These northern states showcase the lesser-known side of Mexico, offering unforgettable adventures through stunning natural wonders, vibrant culture, and rich history.

Sonora is a vast northern region of arid beauty, offering a striking contrast between its expansive deserts and coastal area, where travelers can explore everything from massive dunes to stunning, serene beaches.

• Gran Desierto de Altar
• Pinacate Biosphere Reserve
• Sea of Cortez Coastline

Chihuahua is renowned for its vast desert landscapes and rugged mountain ranges, a stunning natural wonder offering adventurous travelers amazing scenic views, hiking trails, and the famous Chepe train journey.

• Copper Canyon (Barranca del Cobre)
• Sierra Tarahumara
• Paquimé Archaeological Zone

Coahuila is a diverse region known for its vast deserts, unique ecosystems, and historic mining towns such as Parras de la Fuente and Real de Catorce, where visitors can explore vineyards, mystical landscapes, and rich history.

• Cuatro Ciénegas Biosphere Reserve
• Real de Catorce
• Parras de la Fuente

Nuevo León is a state renowned for its rugged Sierra Madre Oriental mountains, offering vibrant outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, and exploring natural wonders and the scenic Cola de Caballo waterfall.

• Cumbres de Monterrey National Park
• Cola de Caballo Waterfall
• Chipinque Ecological Park

Tamaulipas invites outdoor enthusiasts to explore its remarkable natural diversity, stunning coastal wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico, lush subtropical forests, and rugged mountain ranges in the Sierra Madre Oriental.

• El Cielo Biosphere Reserve
• Playa Miramar
• Soto la Marina River

Sinaloa offers a captivating blend of coastal beauty and rich cultural heritage, with its stunning beaches along the Pacific Ocean, lush valleys, vibrant cities, delicious cuisine, lively music scene, and deep-rooted traditions.

• Mazatlán
• Las Labradas
• El Fuerte

Durango boasts a striking blend of deserts, majestic mountains, and lush forests that have graced numerous films. This diverse terrain offers hiking, rock climbing, and exploring nowadays abandoned mining towns.

• Zona del Silencio
• Sierra Madre Occidental
• Old West Film Sets

Baja California is renowned for its stunning desert landscapes and breathtaking coastal beauty. This dynamic region offers a unique blend of all kinds of outdoor adventures, rich cultural experiences, and delicious cuisine.

• Valle de Guadalupe
• Ensenada
• Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park

Baja California Sur is known for its beaches, marine life, and landscapes where the desert meets the ocean. The region offers snorkeling, whale watching, and hiking, alongside opportunities to relax on its sandy shores.

• Cabo San Lucas
• La Paz
• Loreto

Plan your trip now and explore the hidden gems of Northern Mexico!

Morelos Park

Morelos Park on Insurgentes Boulevard in Tijuana.

This park is named after the priest and patriot José María Morelos, a hero of Mexican Independence. This beautiful place of trees, green areas, and water offers the possibility of playing outdoors, taking a boat ride on the lake, or on your child’s train.

You can rent a grill and prepare your own barbecue or eat in the restaurant.
The park also has a small zoo where you will see several native species of Mexico.

Teniente Guerrero park

In the heart of Tijuana, there is a first-hand place to take a break from the hectic activity of the city: the Teniente Guerrero Park. Sitting on one of its benches, under a lush tree, you can review your options for lunch or plan your next walks.

Tijuana chess fans made their sanctuary in this place, so if you are a chess fan, you can play a game or just watch.

The Friendship Park

Friendship Park is a half-acre binational park located along the US-Mexico border in the Tijuana region. This park includes the border fence dividing the two countries where residents of both countries can meet in person.

It has grills, a bicycle track, and areas for children’s games, one of them for disabled children.
During the weekends there are open-air theater performances.

The Alamar Forest

The Alamar Forest is a riparian zone – an area at the interface between soil and freshwater – bathed by a small stream also called Alamar. It is one of the main concerns of Tijuana ecologists due to the deterioration it has experienced in recent years.

The wave of so-called “medical tourism” has been so great in recent years that Tijuana in 2018 received around 1.2 million patients who came seeking health treatment.

Medical tourism has always existed in Tijuana, but not to the extent that it is experiencing last few years. It is an industry that is not new, but that is in great expansion, and Tijuana is undergoing a transformation, with new hospitals and clinics.

Tijuana today has advanced technology in the medical field and experience with specialists.

The low costs of consultations, procedures, drugs, and surgeries – prices between 30% and 70% less compared to the USA, make Tijuana prosper as a great health center.

When walking through the streets of Tijuana it is almost impossible not to come across eye-catching signs – mostly in English – that invite passersby to visit a doctor.

In general, the offices in the center of Tijuana are of dentists, but in this area and in the Rio commercial zone there are also large advertisements for hospitals and pharmacies that offer their services for all kinds of medical procedures.

Since the mid-20th century, Americans have crossed the border into Tijuana to obtain low-cost health treatments as well as “alternative therapies”.

The advantage of Tijuana’s geographical location goes hand in hand with the development of technology, the supply of infrastructure -hospitals and clinics- and the expertise of specialists. Because of the USA-Mexico proximity, the medical tourism industry in Tijuana is booming.

Between this city and neighboring Mexicali – also on the US border – there are about 40,000 medical consultations every month, according to numbers from the Baja California Health Services Cluster.

According to the Health Services Cluster, each day in Tijuana 350 plastic surgeries and 80 bariatric surgeries are performed (to control obesity) and dentists in Tijuana offer services like dental implants and veneers for 70% less than their colleagues in the US.

The number of procedures and the number of consultations is so high, and the experience is so good in 90% or more of the patients, that it is a very great light of attraction to come to have procedures here.

Even the Mexican and US authorities established a “medical lane” for the passage of patients and their families at a border where the crossing by car can take between two and four hours, on average.

Baja California offers an array of diverse attractions and activities for travelers seeking both cultural experiences and outdoor adventures. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the must-visit tourist spots along the way.

Tijuana: Gateway to Baja California

Tijuana is a diverse city that beckons travelers to explore its unique blend of cultures.

As you journey along Baja California’s stunning coastline, make a stop in Tijuana to experience its lively atmosphere, savor delicious street food, and discover a rich tapestry of art and entertainment.

From the bustling Avenida Revolución to the tranquil beaches, Tijuana offers a taste of Mexico like no other, making it an essential destination on your Baja California adventure.

Rosarito Beach: Surf and Sun

As you continue your journey along the enchanting Baja California coastline, don’t miss the picturesque town of Rosarito. This coastal gem is known for its stunning beaches, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the sunsets.

Rosarito also boasts a lively scene with vibrant bars, delicious seafood eateries,

The town has a friendly atmosphere that welcomes travelers. Whether you’re seeking tranquility by the ocean or a taste of Baja’s famous lobster dishes, Rosarito promises a memorable stop on your Baja California adventure.

San Quintín Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Birdwatching and wetlands

San Quintín Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a hidden gem for nature enthusiasts. This pristine sanctuary is a haven for birdwatchers and wildlife lovers, offering a tranquil escape into a wetland wonderland.

Explore the serene waters, salt flats, and marshes while observing an array of bird species in their natural habitat.

Whether you’re an avid birder or simply seek solace in nature, a visit to the San Quintín Bay National Wildlife Refuge promises a peaceful retreat, adding a touch of natural wonder to your Baja California journey.

Cataviña Desert: Unique desert landscapes

Venturing deeper into the Baja California landscape, the Cataviña Desert awaits with its surreal and unique beauty. This otherworldly desert is a tapestry of gigantic granite boulders, cacti, and arid landscapes that appear straight out of a science fiction movie.

Explore the rocky terrain, hike among the towering cacti, and be mesmerized by the natural sculptures created by wind and time.

Cataviña Desert offers a stark contrast to the coastal areas, making it a must-visit for adventurers seeking the wonders of the Baja California desert, adding a touch of rugged wilderness to your Baja California journey.

Valle de Guadalupe: Wine country delights

Be sure to savor the region’s world-class wines in Valle de Guadalupe.

This picturesque wine region boasts rolling vineyards, boutique wineries, and farm-to-table cuisine. Valle de Guadalupe offers a delightful wine-tasting experience amidst the landscapes of Baja California.

Valle de Guadalupe is a must-visit destination on your Baja California journey.

Ensenada: Natural wonders and wine

Ensenada, a coastal treasure along the Baja California route, beckons with its blend of natural beauty and cultural charm. This bustling port city boasts breathtaking ocean views, world-class wineries, and a lively waterfront scene.

Visit the bustling fish market, ample fresh ceviche, and famous street tacos. With its rich history and vibrant atmosphere, Ensenada is a must-visit destination for travelers along the Baja California coast, offering a taste of Mexico’s coastal delights.

El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve: Wildlife and scenic landscapes

Discover the breathtaking beauty and rich biodiversity of the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve.

This is a true natural wonder along the Baja California Peninsula. This vast and protected reserve encompasses a diverse range of ecosystems, from lush desert landscapes to pristine coastal areas.

It’s home to iconic species like the endangered gray whale and native desert wildlife. Explore the scenic beauty of the reserve, embark on whale-watching adventures, and immerse yourself in the unique flora and fauna that thrive in this pristine environment.

El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve promises a remarkable journey into the heart of Baja California’s untamed wilderness, making it an essential stop on your Baja California adventure.

San Ignacio Lagoon: Whale watching (seasonal)

Hidden away in the heart of Baja California, San Ignacio Lagoon is a serene oasis that captivates travelers with its untouched beauty. This remote lagoon is a sanctuary for wildlife, particularly the majestic gray whales that visit its tranquil waters.

Explore the serene surroundings by kayak or take a boat tour to get up close to these gentle giants.

With its pristine landscapes and the chance to witness incredible marine life, San Ignacio Lagoon is a nature lover’s dream and an unforgettable stop on your Baja California journey.

Bahía Concepción (Mulegé)

Mulegé, a hidden gem along the Baja California Peninsula, beckons travelers with its unspoiled natural beauty and relaxed charm. This picturesque town offers stunning beaches, historic missions, and a peaceful atmosphere that invites relaxation.

Explore the palm-lined streets, visit the historic Mission Santa Rosalía de Mulegé, and soak in the sun on Mulegé’s pristine beaches. With its laid-back vibe and scenic landscapes, Mulegé is a true oasis for those seeking an authentic Baja California experience.

Loreto: History and culture

Loreto is a coastal town, that enchants travelers with its rich history and natural wonders.

The town boasts beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and a vibrant marine life that beckons snorkelers and divers. Visit its historic town center, visit the centuries-old Mission of Our Lady of Loreto, and savor delicious seafood cuisine.

Loreto’s tranquil ambiance and outdoor adventures make it a perfect stop on your Baja California journey.

Todos Santos: Charming art town

Todos Santos offers travelers a unique blend of culture and coastal beauty. Known for its vibrant arts scene, this charming town boasts colorful galleries, boutique shops, and a creative atmosphere that’s sure to inspire.

Walk through the historic streets, admire the iconic Hotel California, and savor farm-to-table cuisine at charming restaurants. With its artistic spirit and breathtaking beaches, Todos Santos is a must-visit destination.

Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park: Hiking paradise

Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park, nestled in the heart of Baja California, is a pristine wilderness waiting to be explored. This natural wonderland is home to rugged mountains, lush pine forests, and a diverse range of flora and fauna.

Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities for hiking, camping, and stargazing in this protected area. The park’s high-altitude location provides some of the clearest skies for astronomy, making it a mecca for stargazers.

Whether you’re seeking adventure in the great outdoors or a glimpse of the cosmos, Sierra de San Pedro Mártir National Park offers a breathtaking escape in the heart of Baja California.

La Paz: Island adventures

La Paz, a tranquil oasis on the Baja California Peninsula, invites travelers to discover a harmonious blend of natural beauty and laid-back charm. The town boasts pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and rich marine life.

Dive into vibrant coral reefs, swim with whale sharks, or simply relax on the shores of the Sea of Cortez. Beyond its stunning coastline, La Paz offers a welcoming atmosphere, with a vibrant boardwalk, and delightful seafood cuisine.

Whether you seek adventure or serenity, La Paz promises an unforgettable escape in the heart of Baja California.

Espíritu Santo Island: Marine conservation and snorkeling

Sea of Cortez, Espíritu Santo Island stands as a pristine marine oasis, beckoning explorers with its unspoiled beauty. This protected island is a haven for marine life, featuring crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs, and playful sea lions.

Embark on snorkeling or diving adventures to witness the mesmerizing underwater world, or paddle along its rugged coastline to discover hidden coves and white-sand beaches.

Espíritu Santo Island offers a serene escape amidst nature’s wonders, making it an unforgettable destination on your Baja California journey, where the call of the wild meets the tranquility of the sea.

