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TijuanaTijuanaTijuana is a city in Baja California Norte, Mexico right across the border from San Diego, California, United States of America. Tijuana has a population of around 2 million. It has grown from a small bordertown with a bad reputation into a thriving modern city, with a large middle class. Its proximity to the United States makes it a very popular tourist destination, especially for day-trippers from San Diego. ==Districts== *Tijuana/Playas | Playas *Tijuana/Zona Centro | Zona Centro - including Avenida Revolucion *Tijuana/Zona Norte | Zona Norte *Tijuana/Zona Rio | Zona Rio ==Understand== Tijuana is a transit point for illegal immigration into the United States, as well as the destination for any illegal Mexican immigrants deported from the US West Coast. As such, it is swollen with poor people with no roots in the city who inhabit shantytowns. Apart from these poor migrants, Tijuana is one of the wealthiest cities in Mexico with a thriving middle class, whose disposible income has fueled Tijuana's transformation into a modern city with a vibrant culture. Frequent visitors to Tijuana use the term "gringo-friendly" for a shop, bar, or restaurant in which a non-Spanish speaking customer will be at ease. A place is gringo-friendly if the staff here is accustomed to dealing with American tourists, if they speak English and have English-language menus. Places that are not gringo-friendly may require use of Spanish, and patience. Just because a place is not gringo-friendly does not imply that the people there will not be friendly or that tourists will not be welcome. While the Mexican peso is the legal currency, US dollars are widely accepted. ==Get in== Most tourists enter Tijuana through the border crossing at San Ysidro, which is reportedly the busiest border crossing in the world. The crossing can be made by car, bus, bicycle, or on foot. ===By plane=== Tijuana International Airport is serviced by the major Mexican airlines. San Diego International airport is only a few miles north of the border and can be used as a transit point for travellers wishing to visit Tijuana. ===By train=== The San Diego Trolley will deposit you at the border. ===By car=== Take I-5 or I-805 to south. Either park at the boarder and continue '''on foot''' or you drive into Mexico. Driving from the US to Mexico usually requires no stopping. Driving across the border from Mexico to the US may involve a long wait, especially during evening rush hour or on holiday weekends. Mexican insurance is required, which can be bought immediately after crossing the border. ===By foot=== Many people drive to the border, park on the US side, and walk across. There are many lots available for this, which charge up to $7 a day. There is never a wait to enter Mexico on foot or via the bike lane. Pedestrians can walk across the border without stopping; there is a checkpoint but it is extremely rare for anyone to be stopped. Once across the border, you will exit through turnstiles and will likely be mobbed by cab drivers. The Zona Centro and the Zona Rio are both in walking distance from the border. A cab ride to either should cost $5. ===By bus=== Mexicoach buses leave from the parking lots on the US side, cross into Mexico, and drop you off at the bus station on Revolucion Avenue in the middle of the downtown tourist district. These buses run during the day, every day, and cost $2 per trip. ==Get out== Crossing back into the United States by car will usually take around an hour. Crossing by foot is almost always faster. During morning rush hour, on weekend afternoons, or after late night partying, the wait may be greater than an hour, though at other times it might be less than five minues. US citizens are technically required to show proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate. Because of the huge volume of people crossing every day, these technical requirements are seldom enforced, and US citizens can usually reenter with just a driver's license and the ability to respond to a few simple questions. ==Get around== Cabs are abundant throughout the city. Cab drivers stand on the sidewalks and solicit customers. It is almost impossible to avoid them, so finding a cab should never be a problem. Yellow cabs do not have meters, so agree with your driver in advance what the cost will be. Taxi Libre cabs have meters and are cheaper than yellow cabs, though you might have to remind the driver to use the meter. ==See== *Avenido Revolucion in the /Zona Centro | Zona Centro - the main tourist area. *Bullfights - Tijuana has two bullrings, which are open during the summer months. ==Do== Tijuana is on the ocean, but is not known for its beaches, for boating, or as a seaside resort. However, it is in cabbing distance of Rosarito - the trip will cost about $20, while Mexicoach will bus you there for around $2. Ensenada is further down the coast but easily accessible by car or bus. ==Buy== There are disappointingly few bargains to be had in Tijuana. Silver and leather products are allegedly cheaper than in the US. Souvenir shops abound. ==Eat== Apart from the abundant, over-priced tourist traps, local cuisine ranges from world-class restaurants to locals-only eateries and street vendors selling tacos. Food poisoning is more of a risk at the cheaper establishments, but will probably not be a concern. In many sit down restaurants, musicians will wander in and play for tip. All such musicians