Playas de Tijuana is one of the best things to do in Tijuana.

47 Things To Do In Tijuana Mexico: Unique Attractions 2024

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Tijuana is like no place on this planet. Back in the 1920s, it was the most important gaming and entertainment destination in the world. The geographic proximity to the United States is also behind many of the crosses the region is forced to bear.

This corner of Mexico is one of the most misunderstood places in the world. The mainstream media tries to tell stories that are either wrong or horrible out of context. Beyond all the noise, Tijuana is still a grand place to visit with a world-class hospitality industry, a thriving economy, and colorful local culture.

I love Tijuana. I grew up in San Diego and consider the two cities to be a part of one metropolitan region. I’ve been traveling to Tijuana for over 30 years and still feel like a 15-year-old kid looking for tacos on Avenida Revolución.

This article will show you my favorite things to do in Tijuana

MY PICK

Hotel Ticuán

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A nice, affordable hotel in Downtown Tijuana with safe parking.

An Overview Of Tijuana, Baja California

This article inspired me to use an alternative narrative style. I’m going to use music to tell stories about all the things that I love to do in Tijuana. To me, Tijuana is about music, nightclubs, and exotic food. It wasn’t until much later that I got into visiting museums and reading about history.

If you would be so obliged, put some music on in the background and start with Tijuana Sound Machine by Nortec: Bostich + Fussible

I completely understand that Tijuana is not one of the safest places to visit in Mexico. However, by taking some basic precautions you can avoid 99% of the problems. Don’t skip going out to dinner in Tijuana just because somebody who has never actually been to Tijuana told you it was dangerous.

Read my articles about Tijuana to learn how to safely move around and find great food.

The Coolest Things To Do In Tijuana

1. The Best Thing To Do In Tijuana Is To Go See Live Music

Celso Piña playing the accordion live on stage.

I have seen some of the best concerts of my life in Tijuana. From massive festivals to intimate underground venues, Tijuana has a legendary music scene.

Pearl Jam played at the Iguanas nightclub in Tijuana in 1992. I was only 12 years old but 91X promoted all the concerts at Iguanas on the radio.

My parents told me they weren’t going to drive me to Tijuana but promised to take me to see Pearl Jam when they played in San Diego (my mom did take me to see Pearl Jam at the Sports Arena two years later).

Iguanas hosted an absolutely insane lineup of alternative music shows from the late 80s to the early 90s. Tijuana was an important an important city in the emergence of grunge music.

To this day, the city is full of live music venues supporting a diverse lineup of international stars and local talent alike.

Norteño music can be heard all over the city at restaurants and in front of the best taco stands.

The Best Music Venues In Tijuana

  • Plaza Monumental Bullring by the Sea in Playas de Tijuana
  • Jai Alai Palace on Avenida Revolución
  • Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT)
  • El Observatorio at the Antiguo Cine Bujazan on Avenida Constitución
  • Estadio Caliente Tijuana (the Xolos Soccer Stadium)
  • Las Pulgas Dance Club (Norteño and banda music heaven)

I have seen Manu Chao perform a dozen times and the most memorable experience was at the Plaza Monumental Bullring by the sea in Playas de Tijuana. Seeing him perform Bienvenida a Tijuana to a full house was awesome.

Celso Piño playing the Tijuana Art Festival (TIJUANARTE) completely blocking off Paseo de los Heroes in front of the Centro Cultural Tijuana was a sight to see.

Maldita Vecindad played a show in the burnt-down Antiguo Cine Bujazan while it was being occupied by squatters. Today, it is a government-run cultural center called the Observatorio but back then it was a venue that didn’t care about permits.

What makes the Cine Buzón so cool is that the lobby of the theater still feels majestic but as you walk through the doors to the theater hall, you realize there is no roof. There was a fire way back in the day that closed the place.

The Centro Cultural Tijuana Performing Arts Theater has a refined calendar of events from flamenco to international to rock in Native languages. With 955 seats, it is the largest closed theater in Tijuana.

La Ciruela Electrica on Calle Flores Magón in Downtown Tijuana is a record shop that has information on all the upcoming concerts.

Play Bienvenida Tijuana by Manu Chao

Explore Downtown Tijuana

The Tijuana arch and Avenida Revolución

Over the last hundred years, Avenida Revolución has been one of the most famous tourist destinations anywhere. The city branded itself, “The most visited city in the world” with some data that is hard to verify.

I’ve been hanging out on Revolución for 30 years and it still fascinates me. I can’t get enough.

