Going To Tijuana For The First Time

So you wanna go to Mexico, but let us guess, you have a few concerns right? We’ll start by saying there really isn’t much to worry about as long as you hone in on your street smarts and follow these few simple guidelines and tips! Before you know it you’ll be enjoying some of the freshest tacos of life, eating corn on a stick and owning the streets just like Nacho Libre.

1. Driving vs. taking a bus vs. walking across the border:

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After checking the most recent Mexico travel warnings, read this constantly-updated link that explains all the details for the various transportation options. We decided to keep things as simple as possible and walk across the border, which literally took ZERO planning. We drove the I-5 South to the last US exit at San Ysidro, parked at the first Border Station on the right ($7 for the day), walked across the new, extremely convenient, pedestrian bridge (there’s also a free shuttle from the Border Station lot), went straight through the giant turn stiles, got our Passports stamped and holy guacamole, we were in!

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There was a ton of free street parking on the US side of the Port of Entry, and generally we’re all about our free parking, but something about leaving our “home” parked on the side of the road in this particular instance just didn’t feel 100% safe. Now you can try it, but when you can pay $7 for peace of mind, we say why not budget it in. Here was our first view of the city upon arriving to TJ:

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2. How’s the traffic?

We experienced absolutely no traffic driving into San Ysidro around 9am, but it’s important to mention the fact that there was A TON of traffic amongst the cars driving out of TJ into San Diego and vice versa in the evening. You’ll definitely need to keep this in mind and factor it into your schedule if you decide to drive as traffic was NOT going anywhere fast. Fun fact: Apparently those “traffic churros” are THE BOMB.

We were told that a lot of US citizens live in TJ, where they pay $250/month for rent vs. $3k for the same type of place in SD. Because of this many people commute to work and/or school in the US, where they will make tons more money and get a much better education, all while spending a jaw-dropping minimum on living expenses.

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3. Dress “normal.”

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Think neutral colors, t-shirt, jeans, shorts if you have to, but bring pants for the evening (especially if you’re a woman). Close-toed shoes are a must as it’s a bit dirty and you’ll be doing a lot of walking, wear no jewelry, bring a hat and a small backpack is ideal, but a simple, non-designer, shoulder bag would be fine too. We had absolutely no problems and felt safe the entire time, but we did all the above, so it’s not to say you can’t wear pink and be OK, but again, we all have a grey T, or something of the sort, lying around somewhere, and Mexico has enough color to go around:

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4. ORANGE Libre Taxis are the best way to get around town, they have meters and are cheaper than the yellow cabs, they also have Uber now!

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Read this article, know where you wanna go and negotiate the price before getting in (fare includes tip). We walked EVERYWHERE but if we had stayed past dark we would have definitely resorted to taxis.

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5. Food, water, Viagra Soup?! and Dentists (yes, Dentists) are super cheap and readily available around every corner in downtown TJ.

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Tijuana is known across the world as the most notorious city in Mexico (very interesting article here). Infamous for its cheap pharmaceuticals, 24/7 trouble making and loose laws, it’s important to know that it IS possible to leave the city with nothing but fond memories, a smile on your face and maybe a sombrero… and maybe a taco in your back pocket for the walk home:

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Delicious Fact: Fresh, handmade popsicles (below) are $1, DO IT. Can’t decide what flavor? Get Pistachio, we were told it’s the bomb, and it was.

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6. Street tacos are where it’s at.

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$2 tacos EVERYWHERE. Don’t settle for a place that doesn’t hand-make their corn tortillas on the spot, and definitely don’t fall for the people trying to lure you into the restaurants on Avenida Revolucion. That beautiful taco trio above is from one of THE BEST taco trucks in Mexico (now SoCal too). A fave of Andrew Zimmerman, Mariscos Ruben Food Truck has been on the corner of 8th and Quintana Roo, where downtown meets Zona Rio, since 1990, serving up some the most deliciously fresh and BIZARRE seafood tacos in the country.

Drew ordered Marlin and shrimp tacos, but beware, they come real spicy already, so proceed with caution before dousing them in the tempting array of 20+ hot sauces lined up on the counter.

Vegetarian? Order a bowl of “arroz con vegetales,” rice and veggies, Mirta will happily whip this up for you 🙂

7.Don’t want to think too hard but you want to have a loco time? Sign up for one (or more) of THE BEST tours in Tijuana (lead by a former US journalist) with Turista Libre.

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8. Maybe organized tours aren’t exactly your thing, we get it, we didn’t do one either. So, here are some additional ideas and recommendations for your first time in Tijuana:

After crossing the border, ándale, ándale! you’ll want to walk to your right. If you’re on foot, buy the first taco/popsicle you see and continue walking for about 10 minutes until you reach Avenida Revolucion in downtown TJ:

Here’s where you’ll find an abundance of Dentists, Mexican blankets, wrestling masks, shoe-shining stalls, pushy restauranteurs, zebras (aka. white donkeys painted with black stripes) and trinkets galore. If you find something you like, shop around, you’ll probably find it for less a few doors down:

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Tip: Bring a ton of $1’s and $5’s, that way you can negotiate and avoid credit card fees.

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Fun Fact: Did you know THE Ceasar Salad was invented in Tijuana?! You can try the ORIGINAL Cardini masterpiece for yourself at Ceasar’s, a famous landmark since 1927.

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Another cool spot to visit is the Tijuana Cultural Center. This gem features various art and history exhibits, as well as a sphere shaped IMAX theatre with tickets at, get this, $2.50 a pop!

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And depending on the time of year you’re visiting, definitely check out what sporting events are taking place. We visited during bullfighting season (not our thing), but we were told the Lucha Libre wrestling matches are not to be missed.

We loved this trip mostly for the endless photos ops, the fascinating people watching and the rare opportunity to be able to literally walk from our home country into a drastically different, immediate cultural whirlwind of unique sites, tastes and sounds. So, GO TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. You don’t want to pass up the chance to experience the one and only “Gateway to Mexico.”