San Elizario is my beautiful hometown.
I remember telling myself I would build my home there when I was younger. Life happened and I moved into the Socorro area and now the Eastlake area. My heart still misses home very much.
I miss the space to run within my own land, grow my beautiful garden, and enjoy the stars at night.
General Info
San Elizario was recognized as the Best Historic Small Town in America by USA TODAY’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2023. The town goes back hundreds of years as a Spanish settlement and military base. It is 20 miles east of downtown El Paso.
The community of San Elizario has worked to promote the culture and history of the town. They have maintained the historic integrity with adobe construction and architectural features.
Its population was 13,603 at the 2010 census. It lies on the Rio Grande, which forms the border between the United States and Mexico. The city of Socorro adjoins it on the west and the town of Clint lies to the north.
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Parks, Recreation, and Family Fun
Although San Elizario is a fairly small community, it has grown in popularity due to the free petting zoo at Licon Dairy. The dairy sells some of the finest asadero cheese and other dairy products. Licon Dairy encourages families to visit its petting zoo as well as its Outlaw Saloon & Grill. Though they are a “saloon,” they generally lean towards family crowds and family fun.
If you are looking for more family-oriented activities, you might want to give Pistoleros a visit. Pistoleros has been open for about three years. It serves authentic Mexican food. It’s a kid-friendly environment. They have art markets on the third Sunday, guided tours on the fourth Sunday, and ghost tours on the first Friday of each month.
You can enjoy live music, karaoke, and other special events. Thursdays are $1 tacos and Sundays are Breakfast Buffet days.
Here are some other fun places to visit on Glorieta and Main St., the heart of San Elizario: Micasa Art Studio and Gallery, The Old County Jain, Los Portales Casa Garcia, San Elizario Presidia Chaple, Placita Madrid, and Cafe Arte Mi Admore.
Schools
San Elizario is served by the San Elizario Independent School District, a proud community of champions and home of the four-day work week.
The district serves approximately 3,000 students starting with a full-day three-year-old Pre-K program. This leads to the Dual Language Programs, AVID program, Early College High School, and a wide selection of CT programs with state-of-the-art facilities. SEISD focuses on honoring the individuals’ and teams’ state championships. The Pathway of Champions Plaza, now a Google historic landmark, is a place of reflection and pride for the SEISD community.
Amenities
Though big grocery stores are far away, the San Elizario Supermarket has fresh fruits and good meat choices. I often find myself making the drive into town for this supermarket!
San Elizario also has a tortillería, Valle Real, which has the best corn and flour tortillas. I can not live without them! If you are there, you must also try their Chile Colorado burrito!
Potential Drawbacks
One of the biggest drawbacks of the area is that the famous border wall might just end up being your backyard view.
As a child, there was no wall visible. We experienced plenty of movie-like action going on every once in a while in our own backyard. Things are much calmer now that the wall is up. But if you care for aesthetics, pay close attention to the wall’s location.
Also, while living in San Elizario, I dreaded the commute to any given place which was always between 20 to 40 min. If you love long drives to listen to music or reflect on your way to school/work, then this is the place for you.
Why I Loved Living Here
I remember having friends from UTEP meeting with me at San Elizario. They were amazed by the town. They were surprised to see horses at several homes, as well as a few chickens and goats.
One specific comment that has stuck with me is how inviting each home looks. Everyone has a comfortable distance from one another, yet to my friend, it seemed that if they knocked on any given door, they’d be greeted with a smile and a “Would you like some delicious, authentic Mexican food?”
I thought this comment was hilarious when I first heard it, but as time goes by and I move farther from San Elizario, I can see how accurate that comment was.
One of the main reasons I would consider moving back with my own family would be the peace and calmness of the town. The schools are not combo schools that some of the big districts and private/charter schools are shifting into.
San Elizario is the town for all small town lovers.
For information about other parts of town, check out our Guide to Moving to El Paso.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
