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This document was created to aid people who visit Tijuana. Its objective is to provide visitors with a tool that provides additional information in order to enrich their drive in Tijuana.

Tijuana

On October 15th 1925, General Plutarco Elías Calles, then President of Mexico decreed the creation of Tijuana as a Municipality thereby separating it from Ensenada. This new municipality was to be named Zaragoza in honor of the general who defeted the French in the battle of Puebla. This battle is what people celebrate on May 5th, each year.

In Spanish, May 5th means "cinco de mayo".

Due to the fact that Tijuana had been in existence for several decades, the new name was never adopted by the population and therefore was never really used.

To his day there exists a certain amount of debate over the origin of the name "Tijuana", some believe that it’s because of the Aunt Jane Ranch (Rancho de la Tía Juana) that was here before. And others put the origin further back to a word in a native language: "Ticuán".

Tijuana is now one of Mexico’s five largest cities. It is one of the most visited in the country and is also an important manufacturing center.

1. Revolution Avenue ("Avenida Revolución"):

This street started over a hundred years ago when the city itself began. This was when Tijuana was part of Ensenada. in the last part of the XIX century.

From the beginning, this street was a Mecca for tourists visiting the city because of the food, hand crafts, bars, shopping and a taste of foreign culture.

On this street stood the first bullring in town. As many of you may know, Tijuana has two famous bullrings at present time.

2. Wax Museum ("Museo de Cera"):

The Wax Museum has ocuped for ten years the old Chamber of Commerce Building. It has 86 replicas of famous figures from past and present. Here you can visit both foreign and Mexican celebrities.

This Museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm. Admision is 15 pesos (less than 2dlls) for adults and children under 5 are free.

3. Tourist Information ("Información Turística"):

This tourist information booth is owned and operated by the Tijuana Tourism and Convention Bureau (COTUCO) to improve your overall experience in Tijuana. Here you can find free information and brochures as well as basic assistance in case of emergency or inconvenience.

This booth was originally located across the street in Plaza Arguello, also known as Plaza Santa Cecilia (Saint Cecilia Square) but was relocated as part of an effort to preserve one of the last true historic town squares in the City.

There is also an office from the Baja California Department of tourism that provides free help to tourists in the Viva Tijuana Shopping center near the International Border.

Symbol of the modern Tijuana, this arch was dedicated in the year two thousand for the second millennium. Since then it has been a source of friendly debate between the citizens of the City.

5. Saint Cecilia Square or Arguello Square ("Plaza Santa Cecilia o Plaza Arguello)

Located on one of Tijuana’s oldest streets (Arguello Boulevard), this square is the only one on a transverse street from the original city grid.

Presently you may find stores and restaurants. Also you can find a Mariachi band at almost any hour of day or night.

6. Hard Rock Café:

Like many other tourist cities, Tijuana is host to one of these establishments founded in England in the 1970s.

The building it occupies was home to one of Tijuana’s first bowling alleys. Later it became a restaurant famous for its burritos named Bowl Corona ("Bol Corona").

After the building was gutted by a fire, the burritos moved and the HRC moved in.

To this day you can still find these famous burritos in many places in Town.

7. Historic Bank Building ("Banco Histórico"):

This is one of Tijuana’s oldest private buildings. This structure was built to resemble the French style in vogue during the early part of last century.

On this same street you may find other examples of this style of architecture but none are in such a good state of preservation.

8. The original Caesar’s Palace Hotel (Hotel César’s):

This hotel, also one of Tijuana’s oldest, has a very unique claim to fame. It was the birthplace of the Caesar Salad in the first half of last century.

Few people think of this salad as a Mexican dish, but it is.

9. Hand Craft Center ("Centro de Artesanías"):

Here you can find hand crafts from different parts of Mexico. Here over 200 people come together to offer products of varying quality and price.

10. Jai Alai Fronton Palace (Basque Ball):

The Jai Alai (high allI) was dedicated in 1947 in the faithful tradition of Spanish Basque Ball form the Basque Region of Spain that Borders France.

