Since you're already nearby, try doing the quests involving Deadmines and see how you like leveling in an instance. (hint: /ffa)

If you like it and you don't have too much trouble in Deadmines, head to something higher level and see how it goes.

The good thing about instances is that the group penalty on XP is less since the elites there are tuned for 5-person groups, and give much better kill XP.