This Is How To Spend A Trip To Tijuana From San Diego (2024)

Tijuana is one of the easiest places for Americans to visit across the Southern Border (it is also possible to visit The Bahamas on a day trip). Tijuana is located just across the border from the southern California city of San Diego. Tijuana is located in Mexico's state of Baja California. Baja California can be a great destination and is famous for its excellent beaches.

Today Tijuana is one of the fastest-growing cities in Mexico and is one of the easiest-to-reach international destinations for Californians. It can be argued that one of the top things to do in San Diego is visit Tijuana for a day trip.

Cultural Center in the Zona Rio in Tijuana

What To Know About Tijuana - The Most Visited Border City

The modern history of Tijuana dates from the arrival of the Spanish to the region. Following the expansion of the United States into the West at the expense of Mexico, the Californias were divided, and Tijuana remained on the Mexican side. Take the time to visit the three Californias in the United States and Mexico.

• Population: 2 Million

Tijuana has been a tourist destination since the 1880s and is now one of the largest cities in Mexico (it has a greater population of around 2 million). Today it is claimed to be the most visited border city in the world. It is only 15 miles from neighboring San Diego and

Related: Everything To Know Before Visiting Baja California (And Yes, You Do Need A Passport)

Plaza Santa Cecilia in Tijuana

Tips For Taking A Day Trip From San Diego To Tijuana

Visiting Tijuana from San Diego is little more than just hopping over the border. The twin cities function economically as a single city in many ways, and so it is almost like visiting the other half of the city. Around 300,000 visitors cross the border at San Ysidro every day.

Tijuana is famous for its rich Mexican culture, its energetic nightlife, and its tasty Mexican cuisine. There is plenty of excellent Mexican street food to try - tacos, churros, and burritos, to name but a few.

• Things To Do: Mexican Cuisine, Mexican Culture, Night Life, Visit Beaches
• Four Border Crossings: PedEast, PedWest, Otay Mesa, and Cross Border Xpress

Key places to see and explore in Tijuana include Avenida Revolucion (also called the "Main Street of Tijuana"). The street has plenty of shops, street vendors, and more. Another great place to visit is the Tijuana Cultural Center. For those staying the night, explore the bars, clubs, and dance halls - dance to the rhythm of Latin Music.

Key Attractions In Tijuana:

• Centro Cultural Tijuana: See The Museum of the Californias, a botanical garden, an aquarium, & More
• Avenida Revolución: Go Shopping & Explore The Popular Street
• Playas de Tijuana: Flop On The Mexican Beach
• Parque Morelos: A Reserve & The Large Green Space In Tijuana
• Plaza Rio Tijuana: A Large Mexican-Style Shopping Mall

Downtown Tijuana, Mexico

One of the draws to Tijuana for the younger crowd is that the drinking age in Mexico is 18 (unlike 21 in the United States). The main red-light district in the city is Zona Norte (also called La Coahuila).

Related: 15 Places In Mexico That Are Just Plain Dangerous (And 7 That Are Super Safe)

How To Get To Tijuana Over The Border Crossing

There are plenty of ways to get to Tijuana from San Diego - both private and public transportation. To take public transportation, take the Blue Line Trolley from downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro Transit Center and then walk across the border from there. Once in Tijuana, there is plenty of public transportation to get around the city.

• Visa: Visa Free For Up To 180 Days

Even for those with their own car, it can be easier to park it on the American side of the border and then walk across. There are parking lots available for around $25 per day. Not all the border crossings are open at all hours - e.g. the PedEast Crossing is open 24/7, while smaller border crossings may close for the night. Border wait times vary by crossing and by time of day (it is also different if driving across or walking across). The average wait time is around 40 minutes.

Beautiful golf course in Tijuana

Visitors should take their passports with them when crossing into Mexico. Crossing into Mexico is visa-free for Americans, and it is easy to cross the border. Americans are permitted to stay in Mexico for up to 180 days without a visa.

Visitors should also take precautions when visiting Tijuana. They should take the safety tips for traveling to dangerous places. Refer to the United States Department of State for safety information about visiting Baja California (and the rest of Mexico).

The safer cities in Mexico to visit include Merida and some of the cities in the Yucatán Peninsula region.