The tour guide, Flor, was great! We went to some pretty cool spots. The only spot I didn't enjoy…read moreand was rather sad was the Mercado Juarez. Most of the stands were closed and it was dark and depressing. They took us to Juan Gabriel's house so that was pretty cool. My favorite part was the museum and the burritos! I highly recommend doing this your to entertain yourself and release some stress from all the consulate stuff. If your visiting cuidad Juárez take this tour! La guía me cayo muy bien. Flor hizo el tour más divertido y nos enseñó mucho sobre Cuidad Juárez y cambió mi perspectiva de la cuidad. Si están aquí por trámites de visa y necesitan des estresarse, hagan este tour. Esta mero enfrente de City Express Junior y al otro lado de la calle del consulado.

Our opinion of Ciudad Juarez was mostly negative until we took our tour with Turibus today. We had…read morebeen stuck in the bubble of our Consulate world, and Turibus was a fun breath of fresh air. They started by picking us up at one of 5 stops at the hotels around the consulate between 10am and 11am starting at City Express Jr. Ciudad Juarez Consulado. Expect this to take about 45 minutes. Flor, our guide, was super friendly and very knowledgeable about the area. We drove around downtown in the open air bus while she explained about local history. We visited the Cathedral, the home of Juan Gabriel, the Museum of the Mexican Revolution, went to a market full of Mexican artesanía, had lunch, and got to taste Sotol, a local liquor. There were other small stops as well. The Archeological Museum was closed today, but that is normally on the agenda too. The tour takes from about 10am to 5pm, and is super reasonably priced at 140 pesos!!! Thank you Turibus for a great day, and for changing our opinion and our experience of Ciudad. Juarez!

Wright is a vivacious, friendly, and amazingly fact-filled guy--literally a walking encyclopedia…read more His particular strength is history: who did what to whom when, and how the buildings and roads of Juarez became what they are today. He feeds you all this through a mixture of photos in a binder, museum exhibits, and the actual sites. He has been walking through downtown Juarez for decades and has accumulated many acquaintances there, who greet him and bestow occasional favors on his tours. When we saw a squad of masked Federal police holding rifles gather around the building we were at, without Wright we might have wondered whether we were about to be caught in a firefight. Wright knew it was a routine gathering and made small talk with the officers. If you want in-depth social tourism, such as a visit to a working maquiladora or watching refugees requesting U.S. asylum or journalists protecting themselves from assassination, you won't get that, but this tour will provide a general orientation to the city and its society, and some comfort as you prepare to explore on your own or with more specialized experts.

Rich is an awesome guide and will work with you to make sure you can experience exactly what you…read morewant. I highly recommend reaching out to him if you want to walk into Juarez.

Another wonderful experience on the El Paso Streetcar…read more We rode the car into downtown for FREE, as usual, and it put us right within one block of the action for the EP Día de los Muertos events. When we were done with the evening, we hopped on the events streetcar and were entertained by the lovely notes of Adriana Nevarez. She sang a variety of songs for the occasion. It was pretty awesome. Liz and the kids were dancing, I got into it as well. We were distracted with the Nevarez tunes, but I know that the Wi-Fi was up, if I needed it The streetcar was clean and the riders were super respectful - all there for a good time. We tracked our cars with the Sun Metro app. Love the EP Streetcar.

These little streetcars are so darling and I love that locals seem to really utilize them for…read moreeveryday errands.. It's a fun way to get around the peaks and valleys within the terrain.It was easy to catch and a wonderful way to see the city! I really wish our own city San Antonio hadn't ever got rid of our street cars.Not to mention the paddle boats at Brackenridge Park and the sky rides that were also a fond memory. Maybe one day will bring them back but I highly doubt it.Anyway if you visit El Paso I highly recommend the street cars.

I had a spectacular time! Our tour guide Oscar was incredible! He was informative, engaging, and…read morefriendly, which made the entire experience so much better. The tour itself was spooky and chilling, with a perfect atmosphere for anyone who loves a good thrill. I totally recommend doing this tour 10 out of 10!

What to expect: A…read morelot of walking but, there are frequent stops to listen to historical accounts. They do mention to come prepared as far as hydration but just note that you will have to know where to look for the nearest bathroom should you need it. The Gardener tour ends at the Gardner so, if you don't know where the nearest shop or bar that has bathrooms is... it's gonna have to wait until then. Be prepared to go over time if the tour ends on an investigation (if it's offered). Sometimes, the energy is just alive! Also, don't be afraid to ask questions or for clarification on historical accounts. They are very knowledgeable and honest in their history and in their paranormal experiences. They can only do so much as far as safety. They do wait for the appropriate times to cross streets but they remind you to be diligent in your own safety. There is traffic and not everyone yields to pedestrians. Be aware of street signs and cars. They also give heads up on sketchy pedestrians and such. But, again, you need to do your part and make sure you are alert when you spot anything odd. Call it out if you see something that others didn't. We all want to enjoy the tour as peacefully as possible. My personal experience went well! I hope with this info, others can enjoy themselves without any surprises. I had overheard others in my tour about not knowing they'd have to walk a lot or how thirsty they were and where bathrooms are but, I was annoyed if they even read the posts they gave. They do give a heads up. If anything, they (EPGT) should keep reiterating just to make sure it gets across and sticks better for people. I am really looking forward to joining another tour with these guys. They were great! -VD