The place has had some ups and downs but it keeps popping back. Today, there are huge new highrises and some burnt-out buildings. More people are living in this area than ever before which means the restaurants and services are coming back.

Avenida Revolución will always be synonymous with debauchery and cheap souvenir shops. Today there are more hipsters and and microbreweries.

2. Walk Avenida Revolución

Avenida Revolucion street sign and Tijuana Arch.

Avenida Revolución is one of the most famous streets in the world. Walking from Second Street (Calle Segunda or Benito Juarez) up to Eighth Street (Calle Octava or Miguel Hidalgo) is really interesting.

Right now, Avenida Revolución is hip again. After 9/11, the tourist industry in Tijuana nearly died. Instituting a passport requirement caused a lot of people to stop going to Mexico.

Beer Garden bar overlooking Avenida Revolución

This section of Downtown Tijuana will lead you to sensory overload. It is a busy street with lots of people on the street plus an array of sights and smells. There are murals, monuments, back alleys, and donkeys painted like zebras.

Barkers for any one of the dozens of bars will offer you 2×1 margaritas while saying that they know some girls. There are also high-end restaurants like Caesar’s, Praga, and Norte Brewing. The contrast between high culture and low culture is glaring.

Avenida Revolución runs all the way to the Zona Norte red light district where it intersects with Calle Coahuila. Just be aware that Revolución north of Calle Segunda can get a little sketchy after dark.

3. Take a Picture with the Zebra in Tijuana

Zonkey picture taken in 1998 in Tijuana

Taking a picture with the donkey painted like a zebra in Tijuana is so tacky it is cool. The zonky (get it, zebra-donkey) is an integral and documented part of the Baja California culture heritage.

The pro basketball team in Tijuana is called the zonkeys and there are murals of the zonkey all over town.

Taking pictures with donkeys on Avenida Revolución dates back to the 1930s when all pictures were black and white. In the 1940s, someone painted their white donkey with black stripes to add some contrast to the picture.

To this day, the pictures are developed in black and white, and the stripes make the pictures pop.

As somebody who grew up in San Diego, I love seeing family pictures of my friends’ grandparents on a 1950s trip to Tijuana. Those people knew how to have a good time.

Generally speaking, people who take pictures with the zonkey in Tijuana have more fun than those who don’t.

4. Get Coffee in Pasaje Rodríguez

Pasaje Rodríguez is like an alternative lifestyle alleyway running from Avenida Revolución and Avenida Constitución.

Someone had the good sense to throw a cheap roof over the alley and set up some retail space. In the post-9/11 recession, a lot of this space was abandoned. In 2009, an art festival on Avenida Revolución used some of the space as a gallery. It didn’t take long for more artists to see the potential.

Today, there are sneaker stores, craft beer bars, art galleries, specialty coffee, cheap trinkets, heavy metal clothing, esoteric books, and tons more interesting boutiques.

The coffee at Aether is reason enough to visit Pasaje Rodriguez but I’m sure you will find something else cool.

5. Eat a Caesar Salad at Caesar’s Restaurant

I love this restaurant. Caesar’s went out of business in 2009 or 2010 when the Plascencia family of restaurateurs picked it up. It used to be a tacky tourist trap with mediocre food and a nightclub in the back.

The Plascencia family turned it into a time capsule evoking the golden age of Tijuana. It feels like a museum but they happen to have one of the best menus in Baja California.

You can’t come to Caesar’s and not order the salad. They bring a table-side cart and teach you to make the famous Caesar Salad dressing right there. It is so simple yet so delicious, that you will never taste store-bought dressing the same way again.

Play Spanish Bombs covered by Tijuana No! with Julieta Venegas in lead vocals.

6. Party on 6th Street

There are bars all up and down Avenida Revolución but many people attest that the area with the coolest bars is 6th Street (Calle Sexta or Calle Flores Magón).

When Anthony Bourdain came to town for the first time this is where he hilariously broke down in the pink limo on a busy bar night.

Dandy del Sur Bar on Calle Sexta in Downtown Tijuana

The Dandy del Sur Cantina is arguably one of the best dive bars in Mexico and Madueño Brewing Co a very popular craft beer brand.

7. Confess Your Sins at the Catedral Santuario de la Virgen de Guadalupe

The Santuario de la Virgen de Guadalupe was the Tijuana Cathedral for decades. While there is a new Cathedral under construction in a much nicer part of town, the old Cathedral still has a lot of character.

The Cathedrals in Mexico are the seat of the bishop and regional dioceses.

