Each border town features international crossings between both countries.

Tijuana, Mexico – San Diego, USA

Crossing: San Ysidro Port of Entry, Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Tijuana is a bustling city located on the Mexico-USA border, just south of San Diego, California. Known for its vibrant culture, Tijuana offers a mix of traditional Mexican charm and modern development.

Visitors can explore Avenida Revolución, a famous street filled with shops, restaurants, and nightlife. The city also has beautiful beaches like Playas de Tijuana and a lively arts scene.

Mexicali, Mexico – Calexico, USA

Crossing: Calexico West Port of Entry, Calexico East Port of Entry.

Mexicali, the capital of Baja California, is a city with a rich agricultural and industrial history. It’s known for its scorching summers and delicious cuisine, including the world-famous Baja California-style fish tacos.

Visitors can explore museums, and parks, and enjoy the local music scene.

Nogales, Mexico – Nogales, USA

Crossing: DeConcini Port of Entry, Mariposa Port of Entry.

Nogales is a unique border town that straddles both Mexico and the USA.

It’s divided by a border fence, but its people share strong cultural ties. The town is famous for its shopping opportunities in Nogales, Sonora, offering everything from traditional Mexican crafts to modern goods.

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico – El Paso, USA

Crossing: Paso del Norte Bridge, Bridge of the Americas, Stanton Street Bridge.

Ciudad Juarez is a city with a vibrant history.

It has seen significant industrial growth over the years and is known for its thriving maquiladora industry. Visitors can explore historical sites like the Benito Juarez Monument and enjoy delicious street tacos.

Ciudad Acuña, Mexico – Del Rio, USA

Crossing: Del Rio-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge.

Located across the border from Del Rio, Texas, Ciudad Acuña is a tranquil town known for its friendly atmosphere. Acuña is an excellent place to enjoy traditional Mexican cuisine and a relaxed atmosphere.

Piedras Negras, Mexico – Eagle Pass, USA

Crossing: Eagle Pass International Bridge 1 and 2.

Piedras Negras is famous for being the birthplace of the delicious dish, “carne asada.” It’s a city with a rich culinary heritage and offers a blend of Mexican and Texan flavors. You can find excellent food and hospitality here.

Nuevo Laredo, Mexico – Laredo, USA

Crossing: Gateway to the Americas Bridge, Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge, World Trade International Bridge.

Nuevo Laredo is a busy border city adjacent to Laredo, Texas. It’s a crucial trade hub and is known for its international trade and logistics activities. The city is a gateway for goods traveling between Mexico and the USA.

Reynosa, Mexico – McAllen, USA

Crossing: McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge, Anzalduas International Bridge.

Reynosa is another bustling border city, neighboring McAllen, Texas. Reynosa is a significant industrial and commercial center. The city’s culture is a unique fusion of Mexican and Texan influences.

Matamoros, Mexico – Brownsville, USA

Crossing: Gateway International Bridge, Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge, Veterans International Bridge.

Matamoros is a city on the southern border of Texas, across from Brownsville. It boasts a beautiful waterfront and offers a glimpse of Mexico’s Gulf Coast culture. It’s known for its lively music scene, especially the “conjunto” music.

These border towns are fascinating places to visit and explore.

Towns along the Mexico-USA border can be a great travel experience. Many of these areas are thriving hubs of cultural exchange. But they may also face challenges related to immigration, security, and drug trafficking.

Check the specific situation in the city you plan to visit.

Stay informed about travel advisories

Check for travel advisories and updates from reliable sources or local authorities. These resources provide valuable information about safety conditions, potential risks, and any precautions you should take during your visit.

Choose well-traveled areas

Opt for well-populated and tourist-friendly areas when exploring border towns.

Popular spots often have increased security measures and a higher police presence, contributing to a safer environment for visitors. Avoiding isolated or less-frequented areas can reduce the likelihood of encountering safety issues.

Respect local laws and customs

Respecting local laws and customs is essential for a safe and respectful visit. Be aware of and adhere to any regulations, especially those related to border crossings, immigration procedures, and personal safety.