4 night, 3 day trip to the Rose Bowl via A la Carte Tours. A lot of Not So Good coupled with…read moreawesome. The awesome included the pre-parade tour, the parade and seating, and the post parade walk around. Great as these were, the event is not only what we purchased but also the hotel (Embassy Suites in Anaheim) and the transportation to and from (approximately 1hour each way). The Anaheim Embassy Suites and the bus company (?) we're frustrating and unacceptable to many of the 300 in the group. The hotel Suites were ok, sort of clean, and very dated. The sectional in the living had a number of white spots sprayed on the back and arm (room 619) which rendered it useless. The hotel has free drinks from 5:30 to 7:30 nightly. There were only 2 bartenders for all 300 for 3 nights and then on New Years Eve only 1 bartender. To get a drink took 30 to 60 minutes. Unacceptable! Additionally, there were 2 sides of the restaurant with only 1 server all 4 nights on each side. We were not able to order food on New Years Eve. Extremely frustrating and unacceptable. We ask the Hotel Manager if this was the first year for the hotel to participate in Al a Carte Tours (perhaps helping to understand the extremely poor service), but was informed this was the 10th plus year. We left thinking the hotel just didn't give a damn. We hold both the hotel and tour company accountable. The buses to take us to and from were equally frustrating. The first day we were suppose to leave at 7:00 AM but we're later told to be on the bus 30 minutes early. All 300 people were loaded by 6:15 but for some unknown reason we did leave until 7:10. Our bus chaperone, Jesus, had no communication with the group. Knowing what was going on would have helped greatly. The second day of the trip resulted in 2 of the 5 buses breaking down before pick up delaying our departure for over 1 hour. On the way home that afternoon, the heater on our bus malfunctioned and couldn't be turned off. Very unpleasant. All in all, the trip was the fulfillment of our bucket list, but we would not recommend using A la Carte Tours as the group if you want to enjoy all aspect of a Rose Bowl Parade trip: parade events, lodging, and transportation.

I have traveled in many parts of the world with several other tour companies. This is the worst…read morecompany that I have been with. They are very disorganized and over booked for capacity. There were 5 bus loads of people which traveled to all the same locations at the same time. We arrived at the same restaurant all at the same time and had a served meal. How can one restaurant handle over 250 people all at once. There was only 2 elevators at the hotel and no inside stairway. Logistics were terrible. I will NEVER travel with A LA Carte again.

Great time tubing down the river. My wife and I had a great time. Saw wildlife, birds, and finished…read moreso relaxed. It is a river so be prepared to navigate using common sense. David our tour guide checked us in and helped us to get in the water onto our tubes. Great time!

I went on three different expeditions with this company. The first, a trip from Radium Springs to…read moreLa LloronaParkk on the river ,which I would not recommend. That stretch of river is very hot and has a lot of bugs and no shade. It was 100F out, as it often is in June, and when we reached the pull-out, we were unable to get hold of the guy to pick us up and had to call a friend to take us back to our car! The owner, David, literally said he had fallen asleep. Giving the company another chance, the second expedition was a float on Caballo Lake, with storytelling, in the evening. That was ok, although we didn't stay for the campfire afterward. The third time we went with the outfitter, we were just doing a float from La Llorona Park to the Calle del Norte bridge, at the end of which, it was impossible to steer toward the take-out, we had to get out of our tubes to not continue floating downstream, it was very hard to get my footing, I lost my inflatable water bottle, and I would never feel comfortable traveling with this outfitter again. People drown in the river--the current can be more challenging than you think.

