Where To Stay In Tijuana & The Best Neighborhoods To Explore

Looking for the best place to stay in Tijuana?

I have a lot to say on the topic. Deciding where to stay in Tijuana can be a challenge. The Tijuana Metropolitan Area is huge. It is the fifth-largest metro area in Mexico; it encompasses three different municipalities and is home to more than 2 million people. Plus, the region is spread out over a large distance. There are beaches, parks, malls, and lots of live music venues.

Because Tijuana is such a large metropolitan area, there are plenty of hotel options, from budget to boutique, family-friendly to business-oriented, and everything in between. This article looks specifically at the best neighborhoods in Tijuana for visitors to enjoy the sights and sounds of a marvelous playground.

I have lived in Guadalajara since 2009, but I grew up in San Diego and still spend a ton of time in Tijuana. I want to make sure your stay in Tijuana is fun, safe, and exceeds your expectations.

Quick Guide: Where To Stay In Tijuana

• The Ticuán Hotel in Downtown Tijuana has safe parking and is walking distance to: Ruckus nightlife, great restaurants, and dancing.
• The Grand Hotel Tijuana is on the country club between the Aviación, Chapultepec and Hipódromo upscale neighborhoods with easy access to restaurants and the Xolos Stadium
• Hotel Lucerna in Zona Río is family-friendly with a nice pool and is blocks away from some of the best food in Tijuana like Misión 19, Villa Marina, and the Casa del Mole

Where To Stay In Tijuana: Overview

I get this question all the time, and the short answer is Downtown Tijuana and the Chapultepec/Aviacion/Hipodromo neighborhoods. Both of those areas have great experiences but might not be the right choice for all travelers.

One of the things that I love about Tijuana is the contrast between high and low culture. There is a really unique style that is an amalgamation of worldly cultures and varying socioeconomic levels. Standing in line at a great taco shop, you will see both the rich and the working class taking turns. It’s the same thing with the music. Tijuana is famous for a very unique fusion of musical styles.

If you are going to stay in Downtown Tijuana, I highly recommend heading over to Chapultepec to have dinner. Or the other way around: if you stay at the Grand Hotel Tijuana, don’t forget to go to dinner at Caesar’s Restaurant on Av. Revolución. You need to see both sides of the coin to really get the Tijuana experience.

Safety will always be an important consideration when thinking about a place to stay in Tijuana. I think that the neighborhood is less important than the behavior because even wealthy areas can attract crime. Having too much to drink is the easiest way to get into trouble.

I have written extensively about the security in Tijuana so you can get an idea about the common scams. Most of them are pretty easy to avoid if you are aware of them in advance. Keep that expensive cell phone in your pocket when you are on the street, and don’t honk at people when driving.

Let’s explore all the best neighborhoods and places to stay while taking a look at the best hotels to stay in Tijuana.

1. Downtown Tijuana: Legendary Nightlife & Music Scene

Downtown Tijuana is the first neighborhood that most visitors experience when traveling to this part of Mexico. Avenida Revolución is the main drag that runs from the red-light district in the north to the Agua Caliente water tower and La Cacho on the south and the Zona Río to the east.

Things to do in Downtown Tijuana

Eat, drink, and go see music. Avenida Revolución, or La Revo, is one of the world’s most famous party destinations, for good or for worse. For over a hundred years, Downtown Tijuana has been a major tourist destination for entertainment.

• Museo de La Lucha Libre Mexicana (MULLME)
• Museo del Taco
• See live music at the Observatorio, the Jai Alai Palace, or Las Pulgas

Where to eat in Downtown Tijuana

Tijuana has a legendary food scene and Downtown Tijuana is a great place to start exploring the city. There are surprising treats where you least expect. Most people are astonished to learn that the iconic Caesar Salad was invented in Tijuana. There are high-end hipster cafes hidden on back alleys and modern gourmet experiences in new fancy buildings.

• Caesar’s
• La Justina
• Norte Brewing Co
• La Corriente Cevicheria Nais
• AETHER Cafe

You will find some of the best birria in Mexico on the streets of Downtown Tijuana. The breweries are also some of the best in Mexico. There are Tijuana-style restaurants across North America affecting what we take for granted in this neighborhood.

