24 Hours in Tijuana, Mexico: The Perfect Evening Getaway
Tijuana, Mexico.
Just as the city was enticing back travelers with new hotels, a flourishing contemporary art and food scene, the US-Mexico Border crisis and drug violence dominated the front-page news.
Then COVID. Suddenly, a cross-border adventure didn’t seem like such a smart idea.
Ready for the truth?
The time to visit Tijuana has never been better.
For a city with such a long and layered history, there is much that’s new in Tijuana and worth exploring now.
New development seems to be on every corner. More restaurants, hotels and art galleries are opening up across the city. Tijuana is more cosmopolitan than ever, producing world-class chefs, artists, brewers, winemakers and the like.
And the city has probably never been this clean: even the street vendors now offer a healthy squirt of hand sanitizer.
Ready for a Tijuana adventure? Let’s go!
How to Get to Tijuana, Mexico from San Diego
Tijuana is about 20 miles south of San Diego and located right across the border from San Ysidro.
Crossing into Tijuana can seem a little intimidating – more than 100,000 people cross the San Diego-Tijuana border every day (36+ million annually) – making the San Ysidro Port of Entry one of the busiest land-border crossings in the world.
Not to worry, though.
We’ve made the cross-border commute many times and below are the steps we take to make this process smooth each time.
Option 1: Take the Trolley to Tijuana and Walk Across the Border
Our favorite way to get to Tijuana is to take the trolley to San Ysidro and walk across the border.
From downtown San Diego, catch a blue line trolley and head south toward San Ysidro.
Ride the trolley all the way to the end of the line.
Trolleys leave about every 15 minutes during the day and less frequently at night.
The ride takes about 40 minutes and costs $2.50 for a one-way ticket. Tickets can be purchased from the kiosks at the stations with cash or card. For a trolley map and schedule, check out the San Diego MTS website. From where the trolley drops you off in San Ysidro, it is just a 2-minute walk to the border.
Once you reach the border, there are two pedestrian crossings between San Ysidro and Tijuana. The eastern crossing, where the trolley lets off, is open 24/7. There is also a crossing to the west called Pedwest which is open from 6 am-10 pm. You can cross at whichever is more convenient for you. Sometimes one has a shorter line than the other. It is about a 5-minute walk from one crossing to the other.
Important Note: Due to COVID-19, the Pedwest bridge is currently closed. Please be sure to check the Customs and Border Protection agency website for up to date information on border wait times.
A well-marked path will lead you toward Mexican immigration or you can just follow the crowd. You will pass through a metal turnstile and enter the immigration building.
Traveler Tip: If you are flying into San Diego International Airport, take an Uber/Lyft or the MTS Bus 992 to the Santa Fe Depot to catch the trolley.
Option 2: Park and Walk Across the Border to Tijuana
Many people choose to drive to the border, park, and walk across. We’ve done it, and while it’s convenient to have your car nearby, it’s the most costly option. For our recent 36 hour stay, we paid over $80 to park near the border.
If you choose this option, take the Interstate 5-South from San Diego and get off at East San Ysidro Blvd exit. Don’t miss it or you’ll end up driving to Mexico. There is no turnaround.
As you drive down San Ysidro Blvd you will see multiple parking lots on both sides of the road. They all cost about the same, which is about $21 per day and a bit more on weekends and holidays.
Option 3: Drive into Tijuana
To get to Tijuana, follow Interstate 5-South and drive right across the border.
While driving into Mexico, most of the time you will not need to stop and will not need to show your passport unless you are chosen for a random inspection.
Usually, you’ll drive right in without stopping.
A Note About Driving in Tijuana
Driving in Tijuana is risky. We’ve done it many times and its always a little nerve racking. Traffic flow is heavy and less organized and most US insurances will not cover your vehicle while driving in Mexico. Insurance is available, just be prepared that there are additional risks to driving in a foreign country, even if it’s just a few miles from home.
Tip: Never drive a rental car into Mexico unless you have made sure that it is allowed by the rental car company. If you have an accident in a foreign country, you could be held liable by the rental company as their insurance won’t cover you in Mexico.
Getting Around in Tijuana
Our favorite way to get around Tijuana is by taxi and Uber. Both options take the stress out of driving, finding parking and are frequently available at low cost.
