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    San Jacinto Plaza

    3.9 (26 reviews)

    San Jacinto Plaza Photos

    Recommended Reviews - San Jacinto Plaza

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    San Jacinto Plaza
    Katy C.

    I decided to check out San Jacinto Plaza while wandering around downtown after grabbing a coffee one morning while in town. It was pretty early as I'm on Eastern time, so no one was really around except for some maintenance workers doing some cleaning and one other person with a little kid. The whole plaza was very clean and I enjoyed walking around seeing the different activities available for all at the plaza - they have ping pong tables, horseshoes, and the big alligator fountain was fun to see. I sat on a bench by the fountain while I finished my coffee, and it was very relaxing and peaceful. I'm sure this area gets busy with events but at the time that I went, I was one of the only people there. It's nice to see areas like this in cities - similar to Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids where people can gather and enjoy the outdoors even in the heart of downtown.

    Jill G.

    San Jacinto Plaza is located in the very center of downtown El Paso. It contains a small, rectangle-shaped park which has several historic buildings close by. Tip: There are benches inside the plaza where you can relax, sit, and watch the alligator fountain. Don't worry - there aren't any real alligators in the fountain ;-)

    Situated in downtown El Paso
    Tomas R.

    It's a very refreshing project for the city of El Paso to have finally had completed for a little bit now. I'm sure as many of you know it can take eons for something good to hit this city. I'd have a better bet finding a unicorn than some of the city projects coming to a completion. The revamping of SJP is refreshing and a nice asset to the community. There tons of social media photo ops, benches, ping pong tables, and even a cafe to grab a snack! I enjoy taking a walk around here when I'm staying at The Hotel Indigo. During the holiday season, it's fully lit up with tons of lights so it's nice to take the family out there.

    Great food at "La Placita Cafe"
    Dago M.

    The Placita goes back to the days of the 1800's and continuous to thrive with many upgrades and enhancements as the years go by with the taste and touch of many people. One of its past names being La Placita de Los Lagartos for its 3 Alligators. Dating back to the days when the real Alligators were living at the Placita since 1883, the main drop off for the city buses, various stores surrounding the Placita for shopping, and the well known President John F Kennedy visited the Placita in 1963. With The Placita Cafe providing various delicious foods of your liking like Cuban Panini, Juarez Hot Dog, Cucumber Lemonade, Wraps, Chucos Tacos, Gourmet Burger, Corn in a cup, Strawberries and Cream and more other dishes. Also now in the center of it all is the well known statue of the Lagartos that has been here since 1993, with various lights changing for your pleasure and various benches for you to enjoy it comfortably. So enjoy it all !!

    Free parking around the plaza is gone.
    Tom H.

    This park is in the heart of downtown El Paso. It is conveniently located by several great restaurants as well. Currebtly there us free parking along the plaza but it may go away after I read a few articles in the paper that it may go away. But for now there is free parking. Otherwise you are left to park at a indoor garage, an outdoor parking area or along the street by one of the meters. Also the park is in walking distance of the baseball stadium so you can make a day of your trip here. Some more stores are opening and I can't wait to see what else opens up here

    John G.

    This is a lovely place, it was recently redesigned and it looks great! We went over on Christmas night, there are awesome decorations, lights etc and everyone in town seems to hang out there! There are plenty of cool spot to snap a pic and street vendors to grab a bite.

    The night life under 21yo
    Noel B.

    To clarify what other yelpers have said, do not expect to see your typical giant park to play soccer or football or to bbq. This park is small, quaint, and personal. I do not know where parking is, but I am assuming that one could park in the neighboring parking lots. Why not park far and walk? Get your steps in. The park recently completed their renovations and reopened in April 2016. The middle of the park houses the alligator monument as the attraction. It brought me curiosity about why the city praised alligators. In 1952, the city introduced alligators, but due to public abuse such as stoning and torturing the animals, the city removed the animals in 1974. Stupid punks harming animals! The park has a splash pad, a single huacha/horseshoe pit, a few table tennis tables, a few chess table sets, multiple benches, and plenty of trees. The sports equipment may be borrowed from the La Placita Cafe. The park has dog bags available for the warm presents that Fido may provide since none of the neighboring hotels have dog parks. In the winter, the park is the center of the christmas tree lighting. At night (even at 10pm), many people meet up and socialize. Of course, you have that one dude trying to break dance and flex on the single co-eds. Overall, I love this park for the simple things that it provides. Let's meet up to play some table tennis!

