Fun Activities in Tijuana: aka Mexico’s Foodie Playground

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Many people scream at the thought of visiting Tijuana, and I understand where they are coming from. Back in the day, Tijuana used to be…a very different city, especially when my mom was growing up. In fact, all of Los Angeles used to be a different city too, and that wasn’t too pretty either. So, from her own personal experiences (yes – she has been to Tijuana!), she always urged Tijuana out of my travel planning. The fun activities in Tijuana, how should we say, were not very wholesome activities.

However, I am pleased to say that the current Mexican president has been making great strides into refocusing Tijuana’s image and reputation (and all of the desert states), and cracking down on the issues that made it a not-great travel destination. Just eight years ago, there were multiple news stories about how dangerous Tijuana was, so how much has changed since the new reformation? I had planned a week-long trip to San Diego, so there was NO WAY I was skipping out on Tijuana! And that’s where I ran into my first problem. Um?? What are some fun activities in Tijuana???

Also P.S. apparently I forgot to take pictures of a bunch of stuff during my trip, so I will also be sharing some pictures taken by my friend Charles from AwayWithCharles! Thanks bro! Follow him on Instagram @awaywithcharles

What’s the Deal with Tijuana?

When I first started looking into fun activities in Tijuana…I didn’t find much to do in the city. I mostly found people saying not to go there because it’s raunchy – or people saying to go there exactly because it’s raunchy.

Neither was particularly helpful.

But how did Tijuana even get its infamous reputation anyway?

Tijuana was San Diego’s support city. During Spain’s colonization of Latin America, they started through the thick of Mexico and there were…a lot of casualties. Like, a lot. So while they expanded their greedy hands North into what is currently the West Coast and southwest USA, Spain wanted to try a different approach.

RELIGION!

Because that would definitely be less violent, right?

*spoiler, it wasn’t*

So Spain set up a bunch of “conversion camps,” aka Missions, along Alta California (the current states of California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona), as well as a few in Texas. The purpose of these Missions was to convert the indigenous people to Catholicism so that Spain could “peacefully” seize the land as opposed to a flat out war.

-insert disease, ethnic cleansing, and also flat out slaughters here-

Each of these Mission communities had a “support city,” one where all the food and agriculture would be produced for those living in the Mission towns. Since San Diego was a Mission city, in fact the first of 21 founded in California, Tijuana became its support city. Cool. That explains why they’re 15 minutes away. But what about all the drugs, prostitution, gambling, and binge drinking escapades? Where did that come from?

The Roaring -and restricting- 1920s

Even after the Mexican-American war and San Diego was separated from Tijuana by a country border, the two cities were still very much so interconnected. This was especially true during the 1920s.

Las Vegas may be nicknamed “Sin City” in the United States, but Tijuana was truly Satan’s Playground. Californias (and those in Nevada and Arizona tbh) flocked to Tijuana to do all the things that were illegal in the United States. Because, you know, that’s what humans do. Activities like bullfighting, knuckle boxing were the usual draw. But during the era of US prohibition, traffic increased even more as gambling, horseracing, and drinking became illegal in the US.

Tijuana welcomed them, and their money, with open arms. Even after prohibition was lifted, for decades people kept coming back to Tijuana. Nothing was off-limits in Tijuana. The famous (and beautiful) casino Aqua Caliente, invited celebrities and performers from all over the world to visit. It was a 24/7 PARTY – will all the fun illegal things thrown in.

But uhh…all that money, of course, attracted the mobsters. And extortion. And drug violence.

Again, not a very pretty time.

After the violence calmed down, to an extent anyway, Tijuana still commanded its title as Champion of All Things Devilish. It was the destination Southern Californians went with their fake IDs (not that anyone checked) to get blackout drunk and wander the streets. Men (usually) would sneak away from their wives at night to find a prostitute to abuse. And then there were…the donkey shows….

*grimace*

How I Ended Up in Tijuana

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from Tijuana. Again, this is fast-forwarded to 2018. I didn’t really hear about it as a “poppin” destination anymore. Just stories from my older coworkers how they used to party in TJ in their 20s. Now for a Mexican Spring Break, people went to Cancun or Cabo. I also didn’t have a lot of adventurous friends when I lived in California, up until I was 17 and went to university in Oregon. So…I didn’t have any friends that had been to Tijuana in the more recent years.

