Two-Nation Vacation Destination

How about a city with an average daytime temperature of 70 (f) degrees and the sun shines over 300 days a year? Sounds good, eh? How about a world-class zoo, an amazing wild animal park, and 70 miles of beaches just for starters. Irresistible, eh? How about visiting another country from this city with some duty free shopping? Yes?

A TWO-NATION VACATION DESTINATION

San Diego features the novelty of a two-nation vacation destination, with Tijuana, Mexico conveniently located 17 miles from downtown San Diego�a perfect getaway for guests looking for an international adventure. The lure of Mexico also extends farther south, with Rosarito and Ensenada an easy and scenic drive away.

Following are some popular offerings of Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada that guests won�t want to miss.

Tijuana

Recognized as one of the world�s most visited cities, with more than 50 million border crossings each year, Tijuana Mexico bustles with activity day and night and offers duty-free shopping, authentic Mexican cuisine, dog racing, arts and culture, glittering night life and more.

Tijuana is a duty-free zone, making the city a shopping paradise. The rich and colorful culture of Tijuana can be discovered on Avenida Revolucion, the city's bustling main thoroughfare, where shopping opportunities abound. Guests can shop in festive outdoor bazaars and plazas, including Mercado Hidalgo.

The lowered peso and competitive merchants combine to provide bargains on a wide variety of products, including handcrafted jewelry, pottery and leather items. Bargain hunters can pay for their items with U.S. currency, pesos (obtained at any bank or money exchange location), traveler�s checks or major credit cards. U.S. residents may return home with up to $400 worth of merchandise, including one liter of alcoholic beverages (purchaser must be at least 21-years-old), 100 non-Cuban cigars and 200 cigarettes. Some merchandise, such as certain fruits, vegetables and products from endangered species, are not allowed into the United States, and prescription medication may require a U.S. prescription. Non-residents in transit should check with U.S. Customs before visiting Mexico to determine their allowances.

Dining is another favorite attraction in Tijuana, where many restaurants dish up fine Mexican and continental cuisine at a reasonable price. Visitors can taste the flavor of Mexico at a myriad of restaurants along Tijuana's major streets�Avenida Revolucion, Caliente Boulevard and Paseo de los Heroes�and within popular local attractions.

The Tijuana Cultural Center, which offers a look at Mexico's colorful history and diverse regions, features a space theater, performing arts theatre, museum, restaurant and shopping arcade. Conveniently located less than a mile from the border, the Tijuana Cultural Center is a striking landmark on the city skyline with its globular Omnimax Theatre and surrounding buildings. Inside its walls, a Mexican Identities exhibit showcases Mexico's people, events, food, clothes and dances in a two-part exhibition. English signage and bilingual guides make the Tijuana Cultural Center especially welcoming to international visitors; an English version of "People of the Sun," a spectacular show highlighting Mexico's most beautiful sites and history, is featured daily on a 180-degree screen at the space theatre.

Sporting events are also popular in Tijuana. Guests can enjoy watching greyhound racing and soccer.

At night, high-tech discos featuring state-of-the-art sound systems provide upbeat entertainment in Tijuana. Avenida Revolucion and the new Rio Tijuana area (Tijuana's financial and retail center) are home to many of these nightspots; some feature no cover charge and inexpensive prices for beer and margaritas.

Guests who choose to stay overnight in Tijuana are invited to the new, modern Hotel Camino Real. Nestled within Zona Rio, the hotel is located just minutes from the border and offers 250 rooms, three restaurants and bars, a business center and meeting facilities.

Rosarito

Located south along the coast from Tijuana is Rosarito, a resort community known for its beautiful beaches, desert hills and warm hospitality. Here guests can relax or discover a variety of attractions, accommodations and shopping and dining opportunities.

Shopping enthusiasts can find great deals throughout Rosarito on ceramics, leather goods, baskets, clothing, jewelry and a variety of other items sold at the dozens of shops and outdoor markets around town. After a day of shopping, guests can indulge at one of Rosarito�s many fine restaurants, featuring Mexican seafood, Chinese and a variety of cuisine in between. Nearby Puerto Nuevo, south of Rosarito, is known as �Lobster Village� for its tasty crustaceans.