Cabo San Lucas: Beaches and nightlife

Cabo San Lucas is a world-renowned destination at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. This destination beckons travelers with its blend of natural wonders and vibrant nightlife.

This coastal paradise boasts stunning beaches, including the iconic Playa del Amor and El Arco, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez. Adventure-seekers can go sport fishing, snorkeling, or take a thrilling ATV ride through the desert.

In the evenings, Cabo San Lucas comes alive with a bustling restaurant scene, lively bars, and unforgettable sunsets.

The island is extremely dry, with no sources of freshwater other than washes following rainfall. It has an area of 931 sq km and a chain of mountains runs along its 69 km length, reaching a maximum of 1,300 m above sea level. It runs northwest to southeast.

The west coast is roughly straight in that direction, but the east coast runs inward near the middle before heading outward until it reaches the island’s widest point. The coast then runs south for a while before finally returning to its southeasterly direction.

Much of the island is inaccessible due to mountains at or near the shore, especially on the west coast. There are a few flat areas on the coast at the outlets of washes that were created by sediment.

These alluvial fans are mostly on the east coast, but a large one is found on the west coast where the island narrows in the middle. Much of the island’s geology is made up of volcanic and alluvial sand deposits.

Despite its extreme dryness, the island is relatively diverse in plant and animal life. There are many types of birds and reptiles, especially lizards. The Angel Island speckled rattlesnake and Angel Island mouse occur only on the island.

The only mammals are bats, rodents, and introduced feral cats. Plants include cacti, grasses, shrubs, succulents, and boojums.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Temperatures in San Felipe average approximately 24 °C year-round.
San Felipe is located in a unique ecosystem, where the desert meets the sea.
Temperatures range from a nocturnal winter low of 4 °C (39 °F) to 46 °C (115 °F) in the shade during July and August.

The first European to arrive in the Baja California Peninsula was Hernán Cortés on May 3, 1535. The history of San Felipe began later with the expeditions of Francisco de Ulloa, one of Cortés’s captains who navigated the bay in September 1535. In 1536, Hernando de Alarcón and Domingo Castillo explored the region and made the first detailed map of the peninsula, giving San Felipe its original name, Santa Catalina.

After the first expeditions were long forgotten, Father Eusebio Kino rediscovered the Baja California peninsula in 1701. Juan de Ugarte later built the first ship in Baja California and explored the area, arriving in San Felipe on July 5, 1721. Twenty-five years later Father Ferdinand Konščak arrived and christened the bay San Felipe de Jesús. In 1766, Wenceslaus Linck was the first person to reach San Felipe by land, and in 1794 the Lt. Governor of the Californias, José Joaquín de Arrillaga, began to use it as a port. He also established the land route between San Felipe and Ensenada through Valle de la Trinidad.

It was not until 1925, during the administration of General Abelardo L. Rodríguez, territorial governor, that San Felipe began to incorporate, when the first fishing camps were established and the government organized the first sub-delegation and school. Octavio Vega Ruiz was appointed sub-delegate and the basis for the growth and development of San Felipe were established during his administration from 1926 to 1942.

The sea transportation of both people and cargo also contributed to the integration of San Felipe as a township. Among the most celebrated ships of the era were José Ascolani’s Trieste, and Pacita and Río Colorado, owned by Arnulfo Liera. By the end of the 1920s, San Felipe had nearly 100 permanent inhabitants, and in 1940 appeared for the first time in the census with 287 inhabitants.

By 1947, the Compañía Industrial del Golfo de Cortés, owned by José María Rodríguez Luján, bought the land from Guillermo Andrade’s estate to build an international tourist center. The Mexicali-San Felipe highway began paving in 1948 and was completed in 1951. At the same time, the 15-room Hotel Augies (later the Villa del Mar, Trucha Vagabunda and Las Palmas Inn) opened. In 1959, the motel El Cortés was opened to the public.

Many new hotels were established in the 1960s, including Hotel Riviera, El Pescador, Arnold’s del Mar and Arco Iris, and the tourist camps of Costa Azul, Las Arenas, Miramar, Playa Bonita, Playa de Laura, and Rubén’s. The port had electricity by 1963 and piped drinking water by 1967. The 1970s saw the establishment of the government building, restaurants, bars, gas stations, a small boat anchorage, airport, sea walk, main boulevard and sewage system, as well as the first four-star hotel, the Playas de San Felipe, followed by the Fiesta Hotel. The La Hacienda opened in the 1980s; the Marina Resort and Spa in 1993.

Currently, San Felipe’s income depends (in descending order of importance) upon tourism, shrimping and fishing.

The natural reserve of the thousand-year-old Cardon Cactus has become a major attraction after the transport of one of these giant specimens to Seville, Spain for Seville Expo in 1992.

The area has also become a favorite spot for photographers worldwide.

Local environmentalists are lobbying for the protection of the valley in the form of a Nature Reserve.

The entrance to the park is located at 30.8771944°N 114.7407916°W.

San Felipe was a popular spring break spot for residents of the Western U.S. states and northern Mexico, due to its many tourist attractions. Nightclubs and bars dot the beach areas. Some visitors enjoy camping on the beaches or off-roading on ATVs and dirt bikes in the adjacent desert.

Several hotels, ranches, camp sites and RV parks in or near the town boast volleyball, tennis, pools, bathing areas and fishing. In 2005, San Felipe’s first golf course, Las Caras de Mexico, opened to the public. This oceanside golf course is located at La Ventana del Mar.

Other popular activities are off-road racing events such as the Baja 250 and San Felipe 250, the former a spin-off from the popular Baja 1000 international race organized by SCORE and the latter hosted by CODE, an off-road racing organization based in Mexicali. In 2007 the SCORE race was changed to Ensenada due to a disagreement between the local ejidos, but the issues were resolved and returned to San Felipe in 2008 and has been held there since. Currently, CODE holds two races in the San Felipe Desert: the CODE San Felipe 200 in April and the CODE Race Ready 275 in December; the first is a loop around the deserts of San Felipe, while the other is a one-way race from Mexicali to San Felipe at the end of the season.

Another visitor attraction are the hot, sulfurous, geothermal springs at Puertecitos on the Sea of Cortez, cooled somewhat by sea water.

In recent years, San Felipe locals and tourists have enjoyed a new activity, Carnaval. It is often referred to as a Mexican Mardi Gras but the name is an exaggeration, since the locale is smaller than in other Mexican carnivals.

New to the San Felipe Calendar of Events is the International Blues & Arts Fiesta, a San Felipe Lions Club fundraiser held the last Saturday in March.

One of the lesser known sightseeing trips in San Felipe is a boat ride to Konsag Island. This is a rock, visible from the San Felipe coast line, and about an hour out to Sea. The area around the rock has lots of marine life and makes for great fishing.

Desde Tijuana, Encenada o Mejicali by bus.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

During ancient history, estimated at fourteen thousand years ago, early nomadic group arrived at the peninsula, through the Pacific Ocean shore routes, practising a subsistence economy.

There were three tribal groups perfectly defined during pre-Hispanic times: the Pericúes, Guaycuras and Cochimíes. The Pericúes inhabited the south of the peninsula and extended north, from Cabo San Lucas up to the middle of the peninsula. The Guaycuras inhabited the middle part and the Cochimíes the northern end. In parallel to the Cochimíes there were other nomad groups, such as Kumeyaay (K’miai), one of the native families that together with the Cucapá, Paipai, Kiliwa, Cahilla and Akula, occupied the northern part of Baja California. All belonged to the Yuman group.

Prehistoric natives were hunter-gatherer nomads. Over time they divided into groups, each of which acquired certain territoriality, where they roamed in search of livelihood provided by natural resources.

Among the initial settlers were the Kumeyaay, who lived from the coast to the mountains. As gatherers, they roamed their territory in search of fruits and seeds, such as acorns, pine nuts and manzanita. These continue to grow in the region and are used as medicinal plants.

The Yumans or Quechan, ancestors of regional ethnic groups (Cucapá, Kiliwa, Pai-pai and Kumeyaay) were part of migratory flows to the Baja California peninsula from the north. They occupy a very important place in the displacement process.

• The Cucapá occupied the Mexicali area and the Colorado River delta. They had an incipient agriculture with periodic floods, in addition to hunting and gathering activities.
• The Kiliwa, Pai-pai and Kumeyaay occupied the mountains and Baja California valleys.

Yuman–Cochimí is a family of languages spoken in Baja California and northern Sonora in Mexico, southern California and western Arizona in the USA.

Cochimí is now extinct. Cucapá is the Spanish name for the Cocopa. Diegueño is the Spanish name for the Ipai/Kumeyaay/Tipai, now often referred to collectively as Kumeyaay. Upland Yuman consists of several mutually intelligible dialects spoken by the politically distinct Yavapai, Hualapai and Havasupai.

Some proposals suggest that the Guaycura languages are part of the Yuman group. The Guaycura languages are a group of several languages spoken in the southern end of the peninsula, currently almost extinct. It is supposed they had some relations with Cchimí; however, there is not enough evidence to confirm this.

Another common proposal, Hokan languages hypothesis, suggests some kind of distant relationship between Yuman languages, a well identified family whose relation is certain with other California languages. While the relationship might be well founded, it is not entirely clear which languages can be considered as part of the supposed Hokan family and which can not.

The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, Kamia or formerly Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico.In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled Kumiai.

The Kumeyaay consist of two related groups, the Ipai and Tipai. The two coastal groups’ traditional homelands were approximately separated by the San Diego River: the northern Ipai (extending from Escondido to Lake Henshaw) and the southern Tipai (including the Laguna Mountains, Ensenada, and Tecate).

The meaning of the term Kumeyaay is unknown, but Ipai or Tipai both mean “people”. Some Kumeyaay in the southern areas also refer to themselves as MuttTipi, which means “people of the earth”.

Evidence of human settlement in Kumeyaay territory goes back at least 12,000 years. 7000 BCE marked the emergence of two cultural traditions: the California Coast and Valley tradition and the Desert tradition. Historic Tipai-Ipai emerged around 1000 CE; However, others say that Kumeyaay people have lived in San Diego for 12,000 years. At the time of European contact, Kumeyaay comprised several autonomous bands with 30 patrilineal, clans.

Kumeyaay people supported themselves by farming and agricultural wage labor. However, 20-year drought in the mid-20th century crippled the region’s dry farming economy.[9] For their common welfare, several reservations formed the non-profit Kumeyaay, Inc.

The Kiliwa, Pai-pai and Kumeyaay occupied the mountains and valleys of Baja California. They used coastal resources and the mountains in the interior of the State, and produced pottery and baskets. They are identified by pottery evidence found and many mortars carved on rock.

Currently, there are Kumeyaay descendants in Mexico living in the mountains. They live in San Jose in Tecate, San Jose de la Zorra and Juntas de Nejí.

Nomenclature and tribal distinctions are not widely agreed upon. The general scholarly consensus recognizes three separate languages: Ipai, Kumeyaay proper (including the Kamia) and Tipai in northern Baja California (e.g., Langdon 1990). However, this notion is not supported by speakers of the language (the actual Kumeyaay people) who contend that within their territory all Kumeyaay (Ipai/Tipai) can understand and speak to each other, at least after a brief acclimatization period. All three languages belong to the Delta–California branch of the Yuman language family, to which several other linguistically distinct but related groups also belong, including the Cocopa, Quechan, Paipai and Kiliwa.

The presence of the Kumeyaay is evidenced by various drawings in walls and ceilings of rock shelters or the exterior walls of stone blocks. These places were used as seasonal camps, lithic workshops or sea shell.

The area is characterized by a diversity of cave painting manifestations. The paintings are made on rock surfaces and are mainly found in rocky shelters. Some of them have mythic-religious meanings.

At this archaeological site more than 30 sets have been found; however only six are exhibited.

Several drawings follow the rock contour. The most common colors are red, in various shades, black and white. The pigments are of mineral origin, pulverized and mixed with some kind of brush.

At the archaeological site of El Vallecito, it is only possible to see the following sets at the moment:

El Tiburón

The “shark” is the first vestige. It is a granite rock, whose exterior resembles the head of a shark. Inside is a figure resembling a flying butterfly in black, surrounded by several mortars carved in rock.

El Solsticio or El Diablito

The “Solstice” or “El Diablito” is perhaps the most important set on the site and possibly depicts a ritual function. This shelter is part of the rock wall, has a diminutive anthropomorphic figure in red with kind of antennas in the head. It is approximately 20 cm and is associated with geometric and anthropomorphic figures in black and white.