Most tourists will spend at least a little bit of time in Downtown Tijuana. It is worth heading over to the historic church to see an often-overlooked side of the city.

8. Atend a Festival on Avenida Revolución

Avenida Revolución knows how to party. The tourist board and the Secretary of Culture organize some fun events like the Caesar Salad festival or an attempt to break a Guinness Record of some sort.

They do tequila festivals, mariachi festivals, and free concerts in the street. The Angeles Azules are coming to town in 2024.

9. Experience the Tijuana Taco Museum

The Tijuana Taco Museum opened in April of 2024 and it is packed with families on the weekend. My first impression was that the museum is more for kids than adults but I loved it and I saw a bunch of other people in their 20s and 30s having a great time.

There are three different areas to the ‘museum.’

Is it a museum? Not exactly. It is a series of taco-themed sensory rooms that are designed to take amazing photos. The use of lights, darkness, and mirrors creates a really cool experience.

The Taco Museum costs MEX$180 pesos and most people go specifically for that experience. There is also a taquería and a bar. The tacos are on the first floor and the bar is up on the second floor with a cool view of Avenida Revolución

There is limited seating at the taco shop and because they just opened a few weeks ago the operational management still needs some refinement.

The tacos at the taquería were just ok but the Taco Museum was a lot of fun.

10. Flyers Jump & Fun Zona Río

I worked as a substitute teacher in Chula Vista with a lot of kids who live on both sides of the border. I heard from multiple kids at two different campuses that Flyers is, without a doubt, one of the funniest things for kids to do in Tijuana.

More than just a trampoline park, they have climbing walls, virtual reality rides, and ball pits set up like American Ninja Warrior.

Kids and tweens absolutely love this place.

Visit The Best Museums In Tijuana

I remember doing a project on Tijuana for a class in college. I spent all day walking around with a camera asking people where I could find some culture. The first thing out of everyone’s mouth is the Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT).

11. Centro Cultural Tijuana (CECUT)

The Centro Cultural Tijuana needs to be at the top of your list of things to do in Tijuana. It is a major tourist destination with multiple museums and attractions.

The IMAX movie theater is an architecturally significant landmark in Tijuana. El Cubo is a contemporary art museum with three large exhibition rooms and an interesting lineup. I took my mom to see a collection of photographs by Guillermo Kahlo, the father of Frida Kahlo. They get great shows.

Additionally, there is a stage performance theater, the Museum of the Californias, a botanical garden, an aquarium, and an arthouse movie theater. They throw really cool parties like the Tijuana Art Festival.

There is plenty of culture in Tijuana if you know where to look.

12. Grapple with the Lucha Libre and Collectionist Museum (MULLME)

I can not express how much I enjoyed this gem of a museum in Tijuana. This was a treat on so many levels. There are two museums housed in a beautiful space just off Avenida Revolución. The Lucha Libre Museum (MULLME) and the Collectionist Museum are both incredible.

The first floor of the museum is dedicated to all sorts of collections from old cameras, matchbooks, superhero action figures, and coffee cups. The second floor of the museum is dedicated exclusively to Lucha Libre memorabilia.

You don’t have to be a fan of Lucha Libre to appreciate the importance that it has played in Mexican popular culture.

The person behind this collection borders on obsessive. The sheer number of stories that line the walls is breathtaking.

Original posters that were tacked to the side of buildings in Downtown Mexico City decorate the walls. The costumes use bright colors and are truly works of art. A huge number of the hundreds of masks have been signed by the wrestlers when they came through the museum.

There is an entire world of toys, movies, games, and memorabilia that I had no idea existed. They even have a section of the original seats from the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City with vintage vending trays and worker uniforms.

The building that houses the Lucha Libre Museum was once a beautiful restaurant that went out of business in the post-9/11 recession. The stained glass ceiling and bar form part of the collections. There is even a collection of old bottles of booze.

Thank you Alan Estrada from Alan X El Mundo for telling me about this wonderful museum. I loved your series on Baja California.

13. Explore El Trompo Interactive Museum

El Trompo Kid's Museum in Tijuana

By far, the best and safest activity for kids in Tijuana is the Trompo Interactive Museum. There are a number of these museums throughout Mexico and everyone that I have been to is exceptional.

The idea behind the museum is science and imagination. Everything is built for kids at their size. The exhibits are meant to be touched and manipulated so kids understand how things work.

My kids are still little, but it is way more than most kids can see in one day. You could easily plan a Tijuana vacation around this museum. There are courses and tons of activities during summer break.

The museum is located on the back side of Parque Morelos. Don’t bother with the park and come straight to El Trompo.

