Stumbled upon this nice, little park while walking around downtown El Paso. Lots of trees and benches and it has a unique, blue alligator sculpture! read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Nice plaza in the heart of EP. We stumbled upon this little park after a dinner downtown. There was live music going on and lights that drew us here in the after dinner evening. It's a nice size plaza with Jimenez' Plaza de Los Lagartos as a centerpiece. Surprisingly, the statue replaced live alligators the city held here in the pond in the 1950s. They have long pong and chess tables available on the east side of the plaza. Plenty of benches available for people watching. This location played host to the free screening of a true classic "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." The screening was part of the Plaza Classic Film Festival. Great renovated space is open to the public and communicated the history and culture of the city of El Paso very well. read more

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I was really surprised to see people walking around downtown Elpaso and actually sitting and resting at this plaza. I also heard that at times they have food trucks which I didn't see myself. It is a nice plaza to pass by read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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. read more

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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 ;-) read more

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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. read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Situated in downtown El Paso - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Great place to bring friends and family exploring the area. Our kiddos loving running around & we enjoy walking around the local area to try new restaurants. Also a special place for a "walk in the park" date when the sun sets and the lights glow. read more

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 !! read more

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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 read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Free parking around the plaza is gone. - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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. read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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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! read more

San Jacinto Plaza - The night life under 21yo - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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. read more

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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. read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Rent Bike - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I'm going to break down San Jacinto Plaza for you... both as to why there was so much press and "hype" surrounding it and why, history aside, San Jacinto Plaza is a standalone four star park. No one in my family is from El Paso and yet somehow El Paso has intertwined with my own family's history. And San Jacinto is actually at the center of my love for EP. When I was seven or eight my grandmother told me about a trip she made to Texas once with my grandfather, she told me about this destinations spot in the desert, a dusty town with cool shops and the heart of the city where you could go see alligators that you could reach out and touch if you were brave enough. I was mesmerized by the pictures and the postcards my grandmother had kept. El Paso... actually Downtown El Paso, specifically San Jacinto Plaza. Historically it matters to El Pasoans. It's gone through many changes through the years so it will always have a hype surrounding it when there is any kind of construction. Now as for being a park, this is an urban park. Meaning it's in the center of Downtown... it an area that is filled with businesses and lawyers. This park isn't geared only towards children (meaning there is no playground), but to everyone. The have returned the alligator statue which now sits in a fountain under a huge metal canopy. Really cool to see at night. Surrounding it you'll find pathways that lead you to a little cafe, table tennis, and chess tables. The landscaping is beautiful and they've done a wonderful job of mixing concretes with grass, metal cables with water, fun with work. I was especially happy to see the dry riverbeds under the small bridges. It's great to see how the area surrounding SJP is getting built up too. New spots are always opening up and they all have their own flavor. If you're looking for parking just head over to the parking lot by the Coffee Box or the Mills Plaza Parking Garage (street parking is a game of chance). All in all, I'm a fan. I think it looks amazing and it's definitely a place that you can spend an hour or two at. read more

If good things come to those who wait then the San Jacinto Plaza is the GREATEST THING that has happened to El Paso, EVER! All sarcasm aside, it's hard not to be impressed by what they've done to San Jacinto Plaza, it has been transformed to a first class park and reflects the revitalization of Downtown EP. More than just a facelift, the SJP has a plethora of walkways and activity areas for people of all ages, they have a sprinkler walkway, a horseshoe area, and even ping pong tables! But my personal favorite are the chess tables, gives it a real "big city" feel, my dream is to one day be the old man who plays chess at the park whilst imparting life wisdom to troubled youth. One can dream, sonny boy. read more

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! read more

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San Jacinto (Ha-cin-to) Plaza aka Alligator Plaza looks nice after it was remodeled a few years back. I've taken a walk nearby. I've seen a few live performances there during the Neon Desert Music Festival. The landscaping and plants are also very nice. Some compare it to a smaller version of Central Park in New York City. This is also where El Paso's Christmas tree lighting takes place every year. Due to the remodeling, it also includes: a splash pad, game tables for chess and ping pong, a huachas (washers) court and a cafe. A game of Huachas is similar to horseshoes. I have to say the cafe offers pretty good food, particularly the rolled tacos drenched in red sauce and cheese. The best part of the plaza imo is the lagartos statue. Lagartos translates to alligators in English. The plaza once had real alligators. My grandparents tell me about going there to see them in their younger days. They were permanently removed in the 70s. If you're downtown, I suggest checking out San Jacinto Plaza. read more

Got some food from the restaurant in the middle of the park I'm from California happened last year I literally on vacation decided to take a nap in the park security guard kicked me out of there as soon as I sat down when I was finished my food worst customer service ever literally does another man sleeping other side of the park I just sat down people in the city of El Paso is very rude and disrespectful read more

I love this park and plaza. I think the plaza itself is really beautiful--lots of benches and places to take a seat and relax. 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. I also really like the little cafe that is right in the middle. One of El Paso's gems--I will surely be back! read more

Super cute square downtown. Great photo ops, fountain statues, small walking path, and a snack bar hut. Surrounding the square are fun little bars, cafes, and higher end restaurants. read more

I'm sort of an El Paso newb so when I heard this place was finally opened I drove down to check out the much hyped about plaza. First thought that came to my head was am I missing something? This can't be it? I drove around this tiny park trying to find a parking space with no luck. My family and I agreed it's probably not even worth it so we left. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice little park but why all the hype? read more

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. read more

San Jacinto Plaza - Parks Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Minus the interesting (sordid?) history of this place finally being completed, San Jacinto Plaza offers a really nice little park in downtown El Paso. The plaza offers a variety of areas for you and your family's enjoyment. They have tables built for chess, grassy areas for a little picnic or throwing a ball, and an area for horseshoe throwing (which can be rented out from the food vendor area). I came out with my Little (seriously people, if you've got a little spare time consider applying for the Big Brother Big Sister program. They need more Bigs!) and we did some lacrosse-style ball throwing (I dunno I threw a big white ball with a stick). The plethora of pokestops makes the plaza a veritable mecca for pokemon trainers. The food vendor offers a variety of different foods. I opted for a simple Juarez dog. Nothing special but it hit the spot. Speed of service was a little off and they made my hotdog but then literally put it down and made no effort to call me over (despite my hanging around the window for 15 minutes). Finally got it after I asked (it had just been sitting there). They are currently doing classic movie night on Saturday nights which is super cool. read more

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There were no real alligators in the plaza, but the sculpture was lovely. Seemed to be a great place for groups to visit, as I saw three different ones in the time I spent there. Lots of bikes to rent in the area, which I think is a great way to help people get around and see more of the city w/o the hassle of driving in the traffic. read more

Brought my family down to eat at the snack place and play on a Friday night. All we did was wait. Took me 20 minutes to order with only two people in front of me. Then 45 minutes later upon inquiry they hadn't even started my order. The people running the snack bar are completely incompetent. What was supposed to be a fun night out just became a frustrating night out. read more

Wow, what a waste of money. The landscape is nice but for the money and time, we El Pasoan's did not get our money worth. I don't understand how we can spend millions and have no restrooms. The park design is extremely limited. I was hoping to be able to go see and hear musicians, artists and small concerts there like many other downtown cities have but the design is limited. The functionality of the park will only be limited to a few people playing ping pong. Parking is really bad also. If you are aloud to park on the side of the park you trample onto the newly landscape plants. Truly, there is no reason for me and my family to travel to the downtown park when I can walk to my neighborhood park and enjoy the same things. And go to the bathroom. Another wonderful example of our City Politicians leadership. read more