It offers an impressive spectacle during 21 and 22 December. A sunlight ray penetrates and projects towards the eyes of the figure, illuminating the interior of the shelter for a few minutes. This phenomenon is considered a solstice marker, indicating the start of winter in the northern hemisphere and served to mark a very special date in the Kumeyaay calendar.

El Hombre Enraizado

The “rooted man” is a small set of rocks that presents two panels with white figures. In the first pane is a geometrical pattern with five lines ending in circular points. The second panel is a small hollow with an anthropomorphous figure with a trait that seems to be kind of roots or limbs hanging down. It is associated with a few small figures.

La Cueva del Indio

The “Indian cave” must have been particularly important for its residents, as it shows a lot of mortars, metates, ceramic material and lithic waste from making tools. It is a great granite dome mushroom with pictorial elements in walls and ceiling, in the north and south sides.

The north has a lot of images in red, white and black colors. The most prominent motifs are anthropomorphic figures, concentric circles, lines with rays extending all along the roof and some spots.

The south panel has predominately white motifs, very schematic human figures, some with three heads, circles and other geometric figures. The silhouettes are made with a delineation technique.

Los Solecitos or Wittinñur

In the Kumeyaay language this means “painted rock”. Like the previous, it has drawings on the walls and roof. Its meaning is not known.

El Caracol

This set of rocks harmonizes with the landscape and has an important number of red paintings.

Outstanding features are the profusion of elements in the walls and ceiling elaborated in various shades of red and black using natural rock formations. It features small suns (solecitos) made in small hollows-like figures. Part of the set stands out as a rock with more than a dozen mortars and other small depressions or dimples with possible ritual functions, showing some visual balance in the forms displayed.

Tecate was founded on October 12, 1892. It is in a valley and is surrounded by several hills and mountains, the most prominent and famous of them being Kuuchamaa (also spelled Kuchamaa and Cuchama) Mountain. Kuuchamaa Mountain, also known as Tecate Peak in the United States, is a sacred mountain for the Kumeyaay people (known in Mexico as Kumiai) people, and the Kumeyaay language is still spoken in the mountains near Tecate at Juntas de Nejí. Kuuchamaa is rich in greenery, wildflowers and birds. Tecatenses as well as tourists are often seen enjoying hikes and bike rides along its many trails. Tecate is hot and dry during the summer and cold and windy during the winter.

In 1829, the Mexican governor of Alta California José María de Echeandía granted the valley of Tecate as the 4,439 acres (1,796 ha) Rancho Tecate to Juan Bandini. In 1836 the mountain dwelling Kumeyaay with some aid from some former mission neophytes, raided and plundered the rancho. They besieged the ranch house but the men within managed to hold out until it was relieved by a force from San Diego. With his stock and horses stolen and the house burned, Bandini–like owners of other ranchos near San Diego–had to abandon the isolated rancho. Due to the continuing hostilites with the Kumeyaay, Bandini never returned, being compensated with Rancho Jurupa, in 1838.

In the late 19th century farmers and ranchers arrived in Tecate for the first time since Bandini’s failed attempt to settle there. Soon after, they discovered its plentiful natural resources and decided to settle. Its abundant water and fertile soil made Tecate the perfect site for a productive farm market. Olives, grapes and grain became Tecate’s staple crops. The industrial sector was developed simultaneously with the creation of coffee processing plants and breweries.

Well known for its traditional infrastructure and looks, Tecate remains true to its origins with its main plaza in the center of the city and its city hall and historic church within walking distance.

Tecate’s altitude of approximately 1,775 feet (541 m) above sea level and its proximity to the ocean contribute to the temperate climate. It rains enough in the area for a thick ground cover of shrubs to grow; the change from maritime to desert climates is at a higher altitude a couple hours’ drive further east. Although often boulder-strewn, much of the land to the east of the city is taken up with ejidos, or cooperative farms.

Tecate is also the name of a small river that courses through the city, and of a hamlet on the Alta California (US side) of the border, affectionately known as “Tecatito” (population around 100; ZIP code 91980).

Tecate is on a spur of Mexican Federal Highway 2 that connects Tijuana with Mexicali via the central Sierra mountains. It is on the older, two-lane, east-west road which is toll-free.

A train from Campo, California, called the Tecate Ticket, travels to Tecate on a monthly basis (currently suspended due to a tunnel fire along the route). The train is run by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum.

The city is the location of the Tecate Airport, which no longer operates due to low traffic. Instead, Tecate residents are served by nearby Tijuana International Airport (TIJ), with flights to most major Mexican cities. TIJ is closer to Tecate than Mexicali International Airport and thus used more frequently by Tecate residents.

In May, the annual Tecate-to-Ensenada bicycle race takes place, with thousands of cyclists from both sides of the border participating. July is the time for a two-week celebration in Los Encinos Park, featuring dance groups, crafts, food concessions, and exhibits.

The pamplonada, or running of the bulls, was ordinarily held in August in the 1980s and early 1990s along one of the main streets, but it was canceled because of a series of accidents and violence.

Tecate has a stadium, Manuel Ceceña, which is home to the local baseball team, the Cerveceros (“Brewers”).

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Ensenada is backed by small mountain ranges. Proximity to the Pacific and a warm Mediterranean latitude create mild year-round weather. The rainy season during the winter is short and the area is prone to prolonged droughts, which can threaten its grape harvests.

Flora and fauna

Many of the terrestrial or marine species inhabiting the surrounding the Greater Ensenada area in the Baja California islands are unique. Guadalupe Island, off the coast of the city, is one of the best places in the world for observing the great white shark.[citation needed] The island has been a wildlife sanctuary since 1975.

The city’s offshore is host to an array of aquatic mammals including the gray whale, the Guadalupe fur seal and California sea lion; terrestrial mammals include various squirrel species, otters, the ring-tailed cat, coyote, bobcat, puma, and ocelot.[citation needed]

Bird species include hawks, pelicans, roadrunners, and various waterfowl and oceangoing species.
Fish include tilapia, rainbow trout, leopard shark, and the great white shark.

Climate

The average rainfall is 280 millimetres (11 in) per year, falling mainly in the winter months. Ensenada has a mild semi-arid climate, much like the rest of northwestern Baja California. During the colder months from November to February, rainfall is scarce and temperatures average 13 °C (55 °F).

On the other hand, the warmer months from June to September are the driest, and during this time maintain an average temperature of 21 °C (70 °F). For Ensenada’s warm summer coastal location, the city’s climate is greatly affected by the offshore cold California Current.

Due to the current, the late summer and early fall seasons are typically the warmest periods for the city. Santa Ana winds – observed in much of Southern California as well – are responsible for temperature rises at any time of the year. During Santa Anas, wind direction changes and brings warm air from the interior to the coast. Snowfall is rare with the last recent one in January 2007, when the hills south of the city received small amounts of snowfall.

Similar to the rest of the Gold Coast and South Coast of California, Ensenada experiences the periodic May Gray and June Gloom marine layer effects.

Ensenada is the third largest city on the Baja California Peninsula, where most of the population lives in Ensenada, Mexicali and Tijuana.

The populace of Ensenada is cosmopolitan in composition. A reflection of the cultural dynamics involved in the city, many ethnic groups and nationalities are present. The city has developed, in part, as a retirement community for snowbirds from Canada and the United States. Young Californians seeking to escape higher costs of living, yet still be able to work in California, have obtained homes in the area.

The predominant language of the city is Spanish, though English is spoken to a degree in tourist areas and the center.

The city was founded under the name San Mateo. In 1602, while mapping the coast of the Californias in search of safe harbors for returning Spanish galleons from Manila to Acapulco, the city was renamed Ensenada de Todos Santos by Sebastián Vizcaíno. Ensenada means “bay” or “cove” in spanish.

When the first European explorers discovered the region, the Yuman Indians inhabited the region, of which tribal groups such as the Kiliwa, Paipai and Kumeyaay still exist. These semi-nomadic indigenous people lived in the bay area and interior valleys of the Sierra de Juárez and San Pedro Mártir.

Bahia Todos Santos, on which Ensenada now stands, was first reached by sea by the Portuguese explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo on the vessels El Salvador and Victoria. The city was founded September 17, 1542 under the name San Mateo. In 1602, while mapping the coast of the Californias in search of safe harbors for returning Spanish galleons from Manila to Acapulco, the city was renamed Ensenada de Todos Santos by Sebastián Vizcaíno.

The first permanent settlement was established by the Jesuits during the seventeenth or eighteenth century. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1768, the Dominicans took over the representation of Europe in what is now Ensenada. In 1805, José Manuel Ruiz Carillo obtained permission to establish himself in Ensenada, being appointed governor of Baja California and building in Ensenada a house that survived until the final part of that century, despite being briefly taken by William Walker, the self-declared “president” of the Republic of Lower California, in 1853-54.

In 1882, Ensenada was designated the capital of Baja California, and attempts at developing the area were made by the English Mexican Land and Colonization Company. These were interrupted by the Mexican Revolution, which left the area devastated. In 1915, the capital was transferred to Mexicali, and in 1930 the population of Ensenada was only 5,000. During the early part of the twentieth century, the city’s name was shortened from Ensenada de Todos Santos to Ensenada, a change made in order to avoid confusion with Todos Santos in Baja California Sur.

The twentieth-century development of Ensenada was assisted by prohibition, which sent Americans and Canadians south of their border in search of entertainment and alcohol, developing first Tijuana, then Rosarito, and finally Ensenada as tourist destinations.

The Hotel Riviera del Pacífico was opened in 1930, briefly placing Ensenada on the international glamor map and was visited several times by President Miguel Aleman, international artists and political personalities; yet unlike the Hotel del Coronado, it was never a sustained success (despite giving rise to the claim that the Margarita was invented there).

It really flourished only in the early 1950s, at which time Ensenada’s population had risen to 20,000. The hotel finally closed in 1964. It was later reopened as a cultural center and museum. By this time, other hotels had opened, and the population and economy of Ensenada had grown and diversified towards their present status.

On January 26 of 2007 Pope Benedict XVI created the Diocese of Ensenada with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Tijuana and Mexicali Diocese, making it a suffragan of the Metropolitan Church of Tijuana.

Ensenada is predominantly a mid-rise building beach city. The only high-rise building within its city limits is the Villa Marina Hotel, though new buildings and resorts in northwestern Ensenada such as Entremar, La Costa, and Viento add to the city’s skyline and form the majority of the city’s highrise buildings.

Emblematic sites representative of Ensenada such as the Civic Plaza (or Plaza of the Three Heads as commonly known to locals), containing sculptures of Mexican heroes Benito Juarez, Venustiano Carranza and Miguel Hidalgo, the enormous Mexican flag, and the Malecon boardwalk – and Naval cruise terminal are found on and near the coast of the bay. Several marinas including Ensenada Cruiseport Village, Hotel Coral & Marina, Punta Morro Resort are located on the city’s coast.

The Bajamar Oceanfront Golf Resort at Baja Mar is also located nearby to the north, and is a prominent seaside resort of Baja California.

Watersports and ocean proximity have formed an integral part of the structure of tourism and its relation to economics in the city.

Ensenada and coastal beach towns of Greater Ensenada have several renowned surfing spots, such as San Miguel Beach, California Trailer Park, Stacks and 3 M’s (Tres Emes in Spanish), which are located on the north coast of the city.

Wave faces can reach above 60 feet on the island and in 2006 Brad Gerlach, 2006 winner of Big XXL, surfed a wave of 68 feet in December 2006.

Tourists also stop in the city on their way to their destinations farther south in the municipality where spots famous for their excellent windsurfing are located.

Maritime pleasure in the city also extends to the global Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, billed as the world’s largest international sailing event, begins in Newport Beach and finishes in Ensenada.

Racing is another yearly tourists attraction; where you can enjoy the Baja 1000 and Baja 500.

Whale watching has also developed as a tourist draw in the city due to the gray whale’s annual migration from Alaska to the lagoons of Baja California Sur.

Between the months of December and March, and back in the months of April and May, whales can be seen from the coast of Ensenada.

The nearby historical mission town of Guadalupe, was revitalized from 1905 to 1910 with immigrant Spiritual Christians, mostly Pryguny from the Caucasus, South Russia. After WWII most moved to California to join more prosperous relatives, while many who remained intermarried with Mexicans and live in Ensenada and Tijuana. Two families remaining in the Guadalupe Valley opened museums, a cafe, and participate in wine tourism.

Ensenada’s diversity as a city is in part attributed to Spanish, Russian, and American influences. Spanish missionaries and Russian settlers began the growth of the wine industry in the city. Reminiscent of this time period are Russian museums in the city.

Many local wine producers offer tours and tastings. Every year during the month of August, the beginning of wine harvest season is celebrated in the Guadalupe Valley and in the city of Ensenada with a two-week-long series of cultural and culinary events, all under the title banner of Fiestas de la Vendimia (Wine Harvest Festival). This event attracts people from all over the world.

