Sunday, unfortunately majority of the shops were closed BUT we got to see gorgeous works of art on…read morethe closed doors. Will have to come again to see what treasures lie behind the doors.

I always loved passing through this alley when I lived in Tijuana and went back to visit this…read moreweekend. I ADORE that small creators and artists are able to set up, sell and showcase their creations, hobbies and interests at any given day. Went on a Monday but still saw stands where they sold cookies in forms of iconic characters (Hello Kitty, Anime, etc), stickers (3 for $10 pesos (=0.50 USD cents, what a deal!), books, wood carvings, musicians, gems, art, etc, etc. It's a nice little display of a taste of the cultural heart Tijuana holds. Also saw these Hello Kitty ponchos and thought they were the cutest things!!! I love that this area is still open and thriving for all after all these years.

Not in the best neighborhood and not super well kept but she still is beautiful. Drive there from…read morethe main road is not far so it is easy to get there with GPS.

This is a very cool and very much not inhabited house in the middle of a neighborhood. To find:…read moreHeading south from Rosarito on free road. Drive about 3-4 miles from Las Rocas resort. Turn left at Oxxo under toll road Take first right on Blv Puerto Nuevo and immediately right on Calle Cancun drive to end and turn right at salmon house and then immediately left. House is ahead in left.

Drove down spontaneously with two amigos for a quick turnaroundbof bar crawls and street food…read moreThanksgiving eve. We left LA county around 9pm and hit the border at San Ysidro around 11: 45pm. Traffic on the 605 and 5 south was light and fast. Parked in San Ysidro near McDonsld's & Jack in the Box for $8.00. We walked across the border and it was smooth no hassle experience. Caught a taxi for $10.00 to Zona Norte and did a righteous 4 hit bar crawl that included some awesome Tijuaba street tacos at the intersection of Calle Coahuila and Calle Ninos Heroes for Tacos de Danny. It's a stone's throw away and south of the infamous Hong Kong bar( ya' know it's reputation...wink wink lol!)....anyway..hoochie eye candy aside, the multiple bottles of cerveza, tequila and rum called for refreshment and sustenance. I ordered two big meaty ass delicious tacos de asada and one al pastor...both with everything...which for me were marinated red onions( cebollas), pico de gallo, red and green chile salsa and fresh raw radishes. The tacos were hefty, wrapped in thick corn tortillas...magnificent blend of fiery chiles, bitter, sour and slightly sweet impressive servings of freshly grilled meats( asada y al pastor)...I squeezed copious amounts of lemon y lime for the finish....I was in taco heaven. Sabroso, delicioso, mucho carne y caliente! Just the thing to fill my belly sfter a night of libations and live bsnda music!!! Totally excellent and only $7.00 for four tacos( they give USA based King Taco a serious run for the $$ money!!

The city of Tijuana has a mixed reputation, depending on who you ask. Back home, it is often…read morelabeled as the most dangerous city on the world. I disagree with this, and this is coming from a guy who's travelled extensively and also deployed as part of the US armed services. Your experience in TJ will basically be determines on what you look for while coming here. If you're looking for the nicer part of town, then Zona Rio and the area around the Hipodromo is your best bet. My all-time favorite place in which to spend the night is Hotel Lucerna and K-Tower. Recently, I've discovered hotel Quartz, which is another upscale option. For more information on those hotels, check out my reviews for them. As far as nightclubs go, I recommend Bosse and El Alebrije. They are upscale, exclusive, and are frequented by well-established locals. In my opinion, this is the only place to party well in Tijuana. The tourist area is mainly Zona Centro along Avenida Revolucion. The area is so-so, but largely safe as long as you don't look for trouble. There are plenty of mom and pops eateries and coffee shops along this street. Most of the action is between Calle 1a (first street) on the north, and Calle 9a (ninth street) on the south. First street northward, I strongly recommend you do not walk around, as Zona Norte (northern zone) is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in TJ. Sitting within Zona Norte is the red light district along Calle Coahuila. There is a small stretch of this street that is heavily patrolled, and safe. If you decide to venture here, do not trust anyone if they try to lure you outside of this area. Do not get drunk in this area, unless you are with people that you trust very well. And if the police here do pull you over, don't give them any grief, it won't go well for you. They will likely try to get a bribe from you. Just pay then the $30-$40, and be on your way. If you carry any more cash than that, hide it elsewhere (i.e. in your shoe, or a hidden compartment in your car). The most common reason that I've been pulled over was due to my tinted windows, so if you have dark windows on your car, keep this in mind. On a lighter note, Playas de Tijuana is a nice place to check out. There is a boardwalk that starts at the Faro de Tijuana (the lighthouse of Tijuana), and heads southward. There are restaurants and miscellaneous stores along the way, as well as private residences and places that you can rent through Booking or AirBnb. The area is so-so, but I've never encountered problems in this part of TJ. All in all, Tijuana is a fun place to go. I've never had issues here, and I've made tons of memories. I've also made tons of friends here. If you decide to come here to party or for a weekend excursion, just practice common sense and don't look for trouble. And don't make acqward questions, especially about la mafia (the cartels). Those people won't mess with you as long as you don't mess with them. Stay safe and have fun in Baja. Cheers!

Garita de San Ysidro (Mexico Side). Also called Ped East. This was hell on earth type heat. We…read moreoriginally went to re/enter at Ped West and was an hour early and was rerouted here after 38 mins due to the early cut off and turned us away. Then there was the walk over to Garita side San Usidro/PedEast and the heat was intense. By the time we got here the line was wrapped around so rough estimate at around 2pm was going to be about 3+ hours long. After about 30 mins of the line barley moving we paid $30 usd each to hop on a bus via sentri to get expedited transport to the U.S. Customs and Boarders patrol line. Still 30+ mins but we were sitting. If you are crossing during the summer, bring water, wear sunscreen, and have a backup plan. The wait can change quickly, and the heat is no joke. We even had one of those spf umbrellas that we shared but it was still bad. There are a couple shops and vendors you can get beverages from but the line moves so slow. I would also recommend using the restroom before you start the journey. Also called: Puerta Este Garita Puerta Este Cruce Peatonal Puerta Este PedEast Mexico Address: Rampa XicoténcatlCuauhtémoc, Tijuana, Baja California

About 8 or 9 years ago was the first time that I got the SENTRI pass, (for those of you who don't…read moreknow what that is, it's essentially a fast-access card that allows you to cross the Mexico-US border in a significantly shorter amount of time. Instead of doing a couple of hours in line, you would only wait 20 minutes) However, four years ago this magic card expired,... and I was left with no other option but to wait in line anywhere from two to four hours in line. Oh the tragedy! Luckily, nowadays the line has been significantly shorter. Last time I crossed the border (this morning) there were no more than 5 cars ahead of me. My waiting time was less than 30 minutes. They opened up all lanes, they doubled in border patrol agents, and they're overall more effective and efficient at checking people across. If you're traveling back from Mexico into the US, fear no more! You won't be waiting for long in line. This is in my opinion the best port of entry there is in Tijuana. For an added bonus, you can still do some awesome last minute border shopping. Burritos and Raspados Playas are my favorite items to get when I get the chance to eat some.