Rosarito is home to several luxurious world-class resorts as well as a number of other accommodation properties. The famous, oceanfront Rosarito Beach Hotel, located in the heart of Rosarito, is one of Baja California�s landmark resorts, offering two large swimming pools, beach volleyball, an arcade, horseback riding, a European-style spa and spacious guestrooms. The nearby Hotel Festival Plaza Rosarito offers deluxe accommodations, restaurants and lively nightlife. Residence Inn by Marriott ?Real Del Mar Resort, located at the northern end of Rosarito, is an impressive golf resort offering upscale suites with ocean views, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, spa, gym and large swimming pool.

Located along the shore of the beautiful Pacific Ocean in the heart of Rosarito, Las Rocas Resort and Spa offers an elegant spa, guestrooms with ocean views, fine dining, three pools and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

Guests to Rosarito can explore the magic of moviemaking at Foxploration, a Fox movie studio, famous for the making of Titanic and many other popular films. Guests can take a guided tour through actual Titanic movie sets and view costumes, props, movie artifacts, sunken set pieces and exhibits of the wreckage on the �ocean floor.� Foxploration also features Cinemagico, where guests can embark on an interactive journey of moviemaking by creating optical illusions and sound effects. The studio�s open-air amphitheater also features popular concerts by local musicians, artists and actors in a spectacular ocean-view setting.

Ensenada

Located approximately 70 miles south of the international border, Ensenada is a convenient 90-minute drive from San Diego along a scenic toll highway, noted for its breathtaking ocean vistas and viewpoint rest stops. Known as one of the leading resort and commercial centers on the Baja peninsula, the region also boasts a protected harbor with modern port facilities and is home to visiting cruise ships and a large sport fishing fleet.

Sport fishing is one of Ensenada�s most popular activities for visitors throughout the year. Offering some of the best fishing in the Pacific, the Ensenada sport fishing fleet operates year-round and offers a wide range of fishing trips, from multi-day and long-range to full- and half-day excursions. Spring, summer and fall trips target yellowtail, white sea bass, calica bass, barracuda and bonito; winter trips target sand bass, rock cod and more than 50 species of bottom fish.

Visitors who prefer to stay on land can enjoy shopping for great bargains at shops and markets in the heart of Ensenada. After shopping, guests can enjoy delectable seafood and Mexican cuisine offered at fine restaurants along the beautiful bay. In the evenings, the streets come alive with the hustle and bustle of club-goers seeking the perfect nightclub to dance the night away.

Another popular Ensenada attraction is the La Bufadora (blow hole), situated on the southern end of Ensenada Bay. Guests watch in amazement at the natural rock formation where the sea explodes into a natural geyser.

Ensenada offers a variety of accommodations, from elegant resorts to serene campgrounds. The Bajamar Oceanfront Golf Resort, located along the coast, features an impressive 18-hole championship golf course, oceanfront guestrooms, pool, spa and meeting facilities. To the east, on the Sea of Cortes, guests can also relax in beachfront comfort at the Playa Club Las Misiones in the small town of San Felipe?the "shrimp capital of Baja California."

Transportation between San Diego and Mexico

Traveling to Mexico is easy on the San Diego Trolley, a light-rail trolley system that runs from downtown San Diego to the Mexican border. Another option is to park on the U.S. side and simply walk across the border. Guests who plan to take their own car across the border must purchase Mexican auto insurance, since most U.S. policies are not valid south of the border, and may be required to pay a surcharge depending on the destination. Many insurance agencies are located on both sides of the border.

Guests can also take shuttles or tour buses that travel to the major shopping districts and other popular attractions throughout Tijuana and Baja, Mexico. Five Star Tours, an international ground transportation charter and tour company, provides in-depth tours of Mexico, including Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. For more information, call +1-800-553-8687 (toll free in the United States).

Important Mexico Travel Tips

Guests who plan to visit no further south than Ensenada and return to the United States within 72 hours do not need a tourist permit. Guests who plan to stay longer than 72 hours and travel beyond Ensenada must obtain a tourist permit at the Mexican consulate in the United States or any office of the National Institute of Immigration in Mexico. A fee of approximately $21 is also required and may be paid through the guest�s airline, cruise ship or at any Baja California bank.

When crossing back into San Diego, U.S. citizens are required to show proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate�original or notarized�with a photo ID), and resident aliens must possess a green card. Voter�s registration card, military ID, driver�s license and social security cards are not considered valid forms of citizenship identification.

New legislation will require US citizens to have a US passport as of December 31, 2006. It is possible this may be delayed, but it is advisable US citizens have a passport.

Citizens of other countries must carry a valid passport with a valid I-94 or multiple entry visa or visa waiver to re-enter the United States; verify details with the Mexican Consulate before traveling.