    Ro L.

    After many years of living in another city, stopping by the SJP was on my list of things to do. Located in downtown the area has come a long way. Its become a great place to stop by with friends and family. There is an ice skating rink, however go early otherwise they sell out of allotted times to skate. It's not too crowded, there are several areas to sit and relax, as well as spots to grab a drink, dinner or something to snack on.

    Rent Bike
    Monica L.

    This plaza is 100% the heart of downtown! I came to ride around with some friends and they not only had bikes for rent but also gliders which was new. It's prom season (apparently) so their were plenty of people taking pictures in beautiful dresses and tux's. Once the sun goes down this place lights up, beautiful. 10/10 recommend.

    Nancy H.

    This plaza is wonderfully decorated during Christmas. I'm so glad El Paso is investing in downtown and it's turning out great. The plaza has many lights and many coffee shops and restaurants around the area. So worth the visit. My hometown is looking better than ever!

    Adri K.

    Husband and I decided to go walk around San Jacinto Plaza on a Saturday night. We were pleasantly surprised that there was a concert and food trucks there. They have chess tables and ping pong tables, a water spray thing to run in, and a little cafe. My husband decided on a snow cone from the tropical sno truck and I went with a cucumber lemonade with an order of border tacos from the plaza cafe. Now we all know (and if you don't, you'll know now) the border tacos are a play on the legendary Chico's tacos of El Paso so I had to choose that especially because I can't go back to Chico's until they bring back the old cheese! The cheese is neither here nor there, ok maybe it is, but if this is why you'd want to try them, don't. They get soggy very quickly and the sauce is so thick that they actually start tasting like enchiladas. The cucumber lemonade was AMAZING though!!! Made it worth it and I would give the place another chance just on the lemonade alone.

    Juarez dog. Solid if nothing special (chihuahua dogs are better). Service was slow.

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    Ask the Community - San Jacinto Plaza

    Review Highlights - San Jacinto Plaza

    On a Saturday night, there were lots of people strolling about, or taking a seat, and there is a beautiful view of downtown El Paso.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Memorial Park - Memorial plaque & the Flagpole

    Memorial Park

    4.6(8 reviews)
    2.7 mi

    I think Memorial Park is one of the nicest parks in El Paso. It's always been one of my favorites…read more I'm surprised I haven't written a review about it! It has a lot of lush green grass and trees, especially during the warmer months. Since El Paso is located in the desert, we don't have too much of that. It's kind of far from my house so I don't come to it that often. If I lived closer, I would definitely walk around and relax. There's also a swimming pool and library. I've never been to either one. Before Covid, I brought my son to a festival at Memorial Park. There was a lot of vendors and children's activities. My son enjoyed it. Memorial Park is also close to the rose garden (another favorite of mine!). This is a nice park to have a gathering with friends and family. One of my friends had a memorial for her son here. She brought food and drinks, along with a singer and butterflies to release. She held the memorial one year after her son passed away. It was a beautiful tribute for him. Memorial Park is also a nice place to take photos since it's so green pretty much all year long. People/photographers come here to take wedding, quinceanera and graduation photos. Check out Memorial Park if you haven't already.

    This is one of the nicest city parks in El Paso IMHO. It's in a very nice historic district and…read moreneighborhood of Manhattan Heights. I guess I'm partial to it since it's not too far from my residence, and I have been frequenting this park in recent months ever since I relocated to Northeast El Paso. Even comparing to the Chamizal National Memorial Park, I like this one better--it's kind of hard to put into words, but it gives me more soothing and calming feelings as I walk through it. It also gives ample shades during hot summer days since there are many large trees. This park is fairly large and includes Aquatic Center, El Paso Public Library, & El Paso Municipal Rose Garden in the vicinity. Families enjoy using the playground with their children. If you walk around the perimeter of the park and/or through the hills, it provides you with a good walk routes. I see groups of people enjoying yoga or tai chi, others cycling through the park. I often see couples/families getting their wedding/engagement/quinceañera photos done here since it's such a beautiful setting. There are ample picnic benches throughout the park. There aren't too many shelters, but I see folks bringing their own shade tents and chairs. If you need a place to relax and enjoy nature, this is the place to be in El Paso. Highly recommended!!

