El Paso travel destinations you can visit within one full tank of gas
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Gas prices have increased by nearly 50% compared to last year. And airlines continue to impact travelers with flight cancellations and pilot shortages that can’t keep up with the demand.
Nevertheless, El Pasoans, like many around the country, still want to enjoy final weeks of summer and take a trip somewhere. With gas prices in mind, we have devised five places you can drive on one full tank of gas, using a standard of 25 gallons per mile.
The following destinations range from 400 to 500 miles. On the lowest end, we’ll start with a leisurely staycation in El Paso.
El Paso Staycation at Downtown hotels
El Paso has several great hotels that will make you feel special without leaving the city. If you want to wine and dine, and have amazing views of the city, consider staying at the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park, 106 W Mills Ave. East. As an amenity, guests can enjoy a drink or two in the La Perla rooftop bar.
Another great option is the Hotel Paso Del Norte, across from the El Paso Museum of Art, which has several dining options, from the Sabor Restaurant on the first floor to its 1700 Steakhouse. The hotel recently started High Tea events on Saturday, so you can at least pretend to be in London.
Since you’re staying Downtown, you can visit the nearby museums or rent the scooters at the San Jacinto Plaza and enjoy an afternoon of riding.
Other dinner options Downtown include Elemi (make reservations) for unique Mexican dishes, 313 N Kansas St., El Paso, Ristorante Casanova at the Double Tree Hotel, 600 El Paso St. and Café Central, 109 N. Oregon St.
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly hotel, try the Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel and Water Park, which has a four-story corkscrew waterslide and kiddie pool with a waterfall. The palms, lush landscaping and Cabana bar will offer a great retreat.
It is also near several restaurants such as Cattle Baron Steak & Seafood, Zino’s 6590 Montana Ave. Suite H for Mediterranean food, and Track One (for the chicken wings), 1330 Robert E. Lee Road.
More: Ristorante Casanova in Downtown El Paso impresses with Italian cuisine, house-made pasta
Romantic getaway at Riverbend Hot Springs
If you’re looking for something to do as a couple, you should consider making weekend plans to stay at the Riverbend Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences. The site is about 118 miles from El Paso. The drive to and from the spa resort will be under two hours on Interstate 25 North and it takes less than half of tank of gasoline to get there.
The rooms are comfortable with a firm queen bed, two robes, and towels waiting on the mattress. The rooms also have a small refrigerator and TV with Direct TV.
The adult retreat offers eight community natural hot mineral springs pools, which all have a backdrop of the Rio Grande River. Each pool has a sign with a temperature ranging from 95 to 108 degrees. These common pools are accessible via a one-hour reservation.
The best plan is to book the two-night retreat (about $300) and walk to the common pools as you like. There are various patio areas for when you’ve had just enough soak time but don’t want to leave the scenic view.
But also plan to pay for one or two private soaks for some romantic couple time. You can choose from seven private pools for an hour or two. There is a mister above the spa in case you want to cool off a bit and an area to sit with lawn chairs. There are also curtains you can pull closed if you don’t want to see friendly people floating and waving on the Rio Grande.
During the summer, the private pools cost $50 an hour for one or two people. Make sure one of the private pool reservations is in the evening so you can watch the lovely lights in the trees and get a slightly different experience.
Dining options include ordering food to your room from Johnny B’s, or checking out the Moon Full Kitchen outside the spa. The locals seem to flock to Johnny B’s, 2260 N Date St., so it made sense to have breakfast there. The French Toast ($4.25) with a side of bacon was incredible, with very crispy and meaty bacon. Buttery, biscuit with gravy is the bomb. Husband had the chicken fried steak and eggs with hash browns ($8.75) and hardly looked up.
Information: www.RiverbendHotSprings.com; 575-894-7625; https://www.johnnybsrestaurant.net/
Albuquerque/Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you keep going on Interstate 25, you might want to make a weekend trip to Albuquerque and Santa Fe for the family. The drive to Albuquerque from El Paso is almost four hours and about 266 miles. So you will probably get there with a half tank of gas to use.
