Location:
State of Baja California on the Baja
California Peninsula
Distance from San Diego: 11 miles
south
Population: 1,220,000
Closest major airport: Abelardo L.
Rodríguez Intl. aka Tijuana Intl (TIJ)
Time zone: Pacific Standard Time
Just a few miles south of San Diego in Baja
California State, Tijuana is the city most
visited by U.S. tourists in the world.
During the early 1900s the city grew into a
center of cabarets and nightclubs, when U.S.
prohibition laws drove Americans in search
of nightlife across the border. Today, the
city is succeeding in shedding its “sin
city” image thanks to a wealth of cultural
offerings.
One of the popular places in the city to
visit is the Tijuana Cultural Center, known
as “The Ball,” which hosts permanent and
rotating art exhibits, as well as outdoor
concerts during the spring and summer. Most
recently, the Museum of California was
inaugurated, showcasing the history of the
Baja California Peninsula with a spotlight
on ethnic groups, natural attractions,
missions and Prohibition-era tourism.
Another great option to get around is the
Tijuana Trolley which stops at all the
tourist sites, including the cultural
center, famous racetrack and shopping
centers. Tijuana is also well-known for dog
races, bullfights and Mexican cuisine.
As a border town, Tijuana is renowned for
its duty-free shopping – one of its most
popular pastimes – that offers luxury items
such as perfumes, fine crystals and
electronics. Avenida Revolución is where
many of the best shops are located.
Tijuana also boasts quite a culinary
history. It is where Italian chef Alex
Cardini tossed the very first Ceasar salad,
where the clamato juice was first mixed and
where the national cocktail, the margarita,
was created. Two of the leading restaurants
in the area include Cine Años, offering
contemporary Mexican cuisine, and Tour de
France, serving French gourmet cuisine.
Visitors interested in a night out on the
town can head to Tia Juana Tilly´s, Hard
Rock Café and Señor Frog´s.
The nearby neighbor of Tijuana is a great
destination to visit for upscale shopping,
delicious cuisine and cultural activities on
the Mexican border. Travelers interested in
a charismatic town with an interesting
background will undoubtedly love Tijuana. |