There is a street in Ensenada called “La Calle Primera” or Adolfo Lopez Mateos (“1st Street”). It’s a tourism spot in Ensenada due to its many “Curios” (short for “Curiosidades”—trinkets and souvenirs) shops, restaurants, hotels, bars, and popular clubs such as the Hussong’s Cantina, Mini Bar, Shots Factory, Lutzenkirch The Nightclub and Papas & Beer.

La Primera is a very busy street, filled with tourists and locals. La Primera is just one block away from Ventana al Mar (“Window to the Sea”), a boardwalk/seawall avenue where an enormous Mexican flag is located. The Ensenada Carnaval is one of the country’s largest, as thousands of people gather in the streets for six days and nights.

The Port of Ensenada has a large influence on the civic economy. Ensenada is home to the only deep-water port in the state of Baja California and on the Baja California Peninsula. The port is part of standard shipping routes that directly link it with the Mexican cities of La Paz, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Acapulco and Lázaro Cárdenas; the American cities of San Diego, Long Beach and Los Angeles; the Guatemalan city of Puerto Quetzal, the Chilean city of Valparaíso, the Japanese city of Yokohama, and the Chinese city of Hong Kong.

Just south of the city on Highway 1 is located the second-largest of three known major marine geysers in the world, colloquially known as La Bufadora (“The Blowhole”).

La Bufadora attracts many tourists. The street leading to the viewpoint is a commercial area where a variety of authentic Mexican arts and crafts are for sale; bartering over prices with vendors is customary. There are also seafood restaurants and street vendors selling “churros” (fried pastry with cinnamon and sugar) and other delicacies.

Todos Santos Island is a small island located west of Ensenada (about two hours by boat) and a world-famous surfing spot. Known for natural beauty and consistency, surfing spots of the region have led surfing contests such as the Billabong XXL to be held at Todos Santos Island, part of the city, several times.

The National Park Constitution of 1857 created the Sierra de Juarez and San Pedro Martir National Parks, which maintain one of the best astronomical observatories in the country.

The city is the setting of a song by Neil Diamond titled “In Ensenada” on the album Heartlight.

Lyle Lovett titled his 1996 album The Road to Ensenada as a reference to the spectacular 100 km coastal toll road between Tijuana and Ensenada.

Warren Zevon mentions Ensenada in his song Carmelita.

The Hollywood-based British actor Nigel Bruce, best remembered for his portrayal of Doctor Watson opposite Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes, was born in Ensenada in 1895 while his parents were on holiday in the city.

Ween mentions Ensenada in the song “Bananas and Blow”.

Actor Brandon Lee and his girlfriend were due to be married in Ensenada on April 17, 1993, but Lee died while filming The Crow.

In an episode of Mister Ed, Ed tries to convince his master Wilbur to take him to Ensenada on vacation and Wilbur tries to convince his wife.

The first episode of TV series Simon & Simon, “Details at Eleven,” was partially filmed in Ensenada at Ruiz Avenue.

South park episode Kenny is hit by a bus that arrives in Ensenada. When he phones home Cartman believes Kenny is calling from hell and mistakenly thinks a description of Ensenada is a description of hell.

In a 2006 episode of The O.C., Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) and Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) go to Ensenada in search of Kevin Volchok (Cam Gigandet), who committed vehicular homicide (charged as second-degree murder in California) against Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) by running Ryan’s vehicle off the road, causing it to flip over and catch on fire. Ryan wants to confront Volchok, but Seth, fearing Ryan will kill his enemy, gives him the wrong address, and Seth instead visits Volchok, advising him to turn himself in and let his father, Sandy (Peter Gallagher), negotiate a plea. Ryan and Seth are found by Sandy and Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), and the four return to Newport Beach.

Typical food in Ensenada consists of fish tacos, which originated in the city, shrimp tacos, and ceviche. These dishes are usually accompanied by avocado and salsa.

Another dish characteristic of the port city is carpaccio.

The city is known for its festivities and laid-back atmosphere, the city hosts many events including the Wine Harvest Festival (Fiestas de la Vendimia) and Ensenada Carnaval.

The Wine Harvest Festival celebrates the wine harvest season and in the city and nearby Guadalupe Valley, a series of events takes place.

The Port of Ensenada is an international deepwater port and the city’s major water port. It maintains commercial, industrial, and tourist terminals. In addition to the port, the coast around Bahia de Todos Santos is dotted with numerous marinas. In addition to the city’s port, numerous marinas including Marina Baja Fiesta, Marina Cruiseport Village, Marina Coral, and Marina Baja Naval dock pleasure craft and commercial and sport fishing vessels. In order to comply with United States cabotage laws, many cruise ships operating between Pacific ports in the U.S. call at Ensenada en route.

The city lies at a crossroads of major federal highways on the Peninsula that lead to the northern centers of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Mexicali and south to Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. The junction occurs at the meeting of Federal Highway 1 and Federal Highway 3. The main roads of the city include Bahia de La Paz and Lazaro Cardenas, northwest bound, and southeast bound roads.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

The Mexicali Valley is one of the largest and most fertile valleys in Mexico. Over fifty different crops are grown in the valley, which is similar in production to the Imperial Valley.

National and international industries have invested in Mexicali and surrounding cities to take advantage of its tax-free status given to the industry. The Mexicali Valley is a primary source of water for the region, which is the largest irrigation district in Mexico.

The nearby Cerro Prieto volcano is adjacent to the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power Station, which creates high volumes of pollutants, among them, mercury. As of 2014, the government is creating a zone of exclusion, due to the alarming amount of pollutants and contamination that has permeated throughout miles around the geothermal plant of Cerro Prieto.

Climate

Because of its low annual precipitation, Mexicali has an arid climate (BWh). Under the criteria for the Köppen climate classification, Mexicali maintains desert weather temperatures every year.

On December 12, 1932, the city experienced snowfall. Rainfall usually occurs in the winter months of December, January, and February. Although Summer is extremely dry in Mexicali, one of every two days there is an end moisture content.

In 2008, during the months of July and August, there were several heavy thunderstorms that let down large amounts of rain and hail. Summer rainfall in the city is infrequent.

During wintertime, Mexicali is affected by the snow storms that pass by the town of La Rumorosa located in the Sierra de Juárez, about 45 minutes west of the city, causing a decrement in temperature that lasts from two days to one week.

The summer temperatures in Mexicali are significantly higher than in Tijuana, the other major city in Baja California. This is caused by the temperatures in Tijuana being moderated by the ocean, but nearby inland areas such as Mexicali being significantly hotter.

However, the hot desert climate seen in Mexicali is actually not unusual for similar parallels, seen in Baghdad, Iraq for example.

Earthquakes

On October 15 of 1979, an earthquake of 6.6 ° struck the valley and urban area of ​​Mexicali.
Between February and March of 2008, more than 500 earthquakes occur in the valley and urban zone of Mexicali.
On December 30 of 2009, an earthquake of 5.9 ° hits the city and valley area.
On April 4 of 2010, an earthquake of 7.2 ° occurs in the valley area of ​​Mexicali.

The City of Mexicali has a population of almost 690,000, according to the 2010 census, while the population of the entire metropolitan area reaches almost 1 million making the city and metropolitan area the second most populous in Baja California.

The residents of Mexicali (Mexicalenses) call themselves “Cachanillas” (due to a local plant, the cachanilla, used by the Cucapah tribe to build shacks) and are from culturally diverse backgrounds, and it is among the most ethnically diverse cities in Mexico, with people from various Native American, European, African, East Asian, and Middle Eastern origins.

There is a very popular song called “Puro Cachanilla” also known as “El Cachanilla” that identifies people from Mexicali.

The city itself had a 2005 census population of 653,046, whereas the municipality’s population was 895,962. It is the 13th largest municipality in Mexico as of the Census 2005 with population estimates exceeding one million alone.

The population is constantly growing due to the number of maquiladoras in the area, lack of urban planning, and migrational aspects, like seasonal labor and the constant in-and-out flow of immigrants to the U.S. or into Mexico.

The city claimed to have the largest per capita concentration of residents of Chinese origin in Mexico, around 5,000 until 2012 when the Tijuana La Mesa District surpassed that number at 15,000 Chinese immigrants.

The Chinese immigrants came to the area as laborers for the Colorado River Land Company, an American enterprise that designed and built an extensive irrigation system in the Valley of Mexicali.

Some immigrants came from the United States, often fleeing anti-Chinese policies there, while others sailed directly from China. Thousands of Chinese were lured to the area by the promise of high wages, but that never materialized.

Since 2000, new migrants from China to Mexicali come from many of the same areas as before 1960, with perhaps 90% from Guangdong or Hong Kong.

The word Mexicali is the union of the names Mexico and California; it is said that this name was imposed in 1902 by Colonel Agustín Sanginés, then political head of the Northern District.

Although the official name is Mexicalense, the term cachanilla is common, a plant found in these lands, particularly alongside irrigation water channels.

There is also the Chicali hipocorístico to refer to the city, although its use is informal and probably a chicanismo, or part of a marginal jargon, however, is employed de facto within the cachanilla culture and had a clear example of its use in the magazine The Chicali News.

The Spaniards arrived in the area after crossing the Sonoran Desert’s “Camino del Diablo” or Devil’s Road. This led to the evangelization of the area by Catholic missionaries and also to the reduction of native populations in the region.

Nowadays, indigenous Cocopah people still inhabit a small government-protected corner of the Colorado River delta near the junction of the Hardy and Colorado. The Cocopah mostly work on agricultural ejidos or fishing.

The early European presence in this area was limited to Anza’s and subsequent Spanish expeditions across the Colorado Desert and subsequent travelers on the Sonora Road opened by them.

Also, the presence of the Jesuits attempted to establish a mission in what is now Fort Yuma. They left after a revolt by the Yuma in 1781.

After this, the Spanish had little to do with the northeastern corner of the Baja California Peninsula, perceiving it as an untamable, flood-prone desert delta. Later in the 1820s, the Mexican authorities reopened the Sonoran Road and restored peaceful relations with the Yuma People.

The Sonoran Road provided a route for American fur trappers, and later American troops of Kearny and Cooke passing through the area during the Mexican–American War.

The annexation of most of Alta California soon was followed by the California Gold Rush that saw a flood of gold seekers from Mexico on the Sonora Road, especially from Sonora, and from the United States via the Southern Emigrant Trail.

Herds of cattle and sheep have driven into California across this desert trail also.

This route became a U. S. Mail and stagecoach route in 1857 when the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Line and in 1858 Butterfield Overland Mail route passed along the Alamo and New Rivers and established stations there including its New River Station in the vicinity of a Laguna along the New River in what is now Colonia Hidalgo, Mexicali in 1858.

This mail route remained in use until 1877 when the Southern Pacific Railroad came to Yuma making it obsolete.

Late 19th century

In the mid-19th century, a geologist working for the Southern Pacific Railroad came to the delta area, discovering what the native Yumans had known for centuries: that the thick river sediment deposits made the area prime farming land.

These sediments extended far to the west of the river itself, accumulating in a shallow basin below the Sierra de Cucapá. However, from this time period until the 1880s, the area was almost completely unpopulated, mostly due to its harsh climate.

In 1888, the federal government granted a large part of northern Baja state, including Mexicali, to Guillermo Andrade, with the purpose of colonizing the area on the recently created border with the United States.

However, around 1900, the only area with any real population, aside from the Cocopah, was concentrated in Los Algodones, to the east of Mexicali.

20th century

In 1900, the U.S.-based California Development Company received permission from the government of Díaz to cut a canal through the delta’s Arroyo Alamo, to link the dry basin with the Colorado River.

To attract farmers to the area, the developers named it the “Imperial Valley”. In 1903, the first 500 farmers arrived; by late 1904, 405 km² of the valley were irrigated, with 10,000 people settled on the land harvesting cotton, fruits, and vegetables.

The concentration of small housing units that straddled the border was called Calexico on the U.S. side and Mexicali on the Mexican side.

Led by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, one company controlled 800,000 hectares of land in northern Baja California by 1905 and began to build the irrigation system for the Valley.

However, instead of using Mexican labor to dig the ditches, Chandler brought in thousands of Chinese laborers. Mexicali became culturally Chinese influenced.

The Mexican side was named Mexicali (a portmanteau composed of “Mexico” and “California”) by Coronel Agustín Sanguinéz. Initially, the area belonged to the municipality of Ensenada.

The town of Mexicali was officially created on 14 March 1903 when Manuel Vizcarra was named as the town’s first authority and Assistant Judge (juez auxiliar). On January 29, 1911, Mexicali was briefly “liberated” by the Liberal Party of Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.