    Photos
    Memorial Park
    Memorial Park
    Memorial Park

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    Paul Harvey Park - Great Playscape!

    Paul Harvey Park

    4.7(3 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    This is a very nice park! I like it! The boyfriend and me often come here during our walks around…read morethe block. We've also brought our 7-month old terror...(I mean puppy) for a walk. The puppy aka Chico also enjoys going for a walk here. Paul Harvey Park is a smaller sized park nestled in a residential area. A lot of westside parks are in residential areas which is great! There's a walking trail with lots of green grass and trees around. There's also park benches and a pool nearby. I'm not sure if it's still open or not. I don't think I've really seen people using it in all of the years I've come by. This park always looks clean and well maintained. We've seen the maintenance guys cutting the grass and watering it pretty often. There's also a shelter that's used for gatherings. The kiddos also have a small jungle gym there. Overall a nice place and it's also Chico approved!

    Wow! I was trying to get to La Madeline's for an online ordered Cafe Americano and bran muffin so I…read morecould proceed to Don Haskins Recreation area with my dog. I totally forgot about the 4th of July parade that goes down Sunland and turns on Mesa!!!! I was stuck! I drove around for an hour trying to find a detour that would bring me up by Whole Foods. In the process, I found a neighborhood swimming pool that was listed on Yelp (Bel Mar Neighborhood Pool), and three parks that were not yet listed on Yelp: Paul Harvey Park, H. T. Ponsford Park and James Schwitters Family Park, all within minutes of each other. Who ever says we do not have grass and trees in El Paso needs to come check out the City of El Paso's great recreational parks and areas. So, yes, I finally did make it to La Madeleine's- I had to take I -10 W and get off at Resslear to get around the parade and found myself by a giant American flag hanging from a crane!!!! Awesome- Happy Birthday America!

    Photos
    Paul Harvey Park - Swings!

    Swings!

    Paul Harvey Park - Picnic tables

    Picnic tables

    Paul Harvey Park - Educational

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    Educational

    Bulldog Championship Park

    Bulldog Championship Park

    5.0(2 reviews)
    13.6 mi

    This is a very nice little park! We were glad to find this hidden gem in Socorro. It is not open…read moreall day like splash parks in the city of El Paso, but there are other things to do while you wait. The grounds are well kept, there are bathrooms, water fountains, lots of benches and plenty of shade in the areas near the splash pad. Worth the visit.

    Have lived in Horizon city for several years now, and today was my first day to discover this gem…read moreof a park. My boys LOVED playing at this park today. There are several play areas for the kiddos to run around on, as well as a large field if you want to bring a ball to kick or throw around. Also, if you would like to take a walk, there is a really nice bike/walking path that extends all the way around the park. We brought our son's bike with us, and we walked and he rode around the park a few times. A cool thing about this park that you won't find many other places in the area is a duck pond. It is a small pond, but it is really nice. There are ducks, and you can feed them if your bring your own bread or the like.. there is a really cool "dock" (I'm drawing a blank on what else to call it) that extends out into the pond. I think that my family and I will be spending a lot of time at this park this year. There are indoor restrooms on the property, and there are also canopies all over the place to provide shade during the hotter months. Next time we go, we are gonna pack a lunch, eat at one of the many shaded picnic tables, and make an afternoon out of hanging out at the park!!

    Photos
    Bulldog Championship Park - Entrance to the park

    Entrance to the park

    Bulldog Championship Park - Ducks at the little pond

    Ducks at the little pond

    Bulldog Championship Park - Tiny waterpark. Season starts in the spring.

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    Tiny waterpark. Season starts in the spring.

    Vista Del Valle Park - Large grassy field, where many football and soccer games take place.

    Vista Del Valle Park

    3.7(3 reviews)
    6.9 mi

    Love this park because of the track! I come here and run at night if we are dog sitting for my mom…read more We don't live too far from this park and which we lived in walking distance. There is a volleyball area and also swings. The highlight I think is the awesome track. There is a library and Viscount Rec Center. So if you have to pee, there is your air conditioned clean restroom. Great place to also take your pets!

