Seniors, ‘It’s All Good’

El Paso, Texas is located on the north bank of the Rio Grande River in western Texas. Originally claimed in 1598 by Spain and settled in 1659 by Spanish colonists, it was named El Paso (“the crossing”) after the route to the north. Seniors hear it said in El Paso, “It’s All Good.”  

You will find real adventure in this West Texas town with 300 days of sunshine. You can access Old Mexico, Ciudad Juárez, south across the Rio Grande. The city is the fifth-largest  (675,000+) in Texas and one of the emerging Southwestern cities.

Located in the fascinating and biodiverse northern Chihuahuan Desert, the largest desert in North America, El Paso is home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, reptiles and mammals, many of them unique to the area. It  also features a great diversity of landscapes ranging from rivers to grasslands to archaeological sites.

Pick up a good pair of cowboy boots and fit right in… there are several boot companies in El Paso. Texas is divided into distinct areas and El Paso is in South Texas. The region provides visitors with a taste of the rich south-of-the-border heritage shared with neighboring Mexico.

The comfortably dry heat of the El Paso sun (temperatures averaging in the low 80s during the summer and above 40 in the winter) allows outdoor recreation throughout the year.

Seniors Find History, Architecture and Beauty

TripAdvisor lists 43 highlights starting with the famed Plaza Theater. The Wyler Aerial Tramway is great fun too. Downtown El Paso is beautiful and full of fascinating architecture and early history.

 El Paso is unique in many ways. Its geographical location – at the convergence of Texas, Mexico and New Mexico – is largely responsible for El Paso being ‘its own little world.’

The American art collection at the El Paso Museum of Art focuses heavily on the art of the Southwest with works by such famous names as Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Milton Avery, portraits by Rembrandt Peale, Thomas Sully, and Gilbert Stuart.

The 35 acre El Paso Zoo complex is divided up by regions consisting of Animals of Africa, Animals of Asia, and Animals of the Americas.

Me, I’d head off to visit Fort Bliss established as a US Army post back in 1848 as defense against hostile Native American tribes and then it served as Headquarters for Confederate forces during the Civil War.

 Seniors, Birding Is Big

Birding in the El Paso area will likely involve a visit to the Franklin Mountains and the Hueco Tanks State Historic Site areas. The local Audubon Society has created an excellent birding area known as Feather Lakes. The Franklins are the largest sustained mountain range in Texas, with the summit of North Franklin Peak rising to an elevation of 7,192 feet, approximately 3,000 feet above the city below.

So pull up those boots, buckle up your cowboy belt buckle and dance in those jeans in El Paso.  jeb