Shopping

Tijuana's biggest attraction is shopping -- you can take advantage of reasonable prices on a variety of merchandise: colorfully glazed pottery, woven blankets and serapes, embroidered dresses and sequined sombreros, onyx chess sets, beaded necklaces and bracelets, silver jewelry (beware of fake gold, though), leather bags and huarache sandals, hammered-tin picture frames, thick drinking glasses, Cuban cigars, and Mexican liquors such as Kahlúa and tequila. You're permitted to bring $800 worth of purchases back across the border duty-free (but none of those Cuban stogies), including 1 liter of alcohol per person (for adults 21 and older).

If your total purchases come anywhere near the $800 per-person limit, it's a good idea to have receipts on hand for the border crossing; customs officers are familiar with the average cost of handcrafted items. Pharmacies in Tijuana also do a brisk business selling "controlled" medicines such as Viagra without a prescription. U.S. law allows for the importation of about 1 month's supply (50 dosages) of any medicine that requires a prescription in the states.

When most people think of Tijuana, they picture Avenida Revolución, which appears to exist solely for the extraction of dollars from American visitors. Dedicated shoppers quickly discover most of the curios spilling out onto the sidewalk look alike, despite the determined sellers' assurances that their wares are the best in town. Browse for comparison's sake, and duck into one of the many pasajes, or passageway arcades, for more shopping. But be forewarned: The incessant cajoling and wheedling of the merchant barkers will grow wearisome. They've seen their business plummet over recent years and are more determined than ever to make a sale. If you are in the buying mode, your best move is to just walk away -- quoted prices will quickly drop. At the visitors center you can pick up a map showing the locations of the Outstanding Host establishments -- reputable businesses that carry the highest quality merchandise. Some of these places won't bargain with you, but especially if you're in the market for jewelry, they are smart choices.

Notable shops include Casa Rodriguez, 1080 Av. Revolución (tel. 664/685-9960), which is entered through an easily missed doorway that leads to a huge showroom of wrought iron and wood furnishings; Hand Art, 931-A Av. Revolución (tel. 664/688-0868; www.handartmx.com), featuring hand-embroidered tablecloths and dresses, and classic guayabera shirts; and Sara's London Shop, 907 Av. Revolución (tel. 664/685-0622), selling a vast array of perfumes, soaps, and body sprays. Sara's first opened for business in 1944, making it one of the oldest businesses on the street. One of the few places in Tijuana to find better-quality crafts from a variety of Mexican states is Tolán, Avenida Revolución between calles 7 and 8 (tel. 664/688-3637). Look for blue glassware from Guadalajara, glazed pottery from Tlaquepaque, crafts from the Oaxaca countryside, and distinctive tile work from Puebla.

An alternative is to visit Sanborns, Avenida Revolución between calles 8 and 9 (tel. 664/688-1462; www.sanborns.com.mx), a branch of the Mexico City department store. It sells an array of regional folk art and souvenirs, books and CDs, and candies and bakery treats; you can also have breakfast in the sunny cafe. There's another location in Zona Río at Paseo de los Héroes and Blvd. Cuauhtemoc (tel. 664/684-8999).

If a marketplace atmosphere and spirited bargaining are what you're looking for, head to Mercado de Artesanías (Crafts Market), Calle 2 and Avenida Negrete. Vendors of pottery, clayware, clothing, and other crafts fill an entire city block.

Shopping malls are as common in Tijuana as in any big American city. You shouldn't expect to find typical souvenirs, but shopping alongside residents and other intrepid visitors is often more fun than feeling like a sitting-duck tourist. The biggest and most convenient is Plaza Río Tijuana (on Paseo de los Héroes at Av. Independencia). It's an outdoor plaza anchored by several department stores, with dozens of shops and casual restaurants; this is the place to buy shoes.

For a taste of everyday Mexico, join the locals at Mercado Hidalgo (1 block west at Av. Sánchez Taboada and Av. Independencia), a busy indoor-outdoor marketplace where vendors display fresh flowers and produce, sacks of dried beans and chilies by the kilo, and a few souvenir crafts, including some excellent piñatas. Morning is the best time to visit the farmers' market.