Don’t settle for average. Look for the best food in Downtown Tijuana. You have only limited bandwidth to eat just a few meals.

Where to stay in Downtown Tijuana

Avoid the cheap motels in Downtown Tijuana and look for something in the midrange category.

I personally, like the Ticuán because of the parking lot. The rooms are nice and clean. The Lafayette is boutique with cool design and the Justina Restaurant downstairs. My cousin and I had an amazing weekend watching a Maldita Vecindad concert at the Observatorio concert hall and partying at Caesar’s Restaurant and Hotel. Caesar’s Hotel has the three B’s (bueno, bonito, barato).

📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Caesar’s
📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Ticuán
📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Boutique Lafayette Tijuana

2. Chapultepec/Aviación/Hipódromo – The Nice Part of Town

The nicer parts of Tijuana that I enjoy visiting are mostly centered around the Club Campestre Country Club on Blvd. Agua Caliente. There aren’t as many hotel options in this area because they are more residential neighborhoods as you get off the main streets.

A great option for a luxury stay would be to rent an Airbnb in the Adamant Condominium Building across the street from the Xolos Stadium and the Hipódromo Mall.

Most large cities in Mexico have a nice neighborhood named Chapultepec modeled after something fancy in Mexico City. Tijuana is no different. Most of the neighborhood is residential behind the country club but Calle Sonora has some great restaurants, a nice mall, and a great dentist.

Most of the buildings on the east side of the street are older but high-end condo buildings overlooking the country club. I love driving the back way behind the country club to Hipódromo to see the mansions. Some are beautiful and some are gaudy.

Things to do in Chapultepec/Aviación/Hipódromo Tijuana

Eat at the wonderful restaurants on the block. I love the Javier Plascencia restaurants Erizo (seafood) and Caffé Saverios (pastas). There is a highly rated Argentine restaurant that is on my radar and Cafe Comunal opened a new storefront on the same block.

I usually take advantage of being in Tijuana to get my hair cut. I like going to a barber that knows how to give a good shave with a straight razor. Honestly, I hate going to a corporate haircut store in San Diego. I much prefer the Barber Shop Mexico and the location on Calle Sonora is perfect.

Aviación is the business district between Blvd Agua Caliente and Blvd. Sanchez Taboada. There are dozens of great restaurants in this area. I started by Tijuana restaurant journey at Los Arcos (seafood) but La Querencia (Baja Med), La Espadaña (breakfast), and La Diferencia (Mexican) are all amazing.

One the east side of the country club is the Hipódromo neighborhood centered on the Caliente Casino complex. There is a huge casino, the Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles soccer stadium, and a now defunct dog racing track. The owners have a private zoo, built a prestigious German school, a horse ranch, and zoned the area as a wealthy suburb.

The main drag of Av. Hipódromo is absolutly full of great restaurants, coffee shops, and food trucks.

Where to stay in Agua Caliente Tijuana

📍Mid-Range Option – Gran Hotel Tijuana
📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Hacienda Aguacaliente
📍Luxury Option – Hyatt Place Tijuana
📍Luxury Option – Airbnb Adamant Tijuana Hipódromo Condo Building

3. Zona Río

Tijuana’s Zona Rio was originally envisioned as a modern financial and cultural center. It is located just minutes from the border and has some of the city’s most identifiable landmarks. The main street, Paseo de los Heroes runs directly into the borderline and has some massive traffic circles.

Technically, the Zona Rio extends across both sides of the Tijuana River but I am going to put the New City section of the Zona Rio in its own section. The medical center is a destination on its own.

The Zona Rio used to be a slum that would flood after every heavy rain because of the river. By the 1970s, the river was contained and the area was zoned for development and the national government envisioned a financial district taking advantage of the proximity to the USA.

The Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) was inaugurated in 1982 and the Zona Rio Mall opened in the 1990s bringing a lot of people to the region. Today, the Costco and the Mercado Hidalgo wholesale market bring in shoppers from both sides of the border.