Familiarize yourself with the local culture to ensure you interact respectfully with the community.

Use common-sense safety measures

Apply common-sense safety measures during your visit.

Keep your belongings secure, be cautious in unfamiliar surroundings, and stay vigilant in crowded areas. Traveling with a group or guided tour can enhance your safety by providing local insights and support.

Consult local authorities

Don’t hesitate to consult local authorities or tourism offices. They can provide guidance on current conditions, areas to avoid, and any specific precautions you should take based on the latest information and situation.

Connect with fellow travelers

Talk with other travelers or join group activities to enhance safety. Traveling with others provides mutual support, and sharing experiences with fellow tourists can offer valuable insights into navigating the local environment.

While border towns present unique challenges, they also offer incredible cultural experiences and friendly communities. Take all the necessary precautions, you can enjoy your visit to these crossroads of two nations.

If you plan to explore the US part of these border towns, whether it’s for a brief and casual visit or a more extended stay, it’s important to be aware that you may be required to obtain a US B1/B2 visa.

However, there are exceptions.

If you are a citizen of a country that is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you can travel to the US for up to 90 days with just an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) instead of a B1/B2 visa.

It’s important to check your specific situation and eligibility for the VWP or other visa exemptions.

Additionally, border regulations can change, so it’s a good idea to consult the official website of the US Department of State or U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the most up-to-date information before your trip.

The beaches of Tijuana

We begin with a common denominator of the entire Tijuana coast, from Puente la Joya, in the south, to the border with the United States, in the north: the beaches.

These four kilometers of sand are interesting, not so much as a place to bask in the sun, but because its inhabitants come here to spend their free time. It is a place to stay with family and friends.

The Tijuana Malecon

The last kilometer of the beach can be walked along the boardwalk or coastal walk. The promenade has been built above the beach, on wooden boards. It extends from Parque Azteca to the border wall with the United States.

Most of the restaurants and bars are concentrated here, among residential houses, abandoned lots, and colorful facades, a sample of local street art.

The Wall on the beach

In an aerial view with Google Maps, it is very striking to observe how the same beach is divided by metal bars. It is probably the most recognizable image of Tijuana. Visitors frequently come here to photograph this place.

On this side, there is a beach area that ends with a lot of bars.

On the other side is an American-style tourist attraction, the Border Field State Park with its access hours and its entrance price, where the highlight is not the border with Mexico, but rather being the closest corner of the southwestern United States of America.

There is a small square divided in two by the wall, known as Friendship Park (San Diego – Tijuana).

The Mexican side is always open, as it is in a public area without any type of control. The American side is only accessible on Saturday and Sunday mornings, through the Border Field State Park, after being identified and monitored at all times by the border police.

Walking through the downtown area of ​​Tijuana

The downtown area of ​​Tijuana extends around Revolución and Madero avenues.

Businesses everywhere, street vendors, franchises, banks, and hotels. If you want to buy a souvenir, this is the right place if you are ready to walk through among the hundreds of shops in the area.

Even if you are not so into shopping, the fact of walking around here is already interesting

Since you are in the center, do not miss the magnificent Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Tijuana Cultural Center – CECUT

Two kilometers from the center, you can find the CECUT, one of the most outstanding cultural spaces in the entire country. Not only is it home to numerous exhibits and has a botanical garden or aquarium, but it is also the venue for numerous events and festivals.

The Imax Dome is its most iconic image, inside which documentaries are projected on a 180º surround screen.

The Museum of the Californias is also recommended, to learn in detail the particular history of the region.

Two passages: Rodríguez and Gómez

The Rodríguez passage is a gallery between Constitución and Revolución avenues, and between 3rd and 4th streets. It is a meeting point for street artists. And it has cafes and restaurants with a bohemian touch, music, breweries, and craft stalls.

Both this and the nearby Gómez passage were souvenir galleries for visitors, which fell into disrepair in the first decade of this century. Now they have been revitalized by accompanying Tijuana’s growing street art scene.

