Is Tijuana Safe? Travel Tips & Areas To Avoid 2024

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The City of Tijuana is one of the most misunderstood parts of Mexico. Many of the most vocal sensationalists who theorize about violent crime have never actually been to Tijuana. It is the largest municipality in Mexico, larger than Iztapalapa, the largest burrow in Mexico City, with more ethnic diversity. Tijuana has an excellent job market and has some of the best food in all of Mexico with a distinct regional style. It is a popular destination for medical tourism, entertainment, and even surfing because of its close proximity to Southern California. But, “Is Tijuana Safe?”

The next 5,000 words will be spent exploring the safety issues that exist in Tijuana, Baja California, addressing some misconceptions, and teaching you how to travel safely in Tijuana, Baja California.

I have lived in Mexico since 2009 and my accent constantly prompts people to ask where I am from. I always say, “You know Tijuana, right? I come from a ranch 30 minutes away.” 30 minutes to the north but that’s with no traffic.

I have been exploring Tijuana since I was 15 years old. A nun from my high school would bring us along to help carry supplies to a Catholic orphanage. In the 1990s there was no passport requirement to cross the border and Avenida Revolución was a very different place.

Is Tijuana Safe To Visit?

No, Tijuana is not safe by any measure. Tijuana is consistently ranked as the most dangerous city in Mexico and one of the most violent cities in the world with a rate of 105 intentional homicides per 100,000 residents in 2022 (SESNSP). The homicide rate, human trafficking, cheap drugs, armed robbery, organized car theft, and an ecological disaster all contribute to the overall poor perception of safety.

But that doesn’t mean you should not go. With a little bit of research and preparation, it is possible to avoid problems and have a safe trip. Taking some basic precautions will help travelers explore this fun city.

Taking a little time to familiarize yourself with the most common criminal activity in Tijuana could save you from losing a cell phone, having your car broken into, or falling for common scams. Prevention is the most important factor when it comes to safety.

According to security experts, safety is about avoiding risks. It is 5% luck, 5% reaction, and 90% prevention. More than anything else, it is about identifying safe places and safe activities.

México, Tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de Estados Unidos.
Mexico, So far from God and so close to the United States.

Porfirio Díaz

The quote by Porfirio Díaz is about Mexico as a whole but there is no better place to observe the ramifications of being next door to the United States than Tijuana. Being a border town is at the root of many challenges facing this Mexican city.

Why Is Tijuana So Dangerous?

Tijuana is one stop along the most important smuggling corridor into the United States with three multinational criminal organizations fighting a turf war over the lucrative routes.

Not all the drugs make it over the border. Tijuana has developed a local market for both meth and fentanyl. I had a neighbor that went from working in a hospital in San Diego and stealing pills to dying of an overdose in a Tijuana hotel room in less than a year.

Regularly, we see pictures in the Baja expat forums of families of US citizens looking for their loved ones who are having chemical dependency and mental breakdowns. Lots of people come to Tijuana to do drugs.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported people from dozens of different countries to Tijuana, occasionally deporting some US citizens by mistake.

There are tent cities of migrants applying for US immigration documents. The level of desperation in Tijuana is something that most of us will never comprehend.

Tourism in Tijuana is rooted in vice. During prohibition in the US, Tijuana became a favorite hangout for Hollywood and those who enjoyed a party. Today, Tijuana has the largest red light district in North America. The Zona Norte neighborhood is known to be dangerous and full of junkies.

President Abelardo Rodríguez, the namesake of the Tijuana Airport and founder of the Agua Caliente Casino, was a mafia boss. He was associated with Al Capone and Meyer Lansky controlling the flow of alcohol across the border.

The Tijuana River is one of the worst ecological disasters in North America. The raw, untreated sewage flows freely into the Pacific Ocean polluting not just the water but the air as well. Beaches from Imperial Beach to Coronado have been closed for years

Leading presidential candidate, Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta, a reformer within the PRI political party, was assassinated in 1994 right behind the Tijuana Airport. That left a black cloud hanging over the city for a long time the same way JFK’s assassination stained Dallas’ reputation.

Tijuana is a huge city with close to 2 million residents. Much of the violence that makes the international press happens outside of the Libremiento Sur, far from the city center. Neighborhoods like Sánchez Taboada, Camino Verde, Tres de Octubre, and Urbivilla Del Prado 2 should be avoided.