Albuquerque is an excellent place for families with small children as they will get the most kick out of the Abq BioPark, which has the zoo, aquarium and botanical gardens in close proximity. You should start the day early at the zoo and check out the polar bear, the Penguin Chill habitat with King and Gentoo penguins, the Reptile House with its Grand Cayman Blue iguana, and the primates.
Admission for Zoo or Aquarium and Gardens: $14 for non-New Mexico residents, $5 for youths, 3-12. Make sure to take credit cards; no cash accepted at this time.
Once you’re done with the zoo, drive about a mile to the aquarium and botanical gardens. The aquarium is two stories but not big, and it’s easy to follow your children as they go from exhibit to exhibit. They will love watching the stingrays in an open pool, the vast tank where they can see lots of different sealife, the otters, and a small area where they can touch particular creatures with two fingers.
More:Take a tasty bite at the best restaurants outside El Paso city limits
Take a lunch break in the cafe and stroll through the botanical gardens. Children will love to enter through the Children’s Fantasy Garden, where they will find oversized creatures and a giant pumpkin to hide in and find their way to the railroad garden and butterfly pavilion. For adults, there are many tranquil areas like the Japanese and rose gardens.
On another day, spend some time riding the attractions at the Cliff’s Amusement Park, 4800 Osuna Road N.E., which has a range of rides from the log ride, and thrill rides to spinning ones and a water park. Ensure the kids pack their swimsuits or wear them underneath their outfits, so they waste no time enjoying the water feature.
Some recommended places to eat in Albuquerque include the Cheesecake Factory and the Elephant Bar Restaurant, 2240 Louisiana Blvd. N.E. The latter has a menu with foods from around the world, including pasta dishes, Korean beef tacos, and Mongolian Beef. The Korean beef tacos ($11.95) were delicious, topped with pickled cabbage, avocado, jalapeňos, cilantro, tomatoes, and a special salsa.
After a two-night stay in Albuquerque, consider driving to Santa Fe to check out the unforgettable experience that is Meow Wolf, at 1352 Rufina Circle. Make sure to reserve and pay for your tickets online before your trip.
Children will love exploring the interactive house, with more than 700 rooms and unique portals, such as a washing machine, a fireplace hearth and a refrigerator. The House of Eternal Return, as it’s called, also can be enjoyed by teens and adults who want to look for clues related to a story within the house.
It’s one of those attractions that can take an hour or longer; it’s all up to the visitor. Admission is $42 for adults, and $27 for children, ages 3-14. Beware, the gift shop is appealing, but stuffed animals and other popular souvenirs are pricey.
Fredericksburg/Johnson City, Texas
Barely making it on the 500 miles or less scale is Fredericksburg, Texas, which is 498.2 miles from El Paso via Interstate 10. If you want a shorter day trip, go to Balmorhea State Park, 188 miles from El Paso and only a 2-hour and 49-minute drive.
Make sure to make your reservations online, a change since the coronavirus pandemic. Note that day-use passes often sell out throughout the summer. Only the swimming pool and day-use areas are open. The rest of the park is closed for renovations.
The park offers a natural spring swimming pool, which is very cold, but fun to swim in as fish are in the pool. There are some shady areas under trees for picnics, but they get taken early in the day.
More:What’s new in restaurants, businesses in Downtown El Paso
For a three-day weekend, drive further to Fredericksburg, which is a fun town with German heritage. Couples who like to shop and dine, will enjoy the myriad of shops along the main square. There are also wine tours, where you can learn about local wineries, and fun little places to eat. Among our favorites is Sozial Haus, 107 S. Llano St., for fresh crispy pizzas, cobb salads and sub sandwiches.
If you like recharging outdoors and getting up close with bison and camels, look into the Exotic Resort Zoo in Johnson City, Texas. It is 35 miles via US-290 E.
The resort has eight cabins, an outdoor swimming pool, and a personal fishing lake amid 137 sprawling wooded acres. It is a great way to escape city life.
The property offers wild animals roaming on the land and which come up to vehicles on self-guided or tractor-pulled tours.
The ranch has eight different themed cabins, from four to eight people occupancy, all in one general area of the resort. Cabins cost anywhere from $150 to $250 a night.
María Cortés González, who loves a good deal when traveling, may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @EPTMaria on Twitter.
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