As soon as you cross the pedestrian bridge into Tijuana you will instantly be struck by a very busy scene. Uber does not go to the border so you will have to take a taxi to your first location and again when its time to return to the border.
Before you get to the street, you will have people trying to flag you down to get in their taxi cab. Walk past all of them and go to one of the taxi stands that are located along the street. There is usually someone who speaks English there in case your Spanish is limited and they will help you secure a taxi.
At this taxi stand, you will see prices advertised to go to varying places in the city, all these locations say $5 (they take dollars and pesos, and $5 is the equivalent of 100 pesos).
Pro Tip: Make sure you ask before you get in the taxi that you find out how much the ride is, because if you forget to ask, the price they quote you when you get to your location will always be $10 or more, even if its just around the corner. Also, bring small bills because they never have change and will want to keep your $20 bill for the $10 ride that should have been $5.
Once you are away from the border, we recommend taking Uber to get around Tijuana. Rides are usually between $2-5 and you can tip right on the app. There’s no negotiating, no need for change and no need to try to explain where you are trying to go in “Spanglish” if your Spanish skills are minimal.
Side Note: There are times where you would want to take a taxi over an Uber. Side trips from Tijuana to Ensenada or the Valle de Guadalupe is an occasion to choose a taxi over Uber because in those locations, there are far fewer Uber drivers and you can literally be stuck waiting for a ride for hours.
Your best bet in this situation is to get a taxi and negotiate a half day or full day rate with the driver, they can take you to multiple locations and wait for you while you wine taste, eat, etc. If you need help securing a taxi for the day, ask the front desk staff at your hotel.
Friday
3:00PM – Check Into Quartz Hotel & Spa
Located just five minutes via taxi from the border, the Quartz Hotel & Spa has all the amenities we look for in a modern hotel.
Opened in Fall 2019, the Hotel features an outdoor swimming pool, a full spa, a fitness center, garden, 24-hour room service, free WiFi and quiet, spacious rooms, shopping and more.
Our first impression of the Quartz is that it is immaculate. The staff have taken extra care to pay attention to the smallest details – they issue fashionably branded “smart” bracelets that serve as your room key – and utilize technology to make your stay in your room as pleasant as possible. The room lighting, window shades, request for room service, etc., are all controlled by a smart consult next to the bed.
We recommend staying in a pool garden room on the 4th Floor. Each pool garden room has a private patio adorned with tropical plants. In our patio planters, on closer inspection, we noticed that there were fresh herbs and tomato plants growing among them the other plants. Just beyond our patio we had a private entrance to the pool, aqua bar, and outdoor area for gazing at the rising city scape.
Just below Quartz Hotel is a huge plaza with ten restaurants in a very hip and funky gastronomical park as well as Artesano, a boutique shopping experience with handcrafted clothing, art and gift items. We also got lucky the day we were there and there was an pop up shopping event in the plaza with several local fashion boutiques present.
4:30PM – Layout at the Pool with a Cocktail and Appetizer
Once you’ve settled in, head out to the pool on the 4th Floor and enjoy a cocktail and appetizer while taking in the sun rays. Cocktails can be hit or miss in Tijuana, and the drinks at the Aqua Bar were a total hit. Since Tijuana is so close to the ocean, you can almost never go wrong with seafood, so we ordered a shrimp tostada and spicy salmon pesto ceviche to hold us over until dinner.
7:00PM — Take a Walk Down Avenida Revolucion and Head to Caesar’s Restaurant
We always like to start our adventure with a walk down vibrant Avenida Revolucion, Tijuana’s most famous street for tourist. This lively area is home to Tijuana’s legendary nightlife scene, and has great food, bars, and several places to shop for souvenirs. You can even hire a mariachi band to play a song or two right there along the sidewalk.
Although it’s incredibly touristy, it is worth a stroll to take in the energy, especially at night. There are two famous sites along the Avenida, the Monumental Arch and Tijuana Zebras, where you’ll regularly find people snapping a quick selfie. On our last few trips to Tijuana, we did not see the Zebras, so those may be a thing of the past
Our favorite spot on the Avenida is Caesar’s Restaurant. Our friends are always surprised when we tell them that the Caesar salad originated here, and it is made table side in the same method as when it was invented in 1927.