Mayor Baltazar Aviléz declared the municipality of Mexicali on November 4, 1914, and called for elections to the creation of the first ayuntamiento or Municipality, which was then headed by Francisco L. Montejano.

In the 20th century, the Colorado Riverland Company, a U.S.-based company, was dedicated to renting Mexican land to farmers; however, these farmers were almost always foreigners, such as Chinese, East Indians, and Japanese.

The Mexicans were employed only as seasonal laborers. This situation led to the agrarian conflict known as the “Asalto a las Tierras” (Assault on the Lands) in 1937. in which Mexican land was taken by Mexicans.

Agricultural production continued to increase during the 20th century.

Cotton became the most important crop and it help develop the textile industry. In the early 1950s, the Mexicali Valley became the biggest cotton-producing zone in the country, and in the 1960s, production reached more than half a million parcels a year.

Currently, the Valley still is one of Mexico’s most productive agricultural regions, mostly producing wheat, cotton, and vegetables.

The city of Mexicali is one of Mexico’s most important exporters of asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green onions, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, and tomatoes to the world.

The government of the municipality was reorganized when the Baja California territory became the 29th state in 1953.

21st century

Today Mexicali is an important center for maquiladora (assembly plant) production in automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, metallurgical, and health items as well as manufacturing and exporting products to various countries.

The 2010 Baja California earthquake occurred on Easter Sunday about 60 km south-southeast of Mexicali. This very large magnitude 7.2 earthquakes occurred at 15:40:40 local time (UTC−8) according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

With a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong), it was felt in northern Baja California near the United States–Mexico border and was also felt in western cities such as Tijuana, San Diego, Los Angeles, and parts of Arizona.

Visitors from the U.S. cross by foot or by car from Calexico, United States, every day. Tourists are mainly attracted to local taco stands, restaurants, pharmacies, bars, and dance clubs.

Near the border, within walking distance, there are many shops and stalls selling Mexican curios and souvenirs.

Antiguo Edificio de la Cervecería Mexicali Este histórico edificio fue construido el 4 de julio de 1923. Aaquí fue elaborada la cerveza “Mexicali”, la más famosa de su época. El arroz era traído de Estados Unidos y la malta de Bohemia. La cerveza era tipo casera.

Construido de madera con una cubierta de concreto que daba el aspecto de granito. En el tercer piso, había un molino que trituraba el arroz a base de fuego, después era llevado a un batidor; en el mismo piso funcionaba otro molino que refinaba la malta y después de un período de cuatro meses de reposo la cerveza salía a la venta.

Antiguo Palacio de Gobierno, hoy Edificio de Rectoría de la UABC, fue onstruido durante el período del Gobernador del Territorio de Baja California en 1916, el Coronel Esteban Cantú. Su estilo arquitectónico es francés.

La construcción inició en junio de 1919 y fue terminada por José Inocente Lugo el 15 de septiembre de 1922. Fue sede del Ayuntamiento de Mexicali durante el período del Gobernador Abelardo L. Rodríguez. En 1957 pasa a ser propiedad de la UABC.

Edificio de la Colorado River Land, Co. Era el año de 1902 cuando se creó esta compañía, manejada desde la Ciudad de México y propiedad del Valle de Mexicali por casi cuatro décadas.

En 1904 se obtuvieron 185.000 pero se sembraron 400.000 hectáreas, llegando a ser uno de los más importantes productores de algodón en el mundo. Teniendo alrededor de 8000 empleados de México, China, India y Japón. En ese tiempo la producción diaria era de 25 toneladas (55.200 libras) de algodón. Fue el más importante productor de algodón en el noroeste de México.

Actualmente funciona como oficinas para diversas empresas privadas y es uno de los edificios más bellos de la ciudad.

Plaza de Toros “Calafia”

Fue inaugurada el 16 de noviembre de 1975. Tiene capacidad para 11.500 personas, es el principal escenario para las corridas de toros y eventos masivos en Mexicali. Cuenta con un ruedo que es usado también en los famosos espectáculos mexicanos llamados “charreadas” y festivales artísticos así como conciertos de reconocidos artistas nacionales y extranjeros.

Plaza de los Tres Poderes. En la explanada del Centro Cívico podemos encontrar los edificios de los tres niveles de gobierno construidos en abril de 1977, con el propósito de simplificar a las personas los trámites en la administración pública. En el centro de los edificios fue construido un monumento que representa los cuatro municipios del Estado, actualmente el Estado cuenta con un quinto municipio, Playas de Rosarito. El monumento que parece ser un cactus gigante sostiene una esfera dorada que representa el sol; este fue construido durante el período del gobernador Milton Castellanos Everardo.

Escuela Cuauhtémoc (Hoy Casa de la Cultura) Edificada en la década de los años 1920 con el auge en la Ciudad de la construcción de escuelas y edificios públicos y privados debido al inminente polo de desarrollo industrial y agrícola.

Edificio del Instituto de Bellas Artes Este edificio fue creado como Banco Agrícola Peninsular en 1927, primera institución de crédito oficial en el distrito y en el país, años más tarde este edificio sería utilizado como Instituto de Bellas Artes del Estado, se localiza en la Ave. Álvaro Obregón y Calle Pedro. F. Ramírez

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Ya con una población permanente, Mexicali vio nacer al Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe en 1917, donde se ofició por primera vez una misa de Navidad meses después de su construcción.

Hoy, ese templo casi centenario es la sede del obispado de Mexicali, en otras palabras, es la Catedral de Mexicali, y está ubicada en el corazón de su centro histórico, a un par de cuadras de la línea fronteriza.

Escuela de Artes de la UABC El edificio de la hoy escuela de artes de la UABC, construido entre 1923-1925, funcionó como Palacio Municipal de Mexicali de 1926 a 1986.

Escuela Primaria Federal Leona Vicario En 1923, se concluye la construcción de una de las edificaciones más emblemáticas de la ciudad de Mexicali. La escuela primaria federal Leona Vicario, que abrió sus puertas el 1 de abril de 1924, en un principio, sólo para niñas, aunque la demanda obligó a que sus servicios se extendieran para varones.

En 1997 fue declarada Patrimonio Cultural de la Ciudad y es la única escuela de la primera mitad del siglo XX que se mantiene operando.

Hotel del Norte Un cuarto de siglo después, se fundó el Hotel del Norte, mismo que aún continúa en operaciones. Con un estilo arquitectónico único, evitando las aristas puntiagudas, impuso una etapa en la arquitectura de Mexicali que fue seguido por otras edificaciones de la época que aún se encuentran de pie en el Centro Histórico de la Ciudad.

La Pagoda La Pagoda es un monumento ubicado en la Plaza de la Amistad en Avenida Madero y Calle Melgar, fue inaugurada por el Honorable XIV Ayuntamiento de Mexicali en el año 1995, este monumento es en honor a la gran importancia de la comunidad y cultura china en la ciudad, lleva por nombre “A Ciudades Hermanas Mexicali y Nan Jing”.

El Tecolote Este edificio se construyó debido a un incendio en “El Tecolote” ubicado en la esquina suroeste de la avenida Reforma y la calle Azueta en 1922 y el señor Mr. W.C. Allen y sus socios Beyers y Wittigton decidieron construir uno nuevo en la esquina del bulevar López Mateos y la calle Melgar en 1924, su razón social era “ABC CLUB” y posteriormente cambió a “ABW CLUB”; para los mexicalenses fue siempre “El Tecolote”.

En 1927 sufrió un incendio por lo que se reconstruyó hasta su clausura por disposición del presidente Lázaro Cárdenas en 1935. Hace poco fue restaurado y funge como una tienda de conveniencia Oxxo.

Locomotora 2703 del Ferrocarril Sonora-Baja California Ubicado entre Av. de la Industria y Nacozari, en la Colonia Nacozari frente a la Estación del Ferrocarril de Mexicali, propiedad de Ferromex.

• Teatro del Estado
• Teatro de Casa de Cultura de Mexicali
• Teatro del CREA
• Teatro Universitario de Mexicali, is mainly used for UABC ceremonies and occasionally for plays
• Teatro al Aire Libre de Rectoría which hasn´t been used in the last 30 years
• Teatro del Seguro Social was inaugurated in the 1970s
• Teatro al aire libre del Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior CETYS unveiled on September 2006
• Teatro del Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior CETYS
• IMAX Theatre at the Sol del Niño Museum
• Centro Estatal de las Artes with multiple theaters and convention centers

Galerias del Valle, holds a Walmart Supercenter, a 12-screen movie theater Cinepolis, two casinos, and a food court, plus a large array of stores that sell many items needed for daily living. It is located on Boulevard Lazaro Cardenas at Calle 11.

Museo Sol del Niño

Sol del Niño, en Mexicali, es un museo interactivo, enfocado a mostrar la explicación científica de algunos fenómenos de la naturaleza. Está enclavado en el parque Vicente Guerrero, a pocos minutos del centro histórico de la ciudad y del cruce fronterizo con Calexico, California. El edificio donde se constituye fue, muchos años antes, una despepitadora y este hecho lo liga de un modo estrecho con el origen de la ciudad.

Instituto de Investigaciones Culturales: Museo UABC El Centro de Investigaciones Culturales, el lugar está dividido en dos partes, el área de investigación y la del museo.

A grandes rasgos, el área de investigación cuenta con maestros y doctores que realizan estudios socioculturales en el estado. La parte que está abierta al público es el museo, que cuenta con 2 exposiciones, una permanente sobre los primeros pobladores del estado de Baja California. Entre ellos los cucapá, una etnia indígena que continúa luchando hasta el día de hoy.

En esa área, de exposición permanente, se cuenta con maniquís, artesanías, artefactos, entre otras cosas interesantes que despertará el interés de los niños. En la segunda es la que cambian periódicamente para el público, suele ser la carta fuerte del museo.

Centro de Desarrollo Humano Integral Centenario Este lugar no es solo un parque, es un espacio de 14 hectáreas donde por solo siete pesos que cuesta la entrada puedes disfrutar de un sinfín de actividades recreativas como lo son los deportes, siempre que se va a un sitio de estos lo primero que se piensa es que se limitan a tener canchas de basquetbol, fútbol, softball o béisbol, este no es el caso de este centro pues también tiene de fútbol rápido, americano y frontón, en todos se pueden organizar torneos.

For recreation, Mexicali has bath halls, bowling alleys, traditional cantinas, car clubs, strip clubs, movie theaters, museums, a zoo, a convention center, supermarkets, and fast food restaurants for every choice of food.

Parque Vicente Guerrero Una gran opción para pasar un rato en familia, con amigos o simplemente ir a ejercitarse un rato o meditar es el Parque Vicente Guerrero pues sin ningún costo se puede disfrutar de las áreas que tiene el lugar como lo son juegos, asadores, rampas para patinar, ir en bicicleta o simplemente correr.

El lugar lleva muchos años y es conocido por su ambiente sano y cálido. Se organizan eventos musicales o algunos talleres para niños, mujeres o adultos en general, cuentan con el vagón de la ciencia donde ponen a los niños a ejercitar la mente y pasar un rato agradable con otros niños haciendo actividades de su edad para que no se aburran mientras están afuera.

Hay varias tiendas para que puedan comer, consumir botanas o tomar algo. Afuera generalmente hay puestos para que las personas conozcan otras culturas, en algunas fechas se encuentras las personas de la región de Oaxaca que llegan a Mexicali a compartir un poco de lo que viven en su tierra como la comida, nieves, ropas, músicas, instrumentos musicales, y recuerdos para cualquier ocasión.

Se le atiende a las personas muy bien y hay espacio para poner el carro y no batallar pues la entrada está muy cerca.

Bosque y Zoológico de la Ciudad

Espaciosa área con juegos para niños, museo botánico, zoológico, cafetería, prados verdes asadores, teatro al aire libre y lago y parque acuático. Servicios y atractivos que ofrece: Áreas verdes, asadores, chapoteadero, juegos recreativos, el lago para pasear en las lanchas, un aviario, juegos infantiles, tobogán gigante, tren de vìa,jardín botánico desértico, paseo de las culturas prehispánicas, zoològico,mini zoo, sala de audiovisual, museo de historia natural, teatro al aire libre, casa del oso, palapas,, tienda de souvenirs, tirolesa, restaurante el lago, fuente de sodas, área para caminar, trotar, estacionamiento.

Además de eventos artísticos que se están presentando, Casa de la energía, tiene área de comida.

Juventud 2000 Áreas verdes, áreas para niños con capacidades diferentes, gimnasio, alberca, circuito de bicicleta, enfermería, estacionamiento, etc. Se imparten clases de diversas disciplinas deportivas.

