The Avenida Revolucion is considered among the main streets and areas of Tijuana, especially for tourists. Here, you’ll find most of the action that’s going on in the city, and it’s accessible since it’s only a few minutes away from the border crossing, even on foot.
Avenida Revolucion is a street in Tijuana known for its souvenir shops, street vendors, bars, and tourist spots. On this street, you’ll find plenty of things to enjoy, spots to see, places to eat, and bars to enjoy the nightlife. As such, if you want to know more about Avenida Revolucion, this article is for you.
Here, you’ll read through our in-depth take on Tijuana’s famous Avenida Revolucion. This information includes the area’s history, attractions, restaurants, and bars. After reading, you’ll have a general overview of this street and enjoy what it offers without missing anything.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
About Avenida Revolucion
Avenida Revolucion, which means Revolution Avenue in English, is considered the main tourist area in Tijuana. Located in the Delegación Centro or Central Borough of Tijuana, it is the main thoroughfare of Tijuana’s historic downtown, officially called the Zona Centro.
As mentioned, this street is packed with tourist spots, restaurants, shops, bars, and nightclubs. It’s where most of Tijuana’s action happens, and it’s a one-stop place for tourists to explore.
History
The Avenida Revolucion was Tijuana’s first concrete Avenue when the 20th century got underway. From the beginning, it was a well-liked location for American visitors who traveled across the international border from San Diego.
This Avenue was formerly known as Avenida Olvera. From 1920 to 1933, the Prohibition Era saw the Avenida Revolucion undergo some of its most notable changes as American travelers searched for legal alcohol.
One thing that makes Avenida Revolucion famous is the creation of Caesar’s Salad. The Caesar salad was created on Avenida Revolucion by Caesar Cardini, the owner of the Hotel Caesar and the restaurant Caesar’s.
Since then, the Avenue’s name has changed several times based on Mexican political trends. Initially named Avenida A, it changed to Avenida Alvaro Obregon in the late 1920s and Avenida Libertad in the late 1930s.
The government gave its present name to it in 1932. It is noted that Tijuana has had several renovations to its Avenida Revolucion, the most visited street in the world.
Location
Avenida Revolucion’s primary starting point is the Monumental Arch, also known as Tijuana Arch. From the PedEast Border Crossing, the starting point of Avenida Revolucion is only 1.2 miles or 2 kilometers away. As such, you can reach the street by walking for only half an hour.
You can also reach the street by riding a cab or an Uber. However, if you want to save some cash and are okay with a few minutes walking, you can always reach the street on foot.
If you’re coming from San Diego, read our article about How to Get to Tijuana from San Diego?
What to Expect from Avenida Revolucion
Avenida Revolucion is now a tapestry of vivid colors and conceals the mysteries of a sleazy past. It’s locally known as La Revu.
Its abundance of coffee shops, eateries, accommodations, stunning street paintings, designer boutiques, and outdoor concerts gives the city a fresh lease on life.
When Avenida Revolucion opened, one of its bars, called La Ballena, became one of the most famous cantinas and the biggest in the world. Until the US Navy forbade soldiers from traveling to Tijuana, the city was a favorite among the soldiers.
On this street, you’ll find plenty of unique attractions along the lengthy road, including nightclubs, art museums, outdoor cafes, and tabletop dance pubs.
If you plan on exploring the entire Avenida Revolucion, it’s best to allot at least 2 to three hours. However, if you’re staying in Tijuana for more than a day, you can spend half a day in this street and find plenty of things to enjoy and spots to see.
Attractions in Avenida Revolucion
Avenida Revolucion is a long street with plenty of spots to explore, places to eat, and stores to shop. Here are some of the things you’ll enjoy in the area:
Monumental Arch
The Monumental Arch of Tijuana is the most iconic spot at Avenida Revolucion. This Arch is also called the Millennium Arch or the Monumental Clock.
This Arch stands at the start of Revolucion Avenue, near the border between the US and Mexico, and is a famous symbol of Tijuana.
It has welcomed Tijuana visitors to Zona Centro, in the downtown area, since 2000. As such, it’s always one of the first things you’ll see and take pictures of when you’re in Avenida Revolucion.
Zonkey
The Zonkey is another popular tourist attraction that you’ll find in Avenida Revolucion. It’s a donkey painted to look like a zebra, and you can hop on it and take pictures for a fee. However, some say it’s expensive, and a picture beside it will work fine without paying if you’re traveling on a budget.
Local Stores
As the main street and tourist spot in Tijuana, Avenida Revolucion is filled with shops selling almost any kind of stuff, but most of them are locally crafted Mexican products.
