Ryan asked:
Should I get Pesos before going for a day trip, or just US cash (I’m from Canada, and vacationing in LA and San Diego). Are the prices in both around the border?
Should I get Pesos before going for a day trip, or just US cash (I’m from Canada, and vacationing in LA and San Diego). Are the prices in both around the border?
And do most of the people speak English? I can speak Spanish enough to get by for the day (I took Spanish for 4 years in high school), but I am just wondering.
And I am going to last week of March, I don’t think Tijuana is observing our new DST are they?
And I am supposed to bring back some vanilla for a friend, what’s so special about it?
The Rich Jerk
Tags: Border, Canada, Day Trip, Dst, People, San Diego, Speak English, Speak Spanish, Tijuana, Us Dollar, Vanilla
You can use US dollars in Tiajuana. If you have a credit card, use that at restaurants, the rate exchange is usually better.
Most people in the shops, etc, speak English.
US citizens have to have a valid passport now, not sure what Canadians need.
Get the vanilla at a Mexican Grocery Store in either San Diego or Los Angeles. Mexican vanilla has no alcohol and is richer in flavor. I use it alot in baking.
you can use dollars. alot of the people speak english. watch out tho there are alot of pick pockets and crap like that down there and make sure they give you the right amount of change cause the always try and stiff me when im down there. its fun and a cool experience but just be careful.
go in the daytime get out before dark.keep your money in a safe place. pull out as little as passable at one time.
Use dollars. It gives you more bargaining power when you are haggling about the price. They expect you to do it. If they want $10 for something offer them $5, they will say $8 and just start to walk out and they will stop you before you go out the door and give it to you for $6, The vanilla is very good but you can buy it at any Mexican market in San Diego.
Don’t miss the Duty Free store right next to McDonald’s. You can get great deals on some perfume, booze and jewelry there and they will give you a ride in a van to the border gate.
Yes most of them speak very good english in Tj, when they want to. Don’t be fooled by the,’senor I no speaka much english’. More of them speak english down there than half of the hispanics in san digo do.
By the way, the best way I think to go across is to park your car in one of the lots on this side and either just walk to Revolution Ave. (downtown TJ), it is about a 15 min. walk, or take the bus across that will drop you off at the racetrack on Revolution. You can also ride that bus back and it will save you some time coming back across to the U.S.. Since the new law went into effect the line coming back can be more than a mile long.
Also, keep your money in your front pocket and don’t flash it around. Mexico is far different than the U.S. and Canada. There are always crooks lurking around.
And what they say about not drinking the water is very very true. Don’t get any drinks with ice cubes in them either or Kaopectate will be your best friend for the next 24 hours.
lots of good answers already.
Only thing i can add is dont convert money, cause then you will have to convert back if you dont use it all.
And you lose money each time.
Doallars. If you try to use pesos that will try to screw you everytime.. I shop down there about once a month. Expect to pay 40% of the asking price at 95% of the stores on Revolution
Even though everyone says you should shop with Dollars I would advice against it. The dollar is definitely the more stable and desired currency, however …
Well, let me put it this way: If you offer to pay in dollars then you’ll subject yourself to the exchange rate the merchant uses at the store. Which is ALWAYS worse than what you can get at currency exchange stand in San Diego or TJ. (Called “Casa de Cambio” in TJ).
The only reason I would suggest you carry dollars with you is as a bargaining tool whenever you want to get a better rate with things : As long as you keep in mind that mexicans prefer dollars, so they have to give you a better deal than the typical exchange rate of 11 dollars to the peso.
Tijuana is currently under the old U.S. DST system which means that the changes don’t occur until the first Sunday in April.
And regarding the vanilla … I would call your friend and make sure he didn’t mean “Cajeta” (which is also sold with Vanilla flavoring). Cajeta is a tasty caramel like product packaged similarly to peanut butter. Because the last I remember, there was nothing special about Vanilla in TJ or the state of Baja California for that matter.
And regarding whether or not they speak english .. any store, restaurant, hotel, etc that is attractive enough for tourists will definitely have english-speaking employees.
** Oh, and on a side note, be prepared for a loooong wait time back into the states if you’re traveling by car. Border traffic gets ugly on the way back on weekends.
Hope that helps.