Shopping

Tijuana's biggest attraction is shopping -- ask any of the 44 million people who cross the border each year to do it. They come to take advantage of reasonable prices on a variety of merchandise: terra-cotta and colorfully glazed pottery, woven blankets and serapes, embroidered dresses and sequined sombreros, onyx chess sets, beaded necklaces and bracelets, silver jewelry, leather bags and huarache sandals, rain sticks (bamboo branches filled with pebbles that simulate the patter of raindrops), hammered-tin picture frames, thick drinking glasses, novelty swizzle sticks, Cuban cigars, and Mexican liquors such as Kahlúa and tequila. You're permitted to bring $400 worth of purchases back across the border (sorry, no Cuban cigars allowed), including 1 liter of alcohol or three bottles of wine per person.

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 that most of the curios spilling out onto the sidewalk look alike, despite the determined seller's assurances that their wares are the best in town. Browse for comparison's sake, but for the best souvenir shopping, duck into one of the many pasajes, or passageway arcades, where you'll find items of a slightly better quality and merchants willing to bargain. Some of the most enjoyable pasajes are on the east side of the street between calles 2 and 5; they also provide a pleasant respite from the quickly irritating tumult of Avenida Revolución.

An alternative is to visit Sanborn's, on Avenida Revolución between calles 8 and 9 (tel. 664/688-1462), a branch of the Mexico City department store long favored by American travelers. It sells an array of regional folk art and souvenirs, books about Mexico in both Spanish and English, and candies and fresh sweet treats from the bakery -- and you can have breakfast in the sunny cafe. It's open daily from 7:30am to 1am.

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). In addition to the obligatory selection of standard Avenida Revolución souvenirs, you'll find blue glassware from Guadalajara, glazed pottery from Tlaquepaque, crafts from the Oaxaca countryside, and distinctive tilework from Puebla. Prices at Tolán are fixed, so you shouldn't try to bargain the way you can in some of the smaller shops and informal stands. Same goes for Casa del Angel at 1026 Revolución.

If a marketplace atmosphere and spirited bargaining are what you're looking for, head instead to Mercado de Artesanías (crafts market), Calle 2 and Avenida Negrete, where over 200 stalls of vendors selling pottery, clayware, clothing, and other crafts from throughout Mexico fill an entire city block.

A more sophisticated selection of Mexican handicrafts is found in the three stores featuring Mexico Mexico Mexico products. One of the largest distributors of goods crafted by artisans across Mexico, you'll find a broad selection of quality wares including Talavera ceramics from Puebla, Oaxacan black-clay pottery, Huichol bead art, hand-blown glassware from Tonalá, Day of the Dead curios, alebrijes (fantasy animal figurines), and works of art made from milagros, small silver religious offerings. Shop locations in Tijuana include El Campanario, Av. Revolución 952 (no phone), El Girasol, Av. Revolución between 3rd and 4th (tel. 664/685-8561), and H. Arnold, Av. Revolución 1067 (no phone).

Shopping malls are as common in Tijuana as in any big American city; you shouldn't expect to find typical souvenirs there, but shopping alongside residents and other intrepid visitors is often more fun than feeling like a sitting-duck tourist. One of the biggest, and most convenient, is Plaza Río Tijuana, Paseo de los Héroes 96 at Avenida Independencia, Zona Río (tel. 664/684-0402), an outdoor plaza anchored by several department stores and featuring dozens of specialty shops and casual restaurants. Plaza Agua Caliente, Bulevar Agua Caliente 4558, Col. Aviación (tel. 664/681-7777), is a more upscale shopping center, and in addition to fine shops and restaurants, it is known for its emphasis on health and beauty, with day spas, gyms, and doctors' offices in abundance here.

Other shopping malls are listed at www.tijuanaonline.org/english/shopping/index.htm.

On the other side of Paseo de los Héroes from Plaza Río Tijuana is Plaza del Zapato, a two-story indoor mall filled with only zapato (shoe) stores. Though most are made with quality leather rather than synthetics, inferior workmanship ensures they'll likely last only a season or two. But with prices as low as $30, why not indulge?

For a taste of everyday Mexico, visit Mercado Hidalgo, 1 block west of Plaza del Zapato at avenidas Sánchez Taboada and Independencia, a busy indoor-outdoor marketplace where vendors display fresh flowers and produce, sacks of dried beans and chiles by the kilo, and a few souvenir crafts (including some excellent piñatas). Morning is the best time to visit the market, and you'll be more comfortable paying with pesos, since most sellers are accustomed to a local crowd.