Excellent job, Turiste Libre! I especially liked Derrik's description of Tijuana as the "United Nations of Mexico." The diversity of the population in Tijuana was not something I was aware of until just a couple of years ago - in large part, thanks to his tour. Prior to that, when I visited Tijuana, I had feelings that were similar to the ones he described among his guests - the feeling of freedom - but I wasn't sure why I felt it, or what to make of it. After the tour with Turista Libre, my feelings about Tijuana evolved from "I feel so free there" to "I love that Tijuana is for everyone." It's exciting to be there and to think about the role that the city has played in the lives of so many who have sought better lives than the ones they left behind. At the same time, being there gives me a greater appreciation for the advantages and privileges I've had throughout my life as a citizen of the US. read more

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Derrick was an amazing guide through my first trip to Tijuana in twenty years. His passion and kindness for our sister city to the south made me want to visit again soon. We had a group of 19 for a beer and tacos tour. He came across the border to meet us and we walked back over as a group to his bus for our journey to begin. We got food and beer included in our tour that took us to the following places: Tacos ÁAron: Best Birria tacos I've ever eaten. Stewed beef, juicy and full of flavor with a nice kick! Kind service as well. Playami: Run by Border Psycho Brewing. Very kind and attentive staff that were willing to work with my malo Spanish. Great beer selection on tap and a cool indoor/outdoor area. There are also food and coffee options on site! Mexica Brewing: This small and charming brewery is owned and run by a pair of sisters that make great beer. Not far off Revolution Ave, it's worth the stop. Their honey porter is my favorite. Food options here too! Mamut Brewing: I had an amazing time chatting with one of the Brewers. All beers we tried were amazing. Their seasonal pumpkin was the best of that style I tried. Telefonica: Gastro food truck park. I had the best Pulpo (octopus) sandwich at Berracas Burger. It was not breaded and the taste was amazing. If you are nervous about visiting Tijuana, you have no reason to be with Derrick and Turista Libre. Their attention to detail and goal of really touring Mexico like a local was spot on. I will be booking this again for one of the many other adventures offered. For a great time, give this a try! read more

Nothing says adventure like cruising around Mexico in an old repurposed school bus! These guys are awesome, and so is the service they provide! I've now been on three different tours with them and I've love-love-loved every one! They take me to places that i wouldn't even begin to know how to get to on my own... you hear scary stories about traveling in Mexico, and these guys make me feel safe... all I have to do is sit back and enjoy the adventure while they take care of all those pesky where's and how's logistics details. Remember that one time... in Mexico... when the road was closed so we went off-roading in a school bus full of drunk adults? hahaha (Spoiler: Everything turned out fine!) This is not your corporate luxury tour where a limo bus full of pompous douche bags picks you up from your house, serves you champagne, takes you to a bunch of tourist traps, and drops you off at home... This is the on a budget down n dirty all up in it tour where you are responsible for getting yourself to the border to meet up with your tour guide and other down to earth adventurers, then set off on foot across the border and onto the streets of Tijuana together to the renovated old school bus. This is a much more authentic and memorable experience full of dives and hole in the wall places that locals frequent (varying according to which tour you chose, of course). And it's just great to have the opportunity to make such amazing memories and experience travel without breaking the bank, and still getting to sleep in your own bed (If you live in San Diego, that is)! I've been to Puerto Nuevo with them twice... both times including a TJ taco stop on the way out, refreshments on the bus, several hours to shop and eat in Puerto Nuevo, and for the last stop they gave us the choice of dropping us off at a TJ bar to continue our adventure on our own, or taking us back to the US border. Third trip was to Popotla... same deets just swap out the middle part. Derrick is an awesome tour guide. Very calm, level headed, and knowledgeable about the places we are going.. and a cool guy to boot. I definitely feel safe while he's in charge, and he's also fun to have around as part of the group. He gives good info and travel tips. So far all the tours I've been on were custom planned (they'll do that if you can book the whole bus) but I really want to do one of their Turista Libre planned tours where you can just buy a seat (or several) and go without having the production of getting that large of a group together on your own. Next tour on my bucket list: The winery tour! Or maybe the Tijuana Dive Bar Tour - hmmm am I that adventures yet? Maybe... But there are definitely more Turista Libre tours in my future... and hopefully soon (as travel funds permit). read more

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I'd been following Turista Libre on Facebook for literally YEARS but had never gotten the chance to actually book a tour. I'm in LA, so getting down to the border crossing isn't exactly easy for me and takes some planning. But when I saw that the group was doing a tour I'd never seen before -- of the border wall, including the new prototypes -- I jumped at the chance to go, assuming that it was a limited opportunity. The sense of urgency definitely lit a fire under me to finally pull the trigger. From moment one, I was so impressed. Derrik was so organized and kept everything running on schedule -- and yet, he still managed to be so pleasant and charming and nice. We had a great day. I've taken (and given) a lot of tours and don't give accolades lightly. But I unabashedly recommend the tour I took! (My only caveat or reservation is that the school bus is not comfortable. What it lacks in comfort it makes up in authenticity and charm, but if you are a regular-sized American, those seats do NOT fit 2 people. And although I'm only 5'4", my knees were jammed against the seat in front of me.) I'm looking forward to taking another tour with Turista Libre in March in Tecate. read more

