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El Paso, Texas, boasts more than 250 parks offering almost 3,000 acres of open space so, whether you want to exercise, relax, or have a cookout with family and friends, you have plenty of options. Here are five of El Paso's parks. Westside Community Park Westside Community Park offers something for everyone. A fenced dog park has separate areas for large and small dogs where they can run around off the leash, and there are water faucets for filling the dogs' bowls. For the kids, there is a playground which has equipment for different age groups. Scenic walking trails feature three loops with paths for beginner and intermediate levels of ability. You'll also find a skate park, a water spray park, and a recreation center. Vista del Valle Park In Vista del Valle Park, you'll find extensive grassy areas with almost a mile of paths for jogging or walking. The playground will keep the kids entertained and, for the more active, there are basketball and volleyball courts. This park also has a multi-use recreation center which offers restrooms for park users. Tom Lea Park The Tom Lea Park has an obelisk marking its location as the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. The park offers stunning panoramic views of El Paso and across the border to Mexico. The upper park is great for strolling, hiking, and dog walking, while the lower park features grassy areas with tree shade, baseball fields, and a children's playground. Madeline Park Located in the historic Kern Place neighborhood, Madeline Park is a small but beautiful spot featuring plenty of open grass spaces with large mature trees for shade. The park has separate playground areas for small kids and bigger kids with the little kids' area being covered. Benches enable you to sit and keep an eye on your children. You can go for a stroll, enjoy the basketball courts, or just relax and pass some time watching the world go by. In the center of the park is a photogenic gazebo which features occasional live music during special events. Franklin Mountains State Park To get close to nature, the Franklin Mountains State Park features almost 27,000 acres within the El Paso city limits making it the largest urban park in the country. More than 100 miles of hiking and biking trails will suit people of all ability levels. For the more adventurous, the park offers designated rock-climbing areas. For a longer adventure, you can camp at one of the 14 primitive tent camping sites or five RV sites. None of the sites offer water or electricity but you will find picnic tables and outdoor grills or fire rings. The park is a great place to view nature with small mammals, reptiles, and over 100 species of birds including golden eagles, flycatchers, and hummingbirds. Ranger-led programs include bike rides, hikes, arts in the park, and other activities. These are just a few of the many parks in El Paso for you to enjoy and spend some leisure time. Image via Ömer Ünlü | Licensed under CC BY 2.0

Located across the border from Mexico in western Texas, El Paso is home to many unique museums and historical attractions. Explore the Museum of Art, or visit the Museum of Archaeology. From culture to history, there's an open exhibit near you that's worth discovering. Here are the most interesting museums to visit whenever you're in El Paso, Texas. El Paso Museum of Art The El Paso Museum of Art features a permanent collection of over 7,000 works of art at 1 Arts Festival Plaza. In-house collections range from the Byzantine era to pieces created by some of today's modern geniuses, such as Tom Lea. The exhibit also touts Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces from the likes of Sandro Botticelli and Anthony van Dyck, as well as stunning examples of American, Mexican, and European art. Admission to the museum is free. Enjoy a variety of temporary exhibitions hosted at the museum, such as "Ideas Unwrapped," on display now through Dec. 31. Why not take a class? The museum school offers various courses, hands-on workshops, and camps for both children and adults who want to explore and grow their skills and creativity. El Paso Museum of History Dedicated to preserving the stories of the area, the El Paso Museum of History, located at 510 N. Santa Fe St., offers guests five galleries over 16,000 square feet of space. Exhibits at this museum represent 400 years of history that played out along the U.S.-Mexico border region called The Pass of the North. Admission is free. Discover current exhibits such as the El Paso Community College's 50th anniversary commemorative exhibition on display now through Sep. 29, 2019. Remember to stop by DIGIE, located at the entrance of the museum. This 3D digital wall, which was part of the 2012 Quality of Life Bond Program, features touch-sensitive TV screens that depict an extensive compilation of images portraying life in El Paso, both past and present. El Paso Holocaust Museum Are you curious about The Holocaust? The El Paso Holocaust Museum and Study Center was dedicated in honor of those who perished during this time in history. Its mission is to educate the public with a study center and exhibits. Follow the rise of Adolph Hitler's power, the mass deportations, and the concentration camps. Follow the struggles of millions of citizens and their valiant efforts during World War II. The museum is at 715 N. Oregon in downtown El Paso, and admission is always free. El Paso Museum of Archeology Discover 14,000 years of El Paso's prehistory at the El Paso Museum of Archeology, located at 4301 Woodrow Bean Transmountain Drive in Wilderness Park. Learn all about the area's natural history, geology, and culture. Summer camps take place the month of June, while the Historic and Modern Pueblo Pottery exhibit is on display until Jan. 11, 2020. These are our top picks for the most interesting museums to visit in El Paso. Discover your new favorite exhibits with a journey through time and an exploration of the area's natural beauty today. Image via pixabay.com | Licensed under Pixabay License

Whether you're visiting the El Paso, Texas, area or you're a local, there's no denying that El Paso is home to an abundance of shopping destinations. Check out this list of unique places to shop in El Paso, and then you'll be ready to blaze the shopping trails. Bassett Place Known as El Paso's first mall, Bassett Place features an eclectic mixture of stores, restaurants, and attractions. At Bassett Place, you can shop, enjoy dinner, go see a movie, or just people watch as you go for a walk around the mall. This mall is a local favorite place to hang out and enjoy El Paso. Cielo Vista Mall Cielo Vista Mall can be found on the East Side of El Paso. This mall is all indoors and houses more than 140 specialty retail stores. In addition to shopping, the mall also includes multiple restaurants for you to enjoy a meal after your busy shopping day. There's also a multi-screen Cinemark Theater complex located on the grounds of the mall. Fountains at Farah For an open-air shopping experience, The Fountains at Farah provides a range of various boutiques as well as department stores. The Fountains at Farah features several unique water displays as well as multiple entertainment venues and outdoor dining. With two different levels of stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues, Fountains at Farah is a destination worth visiting. West Towne Marketplace Centrally located on the corner of U.S. Interstate 10 and Paseo del Norte in El Paso, West Towne Marketplace is a huge open-air shopping center. Situated on approximately 63 acres of land, this shopping destination features a broad range of retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment attractions. Literarity Bookstore Literarity is a book shop located in Peppertree Square on the West Side of El Paso. With an estimated 7,000 books on its shelves from a wide range of genres, Literarity is a one-of-a-kind bookstore that you must visit. The bookstore hosts books from a broad selection of genres including classical, poetry, history, photography, and fiction. Additionally, there's a glass case that houses signed copies of specialty books. Literarity is unique to El Paso in that the store features books on El Paso, Texas, New Mexico, and the Southwest. Outlet Shoppes at El Paso This outlet mall in El Paso showcases more than 90 well-known stores, with prices that you won't find anywhere else. Supplementary amenities included at the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso include a dancing water fountain area, a children's play area, and a food court. It's easy to spend an entire day at the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso. El Paso provides a number of unique places to shop and spend time with your family and friends. Most of the shopping destinations on this list also offer opportunities for dining and entertainment. Be sure to visit one or a few of these shopping venues the next time you're in El Paso, Texas. Happy shopping! Image via Barbara Brannon | Licensed under CC BY 2.0