Caesar’s is where we like to have a gin and soda cocktail and the Caesar Salad table side before heading to our next destination.
9:00PM – Go to Dinner at The Park Gastropub
Normally, we follow up Caesar’s with a visit to Bodego 8 and order a cocktail and the Don Beto, a queso and chorizo dip that is to die for, and then follow that up with a visit to Mision 19.
On our most recent visit, however, we decided to switch it up and we are so glad we did. The biggest culinary surprise of our time in Tijuana was dinner at The Park Gastropub, which is located directly adjacent to the Quartz Hotel in the New City Plaza. We enjoyed it so much that we actually went back a second time to get a couple more of the best octopus tacos we’ve EVER had, because, well why not?!?
The Park features ten different restaurants in an open air Gastropub style layout. A full service bar. This isn’t the kind of place where you have to go wait in line at different food vendors as all of the restaurants list their menu online. After you order, a waiter brings the food to your table, so you can relax and take in the atmosphere. The Park has a full service bar, and a craft cocktails cart that makes drinks table side. The décor is a rustic, yet glamorous design accompanied by upbeat, funky music that makes for a great night of people watching.
This upscale Gastro park is relatively unknown outside of Tijuana right now but it won’t stay that way for long. The scene is straight fire and you have easy access to it if you stay at the Quartz.
Saturday
9:00AM – Breakfast at Boka Restaurant
In the morning, head over to the Boka Restaurant located on the ground floor of the hotel for a contemporary breakfast to start the day. The menu features freshly squeezed juices, coffee, and cooked-to-order breakfast from 7AM to 10AM that can be delivered directly to your room.
11:00AM – Massage at the Quartz Spa
We scheduled a massage prior to check in to ensure we reserved our spot for a relaxing morning. The Quartz Spa is comparable to what you would find at a private spa in La Jolla, California or at a Ritz Carlton – it’s immaculately clean, with a locker room, showers, private massage rooms, and a hot tub for post massage relaxation. We arranged for a full body massage each, which began with us taking a shower before meeting our masseuse in a private room. The masseuse uses a variety of essential oils and were very professional throughout the experience. Following the massage, we had access to the hot tub, but decided to forgo it and spend that time lounging by the pool.
1:30PM – Lunch at Telefonica Park
Tuesday is not the only day to enjoy tacos at the Telefonica Gastro Park (@telefonicatj), an iconic Tijuana collective of food trucks, small eateries, breweries and artists that are grouped together at an indoor/outdoor warehouse located near downtown.
Wandering through the sea of food trucks out doors was straight up salivary stimulation overload. They were such an assortment different vendors smoking a variety of meats, seafoods and vegetables, it’s honestly hard to choose!
We ended up trying rabbit tacos and mixed mushroom tacos as well as a plate of perfectly charred grilled veggies. We found a table inside to escape the heat and enjoyed them with a couple of frosty IPAs from @cervecerialirica which were by far the BEST Mexican craft beers we’ve ever had.
There’s a reason that this Gastro Park won Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice 2020 award… you’ll have to see for yourself!
3:00PM – Visit Tijuana Cultural Museum
After you finish lunch, head over to the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT) in the center of the city. CECUT features a museum, 360° IMAX cinema, event hall, cafe, aquarium, garden, and bookshop. The museum’s permanent exhibition focuses on the early history of the Baja Peninsula. During our visit, we explored three temporary expositions that featured a mix of classical paintings, photography, sculpture, multimedia installations and inspired indigenous pieces.
Some of our favorite collections were Moral Fantasy by @shinpeitakeda and Mujeres Ocultas: The Lampshade Project by @jenny_bsides . We’re also huge fans of both traditional and colonial Mexican art and there is a wide variety of that on display at CECUT year round.
The cube-shaped building nearby (El Cubo) hosts international exhibitions. The cinema shows a variety of movies and documentaries, usually premiering four films per year. Different festivals and events are always being held at the center complex.
The entry fee is around 50 pesos (about $2.50) for museum general entry, with free entry on Sundays. Occasionally, they hold an exhibit or concert in the courtyard which is also free to enter.
4:30PM – Head Back Across the Border
After exploring the museum, take a taxi back to the border and start planning your next Tijuana adventure.
Have you been to Tijuana Mexico? What are your go to places?