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Five Tips for a great
visit to Tijuana by Harold Par
Tijuana is the self proclaimed "most visited city in the world." Since the 1920s tourists have poured over the border 20 minutes South of San Diego to get a taste of Mexico. The city has seen a sharp increase in violent crime in recent years and as a result tourism has dropped. However, thousands of day trippers still cross the border each month to enjoy the tacos and haggle in the shops. Here are five tips to help make your next visit to Tijuana a smooth one. 1. Park in the U.S. Assuming you are not buying large objects like furniture, plan on parking your car on the U.S. side of the border and walking into Mexico. This avoids the hassles of getting Mexican auto insurance and the dangers of driving in a foreign country with different laws than you may be used to. There are many parking lots along the border. All of them are about the same charging anywhere from seven to nine dollars for the day. We usually park at the large one on the corner located to your right (West) when you take the "Last U.S. Exit" on I-5 or I-805. 2. Don't exchange money. There is really no reason for you to change your dollars into pesos despite the numerous exchange houses that line both sides of the border. Contrary to popular belief, the merchants prefer dollars and you'll actually end up paying more for items if you go with pesos. 3. Don't get drunk. Since the prohibition era Tijuana has been the place for Americans in Southern California to go to throw back some cheap beers. Unfortunately, everyone from bartenders to, taxi drivers, to police officers take advantage of drunk Americans everyday, often driving them to ATMs and forcing them to withdraw all available cash. Also, driving drunk will land you in a Mexican jail for a long time so don't even think about that. 4. Avoid dangerous places. Revolution Avenue is where all the tourist shops are and you should never get off that street. The cross streets are all numbered and you should try to stay between second and eleventh. If land marks are easier to remember stay South of the aluminum arch and North of the Jai Alai stadium. Outside of this zone can be dangerous, especially at night. Note: The Red Light District is outside this area. If you are going to Tijuana because you heard there's cheap prostitutes there, stay home. If you have doubts, read this article on the Tijuana brothels. 5. Get back early. Ideally try to make it back to the border by dark. If you are going with friends for an evening of fun, shoot for before midnight. The early morning hours are when people get taken advantage of the most. If you came with a group make sure everyone travels back together. About the Author Harold Par has lived in Mexico
on and off for many years and is a frequent visitor to Tijuana.
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