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Tijuana by DayThe World’s Most Visited Border TownBy Sandra ScottTijuana by day is the not the Tijuana that most people envision when they hear the word, “Tijuana.” Yes, when the sun goes down, the stars come out, so do the revelers, especially on the weekends. The easy access to Tijuana from San Diego makes it a great party town, but that is to miss the real Tijuana.
Start your visit to Tijuana with a walking tour of Avenida Revolution. From the Hall of Jai Alai to Plaza Cecila, there are plenty of bargains for shoppers looking for good deals in leather, silver and pottery. Stop and have your picture taken with the colorful “ze-burro,” zebra-stripped burros. It is Tijuana's tourist heart.
Located downtown, the Tijuana
Wax Sculptures Museum (Museo de Cera de Tijuana) features
During the day, during the night when it becomes the ultimate party town, there is plenty to see, plenty to do, in Tijuana, down Mexico way. For more information on Tijuana visit www.tijuanaonline.org. Images by Sandra Scott |
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The Tijuana-San Diego border
is the most crossed border in the world. While it is possible for tourists to
drive from one city to the other the line of cars can be daunting and special
insurance is necessary to take a U.S. registered car into Mexico. However, the
insurance is easily purchased at the border. Consider leaving the car,
especially if it is a rental, in a secured parking lot on the U.S. side and walk
across. There are easy connections into the city center. Probably the easiest
access is by Mexicoach, which provides direct connections from San Diego to
Tijuana, Rosita and Foxsploration.
Though more respectable than it
once was, Tijuana is still struggling to overcome the “sin city” image it
acquired during Prohibition Era in the US. Tijuana is a significant city in its
own right, with a rapidly growing population, unofficially estimated at 1.4
million, two universities and plenty of offices, factories and housing
developments. It is, much to the surprise of many day-trippers, one of the
wealthiest cities in Mexico with a strong middle class and virtually no
unemployment.
You can lunch at Caesar’s where
the Caesar Salad was invented or have a Margarita said to have been invented in
honor of actress Rita Hayward who was working in a long-gone local casino.
According to legend, the original Margarita was alcohol-free because at that
time Hayward was under age.
numerous realistic
looking wax sculptures of famous world figures, Hollywood stars, artists,
politicians and scary characters. Here you can meet the likes of Elvis Presley,
John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Rita Hayward, and many more. After
a visiting the Wax Museum, have a typical Mexican lunch next door on the patio
of Hacienda de la Tia Juana.
Don’t miss the Tijuana Cultural
Center (Centro Cultural Tijuana). At the ultramodern Tijuana Cultural Center
complex, which houses an IMAX theatre, visitors can view films about Mexico's
history and heritage. Wander the grounds with replicas of stone sculptures from
Mayan times and learn of Aztec history from the life-size dioramas inside. The
center also features a space theater, a museum with a permanent collection of
Mexican artifacts, a performing arts theater with excellent acoustics, and
several restaurants. It is known affectionately here as "la Bola" because of the
large (five-story high) brown ball at the entrance.
There are many surprises in Tijuana
such as an award winning winery. The family-run L. A. Cetto has been making fine
Mexican wines since 1926. The wines of Mexico, long overshadowed by their
northern neighbor, California, are gaining international reputation for its
excellence. From the first step under the trellis portico and into the shop with
and you could be in any wine shop in the world, certainly not most people’s
image of Tijuana. L. A. Cello’s La Cava Boutiques offers wine-tasting, tour of
the wine cellars, and a gift shop. A short video tells the story of the winery.
Trying their Nelebiolo is a must. It has won two gold medals and the wine that
has led them on their road to fame. L. A. Cello wines are now exported to 26
countries and are frequently awarded for their excellence.