Its known as a Palace because of its luxurious appointments for both guests and the "pelotaris" (Ball Players).

Although not practiced anymore here in Tijuana, it’s still a popular sport in many Iberoamerican countries.

11. Chiki Jai Café

This Restaurant and Café was established a year after the Jai Alai first came into operation. It has been serving Spanish food for over fifty years. Once the property of a Spanish diplomat I was a favorite hangout of the Pelotari and Bullfighters. To this day it is still owned and operated by a family of strong Spanish tradition.

The House of Cetto is one of the oldest in the country and one of its’ largest producers of wine. Their vineyards have been in the Guadalupe Valley since the late XIX century although their winemaking is done here in Tijuana.

Winemaking, aging and processing for L. A. Cetto is done in a beautiful cellar here in what is now downtown Tijuana. For any who are interested in wine and winemaking, can visit for a guided tour or schedule a winetasting session.

The Guadalupe Valley is located about an hour’s drive from here, near Ensenada, and is home to more than ten winemakers. Here, over 95% of Mexico’s wine is produced.

13. The Tijuana Tower or Agua Caliente Tower ("Torre Tijuana" o Torre Agua Caliente"):

This tower is a replica of one built in the 1920’s for the Agua Caliente Casino although it is now known as the "Tijuana Tower".

The original tower served as the control tower for the casino’s private airport until the 1950’s when it was destroyed by fire.

Tijuana’s Agua Caliente Casino was internationally famous during American prohibition and it took it’s name form the hot springs present in the City.

14. Tijuana Brewery ("Cervecería Tijuana"):

"TJ Tijuana" beer is new to the world but old in tradition. The Baja California Brewing Consortium (the company’s official name) produces a high quality lager tipe beer of several different types.

Its two master brewers (one Czech and one Mexican) use the highest quality Mexican and Czech ingredients to produce beers Tijuana can be proud of.

The brewery hosts tours by appointment and has a traditional style bar where you can taste the unfiltered beer straight from the tap.

The Czech Republic is where beer was invented.

15. Toreo de Tijuana Bullring ("Plaza de Toros ‘Toreo de Tijuana’")

The oldest of the two bullfighting rings in Tijuana. This arena has been host to the most famous bullfighters (matadors) in the world such as: Eloy Cavazos and Julián Sánchez

Bull season is from late spring to late summer and lets visitor live a unique cultural experience in north America. This spectacle testifies to the European roots of modern Mexican culture.

Tijuana’s other bullring is by the Pacific and is named the "Monumental Plaza" making this city the only one (after the capital) to have more than one bullfighting arena.

16. Baja California Defender’s Monument ("Monumento a los Defensores de Baja California")

The people of Tijuana built this monument in memory of it’s brave inhabitants that, in 1911, defended it against an American annexation attempt during the Mexican Revolution.

The memorial was built in the 1950’s.

17. Free textbook monument ("Monumento al Libro de Texto Gratuito"):

This monument was built by the City of Tijuana in the 1960’s and is the only one of it’s type to honor the concept of free education through textbooks for all Mexicans.

Every year, teachers mount an honor guard on national Flag Day, February 24th.

The "campestre", as it is commonly called, was the first in the state to have its own golf course. The golf course, as well as the bar and three restaurants are open to non-members.

Many of the golf pros here are veterans of the PGA Tour.

The "Campestre" is also home to a yearly moonlight concert by the Grammy-award winning Baja California Orchestra.

19. Agua Caliente Race Track

In the 1920’s the Caliente Company organized its first dog and horse race track in a site that would later house the historic Agua Caliente Casino.

In 1971 a fire destroyed the building but the company rebuilt it in one month. An engineering wonder for that time.

Now a days the race track is home for daily dog races.

20. Restaurant Row

Tijuana is very well known for the surprising quality of its restaurants. Cuisine includes, Mexican international, modern, traditional, specialty and ethnic.

Many of the best can be found in the Zona Río Restaurant Row but there are also much more dispersed throughout the city.

