San Diego/Tijuana question
 

Just received a call from my son informing me he is in TIAJUANA, Mexico right now. He is visiting a buddy at UCSD. Any good eats in that area for almost twenty year old guys? His buddy doesn't get off the campus much. Also, any good places (sanitary) in Tijuana for dinner. Need suggestions quick! ***kim***

Hate to be a dark cloud, but 20 year old guys don't go to Tijuana for the food.

yes! taco stands on nearly every corner of Avenida Revolucion, which I can almost guarantee is where they are at :d

do to sdreader.com and check out the restaurants section under the baja area.

You were right! They ate at the taco stands. He said they were pretty good, but has a great Mexican place here in town where he said the food was better.

They're back in SD, eating at Wendy's. (shhhhh) I told him to go to George's at the Cove, but he said he didn't know where that was. LOL Loves, SD, hopes to transfer there in a year!

Middle son's buddy from Master's college in Santa Clarita is coming tomorrow for a couple of days to stay with us. Mr. Kimamom and one Kimakid are off to Monterey for a stay at the Plaza for a couple of days!! Yeehah!!! ***kim*** :) Our adopted daughter (son's gf) is returning from Mexico in one day!! All is well with the world!!!

Do you need a passport to go in to Tijuana?

no passport needed, if you're an american cit.

The border patrol can (and do) ask for ID to get back into the US. A passport or driver's license, while possibly not required certainly can help speed things up.

Surry says: "while possibly not required certainly can help speed things up"

OMG... people, you MUST have ID to return to the US.

One does not need merely ID (like a drivers lic) - one needs proof of citizenship - that means passport or birth certificate. On our 4 hour trip to Tijuana last summer our passports (family of 4) were checked more closely than at any other international border we have ever crossed!

I don't know anyone who lives in San Diego who takes either their passport or their birth certificate with them when they go to TJ or Rosarita and they don't have a problem getting back into the US. You do have to have some type of ID though and as most people carry their driver's license all the time, that's the one most frequently used.

OK, this is how the conversation goes...

The CUSTOMS AGENT (NOT BORDER PATROL, scurry):
"What's your citizenship"

You reply:
"US"

Customs:
"What are bring back from Mexico today?"

You reply:

"A belly full of Tequila" :)

Customs:
"Have a nice day..."

I have crossed "La Linea" at San Ysidro withouth exaggeration HUNDREDS of times, and the previous "conversation" I posted is what has transpired (save for the tequila part :) ) upon my return 99% of the time.

I have NEVER been asked for ID and wouldn't even think about bringing my passport and especially my birth certificate(!!!!!).

It's enough work trying to keep track of your wallet! ;)

And yes, I've made probably a couple dozen crossings SINCE 9/11.

Now previous 2 posters have me wondering what about our family made them profile us to check us so carefully.

Perhaps the discrepensy has something to do with whether you are walking or driving.

I have never walked over border. Having driven back over it perhaps a dozen times in the past year, the driver has been asked for ID 90% of the time & the rest of the passengers in the car perhaps 25%.

Now maybe they just want to see if the driver has a driver's license for driving purposes not citizenship status.

BUT, I would feel weird going down the street without any ID at all on me -- let alone a FOREIGN COUNTRY! :)

my experiences involve both walking and driving across (if i'm just going to tj, i walk, but drive if i'm headed further).

you should absolutely have ID on you, but now way do you need a passport or birth certficate.

besides, i would venture most border crossers don't even own a passport.

No passport or birth certificate, just asked for ID (driver's license) he said. Although, I do remember when he went to Rosarito Beach on the mission trips over spring break, the youth pastor insisted on a birth certificate. Maybe he just wanted to cover all the bases, just in case.

Got his brother a really cool guitar and his GF just returned from Mexico with her church and bought a purple ukelele for him too! Sounds like the shopping in Mexico is a big attraction there! ***kim***