Tijuana is a border town with a debauched reputation that is almost synonymous with simple entertainment.
Although tequila, margaritas and schlock still rule, Tijuana’s character has changed somewhat since the Mexican cartel wars slowed American traffic. Yes, there are rough spots too, especially if you venture to the North End.
But you can have fun visiting the artistic little squares and passageways of the Zona Centro, as well as hanging out in the more sophisticated club bars of Caliente and Calle Brasil. If you’re looking for fun in the sun, the Pacific coast is full of surf spots, or if you just want to hang out on the beach, Rosarito is just a few minutes south of Tijuana.
10 Top Things To Do In Tijuana Mexico
- Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)
- Museo de las Californias
- Avenida Revolución
- El Trompo
- El Popo
- Nightlife
- Pasaje Rodríguez
- Playas de Tijuana
- Bullfighting
- Plaza Río Tijuana
Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)
East of downtown Tijuana is the wealthiest district of Zonario on the Tijuana River.
Next to the Plaza de Rio pedestrian street is a cultural center that opened in 1982. Designed by the famous architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, the center has become a symbol of Tijuana.
The most eye-catching building is “La Bola,” a spherical structure that houses Tijuana’s only IMAX theater, which screens four high-definition movies each year. The center also has a well-designed exhibition on California (which we will talk about below), a botanical garden, an aquarium, a cafe and a wide esplanade.
“El Cubo” is one of the newest objects, which was opened in 2008 and hosts international art exhibitions.
Museo de las Californias
The central building of the Tijuana Cultural Center has permanent exhibits that give you a true California feel.
Stop here and think for a few minutes before heading off to more gruesome entertainment in Tijuana. The museum depicts the human and natural history of Peninsular California.
On a spiral ramp, you start in prehistory, through the Jesuits, the War of Independence and the Revolution, all the way to the middle of the 20th century. There are reproductions of petroglyphs found in the San Francisco Mountains, dioramas and examples of folk art from Cochimi and Yuman indigenous groups, artifacts from the old Desert Line Railroad, models of pre-Hispanic settlements, examples of new Latin American metalwork, and detailed large works. -Scale models of Spanish caracas.
Avenida Revolución
Most visitors with limited time make Avenida Revolución in Zona Centro their first stop.
Like many downtowns in the United States, Revolution Avenue is a little run down, but it does have some real landmarks, like Caesar’s, which we’ll talk about in the Local Cuisine section below. Only restaurants, souvenir shops and bars are about eight blocks away.
At the top end is Plaza Santa Cecilia, near the Tijuana Arch, with traveling “conjuntos norteños” musicians and dozens of open-air stalls selling clothes, arts and crafts, and if you’re in the mood, there’s no shortage of streets. food stands huarache, tostada or quesadilla.
El Trompo
If you’re in Tijuana with younger family members, this interactive science and technology museum will provide hours of educational fun.
In six different halls (halls), kids can take part in crazy experiments that test their reasoning and creativity, and learn about scientific concepts like electricity, weather, the human body, biodiversity and solids, liquids and gases. A staff member will always be available to explain each exhibit.
For younger visitors (up to six years old), there’s an Experiment Hall filled with stations that require problem solving and a little physical effort, whether they’re building their own house, meeting farm animals or steering their own ship.
El Popo
Tijuana may have bigger markets, but El Popo, located on the main tourist street of Calle Benito Juárez (Level II), is a chaotic place where you can immediately feel the Mexican culture.
Permanent stalls are piled high with cured meats, sun-dried peppers, pots filled with seeds, giant wheels of Queso Guerrero, fresh fruits and vegetables, preserves, cookware, candles and jewelry. If you want tacos (with a grill), there are also freshly made options.
Nightlife
Generations of Americans have crossed the border to rest for a night or two. Tijuana still conjures margaritas, tequila and, yes, some of the darker sides of border towns. Zona Centro, and especially Revolution Avenue, is still where most tourists let off steam, whether in bars, nightclubs (smaller nightclubs don’t charge a cover charge) or strip clubs.
If you just want to go clubbing, try to avoid the North End, one of the biggest red light districts in North America. Plaza del Zapato, a little further from the city center, in the more exclusive area of Zona Río, houses exclusive nightclubs in warehouse-like buildings, while Calle Basil, up the hill to the east, is full of trendy cafes and bars.
Pasaje Rodríguez
Pasaje Rodríguez is part of the redevelopment project of Zona Centro, a former covered shopping arcade that has been taken over by young artists.
They painted murals and metal shutters, opened trendy cafes and created small galleries where they could exhibit and sell their work. Bookshops, bars with live music and boutiques are also located along the passage.
Pasaje Rodríguez aims to create a collaborative environment and is a hub for cultural events such as the annual Art Walk.
Playas de Tijuana
Tijuana’s westernmost district is a residential area that ends at the ocean. So if you want to experience the Pacific Ocean on Mexican soil without going to the more famous beach towns like Ensenada and Rosarito, go here. As the name suggests, Playas de Tijuana is a beach; it is actually a long beach that stretches about four kilometers south from the border fence to Puente la Joya.
The sand stays clear, the slope is gentle, and the waves roll in at waist height. On weekends, the whole family strolled the Malecón (elevated boardwalk) behind and tried some seafood dishes like octopus with rice, ceviche, fish tacos, and camarones cucaracha (shrimp with spicy tomato and lemon curd).
Bullfighting
Away from all notions of fun, bullfights are just one of the things that come to mind when people think of Tijuana.
In fact, activity may decrease, and for good reason.
Plaza Río Tijuana
This rather large pedestrianized complex is located next to the Zona Río Cultural Center.nPlaza Río Tijuana is one of the largest shopping centers in Baja California, with an area of more than 73,500 square meters. Opened in 1981, it was Tijuana’s first American-style shopping center and has more than 100 branches of well-known Mexican and American brands, as well as two movie theaters and a Soriana hypermarket.
If you need a quick bite, Plaza Río is home to several large American chain restaurants, as well as Mexican, Italian and Chinese restaurants.
