Although it’s a mere 20 miles southeast of downtown El Paso, the small adobe chapel in the heart of San Elizario feels centuries away. On Sundays, the four stacked bells in its curved espadaña (belfry) ring through the placita (town square), calling parishioners to worship at a site that has welcomed conquistadors, missionaries, outlaws, salt merchants, and Texas Rangers. En route to settle New Mexico for Spain, Juan de Oñate forded the nearby Rio Grande in 1598 and hosted a Thanksgiving Mass that predated the Plymouth feast by 23 years. By 1789, Spain established “San Elceario” as a presidio to protect the missions along the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, including nearby Ysleta and Socorro. Today, the sanctuary serves as the ending point of El Paso’s Mission Trail and is surrounded by an artistic community of 10,000 residents that welcomes visitors with warmth and hospitality.
DISTANCE FROM
El Paso
30 minutes
San Antonio
7.5 hours
Austin
8.5 hours
Dallas
9 hours
Houston
10.5 hours
Stay
Plaza Pioneer Park Hotel
Pretend you’re Holly-wood royalty at this luxurious hotel in El Paso where Elizabeth Taylor lived in the penthouse suite in 1950. The lobby bar’s “Pueblo Deco” style features a beautifully restored window of amber-stained glass, hand-painted wooden beams on a vaulted ceiling, and ornate chandeliers. Rooms start at $249/night.
eat
Mr. Poncho’s
Simplicity is at its finest at this family restaurant where diners enter through the kitchen. Order classic lunch and dinner items like burritos, gorditas, and enchiladas—or get breakfast all day.
learn
Old County Jail Museum
Take your picture behind bars at the Old County Jail, opened in 1850 when San Elizario served as the first county seat. Though famous for breaking out of jails, Billy the Kid broke into this one to bust out a friend. Read more about the town’s history at the Los Portales Museum next door, which has a detailed timeline of Spanish settlement, the Salt War, and beyond.
DRINK
Three Missions Brewery
This craft brewery in nearby Socorro features a beer named for each of the historical structures along the Mission Trail, and the fruity Pomegranate Graf features honey from nearby Ceballos Honey Farm. Add a chamoy rim for an extra savory-sweet kick.
SHOP
Galleries on Main Street
Wander in and out of art galleries where local artists often paint in person and are happy to chat with shoppers. Don’t miss the impressionist pieces by Alberto Escamilla and the western landscapes of Robert Dozal.
See & sHOP
LICON DAIRY
This dairy has served fresh local cheese since the 1950s and specializes in asadero, requeson, and chile con queso. Visit the donation-based petting zoo, where kids can pet goats, cows, llamas, and pigs.
