrong with the Famous Machaca Breakfast. Later, order red enchiladas, chile rellenos, or ground-beef tacos at L&J Cafe, an El Paso institution dating back to 1927. You could also try Taconeta, a modernist Mexican taqueria popular for its heirloom-corn tortillas and creative fillings (see: the tempura mushroom taco, which Texas Monthly declared the sixth best taco in the state.) Taco-ed out? Head west to New Mexico — where the brick-oven pizzas, outstanding pastas, and stunning scenery at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing are well worth the 15-minute drive.