14. Tijuana History Museum (MUHTI)

I just found out about the Tijuana History Museum through San Diego Museum Month. It is a tiny museum inside the Instituto Municipal de Arte y Cultura.

Located in Downtown Tijuana on Second Street, it is next door to Mercado El Popo only one block away from the Cathedral. If you happen to be area, it is worth checking out.

Professional Sports In Tijuana

I don’t think that most of Mexico realizes what an important soccer town Tijuana is. Proximity to the Southern California market means that almost every game is sold out well in advance.

Once a year all the biggest soccer teams in Mexico come through Tijuana attracting a sell-out crowd. Tijuana is a destination for professional sports.

15. Go To A Xolos Soccer Game

Xolos Soccer Stadium in Tijuana is a safe activity

The Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente (Xolos) is a first-division Mexican soccer team that has a loyal following in the Tijuana/San Diego metro region. They play on the Caliente Casino grounds in one of the smallest stadiums in first-division Mexican soccer.

It is a very intimate stadium, especially when compared to the monumental stadiums in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. They play every major soccer team once a year and lots of people drive down from Los Angeles to see Chivas or America play against Tijuana.

I might be partial, but I think the Xoloitzcuintles jerseys are the best-looking in soccer. There is an official store in the Plaza Río Mall but the jerseys are sold everywhere including the borderline and the airport.

16. Lucha Libre in Tijuana

Lucha libre Mexican wrestling is a safe Tijuana activity

It is hard to express how much love there is for lucha libre in Mexico. Tijuana is one of the top venues on a national level that maybe doesn’t have the best organization but still manages to throw some great events.

The lucha libre events in Tijuana are large compared to anywhere except Mexico City.

Live lucha libra shows are held at the Auditoria Municipal Fausto Gutierrez Moreno which is one block over from Caliente Stadium and Casino.

17. Toros de Tijuana Baseball Games

Mexico has two different baseball leagues. The Toros de Tijuana play summer baseball in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol with Saraperos de Saltillo and the Dorados de Chihuahua, among many more.

The TJ logo used on the Toros de Tijuana baseball hats and jerseys can be seen all over town. It is a popular representation of the city of Tijuana regardless of a person’s interest in baseball.

The Estadio Chevron, AKA Estadio del Cerro Colorado seats 17,000 fans and has been around since 1977. It used to be called Estadio Gasmart and Estadio Calimax before that.

Mexican baseball games are fun. I highly recommend visiting the ball park.

18. Place a Bet at Caliente Casino

Flamingos in front of the Caliente Casino in Tijuana

Caliente Casino is one of the largest casinos in Mexico. They sponsor tons of professional sports teams and have small casinos everywhere.

The headquarters is in Tijuana and it is a massive property. There is a racetrack, soccer stadium, and shopping mall.

You can place a bet anywhere nowadays but I recommend coming to the original Caliente Casino. the place is way nicer than the smaller location on Avenida Revolución.

Go To The Beach

Border wall running into the water at Playas de Tijuana

Tijuana is a beach town. It is the largest municipality in Mexico with more than 2.2 million inhabitants and it happens to be on the beach. There are diverse beach experiences in Tijuana depending on which side of the metropolis you are located.

In addition to the beach, Tijuana has one of the best seafood restaurant scenes in Mexico. The whole state has a unique ocean vibe that is different from southern Mexico.

My favorite beach in the area is Baja Malibú. It is technically outside of the Tijuana city limits but it’s only 10 minutes south of Playas de Tijuana. Baja Malibú is one of the best surfing waves in Mexico with consistent barreling waves during the winter time. Most visitors will find the water cold year round.

19. Playas de Tijuana Friendship Park & El Faro

The first beach that everyone always talks about is Playas de Tijuana.

The north end of the beach goes all the way up to the U.S. border fence. Friendship Park is a place where people who are not allowed to cross borders can talk to each other and even hold hands from opposite sides of the fence.

The U.S. border patrol doesn’t let many people in that area of the Border Field State Park much anymore but it did occur in the past.

While the US side of the border wall feels like a demilitarized zone, the Mexican side is a festival. Bright murals poke fun at world leaders, tour guides shuttle people around dressed in tacky sombreros, and seafood restaurants grill fish to serenades of Norteño music.

El Faro (the lighthouse), the Tijuana letters, and the bullring make this corner of Mexico one of the most popular places to visit in Tijuana.

Keep in mind that the water is very dirty around here and it is not recommended to swim in the ocean. Every time that I have been here the waves looked fun but it isn’t worth getting sick. If you want to surf, surf as far away from the border wall as possible.

