Tijuana is twenty minutes by trolley from downtown San Diego, and the contrast between the two sides of the border fence is one of the most visceral urban juxtapositions in North America. The US side ends at San Ysidro — the busiest land border crossing in the world — and Tijuana's Zona Centro begins immediately on the other side.
The Avenida Revolución was Tijuana's tourist strip for decades and has been significantly revitalised in the last ten years with art galleries, craft cocktail bars, and good restaurants occupying buildings that were shuttered after the 2008 security crisis. The Mercado El Popo is a sprawling indoor market selling fresh produce, herbs, and a confusing range of goods. The Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT) is a serious arts institution with rotating exhibitions and a regular programme.
The food is the strongest reason to cross: street tacos in Tijuana (birria, carne asada, al pastor) operate at a quality and price point unavailable in San Diego. Craft beer has followed the San Diego scene across the border. A US passport is required; the crossing is usually 10–30 minutes northbound on a weekday and longer on weekends.