    I absolutely love this park. The neighborhood is quiet and friendly. I've been here early mornings…read moreto evenings and it's a great place to be. It's one of the most green parks I've seen actually. Lol. They have walk paths for joggers, walkers, and to walk your furry friend. :) Which btw, they've marked certain areas of the pavement showing mile marks. Awesome! The park consists of spacious grassy areas and trash bins across the place. It's well maintained and they provide doggy bags too. People park either on the curb or near the library, which is located on the end of the park. The only down side is that it's barely lit at night and the only restroom is one Porta potty. The most lit part of the park is the children's playground, which is great but I wish there was more lighting. Besides the wonderful green pastures and playground, there's a volleyball and basketball court. They have a few benches and many trees, so there is shade. But I prefer to bring a mat and enjoy the scenery. :) there's always people of all ages here and there's always a soccer or football game.

    Photos
    Vista Del Valle Park - Children's play ground, volleyball court, and basketball court

    Children's play ground, volleyball court, and basketball court

    Vista Del Valle Park - Enjoying the sunset at the park

    Enjoying the sunset at the park

    Vista Del Valle Park - My pup enjoying the grass. A whole lot. Lol.

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    My pup enjoying the grass. A whole lot. Lol.

    John Lyons Park - Walking path at perimeter of well manicured lawn

    John Lyons Park

    4.3(3 reviews)
    11.2 mi

    John Lyons park is amazing. Super clean and not crowded- we went on a Saturday morning and we were…read morethe only ones there for an entire hour . My 2 and 4 year old loved it! Soccer area (rubber small field with two goals), open field (for anything you want to do- including kite flying, running, sports), paved trail for little ones to ride bikes (just short of a half a mile), basketball court, two play areas (one for really little guys and one for bigger kids), dog bags- this park has it all except for bathrooms- however there was a public library on the corner that was open and the restrooms were on the right as soon as you entered the doors! Don't let the sketchy neighborhood fool you- this park is awesome- not a lot of shade though- bring your sunscreen!

    This is my favorite locations on the Eastside. It was a vacant lot for many years. It is a great…read moreaddition in a very walkable neighborhood. The park is packed with family friendly amenities- off street parking, walking path, fitness area, covered picnic tables, playgrounds, futsal court, basketball, sand volleyball, and restrooms. The park is well maintained by the city and the community. For more low-key enjoyment, grab your favorite read from the newly renovated library across the street, pick a bench and enjoy the sunshine. Mornings are peaceful, the evenings and weekends can be crowded as the park has great lighting to enjoy amenities late into the evening.

    Photos
    John Lyons Park - Futsal court

    Futsal court

    John Lyons Park - 2 to 5 year old playground

    2 to 5 year old playground

    John Lyons Park - Bike rack, benches and toddler playground

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    Bike rack, benches and toddler playground

    Eastwood Park - Playground

    Eastwood Park

    3.5(13 reviews)
    8.5 mi

    I would say Album Park is one of the older parks in east El Paso. It's a pretty OK park that's…read moreclose to the Eastwood High School area. I grew up coming to this park with my family. Every once in awhile I took my son to run around and buy an ice cream from one of the many ice cream trucks that park in the area. I've even had picnics with friends and family here. This is a pretty nice park to host a family reunion or party. It isn't as nice as Memorial Park or others but it's alright. There's lots of grass, baseball fields and a nearby recreation center (named after Gary Del Palacio, an El Paso businessman and community activist who was murdered in 2005). There's also walking trails and tennis courts here. Whenever we're in monsoon season (during the summer months usually), this park floods a lot. I've seen and heard a lot of tadpoles here. A huge pond forms all over the park. As gross as it may sound, I think people actually get into the pond/water. I would advise against it. There might be dog poop, who knows what else can be in the water? Overall, a pretty good park. Check it out at least once or twice. Pack a picnic lunch, chairs, blanket and visit. Don't bring beer or wine! Sorry!

    Great park for all things outdoors! You have tennis courts, areas for volley ball set up, baseball…read moreand plenty of grassy areas for football. You have ice cream trucks by the handful on weekends. It's funny that this park is under Album. It's actually called Eastwood Park. Since it is adjacent to Album people have got in the habit of calling it Album. Unless you're not from here, it's Eastwood Park. Tons of running tracks! Not a bad park and one of the best in EP!

    Photos
    Eastwood Park - Playground kids

    Playground kids

    Eastwood Park - Seating area

    Seating area

    Eastwood Park - Swings

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    Swings

    San Jacinto Plaza - parks - Updated May 2026

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