In the state of Baja, California, Tijuana is the biggest city. It has an estimated population of over 1.5 million people. With all these activity, whether it be for business or pleasure, Tijuana has boomed tremendously over the past decade. Here are some of the more popular attractions one can find in Tijuana.
Shopping
Most tourists will be directed to the famous Avenida Revolucion which is known for all the different wares for sale. Tijuana is a duty free zone which means there are no taxes added when buying anything. One can buy designer clothes, Mexican blankets, leather goods, amazing glassware and ceramic, pottery, jewelry (mainly silver jewelry), embroidered clothing, Mexican knick knacks, and the ever popular Mexican liquor.
Nightlife
Not surprisingly, many young American students cross the border to party since the legal age for drinking in Mexico is 18 compared to that in the United States which starts upon reaching 21 years of age.
There are many discos and an extensive red light district, the Zona Norte, which a tourist should avoid since the health standard there is extremely poor.
Unfortunately, Tijuana has also earned the bad reputation for being one of the biggest drug and prostitution center in the entire country. However, if you stay away from dark alleys and the red light districts, you will not be exposed to this side of Tijuana.
As a tourist, walking around from the international border of San Ysidro is where you will find the main tourist shopping attractions. However, shopping and partying are not the only things to do here.
If you are interested in learning more about Tijuana, you can check out the Wax Museum called the Museo de Cera or the Cecut which is the cultural hub of Tijauna. Here you can enjoy IMAX theaters which regularly feature both English and English dubbed films.
For a more extensive feature on Mexico, visit the Museo de las Califoirnias which has amazing dioramas of the history of Mexico, interesting artifacts and historical papers which detail more about the colorful history of Mexico. If you want to sample the wine of Mexico, the La Cetto Winery has a vineyard in Guadalupe Valley and one in Tijuana which offers tours of their facilities including wine and beer tasting.
Further down into Mexico, there are nice beaches like the Rosarito, Encenada or the Playas de Tijuana. They are not spectacular by international standards by they are worth a visit. You can do water sports in this area, and simply get to relax with the cool sea breeze blowing in your face.
