We are planning on spending a few days in El Paso to start our vacation before driving to Phoenix. We are wanting to go to Big Bend National park and Guadalupe Mountains. Is there other cool places to check out on that side of Texas?

…. Basically Mexico in that area

… you could go to an after hours tejano bar and watch them stab each other while accordions play

It's in New Mexico, but Carlsbad Caverns is right down the road, 30 miles from Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

There's plenty of cool stuff in New Mexico if you're willing to cross the state line.

Stop for lunch at L&J's (GREAT Mexican food, better than anything you'll find in the eastern half of the state), and then walk across the street to Concordia Cemetery and see John Wesley Hardin's grave (famous gunfighter).

At the airport, there is what is advertised as the largest bronze, equestrian statue in the world. If you're flying to El Paso, it's right at the airport, so there's no excuse not to see it. If you're driving through, it's probably still worth a look. It was originally built as a statue of Juan de Oñate but they decided to take his name off because a bunch of American Indians were protesting it.

Over the mountain from Carlsbad is White Sands. A bit of a ride, but we did it in a day

If you make it to Carlsbad, my cousin built a brewery called Guadalupe mnt brewery I believe, he sold it last year but it also had a bar grill and live music last I knew. Not much on beer but he had a couple I liked. Haven't been that area in 20 years but always loved Carlsbad caverns.

Its a long drive but go to lincoln

Old Mesilla might be worth a stop, too.

As for El Paso itself, the other thing that comes to mind is boot shopping. Tony Lama and Lucchese are both made in El Paso, and they both have factory stores in El Paso where you can find some great deals. If you're into cowboy boots, this alone is worth the visit.

El Paso Zoo had 21 different species of rattlesnakes in 1984. I found it interesting.

If that don’t give you the heebie-jeebies, nothing will 21 different kinds of rattlesnakes save me, Lord

Being from El Paso, there are lots of Tom Lea paintings and murals around El Paso to look at, too. The famous Two Thousand Yard Stare painting isn't in El Paso, but several other of his war paintings are in rotation (or at least they were; maybe check with them beforehand) at the El Paso Museum of Art. It would be interesting if you're a WWII buff.

Edit: Yeah, looking into it, that seemed to be a temporary exhibit. But there are still many of his murals around town to see.

Thanks for the ideas. I’ll have to pass on the rattlesnakes, I live in Alaska for a reason. Last year we spent some time in New Mexico and already saw Carlsbad and the white sands and some nuclear stuff.

Was there for most of 1971 learning North Vietnamese at Biggs Field on Fort Bliss. Didn't do much with the rattlers, but we did ride dirt bikes in the desert and tried shooting road runners with our pistols but weren't too successful. Crazy year . . .