20. Playas de Tijuana Boardwalk

The Playas de Tijuana Beach Boardwalk runs for a half mile from Friendship Park to a little past Parque Mexico.

You don’t see a lot of wooden boardwalks anymore. It feels very retro-cool. Many of the buildings are brightly painted and there are vendors selling beach balls and blankets.

In front of the Arcos de Playas de Tijuana, there is arena seating and clowns entertain little kids. I can imagine that this would be a cool place to see some local music during the summer.

21. Playas de Tijuana Tidepools

After visiting the party central northern edge of Playas de Tijuana, the southern edge will be unrecognizable. Seriously, nobody is going to believe this is where the trash dump is located.

As you move south away from the border wall, there are fewer and fewer people on the beach. The southernmost stretch of beach is only accessible at low tide and hides some great tide pools.

The easiest way to access the tide pool is to park at Calle Berlin and walk down the stairs to Playa El Vigía. It is about 500 meters from the stairs to the tide pools. Remember, tide pools are only accessible at low tide.

Playa El Vigía is the most popular surfing beach in Playas de Tijuana because it is the farthest beach from the polluted river. The best tide for surfing is the mid-tide flowing higher.

22. El Vergel Water Park

You have probably seen videos of El Vergel on social media. Their slip-and-fly water slide makes the rounds every year.

El Vergel Parque Acuático has been around since 1960 and is a treasured Baja California institution. People come from all over Southern California and Baja California to cool off and have some fun.

There are water slides for little kids, water slides for adults, a lazy river, a wave pool, and a couple of obstacles that look like they are from American Ninja Warrior. I don’t think a US insurance company would write a policy for the Rodillo Loco or Tarzan attractions. That is one of the reasons that El Vergel is more fun than Sesame Place in Chula Vista.

El Vergel costs $250 pesos for adults over 1.3 meters tall and $100 pesos for kids under 1.3 meters. Kids under 1 meter are free.

Go Shopping

I don’t think it is any surprise that so many people love to go shopping in Mexico.

Every time that I go to Tijuana my Mom asks me to stop at the supermarket and pick up some things that she can’t get in San Diego. My cousin who lives in Chula Vista prefers the Costco in Tijuana to the Costco in San Diego because he likes the sodas in Mexico.

My dad has some really funny stories about going to community college in San Diego back in the 1960s and buying beer for big parties in Tijuana.

Painted tiles of every shape, spicy candy, baseball jerseys, mezcal, and much more attract shoppers. There are wholesale food markets, fancy malls, and street souvenirs for all types of shoppers.

23. Mercado Hidalgo

Colorful piñatas for safe in Tijuana's Mercado Hidalgo

Mercado Hidalgo is a large, traditional wholesale market that is surrounded by amazing restaurants. An interior parking lot is surrounded by dozens of retail bulk breakers. You can buy one piñata or hundreds.

Get your kids a piñata for their next birthday. They will love it.

24. Plaza Río Mall

Movie theater at the Plaza Rio Mall in Tijuana

I think that Plaza Río is a nice middle-class mall. I have been to the movie theater, paid my TelCel bill, gone grocery shopping at Soriana, and even deposited the rent in my landlady’s account at a bank here.

Plaza Río is a landmark in Tijuana. It is located on Paseo de los Héroes across the street from the Centro Cultural Tijuana and Plaza Fiesta.

One of the things that I really like at Plaza Río is the ample parking. When I have errands to run in Mexico I can usually get several things done in one place. The parking is cheap and it is less than 5 minutes from the border.

Make sure to check out the Toros de Tijuana baseball shop. There is an official San Diego Padres baseball shop there too. Of course, there is a Xolos de Tijuana shop where you can get the latest jersey. Every year Xolos releases a new design and they are all collectables.

25. Galerías Hipódromo

Many travelers may be surprised to see the luxury side of Mexico. Plaza Río is a great mall but Galerías Hipódromo is more upscale. Between the restaurants and shopping options, you will see why so many people prefer Tijuana.

Hipódromo means racetrack in Spanish and Caliente Casino is across the street. That street is lined with awesome tacos, hipster coffee, intimate restaurants, and a good time. There is a lot to do in this part of Tijuana.

26. There Are Pharmacies Everywhere

Brightly colored Tijuana pharmacy

Would you believe that your blood pressure medication is many times cheaper in Tijuana than it is through your insurance?

For generations, San Diegans have turned to Tijuana to acquire medications that are prohibitively expensive in the United States.