El Paso has a rich history. The Wigwam Museum and other buildings around downtown are proof of it…read more We did a ghost tour of El Paso's Chinatown recently. The tour started at Mac's Downtown and ended at the Wigwam Museum aka the Paso Del Norte Paranormal Society headquarters. El Paso had the largest Chinatown in the state at one time. It eventually disappeared due to strict immigration laws back in the 1800s. A lot of of El Paso's Chinese population lived downtown in boarding houses. Some of the buildings are still standing today. The Chinese were no longer able to immigrate to El Paso due to these tough immigration laws. It's said that there were tunnels in various buildings downtown to smuggle them into El Paso. Those who didn't come into El Paso stayed/lived in Juarez. The ghost tour lady told us which buildings supposedly have underground tunnels in them. The Wigwam is one of them, along with the Plaza Theater, the former Tricky Falls and others. The Chinese came to El Paso from China and California to help build the railroad. They also became business owners. They owned laundries and grocery stores around town. The Wigwam was once called Fashion Saloon. It was built in 1883. It was the first saloon to have electricity. It also offered gambling and was one of five brothels in the El Paso area. It saw its share of gunfighters and heroes of the old west like Pat Garrett and John Wesley Hardin. Hardin's grave is at Concordia Cemetery in central El Paso close to L & J's. The Chinese population is buried at Evergreen Cemetery on Alameda. Once the saloon/brothel were no more, it was redesigned as the Wigwam Theatre in 1909. The theater closed its doors in 1981. The building was damaged by a fire in 2011. It was then refurbished and became the Wigwam Museum/Paranormal Headquarters. After walking around downtown, we went to the Wigwam. We went down into their basement. The technology the ghost tour lady and others had said there was a ghost down there. She and some of the ghost tour participants asked this ghost yes and no questions. If the answer was yes, the light turned green. I believe this ghost's name was Lily. There is a tunnel/tunnels in this building. We were tired and wanted to go home so we cut the tour a little bit short. It was fun and educational to learn more about El Paso's history. I would recommend going on this tour or another one this non-profit offers. The average cost for a 2-hour plus tour is $20/person. For more info., go to https://www.ghosts915.org/

It was a very strange experience, our bus driver gave us a "tour" of the highway. I wouldn't…read morerecommend if you're looking for high class transportation.

I LOVE this hiking trail. I take my friends whenever they come visit because I this it's a pretty…read moreunique place. You can see the history of El Paso. You can park your car at Chuck Heinrich park when you go hike. I like to take the longer route on the way to the mine rather than following the trail up and down because the trail is a little boring. I usually do like 6-7 miles round trip. I did see a huge snake on the trail last time I went there. He crossed RIGHT in front of me that I almost stepped on it. So be careful when you walk.

I've known about this hike for some time now, but it was just never in the cards for me so I made…read moreit my mission to host a Yelp hike here for Yelp's Fit Club and it was one of the best hikes I've done in El Paso. With the exception of the few trails over at McKelligon Canyon, I'm really not familiar with the trails in the Northeast. This trail picks up at the Chuck Heinrich Park, the trailhead is at the end of the parking lot where the posts are, but I'm not actually sure what this trailhead is called... we'll just call it the Chuck Heinrich Trailhead. We were lucky enough to have Rey D.'s two sons with us who had both been out to the Tin Mines so they were able to expertly lead us to the mines without adding an additional 1-2 mile "I'm lost" hike. There were a few signs out there, but nothing I saw with actual arrows... just signs telling you what trail you were on so if you get to far off the right trail, eventually you'd figure it out. From the Chuck Heinrich Trailhead, the mines are up in the mountains and to your right. While walking if you can see a large metal grate in the distance just keep heading that way. The hike up isn't too strenuous, but it is basically all up hill. The last 200 meters to the mines is the only part I was actually breathing hard for. The El Paso Puzzler was passing through while we were on the trail and with the exception of those cyclists, it wasn't really heavily trafficked. These trails are pretty dog friendly, but depending on the distance and how tough your pup's paws are you may want to invest in some Musher's Secret (we found out about this on the trek down). The mines themselves are really cool and the view from them is amazing! So there's the upper and lower mines. There is a little bit of graffiti among the two mines (the lower I only saw graffiti on the door) which makes you wonder, what kind of delinquents spent the time hiking 3 miles just to tag these mines? The upper mines are underneath the big metal grate. This one doesn't go as far back as the others, but I did a little research online and found out somewhere further up there is a second entrance to the upper mines that goes much further. We didn't find the second entrance to the upper, but from that research it's not really clear to me if the second entrance is like the others where you can just walk in or if it's more of a climb down. All in all, the upper mines are pretty cool because you have a lot of light to see your surroundings. The lower mines are a few steps below the metal grate. You'll see wood placed in the perfect step formation and as soon as you get to the bottom there is a short door to your immediate right. The door made it look like a crawl space to me, but once you actually get inside it's more of a "crouch space". The lower mines were my favorite because you can go a lot further. There are also a few actual crawl spaces in these mines so if you're feeling brave, that may be for you. While we were down there we did see a baby bat (still wondering where it's mama was and the rest of it's family) and Rey's sons said they had seen mice down there once so be prepared to see some small wildlife... and be realistic that there could also be large wildlife down there too. Take flashlights and don't just depend on your phone flashlight because it's really not as bright as you'd like once you're in complete darkness. While we were down there I kept thinking, why didn't I bring my headlamp. It's dark and cold so maybe bring a long sleeve shirt if you're planning on doing a ton of exploring while in the mines. I would say the hike up is beginner, but keep in mind it's about 3 miles out there so do the pace you're comfortable with. Great hike for anyone that wants to see do something unique and see a part of El Paso's history.