The Zona Rio is a fashionable middle class Tijuana neighborhood known for its shopping, night clubs, and restaurants.
It is dominated by Paseo de los Heroes, a wide, divided and usually very busy street. The major intersections of Paseo de los Heroes are circuses, each with a large statue of a hero. Lesser heroes appear as busts along the grassy center of the avenue.
As circular intersections are almost unheard of in the US, the Zona Rio has a distinctly foreign look to the American eye, despite the fact that it is only a mile or so from the border. That you seldom see tourists in this zone adds to the sense of being truly abroad.
A visit to the Zona Rio presents a sharp, mostly favorable, contrast to the touristy Zona Centro. Knowing Spanish will be very helpful here, but non-Spanish speakers need not be deterred.
Destinations include the Mercado Hidalgo, a large open farmer's market, the Plaza Rio, a popular shopping mall, and countless restaurants, many of them with excellent reputations.
One can walk to the Zona Rio from the border in about 30 minutes, without passing through any bad neighborhoods. However, it is not obvious how to do this without experience or a good map. A cab ride should not cost more than $5.
Exhibits at the Tijuana Cultural Center, on the intersections of Paseo de Los Heroes and Avenida Independencia, altough most people can guide you how to get there.
The best pizzeria in town!
The best quality of meat, including pork, lamb and fish, in Tijuana!
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