I usually like to start looking for my medications at Costco. They always have good quality brand-name drugs and reputable generics. But they don’t have everything.

You can’t miss the other pharmacies. They are everywhere and usually have parking.

27. Lomelí Tile Wharehouse

I love this tile shop. From exquisite Talavera-style ceramic fountains to murals and individual tiles, you can find it all at Lomelía Tile.

This place really gets the artistic ideas flowing. We first went down to get some accent tiles for the backyard. Then, we fell in love with their murals. They painted a custom mural of La Jolla Shores which is a treasured piece.

There was a time when I wanted to cover every table in the house with colorful tiles.

If you are contemplating a remodel and you like mosaics, you should check out Lomelí Tile Shop.

Things That Are Cheaper To Do In Tijuana Than San Diego

I have a bunch of stuff that I enjoy doing more in Tijuana than in San Diego. Inflation in the United States is insane. There are plenty of services that Tijuana can provide at a much better price.

28. Get a Car Wash

Sharky's Car Wash in Tijuana

Getting the car washed is one of those things that will make you happy all week. It costs a small fraction of what it costs in the United States to get a car wash and they do a way better job.

My mechanic gave me a recommendation for a car wash behind the Chevron station on Blvd Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.

I still love Sharky’s Carwash. I had a customer loyalty card for years before I moved to Guadalajara. They are a little more expensive but they are just one block away from Los Arcos, which is one of my favorite restaurants in Tijuana.

The basic car wash costs about ten dollars which includes a scrub down before it goes into the washer. When it comes out they vacuum and clean the interior.

There is a nice tree to sit underneath with a coffee shop/snack bar while they are finishing your car.

Get a car wash in Tijuana. You will enjoy it all week.

29. Find A Good Mechanic

Car maintenance in Tijuana

The Toyota dealerships in California charge US$175 an hour to work on your car. I find that price to be abusive.

I have been taking my cars to Tijuana to get basic service for some time. Obviously, if the car is broken, it isn’t worth towing it across the border but when it comes to preventative maintenance, Tijuana is awesome.

Keep in mind that many auto parts are more expensive in Tijuana but San Diego is right next door. Buy the parts in San Diego and get them installed in Tijuana.

Tijuana is famous for its great auto mechanics.

30. Get A Haircut

Paul getting a haircut in Tijuana

There is a running joke that a new barber shop opens up in Tijuana every 30 seconds. Obviously an exaggeration, it is rooted in the fact there are barber shops everywhere.

I wear a beard and do my best to keep it trimmed up and looking clean. A barber just does it better than I can. I like that shave with a straight razor and Tijuana is full of excellent barbers. Save yourself a few dollars and get your next haircut and shave in TJ.

31. Go To The Dentist

Just about every demographic of uninsured people from San Diego goes to Tijuana for their dental work. My grandparents had dental work done in Tijuana back in the day and my cousins go today.

Popular Things To Do In Tijuana That I Do Not Recommend

32. Visit The Red Light District

The Zona Norte, the Zona de Tolerancia, and Calle Coahuila are all names for Tijuana’s red light district. I often hear this place called the largest place of its kind on the continent.

Prostitution is somewhat regulated by the local government but Tijuana has major problems with human trafficking, coersion, and substance abuse.

The neighborhood is dangerous and there are lots of drug users looking to hustle tourists.

This is not a place to get drunk and get stupid.

The largest brothel is called Hong Kong. “Going for Chinese food” is a local euphemism for visiting the red light district.

33. Parque Morelos & The Tijuana Zoo

Parque Morelos isn’t dangerous or anything but really depressing. I read all the articles about the best things to do in Tijuana and everyone that recommends visiting Parque Morelos hasn’t actually been there.

The zoo at Parque Morelos is horrible. The animals are kept in horrific conditions and that isn’t something that I want to support.

I saw a video by Arturo Islas Allende a while back but didn’t remember it until I visited the park. Do yourself a favor and avoid Parque Morelos.

What To Eat & Where To Eat In Tijuana

Keep Tijuana Tasty mural

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.

34. Organize a Craft Beer Pub Crawl

Insurgente Tap Room on Avenida Revolución, Tijuana

There are a staggering number of excellent microbreweries in Tijuana, particularly in Downtown Tijuana. The craft beer renaissance is a part of the reason that Avenida Revolución is coming back into style.

San Diego is regarded as having one of the best craft beer scenes in the world and brewers in Tijuana can buy all the same equipment and ingredients 30 minutes from home. A craft beer in San Diego costs more than US$10 a pint. In Tijuana, it is less than half of that.

