If you like El Paso because of the great life in the desert and the beautiful mountains that make this West Texas city so special, then the Westside is one of your top choices for living.
The Westside gives you mountains, calmness, and closeness to the wildlife of the city. Be ready to say hi to your friends, the deer!
The Westside area of El Paso, like many areas in the city, has been growing so much that it is hard to specify the beginning and end of the Westside area. This part of town begins around Executive and Mesa area, leading towards the Cimarron area. Zip codes are 79912 and 79932 but can include some 79911 in the mix. The golden mountains are right by the doorstep in this part of town. The neighborhoods are mostly old, settled neighborhoods with a mix of new construction.
General Neighborhood Info
You will find parts, such as The Montecillo, which is a combination of apartments, stores, restaurants, and even a swimming pool location. The Westside has been typically seen as a part of town for families with high income; however, that’s not always the case. The area includes families of all income levels, and overall, the environment is friendly and diverse.
The neighborhoods overall are very safe. There are a lot of neighborhoods with new construction that have parks nearby. And you can find many large parks full of various local teams for children’s extracurricular activities.
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Parks, Recreation, and Family Fun
Shopping attractions are still being built. The mall located on the Westside has been recently purchased by new owners and its ongoing renovation will bring new stores. You have quick access to Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Sam’s, Whole Foods, and other shops. Family entertainment and activities are great. You will find Urban Air, Monkey Rock, X-zone, Peter Piper Pizza, and other locations full of family fun. In addition, you can find a weekly farmers market with great local vendors and local businesses.
Hospitals
One benefit of the Westside area of El Paso is that Mesa St. is one of the main roads for this part of town. Hospitals such as Las Palmas Medical Center and Hospitals of Providence are down Mesa St. for quick access. There are also other locations nearby as you get closer to upper Westside areas.
Schools
EPISD is the district when it comes to schools in this area. Coronado and Franklin High School have wonderful programs for magnet and Ivy concentrations. Polk, Lundy, Western Hills, and other elementary schools are among the best schools with dual language programs and support for special education.
There are some small zones that do combine Canutillo ISD, which also have wonderful schools and programs. El Paso Community College has two locations (Rio Grande and Transmountain) located nearby to this part of town. The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is located down Mesa St. (Some locals will refer to UTEP as part of the Westside as well).
Potential Drawbacks
One of the drawbacks to this part of town is the drivers in school zones. A lot of drivers in school zones do not respect speed limits or patrols guiding parents for drop-off or pick-up protocols and construction.
The I-10 has been under construction for a couple of years already and is still not completed. If you are not a big fan of construction, look for the good old Mesa Drive or other routes.
Why I Loved Living Here
We started raising our family in the Westside and we loved it. We have some great memories in this part of town! Here we woke up to deer in the backyard and enjoyed the free concert given by the diversity of birds.
With your connection to I-10, you are just about 30 minutes from a day trip to Las Cruces, NM, or Mesilla, NM. You are just an exit away from our beautiful Transmountain road where you can find the Franklin Mountains. Cross the mountain to do some hiking trips, family pictures, or simply get to the Northeast part of the city.
There is a strong connection to nature in this area. With all the mountains and parks around, you will find the opportunity to have a good living area with the comfort of embracing the desert life.
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.