Things to do in Zona Río Tijuana

I know there are nicer malls all over Tijuana but I love Plaza Rio. I have been using this mall for decades and it has a retro-chic feel that is nostalgic. When I spend extended periods of time in San Diego, I often need to travel to Mexico on errands that involve paying bills. Plaza Rio is my one-stop-shop. I can park safely, use an ATM, deposit rent into my landlords account, and pay my phone bill all in one swoop. There is a great pharmacy called Gusher that I used to fill a prescription for an eye infection. Not only is there a San Diego Padres baseball shop, there is also a Toros de Tijuana shop, and a Xolos soccer team shop. This is a great place to buy a shirt or hat that says Tijuana.

The absolute bet thing to do in the Zona Río neighborhood of Tijuana is visit the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT). The Cultural Center has an IMAX theater which is in the landmark sphere. But there are also museums, a concert hall, an aquarium, a botanical garden, a gift shop, classes, and festivals. The Tijuana Art Festival has concerts so big this shut down Paseo de los Heroes because so many people show up. I saw Celso Piña perform here and it was one of the best shows of my life.

Additionally, Zona Rio is famous for great restaurants. The area around Mercado Hidalgo is stacked with great restaurants and street carts. Lion Fish seafood restaurant is ridiculously popular and Mision 19 is the perfect place for a fancy business meeting. Don’t be fooled by the Plaza del Zapato. They do sell shoes during the day but the real draw is the club scene. There are tons of great small bars and clubs.

Besides great Mexican food, you can find excellent Japanese, Brazilian, Afghani, Sicilian, Spanish, Vegan, and plenty of specialty coffee.

Where to stay in Zona Río Tijuana

The hotel options in the Zona Río neighborhood of Tijuana tend to be on the mid-range and above price structure.

📍Mid-Range Option – Baja Inn Río
📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Real Inn Tijuana (on the road to the airport)
📍Luxury Option – City Express Suites by Marriott Tijuana
📍Luxury Option – Hotel Lucerna Tijuana (great pool)

4. Zona Urbana – The New City Medical Plaza

As I mentioned before, the New City area is technically a part of the Zona Río neighborhood but it is on the north side of the Tijuana River and feels very different. The New City complex started with a hotel, casino, and event hall in a small shopping center. Later, some luxury high-rise condominiums grew into a modern medical plaza.

The selling point of the New City Medical Plaza is the close proximity to the border. People with SENTRI border crossing privileges can live on both sides of the border comfortably.

Things to do in Zona Urbana Tijuana

I think 90% of tourism to the New City neighborhood of Tijuana is dedicated to the medical center. The old Pueblo Amigo mall is looking run down. There is a taco shop with a lot of neon and some decent reviews. The sushi restaurant has some good reviews but was looking a little quiet.

Back in the day, my buddy and I spend a weekend at the Pueblo Amigo Hotel and went to dinner and drinks in the plaza. I have some great memories of this part of Tijuana so I hope some better restaurants and night clubs move back into the plaza.

Where to stay in Zona Urbana Tijuana

📍Luxury Option – Quartz Hotel & SPA
📍Luxury Option – Hotel Pueblo Amigo

5. Playas de Tijuana

Playas de Tijuana is a contradiction. There are pockets of stunning beauty hidden behind one of the worst ecological disasters in North America. The Tijuana Sloughs is one of the best big wave surf spots in the region but the water is too polluted to access. During much of the year, the smell of sewage is nauseating at best and toxic at worst.

I love coming to visit Playas de Tijuana and shoot photos but I wouldn’t recommend staying here because of the pollution. There are great beaches nearby that Playas de Tijuana doesn’t even enter the conversation.

Read the article on the best beaches in Tijuana to get the full scoop.

Things to do in Playas de Tijuana

There are a lot of great places to eat in Playas de Tijuana. I highly recommend getting coffee at Ilustre Coffee Roasters, seafood at Mariscos Tito’s, and tacos at El Frances.

Parque de la Amistad has turned the border wall into an open aired art project. The murals are thought provoking and often controversial. There is a really cool wooden boardwalk from the border wall a few kilometers down the beach and vendors selling hippy art.

You might be lucky enough to see a concert in the Plaza de Toros Monumental, the second largest bull fighting ring in the world. Unfortunately, there are no longer bull fights held at this stadium.

Where to stay in Playas de Tijuana

Don’t stay in Playas de Tijuana. Stay in San Antonio del Mar, Baja Malibu, or Rosarito Beach.