Downtown Tijuana and Zona Río may not have as many murders as the suburbs, but there is still plenty of theft. Car theft, petty crime, cell phone theft, muggings, burglaries, and small business robberies.

According to a survey of Tijuana residents in 2022, 83% of the people who live in Tijuana perceive the city as unsafe.

Is it safe to walk across the US border to Tijuana?

The San Ysidro (northbound) and El Chaparral (southbound) are considered to be the busiest land border crossing in the world in terms of individual crossers and vehicles. Over 100 million people cross the border every year.

For the vast majority of people walking across the border, it is perfectly safe to walk across the border. However, if you don’t know your way around Tijuana or San Ysidro, I recommend taking a taxi after crossing the border.

Pedestrians can choose between three different crossings: San Ysidro (PedEast), El Chaparral (PedWest), and Otay Mesa.

San Ysidro (PedEast) is the main Tijuana border crossing. The San Diego Trolley is just steps from the crossing and there are a number of parking lots within a few blocks.

San Ysidro is the busiest crossing with the longest wait times. El Chaparral was opened to alleviate some of that traffic.

El Chaparral (PedWest) is the newest crossing opened in 2016. It is located next to the La Americas Outlet Mall on Camino de la Plaza and a large public parking lot.

The Pedestrian West border crossing was closed during the pandemic and closed again in September 2023. It isn’t reliably open. Check the CBP border wait times website before making plans to cross there.

Otay Mesa is my favorite border crossing because the line is usually substantially shorter than San Ysidro. The only problem with Otay Mesa is that there are fewer public transportation options nearby. Otay is out in the sticks.

The Cross Border Xpress pedestrian bridge is only available for those arriving through the airport.

Is Uber Safe In Tijuana?

Yes, Uber is the safest form of transportation in Tijuana. Additionally, the taxis in Tijuana can smell a newbie a mile away. If you don’t know where you are going and what it should cost to get there, the taxi drivers will make that ride as expensive as possible. Uber doesn’t play those games. You know that the app is setting a fair price for the consumer.

When taking a taxi you have to negotiate with the taxi driver and agree on a price before getting into the vehicle. It is rare for taxi drivers to actually use the taxi meter. They will quote you a price after the fact based on what they think you are willing to pay.

Is It Safe To Walk In Tijuana At Night?

While I have walked all over Tijuana for 25 years, today I prefer to drive or take a taxi even during the day.

Avenida Revolución has a strong police presence day and night. It is safe to walk around on that street at night but the instant you leave the police-patrolled and well-lit areas you are putting yourself in danger.

If you are going to walk around in Tijuana you need to have an acute sense of situational awareness. Don’t get distracted on your phone. Walk like you know where you are going even if you are lost.

I do not recommend walking all the way from the San Ysidro border crossing over the Tijuana River to Downtown. Especially at night. Take a taxi.

Is Tijuana Safe For American Tourists?

Yes, Mexico is safe for American (United States) tourists. The United States and Mexico have a great relationship. There is a massive amount of US tourism going to Tijuana as well as Mexican tourism going to San Diego.

There is no reason to try and blend in. Mexicans can pick tourists out of a crowd even before they open their mouths.

Because Tijuana gets such a bad rep in the international media, there is almost a level of appreciation for the tourists who can see through the sensationalism and actually do visit.

Is Tijuana Safe For Solo Female Travellers?

I do not recommend Tijuana for solo female travelers. The solo female travelers who are Googling, “Is Tijuana safe?” are not going to feel comfortable exploring Tijuana by themselves.

Solo female travelers who have already been around the world visiting rough big cities will no doubt find their way around Tijuana. Suburbanites with little international travel experience are not going to enjoy what Tijuana has to offer.

The border region is complicated. Tijuana is much more enjoyable to experience with friends so that you can look out for each other and let your guard down a little bit.

I just want to add that Ensenada is a whole different story. Solo female travelers are much more common in Baja California once you leave Tijuana.

Tijuana Crime Rate vs. Los Angeles Crime Rate

The homicide rate in Tijuana is much higher than the rate in Los Angeles. However, many of those crimes take place in parts of Tijuana that even the locals will never visit.

When you talk to someone in Los Angeles about Palmdale or Skid Row they roll their eyes because normal people don’t go there. It is the same thing in Tijuana. Middle-class Tijuanenses don’t hang out in the red-light district or Sánchez Taboada.