Estadio B’Air (Anterior Nido de las Águilas)

El estadio fue edificado en la ciudad deportiva de Mexicali, Baja California entre los años de 1972 y 1973, fue concebido como parque para la práctica del deporte a nivel aficionado. En 1975 con motivo de la incorporación de club Águilas de Mexicali se convirtió en la sede del equipo.

Ciudad Deportiva Son las instalaciones donde los deportistas de alto rendimiento llevan a cabo su entrenamiento para competencias a nivel municipal, estatal, nacional e internacional, al igual donde cualquier individuo puede gozar de las instalaciones para ejercitarse y convivir de una manera sana.

Cuanta con múltiples áreas para practicar una variedad de deportes diferentes como lo son tenis, box, tiro con arco, natación, entre otros. Cuenta con estadio de béisbol, alberca olímpica, pista de caminata y auditorio donde se juega basketball.

Está ubicada entre calles Calzada Aviación y Cuauhtémoc. La ciudad deportiva es una facilidad que ayuda a entrenar a todos los aspirantes deportistas de Mexicali, desde los equipos representativos, atletas profesionales, hasta futuros olímpicos.

Mexicali also has the Baja Prog festival, a series of progressive rock concerts that take place on four consecutive days in springtime. It is hosted by CAST, a progressive rock band from Mexicali.

Mexicali hosts Baja Prog, one of the world’s most important events in progressive rock. Since 1997, Baja Prog has been in the eyes of the world for being an event gathering the best bands of the progressive rock scene.

Fiestas del Sol

Es un evento llevado una vez al año desde 1976 en Mexicali, cuenta con eventos musicales, juegos mecánicos, área de comida, antojos, exposiciones y promociones de ventas, shows entre muchas cosas más.

Centro de espectáculos Promocasa Es un foro donde se llevan a cabo muchos eventos, desde conciertos con artistas nacionales e internacionales, así como de la Orquesta de Mexicali, también se renta para conferencias y deportes.

El box es algo que mantiene a los mexicalenses muy al tanto de este lugar pues quieren ser parte de este tipo de atracciones. Cuando se llevan a cabo las Fiestas del Sol y feria de las Fiestas del Sol, el palenque abre sus puertas para recibir el Torneo de Gallos y espectáculos musicales.

Mexicali hosts four main shopping malls, the most visited being Plaza La Cachanilla, located a mile away from the US border. The mall hosts a variety of shops, which sell a wide array of items, ranging from cheap Mexican curios to expensive imports.

The Plaza La Cachanilla also represents a common place for people to socialize, especially during Summer days when the weather reaches high temperatures, many families come and spend the day inside the air-conditioned mall.

Land

Mexicali is located at a Junction of major interstates and federal highways.

These include Interstate 8, leading from San Diego to the Arizona Sun Corridor where the cities of Phoenix and Tucson dominate, Federal Highway 2, which leads east to San Luis Río Colorado and west to Tijuana, and Federal Highway 5 connecting San Felipe with Mexicali.

Other roads lead southwest to Ensenada or north to the Imperial Valley.

The road system in the city of Mexicali and its conurbation is very complex. Over the urban area, long boulevards are traversed from one end of which most are 6 lanes with a median of 2 lanes.

The backbone of the city is Lazaro Cardenas Boulevard extending from east to west. This boulevard is 24.5 km long and consists of 6 lanes (3 in each direction), a shoulder in each direction, and ridges of 3 lanes creating a wingspan of 50 meters.

In certain sections, the boulevard is made of 8 to 10 lanes. Other important boulevards include Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Benito Juárez, Anáhuac, Justo Sierra, Venustiano Carranza, Manuel Gómez Morin, Francisco L. Montejano, Cetys, Héctor Terán Terán, Independencia and Heroico Colegio Militar, among others.

There are two corridors within the city: the New River Ecological Corridor, which is guided in the ancient New River bed, and the Palaco Industrial Corridor, which crosses the southern Industrial zone of Mexicali.

There is also the beltway, located in the east of the city, connecting Lazaro Cardenas Blvd. with Islas Agrarias Blvd. and the road to Colonia Abasolo, and this in turn with the Airport Road.

Within the urban area, there are vehicular bridges, like the Lázaro Cárdenas-Benito Juárez Blvds. underpass, Héctor Terán Terán-San Felipe Hwy underpass, Adolfo López Mateos-Independencia Bridge, and Lázaro Cárdenas-Adolfo Lopez Mateos Distributor.

The latter has a 15-m high bridge which makes it the highest in northwestern Mexico. It was also designed with first-world seismic technology, and would withstand earthquakes of similar intensity as the one that occurred on April 4, 2010.

On 6 January 2011 at a press conference, the city of Mexicali, led by Francisco José Pérez-Tejada Padilla, along with the state governor José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, unveiled the modernized Palaco Industrial Corridor.

This project would have been the largest and most expensive in the history of road infrastructure in Mexicali with an initial investment of 285 million pesos and 546 million more for the installation of the Express Line 1 (Fast Transportation bus line), with a total investment of 831 million pesos.

The new Palaco Industrial Corridor began construction in March 2011, with 6 lanes and berms at the edges that included two additional lanes to service the BRT. Its opening was planned for Wednesday, March 14, 2012.

However, the project sits unable to be used since the Chief Architect for the project, who is the brother of the City Mayor, mismeasured the lanes on which the buses were to travel on, which ended up being more narrow than needed, rendering the whole project useless.

Nobody knows where the tonnes of unused cement lay and what was done with it and the money was never spent.

Metropolitan transit

In the past 10 years, the public transport system has improved with the implementation of modern units. Currently, there are over 40 routes across the city and its urban area, where companies like Atusa Plus, Getusmex, among others, offer this service.

The fees for bus service marked by the Municipal Transportation System are:

Modern service unit with A/C: 13.00 pesos, although they change the amount in units which have no Air Conditioning on.

Standard service unit without A/C: 6.50 pesos

Air

The city is linked to other Mexican cities by the Mexicali International Airport, which serves the city and the surrounding towns.

Sea

The proposed canal linking the Gulf of California with Mexicali, by way of Laguna Salada, would provide sea transportation to and from the Gulf from other important west coast cities and regional inland centers such as San Diego, Ensenada, and Phoenix.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700

Tijuana is the westernmost city in Mexico. Located about 210 kilometers west of the state capital, Mexicali, the city is bordered to the north by the cities of Imperial Beach, and the San Diego neighborhoods of San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, California.

To the southwest of the city is Rosarito Beach, while to the south is the unincorporated territory of Tijuana Municipality.

The city is nestled among hills, canyons, and gullies. The central part of the city lies in a valley through which flows the channeled Tijuana River.

Housing development in the Tijuana Hills has led to the eradication of many seasonal mountain streams. This lack of natural drainage makes places within the city vulnerable to landslides during the rainy season.

The varied terrain of Tijuana gives the city elevation extremes that range from sea level to 790 meters.

Tijuana is noted for its rough terrain, which includes many canyons, steep hills, and mesas. Among noted canyons in Tijuana are Canyon K and Canyon Johnson.

Large Tijuana hills include Red Hill (Cerro Colorado) and Hill of the Bees (Cerro de las Abejas) in the eastern part of the city.

The city is located near the terminus of the Tijuana River and within the Tijuana River Basin. The Tijuana River is an intermittent river, 195 km long, on the Pacific coast of northern Baja California in Mexico and Southern California in the United States.

It drains an arid area along the California–Baja California border, flowing through Mexico for most of its course and then crossing the border for the last 8 km (5 mi) of its course where it forms an estuary that empties into the ocean.

The river’s lower reaches harbor the last undeveloped coastal wetlands in San Diego County, and some of the last in Southern California, amidst a highly urbanized environment at the southern city limits of Imperial Beach.

As Downtown Tijuana was built at the bottom of the river valley, the district is subject to seasonal flooding created by drain-off from the Tijuana Hills. During this time, east-bound portions of the Via Rapida (east-west highway) may be blocked off by the Tijuana Police due to hazardous conditions.

Climate

Tijuana’s climate is semi-arid, with about 231 mm of annual precipitation. It shows characteristics of the Mediterranean climate (Csa) found to the immediate north, with most of the annual precipitation falling in the winter (between November and March).

During the rainy season, November through March, storms originates from fronts entering the Pacific Ocean.

January is the wettest month of the year for the city and during this time a periodic event, similar to June Gloom, is observed created by the marine layer. January is the coolest month, during which temperatures average 13.6 °C.

In the city, April signifies the end of winter and the start of Santa Ana winds – observed in Southern California as well.

Though the daytime highs are generally around 20 °C, heat waves can reach up to 33 °C. The hottest months in the city, also the dry season, are August and September, during which temperatures average 22.0 °C.

Summers are by far the driest time of year since influences from the California Current and the North Pacific High suppress the formation of rainfall caused by the North American Monsoon.

As in coastal Southern California, air pollution sometimes occurs during periods of temperature inversion, especially during summer and fall, but (unlike Mexico City) is seldom severe and in recent years has lessened due to cleaner car engines.

Frost and snow are rare phenomena in the city as temperatures are usually well above freezing. Yet, in December 1967, snow fell in the city, and in January 2007 feather-light snow fell in the east of the city.

However, excessive amounts of snowfall have never been recorded in the city.

On February 14, 2008, a winter storm caused an unusual snowfall in the upper reaches of the hills of the city. During this time heavy snowfall was also observed in the Cuyamaca Mountains of San Diego County.

The record low temperature recorded in the city was −6 °C, while the highest was 49 °C.

Tijuana has a diverse cosmopolitan population which includes migrants from other parts of Mexico, and immigrants from all over the globe. Tijuana has one of Mexico’s largest Asian populations, predominantly consisting of Chinese immigrants, and to a lesser extent, Koreans and Japanese. Tijuana also has a large and rapidly growing population of United States citizens, mostly from Southern California, who have moved to the city to avoid the higher cost of living in Southern California, while still being able to work there. Many Latin Americans, notably Argentines, Cubans, and Guatemalans, have made Tijuana their home, especially people from Central America and Andean nations. The city also has many Italian, French, Spanish, and Lebanese citizens. There is a large transitory population in Tijuana due to border aspirations or deportations.

The majority of Tijuana’s migrant Mexican population hail from Sinaloa, Michoacán, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and the Federal District. Because of the diversity of Mexico and the influx of immigrants from almost every region in the country, there are no accurate estimates of the ethnicity or race of the current population. The heavy influx of immigrants to the city and municipality of Tijuana has led to job creation in the form of over 700 twin-plant (maquiladora) factories, which serve as the basis of employment for the majority of the working-class people in northern Mexico. The high poverty level in Tijuana is attributed to the city’s “magnet status” for people who have come from the poorer south of the nation and citizens from other nations seeking to escape from extreme poverty. Tijuana holds a status that provides the possibility of employment as well as higher education and the dream of crossing the border. Tijuana and Baja California in general have much stronger economies and higher incomes than other Mexican cities along the United States border, as well as more moderate weather.

Tijuana today is one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico with an average of 80,000 people moving to Tijuana yearly. In terms of area, the city grows by approximately three hectares a day, mostly east and south as the city is mostly built out to the beach already with the exception of some canyons. Along with settlements separated from Tijuana proper and other communities with unimproved land, big business moves in providing supermarkets and retail to marginal areas, along with paved roads. The city experiences the construction of 26,000 new settlers a year that has led to the unregulated, illegal squatter homes that take place in the hills and valleys of ever-expanding Tijuana, most of these areas are yet to be served by city services, including the addition of sidewalks, paving, streetlights, public transit, and other services. However this is an ongoing process; as older and existing squatter areas are brought into the city services, more marginal areas become occupied by squatters.

Squatter areas are home to displaced and uprooted people, among them the indigenous and poverty-stricken, migrants deported from the USA, many of whom are also without Mexican citizenship. In recent years, working-class suburban housing estates have sprung up in the fringes to provide safe homes and a sense of land ownership, to escape and isolate their families and young ones from the violence of the drug war and squatter areas, these outlying communities tend to be much better equipped than their squatter counterparts. Nevertheless, some remote areas are drug lords plantations for narcotics, and delinquency spreads to even areas that are considered safe havens, which periodically come to light in the newspapers.

National Population Council (CONAPO) data has estimated that by 2030, growth rates maintaining, the city will become the second largest in Mexico and anchor to the fourth largest metropolitan area in Mexico. The suburban sprawl observed in Tijuana leaves the downtown and beach areas relatively affluent.