📍Rosarito Beach Hotel

The best place to stay in the region is the Las Gaviotas development a little south of Rosarito Beach.

📍Las Rocas Resort and Spa

The Las Rocas Resort is a little ways down the beach from Las Gaviotas and is situated on the world famous K-38 surf spot.

6. La Cacho (Colonia Madero) – Hot Restaurant District

La Cacho (AKA Colonia Madero) is tucked away between Downtown Tijuana and the Zona Rio. Parking is really difficult in this part of Tijuana. It kind of has that hipster vibe of something small that got really popular. There is a huge concentration of great restaurants, cafes, juice bars, schools, churches and places that middle-class Tijuanenses live their lives.

Things to do in La Cacho Tijuana

Eat and drink. Maybe get your teeth fixed. I have barely scratched the surface of the myriad of dining options, but I am hooked. Baristas Bravos roasts and pulls one of the best espressos in Mexico. And there are dozen other coffee shops serving very good Mexican grown beans like Electric, Regenerative, and Blue Luna.

The Telefónica Gastro Park is the biggest tourist attraction in the area. You can sample a dozen different small vendors plus a brewery. There is some parking but it is often full.

The taco scene is nothing short of amazing. Taco-N-Todo of Netflix fame is located on the westside. Tacos de Birria el Sabroso works the same corner in the morning. La Cacho has a Tijuanazo location that is great when you have a large group and everyone wants a different type of taco. TacoNVegie has vegan tacos.

La Cacho has fancy brunch restaurants, high-end seafood restaurants, vegan restaurants, classic Tijuana-style Italian restaurants, tap rooms, and more then you will be able to experience in one trip.

I also like to get my hair cut at The BarberShop Tijuana. I am really sad La Contra Wine store closed down in that shopping center. At least the Electric coffee shop is thriving. Easy parking is always a plus in this neighborhood.

There is this really cool parking lot on Calle Fresnillo. It is like an elevator for your car that stacks cars vertically called Estacionamiento de la Cacho.

Where to stay in La Cacho Tijuana

There aren’t that many hotel options located in La Cacho. It was mostly a residential area that morphed into a restaurant district. The cheap motels in La Cacho don’t have great reviews. The City Express Suites by Marriott is two blocks away and the nicest hotel in the area.

📍Budget Option – Hotel Palacio Azteca
📍Mid-Range Option – Hotel Real Inn Tijuana
📍Mid-Range Option – City Express Suites by Marriott
📍Luxury Option – City Express Plus by Marriott
📍Luxury Option – K Tower Urban Boutique Hotel

I have really enjoyed writing this article. I want to plan a trip to TJ for a Xolos soccer game and stay at an AirBNB at the Adamant and uber to La Cacho for dinner and drinks.

7. Otay Mesa – The Airport

I love the Otay area of Tijuana. Recently, I have come to prefer the Otay Mesa Border Crossing to the San Ysidro Crossing because of faster crossing times. Plus, I have found a lot of great tacos in the area. Otay is a great neighborhood. For a while in 2025, I worked as a substitute teacher at San Ysidro High School. This is a lovely bicultural community that loves baseball and sports. There are a lot of sports fields around here.

Most people coming through Otay are using the Tijuana Airport. Most of them will use the Cross Border Xpress terminal to access the airport from the US side. There are some circumstances during high traffic periods when driving is more convenient. See what makes most sense for you.

I use the Tijuana Airport on a regular basis and I love the Border Parking Tijuana airport shuttle. That means I stop for tacos every time I fly through there.

One of the problems with the CBX is people don’t realize they are crossing an international border. I got stuck behind a traveler going through the Mexican immigration line that didn’t have passports for their group. Stupid people can clog up infrastructure.

Things to do in Otay Mesa, Tijuana

Get on a flight to China, Phoenix, Arizona, or Guadalajara.

There are a ton of sports fields for both baseball and soccer. Many of the kids I taught at San Ysidro High School grew up playing sports on both sides of the border. Parque La Amistad has a small lake with a kayak club and a small skate park.

My favorite thing to do in Otay is look for Tacos. Tacos El Gallito are excellent. Tacos al Vapor Gil are really spectacular. I like Xolo Tacos and Aqui es Texcoco. Tacos El Compita de Birria are my favorite pit stop before getting in the border line when I have luggage in the car because of their safe parking lot.