I spent a week in San Diego and decided to find out for myself what Tijuana is really like. After crossing the border via the pedestrian pass, I quickly found that there is a lot more to Tijuana than the rumors lead you to believe! And, Tijuana felt -relatively- safe. And in that aspect, I mean it didn’t feel any LESS safe than San Diego or Los Angeles. So, if you’re comfortable traveling to Southern California, Tijuana isn’t much different.

So yeah, I walked around, ubered around, and leisurely strolled around and here are my recommendations for fun activities in Tijuana!

Fun Activities in Tijuana

You can have a good time in Tijuana and remain completely sober and dry the whole time! Or – you can do the exact opposite! The choice is yours! However, if you’re in town for some naughty action, I did learn that prostitution is still legal – BUT ONLY ON ONE SPECIFIC STREET. Everywhere else, it is illegal. Just a heads up. And also – treat sex workers with the upmost respect y’all.

Now with that in mind, I’m going to start this list off with THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IN TIJUANA, and also the sole reason I will be back.

Activity 1: Eat a Caesar Salad

Did you know Caesar Salads were invented in Tijuana? WELL NOW YOU DO. Honestly, if you go to Tijuana and you DON’T eat a Caesar salad, then I’m sorry. You did it wrong. You have to go back. The Caesar salads in Tijuana are THE BEST I’ve ever had. And like, duh, Caesar salads originated in Tijuana. So that makes sense. But really, you NEED to try it!

There are a couple of places to do so. The first, and most logical, is at Caesar’s. The restaurant that started it all. You can sit down and the very spot this iconic dish was created, and they’ll prep your delicious meal tableside with an elegant flourish! Plus, the other items on the menu are equally tasty!

I also had a really great Caesar salad at a little food cart pod, Telefonica Gastro Park. They didn’t prepare it tableside, but it was equally delicious and almost half the price! AND less busy. And since it’s in a food cart pod, there are tons of other options!

Activity 2: Eat literally everything else too

Tijuana is a foodie destination in Mexico. Don’t believe me? Everyone from Anthony Bourdain to Andrew Zimmern to Bill Esparza has raved Tijuana’s excellent food palate. It a culinary dreamland. Yes, they have all the staples of Mexican cuisine, and they do them VERY WELL. But Tijuana also has LITERALLY the best teriyaki chicken in Mexico. Perhaps – in the entire North American continent. I don’t know how, it just is.

There are a lot of great eateries, so I’ll list them below in a bullet! Definitely check these places out for all your foodie needs!

• Telefonica Gastro Park : a food truck park with some of the best non-street street food! There’s a wide variety of options here, but you gotta try the Caesar salad and the enchilamole! There’s even vegetarian and vegan choices too!
• La Corriente Cevicheria Nais: it’s an amazing seafood place, famous for their red snapper tostada and their “Taco Kalifornia”
• Nigori Sushi Galerias: I’m not gonna lie, it’s pricey sushi. BUTT it’s also very tasty and very pretty sushi.
• “Taco Alley”: have you ever wanted to eat tacos until you literally put yourself in a coma? Then go here.
• Mision 19: YES, there’s even fine dining in TJ! I’d recommend going for the classic tasting menu and prepare to be wow’d!
• Oryx Capital: perfect for an upscale date night, and there’s even a hidden speakeasy in the back, Nortico!
• Verde y Crema: Super creative menu, with vegan options too!
• Club Tengo Hambre: if a food tour is more your style, then hop on this food bus for a sample of all the best eats in the city! Mezcal shots are on the house!

Activity 3: Check out the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)

I love a good cultural center, and this one is definitely a MUST-SEE. Well, unless you only plan on getting drunk. In that case, a nice cultural center is probably not the crowd for you in an inebriated state. It is located just 5 minutes from the border and is planted in the hub of the modern side of Tijuana. CECUT has a theater (WITH IMAX – that’s the big dome you see), and the main building holds the Museo de las Californias. There is also a multipurpose room with a children’s area, a botanical garden, aquarium, multiple artists galleries, a coffee shop and bookstore, and souvenirs!

The center also has annual festivals for dance, literature, theater, concerts, film screenings, and folk traditions! It’s a great way to learn more about Mexican culture!

Activity 4: Shopping at Mercado Hidalgo

The market itself is not particularly unique to Tijuana, but it is still one of the top fun activities to do in Tijuana! Who doesn’t love a good market stroll?? If you’re looking for souvenirs, this is a great place to find them! Tons of MEXICAN CANDY (my fav), sugar skulls, blankets, pinatas, clothing items, and trinkets to pick up! I spend about an hour just walking through all the different Dulcerias. If you’re nice, they might even give you a sample or two!