Santa Cecilia Square

The corner between Avenida Revolución and Calle Primera is the origins of Tijuana. The first settlements took place in this downtown area two centuries ago. Today it still retains the charisma and image of that time.

Shops, restaurants, music, crafts, and parties. Thousands of colors and thousands of people walk through this place, sit down to have a drink, and stop to watch Mariachi and Mexican hat dance.

Municipal Market and El Popo

If you are one of those who visit the traditional markets of each city, in Tijuana you have two near the center: El Popo and the municipal market. There you will find from hot chili to candles, clothes, incense, and all kinds of utensils.

There is no shortage of food stalls and neither are Tijuana residents, who come here daily to do their shopping.

Original Caesar salad

It will surprise you, but the salad present on practically all restaurant menus in the world was invented in Tijuana. It was specifically at Caesar’s Restaurant Bar, still open to the public.

One day in July 1924, its owner, César Cardini, ran out of ingredients, and with what little he had available, he invented a salad.

There are other theories, as well as variants of the original recipe, but one thing is for sure: the Caesar salad was born in this restaurant. It soon crossed the border and continued its international expansion.

Eat rich and drink tequila

Difficult to turn down a tequila in Mexico, and even more difficult would be not eating well in Tijuana. Try local restaurants, bars, and cafes that will surely not disappoint you with the rich cuisine of Baja California.

Tijuana (Mexico) and San Diego (USA) are two large cities belonging to two different universes, separated by a fence and connected by the San Ysidro – Tijuana border crossing, the busiest in the world.

More than 50,000 vehicles legally pass through here every day and 25,000 people do it on foot, crossing the pedestrian access control to the United States.

Workers cross daily, Americans who go down to see Mexico for a few days for leisure, those who return to visit relatives, Mexicans who go shopping in the United States, or gringos who come looking for cheaper services than in their country.

As access by car becomes eternal, many prefer to cross on foot and look for their means of transport on the other side. Already in the US territory, there is a tram that leads from the San Ysidro pass to downtown San Diego. It takes just over 30 minutes.

With the permits in order, crossing the border is free as it is an official service of the CBP (Customs and Border Protection), but it usually requires several hours of waiting.

However, there is an alternative, surprisingly privately managed, that allows passage from one country to another with the requirement of having a flight to or from the Tijuana airport.

The CBX (Cross Border Xpress) is the fastest option to connect Latin America with the United States in both directions. Crossing this 130-meter bridge that separates both countries. The CBX is at the Tijuana airport, 5 km from the official border crossing.

Ensenada is the former capital of Baja California. The city, located 35 minutes from Tijuana, is the gateway to the famous Wine Route, the starting point to explore various natural attractions and one of the most important ports in Mexico.

Ensenada is an excellent point to admire gray whales. The season runs from December to the end of March. Unlike other destinations, here the tours can be done in small sportfishing boats.

Tecate is the only “Magic Town” in Baja California, but this place is much more than a denomination. This place is the most rural municipality in the state, it is full of natural wonders, unique gastronomy, vineyards, music, and the magic of this small border town.

Enjoy the natural wonders of the area.

Delve into local history and visit the Tecate Community Museum. Learn about the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of this region. At this museum, you will find a traditional Kumiai house and an ethnobotanical garden.

The museum showcases artifacts used by the ancient inhabitants, photographs, murals, and sculptures that allow you to imagine the three main phases of Tecate’s history: prehistory, the ranching era, and the contemporary.

Tecate is part of the Wine Route and has an important offer of vineyards and restaurants that invite you to live the most Mediterranean experience in Mexico. But outside of Baja California, the name Tecate is associated with beer

At the end of the day, it is one of the best-known Mexican beer brands in the world. The Tecate factory has tours where you can learn about its production processes in detail and learn about its history, which is also the history of the city.

