San Ysidro
San Ysidro is a community of San Diego, California. Although administratively part of the City of San Diego, San Ysidro is geographically separated from the rest of the city by the entities of Chula Vista and National City just to the north. San Ysidro is often cited as the world's busiest land border crossing, where U.S. Interstate 5 crosses into Tijuana, Mexico.
In addition to San Ysidro, the neighborhood close to the border crossing, this article includes adjacent neighborhoods in South San Diego: Otay Mesa area, Palm City, and the Tijuana River Valley.
Get in
By car
On the U.S. side, I-5 and I-805 connect San Ysidro to the communities to the north. You can drive to the border crossing and then continue driving through, or park at one of the lots and walk through. Parking at one of the lots costs about $4-9 a day. Traffic is pretty heavy coming up from Mexico.
By train
The San Diego Trolley Blue Line service connects San Ysidro to Chula Vista, National City, and Downtown San Diego to the north. Standard one-way fares are $2.50, with day passes running at $5, and there are 2-, 3- and 4-day passes available. One way tickets are not valid for transfers so day passes are required if you need to transfer to another bus or train to complete the journey.
By plane
- 1 Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM IATA) (in the Otay Mesa neighborhood). General aviation.
By bus
See
- 1 Tijuana River Valley Regional Park. An 1800-acre San Diego County park along the Mexican border that includes a bird and butterfly garden and a sports complex.
- 2 Smuggler's Gulch. A valley that used to be known for smuggling and unauthorized travel between the United States and Mexico. A large embankment had been built to block the valley at the border.
- 3 Border Field State Park, ☏ +1 619-575-3613. Mainly within Imperial Beach, but only accessible from San Ysidro. It includes the International Friendship Park, which is just inland from the place where the border meets the ocean. The road in the park is only open on weekends when there is no flooding, but the park is still open when the gates are closed.
Do
Buy
- 1 Las Americas Premium Outlets, 4211 Camino De La Plaza, ☏ +1 619-934-8400. A outlet center with around 125 stores and restaurants.
Eat
- 1 Taqueria Revolucion, 362 E San Ysidro Blvd, ☏ +1 619-690-3187. For those looking for great Mexican food without crossing the border.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Motel 6 San Ysidro - San Diego Border, 160 East Calle Primera, ☏ +1 619 690-6663, fax: +1 619-690-1949.
- 2 Motel 6 San Diego Southbay, 1101 Hollister St (Hollister St & Coronado Ave, off of Exit #4 of I-5), ☏ +1 619 429-7600, fax: +1 619-.
Go next
| Routes through San Ysidro |
| San Diego ← Chula Vista ← | N  S |
→  → Becomes  → Tijuana |