On Avenida Revolución there is Teorema Brewing right next door to Bajer Brewing and across the street from Del Norte Restaurant and Bar. Just an FYI, the Lucha Libre Museum is around the corner like 100 meters away.

Mexica Cervecería Artesanal is on Calle Salvador Díz (4th Street), and Madueño Brewing is on Flores Magón (6th Street).

Cervecería Insurgente is one of the most popular craft beer breweries on a national level. Their La Lupulosa IPA is a spectacular brew. They have a brewery in the Zona Río neighborhoods and a tap room in Downtown Tijuana on Avenida Revolución and Calle Salvador Díaz Mirón (4th Street).

Telefónico Gastro Park is another microbrew concept that grew into a super popular food court. They have safe parking, half a dozen food truck food concepts, and Licra Cervecería. Several of the chefs got so popular working out of the food trucks that they were able to open stand-alone, brink-and-mortar locations on their own.

The Best Breweries & Beer Bars in Tijuana

  • Norte Brewing Company
  • Insurgente Tap Room
  • Mamut
  • Madueño Brewing Company
  • Mexica Cervecería Artesanal

35. Take a Tijuana Taco Tour

Tijuana has a reputation for some of the best tacos in Mexico. One thing that the residents of Tijuana know, that visitors may not, is that Tijuana is more diverse than any other part of Mexico except Mexico City.

You can find tacos from all across Mexico but that northern-style, guacamole stuffed carne asada is incredible.

Taco tours of Tijuana will keep you coming back for more. There is no way you can visit all the best tacos on your first trip. I guarantee that you will fall in love with the taco scene in Tijuana. I sure did.

36. Drink Baja California Wine

It blows my mind that so little wine crosses the border from Mexico into the United States. I have been to many of the best wine shops in San Diego and rarely seen more than a couple of bottles of excellent Mexican wine.

Walking into a wine store in Tijuana will blow your mind.

I recommend starting at La Contra Vinos in the Cacho neighborhood. They have the best selection of small Mexican wines.

You have to start with something by Hugo D’ Acosta’s Vino de Piedra or his son, Luca D’Acosta’s Aborigen.

Baja California is an exciting place to learn about wine. The contrast between old-world and new-world winemaking traditions will presently surprise the casual Californian wine drinker.

The Best Wine Tastings in Tijuana

  • La Contra Vinos
  • L.A. Cetto
  • La Cava de Baron Balche
  • Baja Terra
  • Casa Magoni
  • Casa Baloyán
  • Pan E Vino

37. Learn About Tequila & Mezcal

Tijuana is synonymous with tequila but not in a good way. In many of the touristy bars, there is a dude with a bottle of tequila and a whistle who pours tequila straight into your mouth and then shakes your head around while blowing a whistle to the rhythm of whatever music the DJ is playing. People get messed up.

I recommend looking for agave bars that stock the hard-to-find bottles of artisanal tequila and other spirits. There are bars and liquor stores that stock tequila which is difficult to acquire and expensive in the United States.

38. Taste Some of the Best Coffee in Mexico

Ilustre Cafe in Playas de Tijuana

I can’t believe how much great coffee there is in Tijuana. I started hearing about a few specialty coffee roasters from Tijuana while I was in Guadalajara.

The geography of Tijuana means that some of these roasters have a footprint on both sides of the border. Mexico grows excellent coffee but doesn’t import much from other countries.

Ilustre Cafe buys some of the highest-rated coffees from the Cup of Excellence program and blends it with Mexican coffee. Everything they do is exceptional. I think it is worth the trip to drive down to Playas de Tijuana just to have coffee there.

39. Los Arcos Restaurant Tijuana

Los Arcos is one of the most important restaurant chains in all of Mexico. They are originally from Culiacán, Sinaloa but the Tijuana location was one of their first restaurants in another state. It is still one of the busiest restaurants in its portfolio for good reason.

I fell in love with Los Arcos in about 2008. A whole fish is one of my favorite dishes to try at new seafood restaurants and I always use Los Arcos as a reference. I used to work at a restaurant in La Jolla that served a whole roasted fish that cost three times as much as Los Arcos for a smaller fish.

Over the years I have eaten at a number of Los Arcos restaurants in different cities. The Tijuana location is, and always will be, my favorite.