Every year, in May, the Tecate-to-Ensenada bicycle race takes place here, and thousands of cyclists from both sides of the border compete in this race. The summer month of July is the time for a two-week celebration in Los Encinos Park, with dance groups, crafts, food snacks, and exhibits.

It is the ideal destination for practicing water activities such as surfing, mainly in winter. The best beaches to practice this sport are those that are in the coastal corridor that goes from Punta Descanso to Punta Mezquite.

If you want to learn to surf, the best option is El Arenal Beach.

In Rosarito, you can also go scuba diving, snorkeling, water skiing, and taking boat tours.

The nightlife in Rosarito is, perhaps, one of the most vibrant in the entire state of Baja California. And its beach clubs are open until dawn. Some include mechanical bulls, swimming pools, and concert stages.

A visit to Rosarito would not be complete without visiting the Baja Studios Film. These studios have filmed some of the most famous movies in movie history, including Titanic, Planet of the Apes, Pearl Harbor, and Agent 007: Tomorrow Never Dies.

At the Baja Studios Films facilities, you can visit a movie theme park where they teach you some movie tricks and show sets and costumes from Titanic and other movies. If you are a movie lover, this is one of the first things you should see in Baja California.

Puerto Nuevo is a 20-minute drive from Playas de Rosarito and just 1 hour from Ensenada.

Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this small coastal town and its streets. Tucked away on a beautiful stretch of Baja California’s Gold Coast, Puerto Nuevo offers a wide range of restaurants and hotels, a shopping street, and a beach perfect for surfers.

Try their famous lobster dishes or enjoy the traditional cuisine of Baja California.

Puerto Nuevo is divided into three small areas, and most of the shops and restaurants are in the north. Stroll through the streets of this municipality and you will find more than 30 different seafood restaurants where they prepare specialties of their traditional cuisine.

Many of them serve the local specialty, Puerto Nuevo-style lobster. Pamper yourself with a freshly prepared dish of this luxurious delicacy and enjoy the flavor of pico de gallo, rice, beans, and open lobster fried in homemade flour tortillas.

Leave some time to browse the shops in the area. You will find handicrafts, souvenirs, gifts, and local curiosities.

You can also sit on one of the bustling streets and watch people. The Paseo del Mar, which runs along the coast, offers fantastic views of the Pacific. Watch the waves lap the shore or look up at the towering mountains rising to the east.

The Valle de Guadalupe (“Guadalupe Valley”) is an area in Baja California, that is an increasingly popular tourist destination for wine. Baja California is the most important wine region in the country with more than 150 wineries that produce 90% of Mexican wine.

Even recently, in Valle de Guadalupe there were not even paved roads, but vines from the 20s of the last century were preserved in the area. Its cultivation in this coppery Mexican valley, 335 m above sea level, but only five meters from the coast, predates the 21st century.

The Valley owes its name to the first mission of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe del Norte, which the Dominicans built there in 1834.

Its Mediterranean-type microclimate, very similar to the French southwest, led the friars to start cultivating fruit trees and vineyards. However, a few years later the native Indians destroyed the mission and the Dominicans left.

Currently, in the Valle de Guadalupe, there are around 80 wineries (although a new one appears every day). They produce 90% of the wines of Mexico in some 10,000 hectares of cultivation, which unfolds on the banks of the Guadalupe River.

Due to its wineries, the area has become a tourist destination for northern Californians due to its proximity to the border, competitive prices, and the neighboring beaches of Ensenada and Rosarito, a surfer’s paradise.

In the Valle de Guadalupe, there are some small communities, just a handful of houses, but with evocative names.

Ejido, El Porvenir, Francisco Zarco, or San Antonio de las Minas are lost among the dozens of wineries, with modern architecture and sustainable exploitation, that are integrated into the landscape.

Europeans usually are surprised by the aridity of the local landscape, here it does not rain much. Prickly pears, cacti, aloes, and desert flowers line the vineyards, many of them recently planted.