21. Old Agua Caliente Casino Site

This tower built in a Arabic-Spanish style called "mudéjar" was a smokestack for the Agua Caliente Casino. This tower, a swimming pool and some walls are all that remains of this important Tijuana monument.

This Casino was one of the main engines for growth in Tijuana during the U. S. prohibition and it was considered among the best vacation spots in North America.

During its golden age, it was home to a hotel, various theatres, ballrooms, bungalows and airstrip.

When gambling was made illegal in Mexico, the casino was turned into a military academy and later a pre-university education center.

22. General Lázaro Cárdenas Monument

This sculpture is the work of a Mexican artist of Spanish descent. This is of note because President Cárdenas was very welcoming of exiled Spaniards at the end of their civil war.

President Cárdenas is more well known for having returned oil and minieral wealth to the State. He is also the president who outlawed casinos in Mexico.

23. Teachers Park

This small park is among the newest in the city and was made to honor the noble work of Teachers in Mexican Society.

It's important to note that this park was placed facing President Cárdenas, who, by outlawing casinos, gave Tijuana its largest pre-college education center.

24. General José María Morelos y Pavón Monument

The Caliente Racetrack presented the City of Tijuana with this monument as a gift. It was among the first monuments of its kind in the city.

General Morelos is a great figure in Mexican History and is also considered one of the founding fathers of our country.

Of his military gifts, Napoleon is said to have commented: "With three men like Morelos, I could conquer the world."

This was years before France attacked Mexico but failed to hold on to it.

In 1925 when Tijuana became a Municipality (County) it was to be re-named "Zaragoza" in honor of this great man who beat the French Army in the Battle of Puebla.

This historic battle is remembered every year on the Fifht of May, in Spanish "cinco de mayo".

This street was the main road from the border to the Casino.

26. President Abraham Lincoln Monument

This monument is the work of a Mexican sculptor and was received as a gift from the U. S. Government. In appreciation, the Mexican Government donated a sculpture of President Benito Juárez.

The Statue of President Juárez is in San Diego’s Balboa park.

As an interesting historical note, Slavery has been outlawed in Mexico since before it became an independent country.

27. Cuauhtémoc Monument

Cuauhtémoc means "Eagle that falls" was a leader of the Aztec People during the Spanish Conquest of what is now Mexico.

This statue is the work of a Mexican artist and was a gift from the Government of the State of Guerrero and was placed here by the people of Guerrero that live in Tijuana.

28. Two Californias Monument

This monument is know by many names to the people of Tijuana: Scissors, the "M", the Iron Monument.

"Scissors" and "M" are fairly obvious names since it sort-of resembles those things but the "Iron Monument" name was because of its iron structure that stood exposed several months before it’s completion.

One thing we know for sure is that its modern design won several awards in the early 1980’s for, among other things, the fact that it looks like a letter "M" from every angle.

29. Plaza Río Tijuana Mall

This Plaza was the first American-style "Mall" built in Tijuana and is still a favorite among the locals.

This mall is must for people wishing to buy where the locals and acquire authentic Mexican products.

30. City Hall

Due to the growing city –- and growing government -- this building was raised here just over 20 years ago. For 80 years before that, the government was at a downtown building.

Its important to note that in Mexico, City and County governments functions exist as one Municipal Entity.

The "Ayuntamiento" is the Mexican equivalent of the Board of Supervisors and the City Council rolled into one.

The City/County of Tijuana is the smallest in territory but it holds almost half ot the State’s population.

The largest City/County is Ensenada and covers over 70% of the State. Ironically, it’s the one with least people.

An interesting fact is that the Baja California Peninsula is larger than the Italian peninsula.

32. Tijuana Cultural Center

This Cultural Center is the most important in the northwest of the country and houses a Omnimax Theatre, a Performing Arts Theatre, The Museum of the Californias, exhibition halls, bookstore and a café.

The Museum of the Californias tells the history of the Peninsula since before Spanish colonization. It offers guided tours in Spanish and English by appointment.