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Activity 5: Peep Local Art at Pasaje Rodriguez

When I heard that there was “an underground art scene” in Tijuana, I knew I HAD TO GO. Surprisingly enough, it’s not actually all that underground! Pasaje Rodriguez is a long alleyway with artist shops set up back to back to back. With about 24 studios for local artists, the walls of this alley are LINEDDD with murals and handmade artisan goods. Plus, there’s a REALLLYYY good smoothie stall.

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Thankfully, there’s a facebook page so you can keep up to date on all the events and pop-ups that may be happening during your visit! And for more great art, check out the La Caja Galeria, a gallery featuring artists from Tijuana, Mexico, and all over Latin America!

Activity 6: Get litty on Craft Brews and Creative Cocktails

If you’re missing your craft brews, fret not, Tijuana still has you covered! I’m not a beer person, but just being a Portland resident, I recognize a good craft brew environment when I see one! I like this activity because the atmosphere is a lot chiller and hipper than…well, a lot of the typical bars Tijuana was previously known for.

• Norte Brewing Co.: They have flights available, but the best part is the view!
• Border Psycho Brewery: They have several beers out in the US now, but visiting the taproom that started it all is worth the journey! Plus, there are dildos.
• Plaza Fiesta: You want to know the biggest transformation in Tijuana history? Peep this. Plaza Fiesta used to be a mall of NIGHTCLUBS. Now, it’s a one-stop-shop for all things microbrews, with tasting rooms from multiple amazing breweries!
• La Mezcalera: A hipster’s paradise in Tijuana, with amaze mezcal flights!
• Cine Tonalá: it’s a cocktail bar on top of Tijuana’s first art-house theater. Plus the view is great! What more could you want?

Activity 7: Stroll down the Avenida Revolución

Or, in English, Revolution Avenue. Aka the tourist hub and historic downtown of Tijuana. Here, you can see the Tijuana Arch, a gift from Samsung (because Tijuana is also a manufacturing hub for television screens). This street was vital to Tijuana’s economy boom during US prohibition and is also where the Caesar salad was invented.

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Fun fact, Tijuana has it’s own Walk of Fame, with artists and musicians from Tijuana. And kind of all over Mexico. And also just…not Mexico. I think they just wanted to fill the sidewalk tbh. There are also two casinos, Pasaje Rodríguez, the historic concert hall El Foro, and well…tons of bars and clubs too. Yeah, THOSE ones. If you want a more…tame club, you could visit one of the table dance bars, where dancers…dance on tables, but there is NO touching so I feel less skeevy about it. That said, I didn’t go in, but they’re there.

You will also see donkeys painted like zebras on this street. A lot of tourists take selfies with the donkeys (for a small fee), but…eh, I’m pretty sure they’re a nod to Tijuana’s “donkey shows,” which supposedly (hopefully?) don’t exist anymore.

Something about a live sex show…and I wasn’t sure…which position the human played in that show.

That was already more than I ever needed to know.

Need more time in Tijuana? Stay the night!

I didn’t personally stay overnight in Tijuana, just because I was pressed for time. But now I definitely need to go back to experience more of this hip city! And to eat more, let’s be real.

If you do want to stay overnight, I have good news! There are tons of really nice hotels! There’s even cute boutique hotels popping up over the city! Again, I haven’t stayed in these, but the following hotels are the highest rated (and cutest looking), so it would be worth it to look into them.

• One Bunk TJ
• Hotel Ticuán
• City Express Plus Tijuana
• B my Hotel
• Alou Hotel Boutique
• One Tijuana Otay

ALL THE HOTELS ARE SO CUTE!! Next time, I will definitely go for a whole weekend! In fact….lemme look up flights right now….

Conclusion

And there ya have it friends! Seven awesome fun activities in Tijuana that are different than the standard raunch-fest itineraries! Tijuana has done so much hard work to reinvent itself, AND IT IS SEEN! Tijuana is a foodie’s paradise in Mexico, and I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of the city. It is a great weekend trip on it’s own, but if you’re in San Diego or anywhere near the California border, Tijuana is more than worth a day trip. If only for the Caesar Salad.

What would you be most excited to do in Tijuana?

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