According to Numbeo, an aggregator of survey data in English, the crime index of Tijuana is significantly higher than it is in Los Angeles. The overall level of crime is twenty points higher in Tijuana than it is in Los Angeles.

Index	Crime Index	Safety Scale
Tijuana	72.09	27.91
Los Angeles	52.54	47.46

Just remember that Downtown Tijuana is right next to the red light district so having some drinks at the iconic Dandy del Sur or going dancing at Las Pulgas you may be seated next to a table full of prostitutes on their day off.

Where Should You Stay In Tijuana?

Over the course of twenty years, I have stayed at a lot of different hotels in Tijuana. Your money goes a lot further in Tijuana than it does in San Diego.

The music scene in Tijuana is particularly interesting. A lot of times I would stay in Tijuana after going to a concert so I could get breakfast the next morning.

✅ La Cacho

Not the most popular spot to stay but the hottest neighborhood to get food right now. There are more hip restaurants and coffee shops per capita than any other part of Tijuana. You have to get tacos, coffee, or a wine tasting.

✅ Aviación

The Aviación neighborhood is where I fell in love with the Tijuana food scene. The first time I ate at Los Arcos I was hooked.

The neighborhood is next to the Tijuana Country Club and is considered to be a wealthy part of the city. It’s evident by the large number of excellent restaurants and trendy coffee shops along Blvd Salinas and Blvd Sánchez Taboada. I am going to get into my favorite restaurants a little bit later in this article but many of them are located in the Aviación neighborhood.

📍 Mid-Range Option – Grand Hotel Tijuana

✅ Downtown Tijuana Zona Centro

There are a lot of music venues in Downtown Tijuana. Avenida Revolución feels a little run down these days but there are a number of development projects looking to revitalize the area.

The old Jai Alai area was converted into a concert venue. The ancient Cine Bujazán was taken over by squatters after it burnt down and turned into an underground concert venue. Today, It is a state-run cultural center called Observatorio. It is a really cool place to see a concert. I saw Maldidta Vecendad here back in 2012.

I recommend the Ticuán. It is around the corner from the Jai Alai Palace and three blocks from Caesar’s Restaurant. The hotel is a great deal and makes for a really fun weekend of music and food.

📍Budget Option – Don’t stay at budget hotels in Downtown Tijuana
📍 Mid-Range Option – Hotel Ticuán

✅ Zona Río

The Zona Río Neighborhood is adjacent to the Aviación neighborhood and has a ton of great restaurants as well. Plaza Zapato is a favorite local bar district. The Area around Mercado Hidalgo is famous for tacos. The Plaza Río mall is a nice, middle-class shopping center.

The Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT) is the most famous draw in the neighborhood. I have gone to Tijuana plenty of times just to attend an event at the CECUT.

📍Mid-Range Option – Real Inn Tijuana by Camino Real Hotels
📍Luxury Option – Hotel Lucerna Tijuana

✅ Pueblo Amigo

Plaza Pueblo Amigo is less than 500 meters from the San Ysidro Border crossing. There has been a lot of turnover in the Pueblo Amigo Plaza but I have always had a lot of fun here when I stayed here.

In recent years, the biggest draw is the neighboring medical plaza or the casino. There are some great restaurants, tacos, event spaces, nightclubs, and casual bars very close by.

📍 Mid-Range Option – Hotel Pueblo Amigo Plaza & Casino

What Areas Should You Avoid In Tijuana?

Tijuana isn’t a great place to go exploring without a set destination. That goes for walking as well as driving. I recommend always having a destination.

I remember driving back from Papas and Beer in Rosarito Beach when my cousin had to use the bathroom really badly. We pulled over somewhere off of the Libremiento Sur near the Camino Verde neighborhood and I am thankful we made it out of there. It was quickly apparent that we didn’t belong in that part of Tijuana.

Touristy Areas vs Non-Tourist Areas Of Tijuana

There is a big difference between American tourists and Mexican tourists when it comes to this question. The red-light district is one of the busiest tourist areas in Tijuana. It is like Las Vegas bringing in international tourism 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The other major tourist zone is the medical tourism market which isn’t as much fun as dinner and drinks.

Mexican tourism is more focused on the restaurant scene, sporting events, and business.

❌ Zona Norte

The red light district in Tijuana is the area between Downtown and the US border fence. It is a high-crime area full of brothels, junkies, and street-walking prostitutes. Many of the prostitutes are also junkies.