Most businesses around the street offer leather and handcrafted items from different parts of Mexico. You’ll also find pharmacies, shops, and stores that cater primarily to US citizens who visit the city mainly to buy cheaper medicines and items from Tijuana.
Shopping Areas
Avenida Revolucion is also filled with a wide variety of shopping areas to cater to your shopping needs. However, as tourism declined in the years following 2001, the shopping centers lost a lot of patrons and tenants. Instead, the Pasaje Rodriguez has been transformed into a culture or design hotspot with shops offering coffee, literature, artisanal apparel, and other goods.
If you’re visiting this city to shop, read our guide about Shopping in Tijuana.
Artworks
Another thing you’ll enjoy in Avenida Revolucion is the existence of the many artworks around.
During the middle of the 2010s, the Avenue was remodeled and widened, with bus rapid transit lanes added and car lanes reduced.
Known initially as Tijuana’s “seedy” main thoroughfare, Avenida Revolucion is now at the center of the city’s revival. It is filled with color and detailed history, and the locals call it “La Revu.”
Located on the city’s main thoroughfare, it’s a thriving neighborhood full of exciting sights, sounds, smells, and tastes.
Restaurants
Avenida Revolucion was the birthplace of Tijuana’s culinary revolution. Visitors can find various modern restaurants on either side of the street, serving various cuisines from local and international chefs.
Avenida Revolucion is also the heart of Tijuana’s culinary revolution. Both sides of the Avenue are lined with modern restaurants serving traditional and experimental dishes from local and international chefs.
Fast-food restaurants and American stores line the Avenue in Tijuana, as they do throughout the country. But, besides these American stores and restaurants, you’ll find plenty of local restaurants.
If you want to explore, here are some of the restaurants you’ll find in Avenida Revolucion:
- Restaurante El Museo
- La Justina
- Colectivo 9
- Vittorio’s Italian Restaurant
- Verde y Crema
- Caesar’s
- Giuseppi’s
- Le Galleria
- Nelson Restaurant
- Praga Cafe Bistro
Local Craft Shops
Various craft stores are also something to explore in Avenida Revolucion. Here, you can browse the local crafts, with popular items including leatherette, stained-glass windows, figures, and other souvenirs.
The show also includes regional goods, including Yucatan fabrics, Oaxacan wood carvings, and Talavera ceramics.
Explore this street if you’re seeking artisan craft stores. The shelves of many stores along the street are stocked with things made by Tijuana residents.
You can shop for figurines, leather, and stained glass. Additionally, you may get Yucatan fabrics, Talavera ceramics, and Oaxacan wooden figures.
Bars
The center of Tijuana’s tourism district is Avenida Revolucion, and it doubles as a strip club and a nightclub as the day ends. During the night, the entire street becomes the most extensive bar in the world, filled to the brim with Mexican tequila and craft beers.
Like most street vendors, shop owners shut their doors and head home. Then, for a further evening of dancing and celebrating till dawn, Avenida Revolucion’s bars, strip clubs, and nightclubs turn on their dazzling neon signs and the music up.
Because Tijuana is a step over other Mexican cities at night, the nightlife in the city is a must-try, and it’s all in Avenida Revolucion.
Tequila, cocktails, and the nastier aspects of any border state come to mind when you think about Tijuana. However, the many bars and clubs are some of the most well-liked locations to have a great time.
Most of the action has recently moved to Calle 6, sometimes referred to as “La Sexta,” which is situated on both sides of Avenida Revolución.
This trendy spot is crowded with Tijuanenses, mostly young creatives, and has a ton of fashionable pubs and restaurants, and here are some of the places you can check out:
- El Copeo
- Border Psycho Cantina
- El Club
- Revolution
- Cokobongo Tijuana
- Rubiks
- Los Tarros Sports Bar & Grill
- Drinks Tijuana
- Tijuana Jazz Club
- Ruta 3 Sports Bar
Conclusion
Overall, Avenida Revolucion is a spot you want to take advantage of when you’re in Tijuana. You’ll find most of what you seek when you visit this Mexican city and cross the border. So, whether you’re in Tijuana to shop, explore, eat, or party, Avenida Revolucion has everything for you and much more. As such, when visiting Tijuana, make sure to stop by Avenida Revolucion as a way to complete your trip.
If you have a specific date for a visit to Tijuana, you’ll want to know whether it’s an ideal time to do so, especially concerning the climate and weather. To know more, read our article about the Tijuana Weather and Climate.