While the INEGI Census 2010 counted the population of Tijuana to be 1.3 million, only two percent more than in 2005 Census, Tijuana City Council estimates from 2010 have placed the population closer to two million, at 1.6 million. As funding for cities is based on the populace of the city, the Council worries about receiving adequate funds to provide for the needs of the city. The population discrepancies may be explained by a few factors. Shanty towns which have not been rasterized[clarification needed] and an undercount, people having left Tijuana for United States, and people leaving Tijuana for the interior of Mexico due to the intensification of the drug war, and suburbanization outside city limits but still inside the municipality. Tijuana, because of the dreams of border crossers, and its relatively higher wages compared to the rest of Mexico, naturally attracts immigrants. Since an improvement in security since 2011, the population of Tijuana as reflected in the 2015 Mexican census is expected to return to its normal growth curve; the great reduction in violence should make the settlement of Tijuana an attractive option again versus fringe valleys, nevertheless exact figures from the census await.

According to the Second Census of Population and Housing of the year 2010 conducted by the INEGI (National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics) the municipality of Tijuana has 1,559,683 inhabitants within 879 km2, the city or settlement of Tijuana only covers ⅔ of that area. While the metropolitan area of Tijuana (1392 km2), composed of Tijuana Municipality and Rosarito Beach Municipality, has 1,751,302 inhabitants. Tecate Municipality, adjacent to Tijuana Municipality, has not yet been considered by the government as part of the metropolitan area. However, there is great economic and cultural exchange between the cities regions though there are still expanses of rural land. As Tijuana grows, many of its suburbs have been built increasingly inland, and in the direction of Tecate; Valley of the Palms is a large planned city between the two.

As of 2005 the large majority of the city’s population, 96%, adhere to the beliefs of Christianity. The denominations are further divided into followers of Catholicism – 61% – and of Protestantism – 35%. While other beliefs occupying a 4% margin in the city include Taoism (among other Asian and European religions), atheism and agnosticism is also found.

The first historic mission documents — primarily baptism, marriage, and death records — name the city with the names as ‘La Tía Juana’, ‘Tiguana’, ‘Tiuana’, ‘Teguana’, ‘Tiwana’, ‘Tijuan’, ‘Ticuan’, and the present day name, ‘Tijuana’.

The commonly accepted theory among historians is that the modern-day Tijuana is derived from a word belong to the Kumeyaay language – the original aboriginal inhabitants of the San Diego-Tijuana region.

Tijuana derives from the Kumeyaay word Tiwan, meaning by-the-sea. Common in regional folklore, a myth exists purporting that the name is a conjunction of Tia Juana, the Spanish-language version of Aunt Jane.

Tia Juana would provide food and a resting place to travelers on their journeys. The story has become a popular myth with residents of the city and has particular resonance among those who like to imagine the city as a place of hospitality.

Modern

In Spanish, the name is pronounced /tiˈxwana/ – with three syllables, and a velar fricative as represented by the sound written as j. In English, the name is sometimes pronounced as having four syllables: /tiːəˈwɑːnə/ (“Tia-wana”), a pronunciation that was common amongst California English speakers in the past; more commonly, it is pronounced truer to Spanish, with three /tiːˈwɑːnə/. In California, and particularly in Southern California, it is often referred to as T.J. Baja Californians have adopted this pronunciation as Tiyei. In Spanish the demonym for someone from Tijuana is Tijuanense, while in English the demonym is Tijuanan. A very common slang term used for a person from Tijuana is Tijuanero.

The nickname Tijuas is increasingly popular among residents and visitors alike. Due to a recent increase in violence in the city, a new term is developing. The phrase Yo Tijuaneo, ¿y tú? translates to I Tijuanate, and you?. This term comes from a new popular local verb Tijuanear meaning to Tijuana, describing the cosmopolitan aspects of living in the city and frequently crossing the border.

The land was originally inhabited by the Kumeyaay, a tribe of Yuman-speaking hunter-gatherers. Europeans arrived in 1542, when the explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo toured the coastline of the area, which was later mapped in 1602 by Sebastián Vizcaíno. In 1769, Juan Crespí documented more detailed information about the area that would be called the Valley of Tijuana. Junípero Serra founded the first mission of Alta California in nearby San Diego.

Further settlement took place near the end of the mission era when José María de Echeandía, governor of the Baja California and Alta California, awarded a large land grant to Santiago Argüello in 1829. This large cattle ranch, Rancho Tía Juana (“Aunt Jane Ranch”), covered 100 km2 (40 sq mi). In 1848, as a result of the Mexican–American War with the United States, Mexico lost all of Alta California. The majority of the 1,000 Hispanic families living in Alta California stayed there, though some moved south to remain inside Mexico. Because of this Tijuana gained a different purpose on the international border. The area had been populated by ranchers, but Tijuana developed a new social economic structure. These were farming and livestock grazing, plus as a transit area for prospectors.

Urban settlement began in 1889, when descendants of Santiago Argüello and Augustín Olvera entered an agreement to begin developing the city of Tijuana. The date of the agreement, July 11, 1889, is recognized as the founding of the city. Tijuana saw its future in tourism from the beginning. From the late 19th century to the first few decades of the 20th century, the city attracted large numbers of Californians coming for trade and entertainment. The California land boom of the 1880s led to the first big wave of tourists, who were called “excursionists” and came looking for echoes of the famous novel “Ramona” by Helen Hunt Jackson.

In 1911, during the Mexican Revolution, revolutionaries claiming loyalty to Ricardo Flores Magón took over the city for shortly over a month. Federal troops then arrived. Assisted by the “defensores de Tijuana”, they routed the revolutionaries, who fled north and were promptly arrested by the United States Army.

The Panama-California Exposition of 1915 brought many visitors to the nearby California city of San Diego. Tijuana attracted these tourists with a Feria Típica Mexicana – Typical Mexican Fair. This included curio shops, regional food, thermal baths, horse racing and boxing.

The first professional race track opened in January 1916, just south of the border gate. It was almost immediately destroyed by the great “Hatfield rainmaker” flood of 1916. Rebuilt in the general area, it ran horse races until the new Agua Caliente track opened in 1929, several miles south and across the river on higher ground.

Legal drinking and gambling attracted U.S nationals in the 1920s during Prohibition. The Avenida Revolución area became the city’s tourist center, with casinos and the Hotel Caesar’s, birthplace of the Caesar salad.

In 1925, the city attempted to shed its negative image of hedonism and lawlessness created by American mob empresarios by renaming itself Zaragosa, but its name soon reverted to Tijuana.

In 1928, the Agua Caliente Touristic Complex was opened, including hotel, spa, dog-track, private airport, golf course and gambling casino. A year later, the new Agua Caliente Racetrack joined the complex. During the eight years it operated, the Agua Caliente hotel, casino and spa achieved a near mythical status, with Hollywood stars and gangsters flying in and playing. Rita Hayworth was discovered there. Musical nightclub productions were broadcast over the radio. A singer known as “la Faraona” got shot in a love-triangle and gave birth to the myth of a beautiful lady ghost. Remnants of the Agua Caliente casino can be seen in the outdoor swimming pool and the “minarete” (actually a former incinerator chimney) nearby the southern end of Avenida Sanchez Taboada, on the grounds of what is now the Lazaro Cardenas educational complex.

In 1935, President Cárdenas decreed an end to gambling and casinos in Baja California, and the Agua Caliente complex faltered, then closed. In 1939, it was reopened as a junior high school (now, Preparatoria Lázaro Cárdenas). The buildings themselves were torn down in the 1970s and replaced by modern scholastic architecture.

With increased tourism and a large number of Mexican citizens relocating to Tijuana, the city’s population grew from 21,971 to 65,364 between 1940 and 1950.

With the decline of nightlife and tourism in the 1950s, the city restructured its tourist industry, by promoting a more family-oriented scene. Tijuana developed a greater variety of attractions and activities to offer its visitors.

In 1994, PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio was assassinated in Tijuana while making an appearance in the plaza of Lomas Taurinas, a neighborhood nestled in a valley near Centro. The shooter was caught and imprisoned, but doubts remain about who the mastermind might have been.

The city’s skyscraper history is relatively recent. Some of the first highrise building complexes constructed in the city were the twin towers of Grand Hotel Tijuana. Tijuana experienced a building boom that was brought to a halt by the Great Recession. Among buildings that succumbed to the time period was the Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico that would have been located in Playas and reached 98 m (322 ft). Currently the tallest building, and soon to be the largest complex in footage, New City Residential reaches 102 m (335 ft). Overall, the city maintains 33 completed structures with other proposed and under-construction skyscrapers.

The Tijuana skyline is the third largest skyline in Mexico and is located in the Zona Rio and to a smaller extent, Playas de Tijuana. In the Zona Rio the buildings are concentrated on the Tijuana River, lined parallel to the river; and on the edges of the Tijuana Country Club. In Playas the high rises are currently focused on the coast. Recent construction on high rises has begun in the aforementioned areas, as buildings such as New City Residential and Grand Hotel Tijuana have been developed and taken prominent places in the skyline as the tallest buildings. From Tijuana’s skyline the San Diego skyline can also be seen.

Boroughs and neighborhoods

The municipality of Tijuana is divided into eight administrative boroughs, or Delegaciones. The Tijuana metropolitan area occupies all of borough seats. The boroughs are in turn divided into colonias or ejidos. These boroughs offer administrative services such as urban planning, civil registry, inspection, verification, public works and community development and are served by a delegado.

Centro — “Delegación Centro” includes the old downtown (Zona Centro), new business district (Zona Río), red light district (Zona Norte), and other adjacent neighborhoods (“zonas”). This is the historical midpoint of Tijuana; the municipal palace is located here as well as most of the tourist zones, such as Avenida Revolución and the business district. The Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT for CEntro CUltural de Tijuana) is located here as well as the Plaza Río Tijuana, until recently the largest mall in the state, within the Zona Rio.

Cerro Colorado — The Cerro Colorado (“Red Hill”) is located here and it is surrounded by houses. Because of its height many of the area’s antennae for radio and television stations are located on its peak.

La Mesa — This is where the Morelos Park, the largest public park in the city, is located, as well as the Plaza Mundo Divertido, the new Macroplaza and the CETYS University.

Otay Centenario — This borough was created in 2014 by merging Mesa de Otay and Centenario boroughs. In this borough sits the Tijuana International Airport. The Tijuana campus of the Autonomous University of Baja California and the Technologico are also located here as well as many maquiladoras. This is the borough with the largest number of factories and maquiladoras. Its largest colony is Ciudad Industrial (“Industrial City”). Three of the city’s most important streets, Boulevard Bellas Artes, Boulevard Industrial and Mexican Federal Highway 2, are located here. This delegacion contains the Otay Mesa entry to the United States and the Friendship Park (Parque de la amistad).

La Presa — literally “‘the dam'”, this is the largest borough in size and the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Dam is located within its limits, hence its name. The new Corredor Tijuana 2000 s and the Tijuana-Tecate free road run through it.

San Antonio de los Buenos — This is mostly a residential area although it also has two industrial parks.

Sanchez Taboada — Like the previous borough this is mostly a residential area, but within its borders are located many “maquiladoras” specially at Pacific Industrial Park.

Tijuana also has a very active and independent artist community whose internationally recognized work has earned Tijuana the title of “one of the most important new cultural meccas”, according to Newsweek., an exhibition of Tijuana’s current art scene, is being curated by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and is traveling across the USA in 2006 and 2007. Art collectives like Bulbo and film production like Palenque Filmaciones explore the use of film like the award-winning Tijuana Makes Me Happy, media like television bulbo TV and print “bulbo PRESS”, to show different realities of Tijuana out of Mexico. In 2004, Tijuana earned international acclaim for an art exhibition displayed on the cement banks of the Tijuana River and along the Mexico/U.S. border fence in Otay Mesa.

Graffiti is widespread in Tijuana. They can range from free-hand writing in spray can and marker form, often carrying social or sexual commentary in English or Spanish, pictures in wheatpaste and stencils, consisting of stenciled renderings of personalities crucial to Hispanic culture from past and present eras, such as television news announcers or stars, but also extending to images of artists like Salvador Dalí. Graffiti in Tijuana may seem at first to consist largely of simplistic tags and thus not as technically evolved, colorful, or accepted in the mainstream as the “pieces” of graffiti scenes of the United States, Europe, or Japan, but large, colorful graffiti murals adorn walls from both native Tijuanan artists as well as visiting graffiti writers, especially from California. The Tijuanan art pieces show as much prowess and skill as those made by their more renowned U.S. counterparts, although illicit graffiti are strongly discouraged by the Tijuana government, as in other major metropolitan areas.

Among other things, Tijuana has been the inspiration for Tijuana Brass and Los Tucanes de Tijuana and, more recently, the birthplace of Nortec music style and Ruidoson, resulting in a very large and active electronic music scene where groups and artists like Los Macuanos, Maria y Jose, Siberium, Hidhawk and Harpocrates emerged. Tijuana also enjoys a large base of support in many other musical scenes such as mexican hip hop, reggae, hardcore, punk, black metal and house music. Famous musicians are from Tijuana including the pop-rock singer-songwriter Lynda Thomas, the world known singer Julieta Venegas, fussion rock projects like Tijuana No and international indie punk bands like Delux & Los Kung-Fu Monkeys.