I am just scratching the surface of all the great places to eat in Otay. Plus, Calzada del Tecnológico is right behind the airport and absolutly loaded with spectacular restaurants and taco stands. There are two universities which always congregate quality food options.

Where to stay in Otay

📍Budget Option – Hangar Inn Tijuana
📍Budget Option – Hotel Principado
📍Budget Option – Gamma Tijuana
📍Mid-Range Option – Fiesta Inn Tijuana Otay Aeropuerto
📍Luxury Option – one Tijuana Otay
📍Luxury Option – Holiday Inn Express

Where to Stay in Tijuana: Map

I recommend exploring Google Maps. Tijuana is a huge Metropolitan Region with a lot of people and many different experiences. I am sure you can plan a fun trip and find a great place to stay that exceeds your expectations.

Areas To Avoid In Tijuana

There are sketchy corners all over, but the principal areas to avoid in Tijuana are on the far side of the Libremiento, on the east side of the metropolitan area. This includes areas such as Camino Verde, Sanchez Taboada, and Reforma.

Carretera 2000 is the highway that connects the east side of Tijuana with the beaches south of Rosarito. The area is known to be very dangerous as criminal gangs use the darkness to move migrants and contraband to the United States.

I recommend that tourists avoid the Zona Norte red light district. There are lots of ways to get into trouble, and people peddling bad ideas. Hookers, junkies, and traffickers are all looking for suckers. Do not let your guard down if you choose to visit this area.

Lomas Taurinas is a slum on the back side of the Tijuana Airport that is famous for the assassination of presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta. To this day, there is a lot of gang activity in the area.

FAQs: Visiting Tijuana

There are some of the most common questions that I see in the Facebook groups and that I get on social media.

What are the wealthiest areas of Tijuana?

The nicest area of Tijuana is behind the Club Campestre de Tijuana. It is an old-money neighborhood with large mansions and huge fences. It isn’t a touristy area and there are not a lot of businesses in the neighborhood. It includes Chapultepec, Hipódromo, and Auga Caliente. Some of the names changes every few blocks from Hipódromo to Burocrata Hipódromo or Agua Caliente to Lomas de Agua Caliente. The wealthiest areas of Tijuana are located behind the racetrack and the country club.

What are the most walkable neighborhoods in Tijuana?

Downtown Tijuana is by far the most walkable neighborhood in Tijuana. While there are some other neighborhoods that have walkable streets, Tijuana is not known as a safe city to walk around at day and night.

I have enjoyed walks in many blue collar neighborhoods but I recommend a heightened sense of awareness when exploring a new area that you are not familar with.

Zona Río has pockets of comfortably walkable neighborhoods. Av. Hipódromo has a ton of great businesses and restaurants but the area is more comfortable to experience in a car.

Keep in mind that pedestrian infrastructure is very different in Tijuana that it is in San Diego. Pedestrians are not granted the same right of way that they may be used to in other nearby cities. Always look both ways not just for cars but for motorcycles and scooters that may be moving in the wrong direction.

What Tijuana neighborhood has the best nightlife?

Downtown Tijuana has the highest concentration of nightlife options but La Cacho and Zone Río have significant clusters of cool options.

It kind of depends what you want to do. Lucha Libre is in a working class area. The Xolos Stadium is next to the casino. The Toros Baseball Stadium is located on the outskirts of the city. You can find cool things to do at night all over the place.

What is the Safest Place to Stay in Tijuana?

Even thought it feels a little rough around the edges, Downtown Tijuana is one of the safest places to stay in the city if you take some basic precautions. Additionally, the Hipódromo area around the casino is very safe as well.

Final Thoughts On Where To Stay in Tijuana

Maybe you stay in TJ and maybe you don’t. I have found that crossing the border late at night is easier than crossing the border at rush hour. However, if you end up having some drinks, do the responsible thing and stay the night.

There are so many fun experiences in Tijuana, I love writing these articles. I go down to Tijuana experience something that I heard about, and the process, I learn about five more fun things to do. The list of fun things to do and nice places to stay in Tijuana is always growing.

Let me know in the comments what you think about the article. I hope you have a wonderful experience in TJ.