Location: San Ysidro
Top Things to do in San Ysidro
Top 10 Things to do in San Ysidro, United States
San Ysidro (Spanish pronunciation: [san iˈsiðɾo]) is a district of the City of San Diego, immediately north of the U.S.-Mexico border. It neighbors Otay Mesa West to the north, Otay Mesa to the east, and Nestor and the Tijuana River Valley to the west; together these communities form South San Diego, a pene-exclave of the City of San Diego, thus making it possible to travel (by water) between central San Diego and South San Diego without ever leaving the city limits. Major thoroughfares include Beyer Boulevard and San Ysidro Boulevard.
Restaurants in San Ysidro
1. San Diego Factory Outlet Center
Overall Ratings
4 based on 100 reviews
Bargains can be found north of the border at the 30 shops of this outlet mall.
Reviewed By Teenzone - Essex, Connecticut
Worth a visit for the choice of stores. Prices are quite similar to the usual American outlets, but wide variety makes it worth a visit.
2. Imperial Beach Pier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 333 reviews
Reviewed By divingpcola - Trenton, New Jersey
The water is freezing but then this is the west coast, the water is freezing everywhere, not the fault of the pier. The pier is dirty and despite the efforts made by the city, a very questionable crowed hangs out here. It is also packed with homeless people, which is a turn off when you want to enjoy the beach with your children and the buildings and pier stink like urine. If you make it to the beach, it is nice, but stay away from the pier and the surrounding areas mourned the beach and pier.
3. Steal and Escape
Overall Ratings
5 based on 65 reviews
Our rooms allow you to escape reality and interact with a scenario from a different time and place. STEAL and ESCAPE offers live, interactive, adventurous games, designed for groups of 2-6 people. The room is full of puzzles, riddles, keys and locks. The goal is simple yet challenging: complete the game in 60 minutes.
Reviewed By ccabrales - Bonita, California
We threw a birthday party for our kids at Steal and Escape, and they're still talking about it months later! The kids had a blast. Steal and Escape provided us with a room to have cake and pizza, while one group did the game, then the next group went. The 1st group was able to watch the 2nd group on the monitor, which was really fun. I really liked that they were able to get a little help (the age group was 11) so both groups were able to "escape". It made for a funner experience. The staff were SUPER helpful. They accommodated us, to give us exactly what we wanted. I did an escape room with friends at a different place, and Steal and Escape was WAAAAYYY better.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to have a good time!
4. Wild Foodie Tours
Overall Ratings
5 based on 12 reviews
Wild Foodie Tours conducts walking food tours in San Diego, Tijuana, and Rosarito to celebrate food and culture! We venture off the beaten path to engage food lovers and travelers in a region's culture through food and adventure. Join us as we eat, play, and travel with locals! Our Tijuana Street Food Tour includes 5 food stops, 1 non-alcoholic beverage stop, and 1 dessert stop. Other likely visits include the Mercado Hidalgo open-air market and a Mexican bakery. Along the way we'll point out a few of the eateries Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern showcased on their Travel Channel shows! We also offer customized foodie tours for a complete steak, seafood, or regional-dish meal at a sit-down restaurant, in addition to some sightseeing, shopping, or other fun activity.
Reviewed By traveltheworld032 - Seattle
Alberto makes this amazing street food tour so safe, fun, easy, adventurous and most importantly - delicious!!
He takes you through the off-beaten paths of downtown Tijuana to the most popular locals-only spots to try the best fish tacos, carne asada tortas (sandwiches), ceviche, churros and much more!
Wear comfortable walking shoes (you'll be walking 3-5 miles), bring a small backpack, your passport (if you have SENTRI/Global Entry, it's even faster to get back across the border), your appreciation for another culture, and your sense of adventure!
This tour is unusual but not out of reach for most travelers. We loved it!
5. Coronado Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 951 reviews
Popular surfing beach.
Reviewed By wilkintj - Richland, Michigan
We brought the cloudy weather, but our girls still enjoyed playing on the beach - in their fleeces. We're from Michigan, so even at 60 degrees, and cloudy, it was beautiful weather for early April.
The girls especially loved the 'gold glitter' in the sand here and looking for sand dollars. Of the five we found, two of them made it all the way home.
I enjoyed watching the military aircraft fly overhead and watching the navy ships.
6. Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By Realtyhank - Borrego Springs, California
The Visitor Center is wonderful, the information is helpful. The day we were there, however, was the day after over 300,000 gallons of raw sewage from Tijuana went into the river. We didn't feel like doing any hiking that day.
7. Living Coast Discovery Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 153 reviews
Living Coast Discovery Center is a nonprofit zoo and aquarium located on San Diego Bay. Greet a sea turtle as she swims up to say hello! Get eye-to-eye with a bald eagle! Touch a bat ray in our interactive touch pool! Peruse Raptor Row and see the Living Coast's rescued birds of prey, all of which are non-releasable from injury or imprinting. Discover the native species you don't see in the city--or on land! Visitors are also free to follow their own path along the Refuge's 1.5 miles of walking trails. The Living Coast Discovery Center is a chance to explore Southern California's plants and animals on the 316-acre Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. If you're looking for a wildlife adventure, this is the place!
Reviewed By Valerie P - San Diego CA
Small but lovely place - and one of the few wetland habitats left in San Diego. Take the kiddos and see lots of beautiful critters, both in captive displays and then free-ranging as you walk the paths around the center (my favorite). It's usually quiet - check the tide tables and go bird-watching when the tide is low. Rapture!
8. Border Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
In order to understand how we got to this cultural awakening, which is making a people want to come and explore Tijuana once again. We must first show you a little of where we’ve been. This first tour is the perfect “toe dip” into Tijuana, and we do it the only way that will ensure you get a true local experience… We walk! Walking will allows us to fully experience the city in its truest form, get
Reviewed By Rockford H - Evansville, Indiana
Border-Tours is a group of hard-working individuals that specialize in making sure that you enjoy your time in Mexico. My tour guide was willing and able to improvise on the itinerary in order to provide the BEST food and the BEST beers available in TJ. I enjoyed the street food so much, I returned to TJ after SF to repeat the tour (different establishments) and to do the Craft-beer tour!
My tour guide seemed more like a friend than just an employee and we shared many common interests during our discussions. He definitely knows his street food and beer! Cesar’s has one of the best beers in the Baja and even California as far as I’m concerned.
If you’re lucky, sometimes a photographer will tag along and take some very nice shots of you or your group.
9. Otay Ranch Town Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By ExploringViking96 - San Diego, California
They did a decent job designing and laying out the mall, but other than the usual inventory of mall stores struggling to compete with the internet, their is nothing that will knock your socks off. It is nice to walk around the outdoor spaces, but they need some unique stores or attractions to make it more than average for me...
10. Club Tengo Hambre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Club Tengo Hambre is a roving supper club that explores the food, wine, spirits and craft beer of Baja California and Mexico City. From the renowned street side stands of DF-as Mexico City is known-to Baja California's cuisine, the exploding wine scene in the Valle de Guadalupe, Club Tengo Hambre gives curated food tours of Mexico's best culinary offerings.
Reviewed By Sheridan W - Melbourne, Australia
3.5 hours of stomach stretching goodness. Walk, chat, eat, explore.
We participated in the DF version of the street food walking tour and were not disappointed. Just remember its a marathon not a sprint, eat half serves from the start despite the desire to do afterwards and you'll make it to the end.
Jason is a legend who was a great laugh and better guide. Recommend.
