Earlier this month we provided you with a list of famous places in El Paso where movies and television series have been filmed.

To see them for yourself, enjoy the self-guided walking tour. El Paso’s downtown core is compact and very walkable, while the desert, university, and border-adjacent spots are better by car. Here’s a self-guided walking tour and driving tour that will take you to the most recognizable filming locations in El Paso used for movies and TV shows.

Downtown El Paso Walking Film Tour (1.5–2 hours)

1) San Jacinto Plaza

Start here in the historic heart of downtown. Productions often use the plaza and surrounding streets for city establishing shots and crowd scenes.

Walk: 3–4 minutes south

2) WestStar Tower

This tall glass tower and surrounding blocks were used prominently in One Battle After Another for skyline and urban scenes. There are good angles from Kansas St. and Mills Ave.

Walk: 5 minutes

3) South Kansas Street

Multiple blocks between 1st and Paisano have hosted street-level filming (cars, foot chases, downtown atmosphere) for One Battle After Another. Walk the corridor for recognizable façades and alleyways.

Walk: 4 minutes west

4) El Paso Museum of Art

While not a specific set, this civic cluster (museum/library/plaza) often appears as background architecture in downtown shoots. It’s also a nice cultural stop.

Walk: 6–8 minutes north

5) Sunset Heights Historic District

End your walk in this neighborhood of early-1900s homes and hillsides. Productions use it for period or residential backdrops. This is where great desert-meets-architecture views.

EL PASO DRIVING TOUR OF FAMOUS MOVIE AND TELEVISION SITS

 (2.5–3.5 hours)

This tour covers locations that are spread out across the city and university area.

1) University of Texas at El Paso

The Bhutanese-style campus architecture appears in various productions.
Stop by Don Haskins Center, used for basketball scenes in Glory Road.

Drive: 10 minutes east

2) Mesa Street

Sections of this corridor were used for street scenes in the TV movie On the Border. Drive slowly through older commercial stretches for recognizable looks.

Drive: 12 minutes southeast

3) Sun Valley Motel

Exterior location used in On the Border.
Quick photo stop from the street.

Drive: 15–20 minutes back toward downtown/river

4) El Paso–Ciudad Juárez border area

Desert, river, and port-of-entry visuals have been used to establish the setting for crime dramas like Traffic and the series The Bridge. The  scenic drive along Paisano Dr. offer cinematic border views.

Drive: 10 minutes north

5) Scenic Drive Overlook

Finish with the classic overlook above downtown. While not a specific set, it’s a favorite for establishing skyline shots and gives you a “movie ending” view of the whole city.