Tijuana, Mexico - A Solo Black Woman Traveler Prospective

My plans were to visit Oaxaca & Veracruz, Mexico with a overnight stop in Puerto Vallarta for Spring Break but when the flights and costs weren't lining up the way I needed, I canceled the flights and hotels reservations that I had. Once I figured out I could go to Tijuana for a reasonable price, I said "Why not?"

I've never been to "TJ" and can't say I had a burning desire to go. Like everyone else, I've heard nothing good about it. "It's dangerous", "What about the cartel?" and to that my reply is always the US government is the biggest cartel there is. I've traveled throughout Mexico from Guadalajara to Tulum and haven't had an issue.

"It's a new year so I'm looking into the new."

This was my first visit to Tijuana. I found an one way flight ($150USD) with American Airlines to Tijuana with an overnight layover in Phoenix, Arizona (another first). I redeemed a free night credit I had with Hyatt Hotels and enjoyed a restful evening in Phoenix. Woke up the next morning to board my flight to Tijuana where the Airport police took pictures of passengers with a camera phone after we scanned our boarding passes. This was definitely not a full flight. After a little over an hour, we landed in Tijuana, Mexico. Went through Customs at Tijuana Airport and caught a Taxi to Hotel Ticuan. Hotel Ticuan was an Expedia find. The hotel has sort of a "resort feel" to it with a restaurant, bar, and spa. Because I booked the hotel through Expedia, I received a spa credit of 175MXN which made my 40 minute massage less than $40USD and a free breakfast buffet. The entertainment district of Tijuana has several clubs within a half a mile radius of Hotel Ticuan. I was very interested in the Tijuana Jazz Club where there's a live band Thursday through Saturday. I checked out Downtown Tijuana's Revolutionary Ave (Avenida Revolucion) where you have shops, bars, and eateries. Located Downtown is the Tijuana Arch (Friendship Arch) on Avenida Revolución to welcome tourists. I also visited the Tijuana Cultural Center CECUT where one of the security guards wanted to take me to dinner and a tour of Tijuana. Very few people that I was in contact with spoke English so I had to use the small amount of Spanish I know and Google translate.

"Sometimes you just have to go with the flow"

I booked a tour of Tijuana & Rosarito with tacos included but after communicating with the tour guide and finding out no one else booked the tour, I ended up on an ATV tour (ATV Rosarito) in the mountains of Rosarito with five handsome Ethiopian Brothas. I took an Uber and met the group at City Express Hotel (Marriott hotel) in Rosarito. I have never been on an ATV in my life let alone driving one. After a practice run, we were on our way through the mountains of Rosarito, Mexico. After our adventure, we were taken to a restaurant in Puerto Nuevo for dinner, La Casa del Pescador with a gorgeous view of the ocean.

Crossing the U.S./Mexico border on foot

I booked my flight home from San Diego Airport which required me to cross the border. Before my crossing, I checked out a Youtube video to see what I should expect. After having the valet attendant at the hotel tell my Uber driver where I needed to go, I was dropped off at a line with a few hundred people waiting their turn to enter into the United States. Lucky enough, I saw the Sentri line, where I used my Global Entry card to cross over into the US. Overall, the whole process was less than 10 minutes because I had my card. Once in San Ysidro, California, I caught a trolley train to San Diego for $2.50USD. I decided to get off at the Amtrak train station in San Diego and got an Uber to the Airport which was less than $15USD. I arrived at the Airport with plenty of time to catch my flight when I received a notification of a delayed flight. Alaska Airlines had a deal on a First Class seat. I enjoyed my drink and snacks during the hour and a half flight to San Francisco.

Next up… Oaxaca & Veracruz, Mexico!