San Diego is known for its fantastic Mexican food. In fact, the only place better is Mexico. And you’re literally, right there. If you’re ready for an experiment, enjoy one of the Best California Burrito in San Diego then cross over to TJ and see how it compares. Our local’s travel guide to TJ is going to give you all the best recs.
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How to Cross the Border
- You can drive your own car to cross the border.
- You can park in a lot on the U.S. side and walk over, then take a cab or taxi when you get there.
- Or you can trolley then walk across.
- You can also Uber internationally across.
While you can use any of the options listed, on our local’s travel guide to TJ, we are going to deter you from driving yourself over. While it may seem like the most convenient and cost effective to take your own car, unfortunately there are a lot of risks due to theft and safety. Our recommendation is 100% park near the border and take the pedestrian bridge if you are not from Mexico.
Parking
Park your car at the Las Americas Premium Outlets. This lot is right next to the Las Americas Premium Outlet mall. The parking lot charges a fee to provide security, so you don’t have to worry about your vehicle. It costs about $30, well worth it!
📍4211 Camino de la Plaza, San Ysidro, San Diego, CA 92173
Trolley
Take the UC San Diego Blue Line trolley down and hop off at the last stop, San Ysidro.
📍San Ysidro Station, San Diego, CA 92173
PedWest
Whether you park or trolley you’ll use the new pedestrian bridge called PedWest. It’s located on the west side and is easy to walk through. You can check out what the wait time looks like here. After crossing, you’ll walk for about five minutes then you’ll find plenty of taxis ready to take you to your destination. There are also Ubers around if that’s more your style. If you’re taking a taxi, be sure to agree on a price up front to avoid price gouging.
📍499 Virginia Ave, San Diego, CA 92173
Uber
While international Ubers are available to cross the border, it usually takes longer to cross the border in a car than just get out and walk. Do it like a true San Diegan in flip flops and sunnies.
Lion Fish
Lion Fish is a really good mariscos (seafood) place with excellent tequila and micheladas. They serve cold beers in an ice bucket, arguably the best way to be served. It’s basically a fine dining experience without the fine dining cost. This is why we love TJ.
📍Erasmo Castellanos Q. 1857, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
The Park
The Park is another great spot by the owners of Nikki Rottens. That restaurant actually made our list of Top 9 Things To Do in Coronado so unsurprising that their power house concept across the border is equally worthy of attention. The Park is similar to Liberty Station, IE a huge open dining area with lots of vendors. They have different types of tacos, seafood, and even a juice bar. While we personally wouldn’t cross the border for a juice, we WOULD do it for a taco and a spicy marg. The Park is the best place to go if you can’t decide what kind of taco you want as they feature some of the best restaurants in TJ one location.
📍del Centenario 4210-3, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Tacos El Franc
Sorry, not sorry for an entire article about tacos. What did you expect? Check out Tacos El Franc. It’s downright delicious and the green sauce needs to be used. You’ll also be ahead of the crowd as they announced in December 2023 that they are bringing it to San Diego.
📍Blvrd Gral Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada 9257, Zonaeste, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
Villa Oretgas
You’ll want to check out Villa Oretgas for the pier views and the excellent lobster. It’s cash only but U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Tijuana.
📍Barracuda 77, 22710 Puerto Nuevo, B.C., Mexico
Valle de Guadalupe
About an hour and a half from the border you’ll reach Baja. There you’ll find La Ruta del Vino AKA The Wine Route. This road encompasses the collection of wineries and restaurants in the Valle de Guadalupe. Great for a group trip, the winery experience is an understated activity in Tijuana. You can also book Baja Winery Tours to easily get around La Ruta del Vino. These tours in particular will pick you up in San Diego so you can avoid the border crossing on your own.
📍Baja California, Mexico
TIJ Airport
Hop, jump, and skip the line when you cross the border for airport access. The best way in our local’s travel guide to TJ to get to the airport in Tijuana from San Diego is through the Cross Border Xpress (CBX). This convenient terminal connects San Diego and TJ directly. IE no PedWest crossing. The fee is approximately $30 and completely worth the hours it will save you. Inside CBX, you’ll go through immigration and show your passport. That simple.
For affordable travel within South America, check out Volaris. They often have sales, making their flights very budget-friendly. We’re talking about a $170 nonstop flight from TJ to Cabo. On a San Diego flight for the same day, to the same place, it cost you $400 on the cheap end PLUS a layover. So please, if you’re traveling to Mexico, save your dinero and use TIJ airport.
📍Aeropuerto S/N, Nueva Tijuana, 22435 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico
If you’re ready to GTFO of San Diego but not vibing Mexico, take a look at our guide on the best way to get from San Diego to LAX.
