Tijuana, Mexico

Torre del Casino Agua Caliente, Tijuana
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Torre_del_Casino_Agua_Caliente.jpg
Author: Bajamisionero


Tijuana is a city on the Mexican side of the border between Mexico and the United States. It covers 637 sq km (245.9 sq mi) and has a population of 1.3 million people.

Tijuana is the biggest city on the Baja California Peninsula. The Tijuana metropolitan area has a population of 1.7 million people. It is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Mexico, while the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area has some 5.1 million, making it the largest bi-national urban area between the United States and Mexico.

Taking advantage of its strategic location, Tijuana has developed into a major commercial and manufacturing center. It has the highest cross-border traffic of any city in the world, with some 50 million people crossing the border every year.

The area around Tijuana has been inhabited by the Kumeyaay tribe of hunter-gatherers during prehispanic times. The first European to arrive there was Spanish explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, who toured the area in 1542. The earliest European settler in the area was a Franciscan friar Junípero Serra, who established a mission in the area around 1768. In the next century, cattle ranchers settled in Tijuana and further north in Alta California.

IMAX Theater at Centro Cultural Tijuana
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TijuanaCulturalCenter.jpg
Author: Túrelio


The defeat of Mexico in the Mexican-American War resulted in the loss of Alta California to the United States, and Tijuana the northernmost town to the American border. There was an influx of refugees from Alta California among those who wished to remain within Mexico. This provided Tijuana with its earliest inhabitants.

The city of Tijuana was only officially founded in 1889. Even from its earliest day, it has seen its location as a benefit for attracting trade and tourists. One of the earliest recreational infrastructure to be built was the Agua Caliente Touristic Complex. Completed in 1928, it included a hotel, a spa, dog-track, private airport, golf course and a casino, with a race course added a year later. It went into decline when Mexican President Cárdenas outlawed gambling and casinos in 1935.

Beach in Tijuana
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Playas_de_Tijuana.jpg
Author: Cbjorquez


By the mid 20th century, Tijuana was working to shed its image as a hedonistic destination, and gearing towards providing more family-oriented entertainment and recreation. Being one of the choicest locations to establish a manufacturing plant in Mexico, it has also become one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Visiting Tijuana

If you are going to Tijuana from San Diego, you can cross the border at San Ysidro on foot. It is probably the most practical way, as parking may be scarce on the other side of the border.

If you're coming from farther away, you can fly to Tijuana and arrive at the General Aberlardo L Rodtríguez International Airport (TIJ), a popular hub for many low-cost carriers including Volaris and Interjet. The airport is parallel to the US-Mexican border, just a few miles to the east of downtown Tijuana.

Tijuana-San Ysidro Border Crossing, with traffic heading towards the United States on the right
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tijuana-San_Ysidro_border_crossing.JPG
Author: BrokenSphere


From the airport, you can take a taxi, sedan or van to reach the city center. Prices are fixed according to destination, so you don't have to worry about getting ripped off. The fare is 200 pesos to Zona Rio (15 min away), 250 pesos for Zona Centro (25 min away) and 300 pesos for Grand Hotel (30 min away). You can pay using the US dollar.

There are also public buses (look for the blue and white buses). These too accept US dollars in addition to pesos.

Places of Interest in Tijuana

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