There are a number of nightclub brothels that maintain security in front of their establishments. However, walking just a few blocks in either direction is dangerous.

Nothing is hidden in this area. Just open Google Maps Street View for a look at this place. It is ground zero for human trafficking and rampant drug use.

Hustlers on the street try to recruit unsuspecting mules to move contraband. It is the sort of place that has trouble around every corner.

❌ Camino Verde

Tourists have no business coming out here. This is the southeast side of the Libremiento Sur. It is a poor neighborhood with a reputation for gang violence and a high crime rate. Many of the houses are put together with scraps. It is built on a hill and the retaining wall material of choice is old tires. The heavy rains in 2023 were devastating to these slums.

Coming out here without an invitation or a local guide is a good way to get in trouble.

❌ Sánchez Taboada

Much like Camino Verde, Sánchez Taboada is an underdeveloped neighborhood made up of mostly slums. There are some middle-class houses but many of the residences have been put together with scrap wood.

Sánchez Taboada is famous for drug-related crime. Local street gangs sell drugs and fight over the corners they are sold on. I’m kind of surprised that Google sent drivers out here to take photos for Street View.

Some of the streets are so steep that it looks like the houses are built at an angle. You don’t want to be out here when It is raining heavily.

❌ Don’t go in the water in Playas de Tijuana

The water in Playas de Tijuana is horribly polluted. Raw sewage flows out of the Tijuana River year-round but is particularly bad in the winter when it rains a lot.

Historically, the beach in front of the Tijuana River Valley was famous for big waves and good surfers.

The lifeguards in Imperial Beach were first-class watermen who swam, paddled, fished, and spent a lot of time on the water. Today, the Imperial Beach Lifeguards do not train in the ocean water because of the health implications.

Many of the bacterial infections caused by dirty water are life-threatening like hepatitis. The dirty water is known to cause sinus infections, ear infections, and general respiratory problems.

It is a shame that this huge stretch of the Baja California/Alta California coast is off-limits to aquatic activity.

In my opinion, this is one of the most important topics in the border/immigration debate that is getting zero discussion during the 2024 election cycles. Both Mexico and the United States are electing presidents this year but no progress is expected by either government under the next administrations.

Safety Tips For Visiting Tijuana

Tijuana is a major metropolitan region that requires some planning. There are safe activities located close to dangerous areas. With a little bit of advanced planning, it is possible to have a great time.

✔️Make A Plan

Decide where you are going, how you are going to get there, and how you are going to get home before you leave. Trying to get a taxi after a concert or a sporting event can take a while. Make a plan.

✔️Don’t Take Your Cellphone Out On The Street

Distracted cell phone users are a prime target for thieves. Don’t walk down the street TikToking, oblivious of your surroundings. It is common for motorcycle thieves to rip cell phones out of the hands of unsuspecting tourists.

✔️Set Up Good Security On Your Phone

It is amazing how much information we keep on our phones these days. If a criminal steals your phone and can gain access, they have a ton of scams they can run. They know how all digital payment and banking platforms work. They will try to scam your contacts on social media with stories that you are in trouble with the law.

Make sure that it is as difficult as possible for a thief to gain access to your phone.

Know how to brick your phone with the manufacturer. If your phone is stolen there is a zero percent chance that you will get it back. You want to make sure that your personal information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

✔️Use Extreme Caution At The ATM

There are several different ways to lose money while using an ATM in Mexico.

Do not under any circumstances accept help from strangers at the ATM. Scam artists use magician-level sleight-of-hand techniques to swap out cards.

Use the official ATMs at banks and avoid independent ATMs that are on the street. It is a lot less likely that criminals can attach a card skimmer that will go unnoticed to an official ATM in a bank.

I like using Banamex because they usually have safe parking and the ATMs are indoors.

Always look at the ATM to make sure there is no additional equipment or parts attached to the ATM. Most people would be surprised by how clean and almost invisible some of the card skimmers can be.

✔️Selective Street Food Consumption

Tijuana is famous for its delicious food. Choose street food stalls that are busy. It is easy to get sick with food that has been sitting around for too long or that is collecting dust from the roadside.

Watch Mark Wien’s epic tour of the Tijuana street food scene for top-notch recommendations. There is too much excellent food in Tijuana to settle for average or below average.