40. La Diferencia Restaurant Tijuana

La Diferencia Restaurant in Tijuana

My mom has been one of my favorite partners to explore Tijuana with. La Diferencia is her favorite restaurant in Tijuana because of the mole poblano, chiles en nogada, and the talavera fountain in the patio. After seeing that fountain in La Diferencia she bought a very similar one at a tile shop just down the road.

La Diferencia is a classy and upscale restaurant with dishes from central Mexico.

41. La Querencia

La Querencia Restaurant in Tijuana is safe

The chef and owner of La Querencia is a big personality in Baja. Miguel Angel Guerrero lives the life of an adventurer by fishing, hunting, and preparing food with the traditional ingredients in the region.

The Baja Med cooking style incorporates elements of Mexican immigration from all corners of the country. 95% of Mexican wine production comes from Baja California but olive oils, spices, and Mediterranean-style gardens are prolific in the region. And there is an Asian influence. The Chinese have been in Baja for over a hundred years and introduced a lot of new flavors to the regional cuisine.

The lamb tatemado is excellent. The wine selection is not huge but there are a lot of solid bottles that I really enjoy like the Emeve Syrah that I can’t recommend enough.

42. El Mazateño

El Mazateño is a long-time local favorite seafood restaurant located in a middle-class neighborhood famous for its big market. It is right next to the sports facilities on the road to the big university.

I think they have some of the best shrimp quesadillas in Mexico. It all comes with a little cup of seafood broth that goes perfectly with tacos.

Try to get here early because it is popular and fills up quick.

43. Carmelita Molino y Cocina

44. La Espadaña

Chilaquiles at La Espadaña Restaurant in Tijuana

Widely recognized as one of the best breakfasts in the area. Their chilaquiles are always a good idea.

45. Tacos Fitos

Tacos Fitos in Tijuana

The gold standard for Tijuana-style beef birria tacos. This is a humble street cart across the street from Mercado Hidalgo and a must-visit Tijuana institution.

46. Kokopelli and Tras/Horizonte

Hipster tacos with a mezcal cocktail program and an eclectic setting. For years Kokopelli sold crazy tacos out of a trailer in Downtown Tijuana. These cult-favorite fancy tacos that got to be so popular they had to move into a larger space.

At Kokopelli, they were mixing crazy ingredients like octopus with basil pesto in tacos. I love the “Gringo en tuxedo en vacaciones” which is a chile relleno taco filled with shrimp. The place is young, irreverent, and decisively Tijuana.

47. Erizo Marketo

This is my favorite place to eat in Tijuana. I love the neighborhood, I love the food, and I love Javier Plascencia’s vision of Baja. Sea urchin (erizo in Spanish) is one of the delicacies harvested in the cold waters off of northern Baja that is shipped across Mexico.

If I were to order sea urchin in Guadalajara, they would originate from this area. I don’t order sea urchin that far from the source. Once you taste it fresh, the week-old variety just won’t cut it.

Tacos and soup at Erizo Marketo in Tijuana

Make sure to order the sea urchin shot with a quail egg. The raw seafood; clams, oysters, and scallops are of exceptional quality.

All of the tacos are excellent. This is where I first got into trying tripe. If you are into it, try the Taco Goloso with fish, beef, and tripe. It is over the top.

Tijuana Travel FAQ

Tijuana border wait

Can you visit Tijuana in one day?

Yes, you can visit Tijuana in one day. If you pay attention to the traffic, it is very easy to take a one-day trip to Tijuana. Rush-hour traffic on a Friday afternoon is going to make the drive from Downtown San Diego to Tijuana miserable in some circumstances and unrealistic in others.

The border usually takes a few hours to get back to San Diego. Try to avoid rush hour to save some time.

Do They Accept Dollars In Tijuana?

Yes, nearly every establishment accepts dollars in Tijuana. You might not get the best exchange rate but you will almost always be able to pay in dollars. I have never had a problem paying in dollars nor have I heard about anybody ever having a problem paying in dollars. You may not receive change in dollars but most business owners will happily accept them.

Just remember, this is Mexico. There may be some circumstances where you need to pay in pesos that I have not encountered yet.

Tijuana border wait is usually safe

Final Thoughts On The Best Things To Do In Tijuana

I hope you visit Tijuana. It is a great city with amazing food and a really unique local culture.

I often hear people say that this is not the real Mexico but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Tijuana is home to a diverse group of Mexicans from across Mexico and the United States. The border is an important part of the Mexican identity and Tijuana is the most important city along that corridor.

Over the 2024 school year, I spent some time substitute teaching in Chula Vista. The binational community in San Diego and Tijuana is a beautiful thing. It is one community that just happens to be spread across two different countries.