State: Baja California Norte
Tijuana

Location: State of Baja California on the Baja California Peninsula
Distance from San Diego: 11 miles south
Population: 1,220,000
Closest major airport: Abelardo L. Rodríguez Intl. aka Tijuana Intl (TIJ)
Time zone: Pacific Standard Time

Just a few miles south of San Diego in Baja California State, Tijuana is the city most visited by U.S. tourists in the world. During the early 1900s the city grew into a center of cabarets and nightclubs, when U.S. prohibition laws drove Americans in search of nightlife across the border. Today, the city is succeeding in shedding its “sin city” image thanks to a wealth of cultural offerings.

One of the popular places in the city to visit is the Tijuana Cultural Center, known as “The Ball,” which hosts permanent and rotating art exhibits, as well as outdoor concerts during the spring and summer. Most recently, the Museum of California was inaugurated, showcasing the history of the Baja California Peninsula with a spotlight on ethnic groups, natural attractions, missions and Prohibition-era tourism.

Another great option to get around is the Tijuana Trolley which stops at all the tourist sites, including the cultural center, famous racetrack and shopping centers. Tijuana is also well-known for dog races, bullfights and Mexican cuisine.

As a border town, Tijuana is renowned for its duty-free shopping – one of its most popular pastimes – that offers luxury items such as perfumes, fine crystals and electronics. Avenida Revolución is where many of the best shops are located.

Tijuana also boasts quite a culinary history. It is where Italian chef Alex Cardini tossed the very first Ceasar salad, where the clamato juice was first mixed and where the national cocktail, the margarita, was created. Two of the leading restaurants in the area include Cine Años, offering contemporary Mexican cuisine, and Tour de France, serving French gourmet cuisine. Visitors interested in a night out on the town can head to Tia Juana Tilly´s, Hard Rock Café and Señor Frog´s.

The nearby neighbor of Tijuana is a great destination to visit for upscale shopping, delicious cuisine and cultural activities on the Mexican border. Travelers interested in a charismatic town with an interesting background will undoubtedly love Tijuana.