Most of the wineries have a tasting area where they also serve local cheeses, olives, or sausages. The tasting is closed and they look more like a wine cellar than a winery. And, of course, it is possible to buy some wines.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit San Diego, a sister city of Tijuana. San Diego is a major tourist destination, attracting many foreign and local tourists. Beaches and attractions make San Diego a desirable tourist destination.

One of the best attractions in the area near the border is the seasonal water park Aquatica San Diego. It’s especially great if you’re traveling with kids, but it can be a thrilling and relaxing experience for all ages.

Its setup reminds of a tropical oasis and features numerous rides, from the lazy river to high-speed rides.

But if this isn’t your thing or you get bored at some point, just get back on the road and in minutes you’ll enter Chula Vista, the second-largest city in the San Diego metropolitan area.

Chula Vista offers so much for everyone, whether you seek excitement or relaxation, we are certain you can find it here.

For starters, there’s the Chula Vista Bayside Park where you can rest from your trip. It’s full of interesting attractions, good restaurants, picnic sites, walking/running/biking trails, and bay and city views.

There’s also a small beach here, perfect for swimming, kayaking, or paddleboarding. Furthermore, you can find the Living Coast Discovery Center nearby, a great place to visit if you’re an animal lover.

It’s a nonprofit zoo and aquarium that focuses on animals native to the area and functions as an interactive center, so there’s a big chance you’ll be greeted by a sea turtle, see a bald eagle from up close, observe how rescues recuperate from injuries, and more.

Next to it is the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, home to many species of plants and animals alike, some endangered, ergo, a place of great natural beauty and an oasis for many.

And if you are interested, there are hiking, biking, and running trails around, all offering lovely views.

Visit California’s pristine beaches and their activities. Relax in the sun, enjoy a drink at a local beach bar, and try surfing, kayaking, or scuba diving. One of the best places for all that, and deservingly so, is the white-sand Coronado Beach.

At the tip of the small peninsula of Point Loma, there is the Cabrillo National Monument. It’s a historic lighthouse and a national monument that offers views all the way to Mexico.

If you’re looking for a magical spot for a date, it’s definitely of one the best ones.

Another must-see near Downtown is the immense Balboa Park, one of the most popular urban parks in the US, and as such, a perfect place for a fun and romantic date or at least a lovely sunset stroll.

It’s home to many art galleries, theaters, museums, gardens, parks, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo, renowned for its endangered species conservation programs.

If you like the Zoo and you have some time on your hands, check out the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as well. Safari tours are available and recommended as it’s a huge area to cover in this wildlife sanctuary for over 300 African and Asian animal species.

The Safari Park is worthwhile for animal lovers as you can experience wildlife up close and enjoy several hours away from the city crowds. If you’re not a fan of zoos and the like, or you still have a day extra, visit the famed La Jolla Cove Beach.

Nestling north of San Diego, this ecologically protected beach features calm waters with extraordinary visibility, perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. This quaint beach also provides picnic tables and showers, so it can be a great romantic spot for couples.

It takes days to take in everything that the area of San Diego and around can offer. If you have a few free days in your travel schedule, we recommend you stay a few days in San Diego.

If you’re traveling with your significant other, maybe even consider staying in a romantic hot tub suite in San Diego.

Take a few half-day guided tours that take you around the city, from the beaches of La Jolla, Mt Soledad, and Coronado Island, to Balboa Park and Old Town San Diego. However you decide to spend your time here, we are sure you will have a blast.

It’s a lovely area with a rich history, scenic sites, and great entertainment. So just go with the flow, enjoy the waves, the warm weather, and the sandy beaches…and come again, as there’s always more to see and do in San Diego.

Tourist visa requirement

Even if you plan to travel from Tijuana to San Diego for a short visit, you may need a B1/B2 visa.

However, there are some exceptions.

If you are a citizen of a country that is part of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you may travel to the USA for up to 90 days with just an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) instead of a B1/B2 visa.

It’s important to check your specific situation and eligibility for the VWP or other visa exemptions.

Additionally, border regulations can change, so it’s a good idea to consult the official website of the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the most up-to-date information before your trip.

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.

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