✔️Don’t Share Personal Information With Strangers

You want to be really selective with whom you share personal information. Bartenders, taxi drivers, that pretty girl you just met at the bar, they don’t need to know what you do for a living, where you work, or where you live.

It is a good idea to be more reserved until you get a better sense of the situation, preferably when not under the influence of alcohol.

✔️Don’t Park On The Street

Use off-street, private parking lots. That homeless guy saying he will watch your car for 20 pesos is not a reliable parking lot attendant.

Make it a point to leave your car in a safe place with professional valets that have insurance or parking garages with security. There are a lot of stolen cars in Tijuana.

The free zones near the US-Mexico border do not require vehicle importation permits so stolen vehicles go undetected by Mexican authorities.

✔️Be Prepared For The Border Line Before Getting In The Car

There are a lot of different approaches that drivers can use to access the borderline. Make sure you know where the Ready Lane line starts along Avenida Alfonso Bustamante Labastida. U.S. Citizens and visa holders with RFID-enabled identification documents can save a lot of time using the Ready Lane from the east as opposed to the general traffic lanes from Downtown.

This recommendation also includes going to the bathroom before getting in the car. Once you are in the line, there is no turning back. It is going to take a few hours until you can get out of the car. Know that holidays can make the wait much longer.

✔️Don’t Drink The Tap Water

Drink bottled water or filtered water from a 5-gallon jug. Busy restaurants are not going to serve their customers tap water. Locals don’t drink tap water and neither should you.

✔️Don’t Bring The Friend Who Gets Into Fights

This is probably a recommendation for the younger folks out there but I remember being in college and having acquaintances who got into fights after drinking.

Tijuana is not a good place for them. You don’t want to be a part of the group that gets into a fight for no reason. That is how people get killed.

Is Tijuana Safe To Go Out To Dinner? Yes!

Have you ever heard someone say, “Lo bonito de Tijuana es San Diego?” Well, I think the food scene in Tijuana proves that old saying wrong. Anthony Bourdain was asked where to eat in San Diego at ComicCon one year and he replied that he would rather drive down to Tijuana to eat at one of Javier Plascencia’s restaurants.

Going out to eat is one of the best things to do in Tijuana. San Diego has a lot of good food but Tijuana is more exciting and much more exciting and affordable. These are some of my favorite places to eat in Tijuana, from fancy restaurants to tacos on the street.

Tijuana Travel FAQ

Is It Safe To Drive In Tijuana?

The traffic rules in Tijuana are a little more complex than they are in San Diego but yes, it is safe to drive in Tijuana. After walking into Tijuana for many years I now find it more comfortable to drive than to walk.

Buy Mexican automobile insurance before crossing the border. If you get into even a minor accident without insurance it is likely that you will be spending some time in a Tijuana jail while the authorities establish responsibility and levy damages.

Make sure to park your car in a safe, off-street parking lot. Car theft is very common on the Tijuana city streets.

The most difficult part of driving in Tijuana is navigating the borderline. It takes a little training to find the entrance to the line especially when the line is really long. Every person that you allow to cut in front of you makes the line 5 minutes longer. People drive just inches from the car in front of them so nobody can change lanes and cut in front of them.

One important rule to remember is not to aggressively honk at people. Road rage is real. You never know who is behind the wheel in that other car.

Is Tijuana Safe For Families?

This is a very subjective question. I know lots of families that regularly spend time in Tijuana to get braces and go shopping. Most of them speak Spanish and know their way around.

Personally, I would not want to walk across the border with my young kids. We drive all the time but walking the San Ysidro crossing is eye-opening for sure. If you are crossing with little kids I would recommend driving rather than walking. If you are going to walk across the border with kids, the Otay Mesa border crossing less hectic than the San Ysidro border crossing.

Is Tijuana Dangerous At Night?

Yes, Tijuana is dangerous at night. There are many parts of Tijuana that are dangerous at night as well as during the day. There are also parts of Tijuana that are safe at night. Make a plan. Know where you are going and what you are going to do. Safety is 90% preparation.

Conclusion: Is Tijuana Safe In 2024?

I am really hungry writing this article. I have been going through my old photos and watching YouTube videos about Tijuana for a few weeks now. I love Tijuana and I hate that it has such a bad reputation.

Everybody knows that Tijuana as a whole is dangerous. However, there are a lot of safe activities that are a lot of fun. Make a plan, don’t do drugs, and eat some of the best food in Mexico.