Musical clubs along the Avenida Revolución area and others often cater to a diverse range of tastes by offering nightly variations on musical fare, such as new wave music one night, and punk rock bands on the next. Interestingly, some metal bands from Europe whose members cannot perform in the United States due to prior felony convictions in their own countries will play music festivals in Tijuana so as to attract fans from both Mexico and the United States.

Entertainment and performing arts

Although poverty is widespread throughout the city, a very affluent and prominent society has developed in Tijuana. Gentrification is evident throughout certain districts. The Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT) opened on October 20, 1982 with the goals of strengthening Tijuana’s image, and to advertise cultural tourism from the US. The building was constructed by the architects Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Manuel Rosen Morrison. The CECUT first opened as part of the National Fund for Social Activities then in 1983 it was part of the Ministry of Tourism. Later that year CECUT was joined into the Ministry of Public Education. Finally, in 1986 the CECUT gained its own independence, and was able to plan its own budget. In 1988 they changed their actions guiding themselves towards a comprehensive national cultural policy.

It is composed of lecture rooms, video rooms, a library, an exhibition hall, the Museum of the Californias, a futuristic planetary movie theater that displays IMAX films, and a restaurant. Since 1992, the CECUT has hosted the Orchestra of Baja California (OBC) and the Center of Scenic Arts of the Northwest (CAEN), it headquarters the Hispanic-American Center for Guitar (CHG). Since 2001, the CECUT receives about a million visitors per year, making it Baja California’s most important cultural center. Another important culture center is La Casa de la Cultura, which comprises a school, a theater, and a public library. Dance, painting, music, plastic arts, photography and languages are taught there. The city also has the Instituto Municipal de Arte y Cultura (Municipal Institute of Art and Culture), the Tijuana Wax Museum, and the Museo El Trompo (The Trompo Museum).

The Tijuana Country Club (Club Campestre de Tijuana) has many affluent members and a famous golf course. A large sized Rotary Club is also located in Tijuana. The Grand Hotel Tijuana and many luxurious restaurants have been developed along Bulevar Agua Caliente (often called “El Bulevar” by locals) and in the Zona Rio. Around the country club and Agua Caliente, many developments of wealthy and luxurious gated communities have filled the hillsides, most of which have views similar to Mount Soledad in San Diego or areas of Orange County. Tijuana’s most prestigious entertainment center is the Tijuana Country Club golf club, but the Agua Caliente Racetrack would be the most notable that is open to the general public. Parque Morelos has a small zoo and park space; Parque de la Amistad has a small pond, and a running and dirt-bike track. Parque Teniente Guerrero is a park located downtown with a public library and weekend entertainment by clowns. All public libraries in Tijuana have Internet access; unfortunately, many of the available computers are not in service. Plus a library card is needed to use the computers. To get a library card one must have a government issued id card plus one has to provide two special size photographs. This of course leaves much of the huge immigrant population of Tijuana out of luck, as many of them don’t have identification cards. El Foro was an attraction for being a jai alai venue, but now is commonly used as a concert venue.

Restaurants and taco stands, pharmacies, bars and dance clubs, and shops and stalls selling Mexican crafts and souvenirs are part of the draw for the city’s tourists, many located within walking distance of the border.

The city’s tourist centers include Downtown Tijuana including the nightlife hot spots around La Sexta, Avenida Revolucion, souvenir shopping at the Mercado de Artesanías and Plaza Viva Tijuana, Tijuana’s Cultural Center (CECUT) and neighboring Plaza Río Tijuana shopping center, and the city’s best known vices, in the form of its legal Red Light District and gambling (Agua Caliente).

Mexico’s drinking age of 18 (vs. 21 in the United States) makes it a common weekend destination for many high school and college aged Southern Californians who tend to stay on Avenida Revolución.

Tijuana is also home to several pharmacies marketed toward visitors from the United States, which sell some medicines without prescriptions and at much lower costs than in the US. Many medications still require a Mexican doctor’s prescriptions, available from adjacent doctors’ offices. Businesses such as auto detailing, medical services, dentistry and plastic surgery are heavily marketed and are usually cheaper than in the U.S.

Tijuana’s nightlife scene is one of the city’s strongest attractions. The area surrounding “La Sexta”, the intersection at Calle Sexta and Av. Revolucion, is now a major hub of new bars and dance clubs. Zona Rio, Tijuana’s new Downtown, is home to some of the city’s finest restaurants and bars.

Another capstone of Tijuana’s entertainment offerings is its adult nightlife industry, which includes the city’s red light district as well as less conspicuous adult entertainment venues.

Playas de Tijuana — This is the westernmost borough of the city bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the United States border on the north. This is where the beaches of Tijuana are located (hence the name) and it is also one of the two exits to the south towards Rosarito and Ensenada.

Tijuana, along with the nearby Valle de Guadalupe, has recently become a culinary hotspot due to its Baja Med cuisine, including chefs such as Javier Plascencia, but also for its tacos, other street food, food trucks, coffee houses and artisanal beer.

Tijuana possesses a diversity of shopping malls. Plaza Río Tijuana is the largest mall and is located just a few minutes away from the U.S. border between Paseo de los Heroes and the Tijuana River. The mall hosts a Cinépolis and a Cinépolis VIP movie theater, a Sanborns restaurant and a variety of shops, including the large department store Sears. Plaza Mundo Divertido is off of Tijuana’s main east-west highway with arcades and rides for the whole family. Plaza Monarca is on a north-south artery Gato Bronco and is anchored by the Cinépolis and grocery store chain Soriana. Plaza Carrousel, so named because the mall contains a children’s merry-go-round, is minutes from the Cinco y Diez retail hub centered around a former five and dime store. The beach community of Playas de Tijuana saw a burst of construction in 2004, which yielded the Plaza Coronado complex next to the existing Comercial Mexicana-anchored Centro Comercial Playas.

Tijuana was the headquarters of 14-store Dorian’s department store chain until its demise in 2009.

Tijuana is also known for its red-light district Zona Norte (also referred to as La Coahuila after one of the main streets in it) which features legal prostitution in strip clubs and on the street. The strip clubs are typically full-contact, meaning the dancers will allow patrons to fondle them. Many dancers also sell their sexual services, which are pricier ($US 72 in early-2007) than those of the street prostitutes.

People filling up prescriptions for drugs classified in the US as Schedule II or Schedule III have found it more difficult to locate such medications, and the purchase of pseudoephedrine also has become restricted by Tijuana pharmacies, as it is in the United States. For a prescription to be filled in Tijuana and brought legally to the United States, any drug covered by the US Controlled Substances Act would require a prescription from the United States for re-import. Americans are allowed to import up to a 90-day supply of non-controlled medications for personal use back to the USA from Mexico and other countries.

Tijuana is the 45th largest city in the Americas and is the westernmost city in Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the Tijuana metropolitan area was the fifth-largest in Mexico, with a population of 1,784,034, but rankings vary, the city (locality) itself was 6th largest and the municipality (administrative) 3rd largest nationally.

Tijuana is the largest city in Baja California and on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area.

As an industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics. As the city has become a leading center in the country, so has the surrounding metropolitan area, a major industrial and paramount metropolis in northwestern Mexico.

Currently one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in Mexico, Tijuana maintains global city status. As of 2015, the city of Tijuana had a population of 1,696,923.

The international metropolitan region was estimated to be just over five million in 2009 and about 5,105,769 in 2010, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the former Californias region, 19th largest metropolitan area in the Americas, and the largest bi-national conurbation that is shared between US and Mexico. Tijuana is becoming more suburbanized like San Diego; during the 2000s the drug violence had residents moving out of the congested urban core into isolated communities within the municipality and beyond, as evidenced by 2010 Census figures and growth patterns.

The city maintains a variety of transportation methods to assist in dealing with its ever-increasing population. Tijuana’s traditional forms of mobility include predominantly air, car, and rail transportation methods as the city lacks a port. All means of transportation within the city accept both Mexican Pesos and U.S. dollars as payment currencies, but no other foreign currencies. Local public transportation in Tijuana is run by semiprivate companies, and has one of the most complex, or perhaps unorganized networks. Two important Mexican federal highways end in Tijuana, one of them is Federal Highway 1, which runs south through the Baja California Peninsula through Rosarito Beach, Baja Mar, and Ensenada before ending in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. From Tijuana to Ensenada, most travelers take Highway 1-D (scenic road), a four-lane, limited access toll road that runs by the coast starting at Playas de Tijuana. Mexican Federal Highway 2 runs east for 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) near the international border, currently as far as Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

The Tijuana International Airport (General Abelardo L. Rodríguez IA) is the city’s main airport and serves eleven airlines with destinations across Mexico and a few into Asia. Tijuana International is also one of the busiest airports in Mexico. Aeroméxico introduced intercontinental air travel between Tijuana and two major cities in Asia: Tokyo in 2007 and Shanghai in 2008. With several private road lines, U.S. and selected Canadian destinations can be reached via the San Diego International Airport, located about 35 kilometers (22 mi) north of the international border.

The city’s main bus station is in its eastern borough. There is a small terminal downtown which serves a few Mexican bus lines and U.S.-based Greyhound Lines and Crucero USA. Another bus station is located near the border with frequent services to Ensenada, and other major cities including Mazatlán, Culiacán, Hermosillo, and Guadalajara. Major bus lines operating in Tijuana include Azul y Blanco de Magallanes (Blue & White) and Transporte Efectivo Express de Tijuana – TEEXTI; modernizing system originally intended to phase out the other lines that partially introduced but ceased and merged with Azul y Blanco.

In 2006, Tijuana underwent a major overhaul of its existing system of guayines, or shared fixed-route station wagons, forcing the replacement of the guayines with new models of vans, serving as fixed-route taxis. Major transit hubs include Centro (Downtown Tijuana), Otay, Soler, and the Cinco y Diez avenues. Taxi lines operating in the city include Free Taxis, those that do not maintain a specific route; Economic Taxis; Diamond Taxis – black or yellow cabs; and regular taxis maintaining a set route. There are as many bus lines and routes as fixed-route taxi ones or calafias, and new routes for buses, taxis or calafias are frequently created, due to high demand of public transportation. Public transportation service is inexpensive, with bus tickets at maximum, USD $0.75. Fixed-route taxis are somewhat more expensive, depending on the taxi route, reaching USD $2.00. Bus, taxi and calafia lines and routes are distinguished from one another by their vehicles colors.

From the U.S. side, San Ysidro is the southern terminus of San Diego’s municipal bus and light rail (San Diego Trolley) systems, providing public transportation to and from the Mexican border with Tijuana. The newly rebuilt San Ysidro trolley station is located directly next to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility. Tijuana is home to the world’s busiest border crossing with about 300,000 people crossing the border between San Diego and Tijuana every day. Queues take anywhere from a few minutes to an hour or more to cross to the United States, on non-US holidays, with wait of a few hours on US national holidays or some Mexican holidays. Expect street vendors during the wait. However, after clearing customs and immigration formalities, Interstate 5 is a major 8–10 lane freeway from San Ysidro to downtown San Diego, Los Angeles, and north to the Canada–US border. Interstate 805 branches off from I-5 just north of the border, and takes a more easterly route which bypasses downtown San Diego, rejoining with I-5 in the northern part of the city. From the Otay Mesa border crossing, Otay Mesa Road takes drivers west to connect with both I-805 and I-5.

Planned light rail and BRT system

In January 2009, the City Council and the Ministry of Communications and Transportation announced a new light rail system for Tijuana, something which had been envisioned since the 1990s during the time of mayor Osuna Jaime. Despite spending millions of pesos on studies, the project never gained traction until the late 2000s (decade).

Currently the project proposes to build the first light rail line along the Tijuana River (which is actually a canal) – Route 01: San Ysidro-El Refugio. Route 02 would run from Santa Fe to Downtown Tijuana, a bus rapid transit line running along Blvd. Cuauhtemoc Sur. Up to six other routes have been proposed.

You can dial 078 from any phone, where you can find free information about tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental companies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, migratory and other issues.

Or dial the toll-free (in Mexico) number 01-800-006-8839.

You can also request information to the email correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx

MORE EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

General Information: 040 (not free)

National Emergency Service: 911

Radio Patrols: 066
Police (Emergency): 060
Civil Protection: +52(55)5683-2222
Anonymous Complaint: 089

Setravi (Transport Mobility): +52(55)5209-9913
Road Emergency: 074

Cruz Roja: 065 o +52(55)5557-5757
Firefighters: 068 o +52(55)5768-3700