are extremely good. If cuisine is an important factor in your visit to Mexico, be sure to check out the smaller taco shops, where you will be able to enjoy the best carne asada tacos in the world for under thirty cents each. Also delicious are Churros made by street vendors, and the "hot dog" imitiations sold as well. ===Budget=== *'''Café La Especial''', Av. Revolucion 718, in the heart tourist district. Down the stairs in a pedestrian alley. This inexpensive restaurant is the opposite of the noisy, over-priced tourist traps that line Revolucion. Standard Mexican dishes served in a very relaxed, quite environment. Gringo-friendly, though very popular with locals. *'''La Espadaña''', Sánchez Taboada Blvd. 10813, /Zona Rio|Zona Rio. Called the best breakfast in Tijuana. Very inexpensive, but nonetheless attracts a very upscale crowd. ===Mid-range=== *'''Caesar's''', hard to miss on Revolucion in /Zona Centro|Zona Centro. Supposed birthplace of the Caesar's salad. Has all the appearance of a tourist trap but has a good reputation for quality at a good price. A whole lobster here is $20. Tijuana being what it is, Caesar's also has a strip club which is accessible through the restaurant - keep in mind if you have kids along. *'''Chiki Jai''', corner of Revolucion and 7th in /Zona Centro|Zona Centro. Unpretentious, non-touristy Basque restaurant that's been there forever. Their margaritas have a good reputation. *'''Sushi House''', /Zona Rio|Zona Rio, right by the Office Depot on Paseo de los Heroes. ===Splurge=== *'''Cien Años''', /Zona Rio|Zona Rio, on a side street off Paseo de los Heroes, across from the Mundo Divertido family fun center. Open for lunch and dinner. Very famous. Supposedly every recipe on the menu is over 100 years old (hence the name "Cien Años", one-hundred years). Some recipes supposedly date back to Aztec times. Menu includes a number of very strange items such as corn fungus, and bone marrow soup. Gringo-friendly but Spanish is useful. Restaurant is small, with beautiful decor, and a relaxing atmosphere. Prices range from moderate to expensive. *'''La Costa''', Seafood restaurant on 7th Street in /Zona Centro|Zona Centro, around the corner from the Mexicoach station. Expensive but excellent dishes. ==Drink== It is wrong to visit Tijuana without drinking tequila, perhaps in a margarita. ==Sleep== ===Budget=== ===Mid-range=== ===Splurge=== ==Contact== ==Stay safe== Though Tijuana has a bad reputation, the reality is it is safer than many large cities in the US. Nonetheless many scams and street crimes do occur, especially against tourists. *Police shakedowns - Surprisingly, this is probably the most likely crime you will encounter. Tijuana police are very poorly paid and supplement their incomes by robbing tourists. This is often done under the pretense of making an arrest, then accepting payment for the fine. Police will often stop people at random and search them, returning their wallets with somewhat fewer bills than before. If they find an ATM card they may take you to an ATM machine and force you to withdraw money. Sometimes they will plant drugs and threaten to arrest you for possession. If you appear drunk - even by doing something as innocuous as tripping on the sidewalk - the police may try to nail you with a drunk and disorderly charge. Police often kidnap tourists into the police van, and drive them around until they agree to pay; often there is a Mexican criminal in the van who happens to speak English, and who recommends paying off the cops. This person is an accomplice of the police. The word is, if you have done nothing wrong, keep refusing to pay and they will eventually let you go. When issuing tickets, police sometimes lie and say you will have to go see the judge, but if you just pay him that won't be necessary; the reality is, for common tickets no visit to the judge will be neceesary and you can pay the fine by mail. *Theft - Pickpockets are common. If you find yourself being swarmed by small children who want to sell you something, there's a good chance that one of the is rifling through your pockets. This is likely to happen even in the middle of the tourist zone. Elsewhere, tourists walking alone might be jumped from behind and put into a chokehold. Walking in the street rather than the sidewalk is a wise precaution. *Drug-dealer informants - In many bars and on the street, it is common to be offered illegal narcotic drugs for sale. Some of these peddlers work with the police. They sell someone the drugs, then tell the police that person is carrying. The police shake the person down for cash, and confiscate the drugs, which they presumably return to the original peddler, who goes looking for another victim. *The $20 switch - very common scam. You by a beer and give the waiter $20, he brings you back change for a $10, hoping you are too drunk or it is too dark to notice. Sometimes the waiter will palm the $20 and show you a $1, claiming that's what you gave him. *Donkey shows - There are many strip clubs on Revolucion. As you walk down the street barkers try to entice you to come in. *Prescription drugs - Though your prescription drugs may be much cheaper here, carrying large quantities or carrying them without your prescription can land you many ''years'' in a Mexican prison. ==Cope== ==External links== [http://hungryhiker-tj.com Hungry Hiker] - useful restaurant review site First page | Prev | Next | Last page |
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