Turista Libre - Derrik on the school bus - Tours Near Me

I learned about this business thanks to Ace D. hosting an unofficial Yelp event during Yelp Spring Break 2016 in San Diego. Our tour group made two stops: one for tacos on Avenida Guillermo Prieto and another for lobster in Puerto Nuevo. For our group, the $20 included round trip bus transportation once we crossed the border into Tijuana, and a cooler full of beverages. Kudos to Derrick of Turista Libre for working out a deal to be able to use Tijuana's weekday commuter buses on the weekends. Between a missing headlight driving through the dark on the way home with no street lamps, a non-functioning speedometer, a small electrical fire under the driver's seat, and an unexpected Mexican police check point, I felt safe and sound. read more

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What a cool idea! Turista Libre rocks! The idea of being able to check out areas of Tijuana and other surrounds is really cool without driving, parking and traffic issues! The guide we had, Derrick, was real informative about Tijuana and offered tips on food and a little history also. He also answered any questions anyone had on the trip very well. The buses they use are older heavy duty school buses that are very well maintained. They ride kinda bouncy and the seats aren't too comfy, but normally you're not on the bus for long periods. On this trip, 2 buses went to Puerto Nuevo with Ace and Yelp friends on his UYE. We stopped in downtown TJ first at Las Ahumaderas, which had several taco stands in a row to choose from. Derrick mentioned the Samurai taco which was a great choice. Once we arrived in Puerto Nuevo, he told us what we could find in the area and when to come back to the bus. There were a few late stragglers that held us up a little longer but nothing too major.. Definitely recommend this business as they have several types of tours available all over Tijuana - from tacos to mercados to breweries(my next choice) to I think even a water park! read more

Turista Libre - Puerto Nuevo sunset - Tours Near Me

We participated in a Día de Muertos trek in Tijuana with Turista Libre, and every aspect of the trip warrants a genuine 5 stars. I won't talk about the trip details, just the kind of operators that Turista Libre are. Prior to booking, they were very responsive to an email and a few questions and also very friendly and welcoming. As the trip drew closer, the information they sent out was detailed and useful. They linked us to detailed FAQs on their site and pretty much gave you any info you might want. On the day itself, at the meeting spot, they were very organised and helpful, ensuring as smooth a border-crossing as possible. It was easy and care free. As for the trip: everything was well organised, Derrik was well staffed (with lots of helping hands), a fun bus provided transport with many many refreshments (Mezcal!!!!!!) and a delicious lunch. All included. The group was eclectic and open-minded, making for a very good bunch of people to participate in a tour with. I thought that Derrik and his crew were very helpful and accommodating to all travellers, helping those who needed extra attention etc. I have no hesitation in recommending Turista Libre to anyone that wants a very good overview of travelling in Mexico. One really great day out. Thanks Derrik & Alex. Best wishes to you guys. read more

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I've never had to experience life at Checkpoint Charlie or navigate a trip through Gaza, but as border crossings go, San Ysidro is nothing to sneeze at. There's always been the language barrier, the uncertainty, and the stigma to deal with -- not to mention the hassle of auto insurance or fear of a shakedown by Federales. And the issue of security has only become worse as the years go by. Talk to any San Diegan and you'll quickly discover a wide divide in the population. While many go so far as to even live in Tijuana, others dismiss the existence of a city of 1.6 million people as dirty, corrupt, or even uninteresting. Enter Turista Libre. Nothing like this tour existed as recently as a decade ago. This tour group strips away any uncertainty about adventuring south of the border. Really -- you plop down your money, make sure you have your passport, and you're good as gold. But the best part about Turista Libre is that they clearly preach a gospel that they believe -- that a Baja experience doesn't have to be stale beer, painted donkeys and a traffic jam. It can also be great eating, culture, and experiences, and it can be done without worry. Turista Libre offers affordable and memorable tours, but even more importantly, they offer experiences designed to bring Americans closer to their southern neighbors, and I am delighted to support that mission. read more

Turista Libre was the company that took us down to Puerto Nuevo after we crossed the border from San Ysidro into Tijuana. Our tour guide Derrick (Derrik?) was informative and all about the door to door service. Once we were escorted down the path to the buses, we were greeted with Tecate beers, Mexican Coca-Cola, and waters in the coolers. The buses are Tijuana city buses that they lease on the weekends so the buses blend in with the surrounding traffic as opposed to having a big sign that says "rich American tourists on board." They offer several different tours and will work with you to arrange a private one if you desire. Ours was $20 per person for 60 people divided into 2 buses. We were driven to taco alley, aka Las Ahumaderas, initially and we were given about an hour to eat tacos and explore. The buses arrived back on time but not all of our group were. Not their fault. After everyone was on board, we made our way to Puerto Nuevo. There was a bit of traffic so we were behind schedule. We still managed to have 2 hours to have dinner at any of the lovely restaurants in the town. We were supposed to be back at the bus by sunset ~7:45 pm but there were some stragglers still lollygagging around town. Again, not their fault. We didn't leave Puerto Nuevo until 8:30 pm which meant we didn't get back to the border until about 9:50 pm. Some of the Yelpers wanted to after-party in Tijuana and one bus went to Calle de Revolución and the other went back to the border. Derrick was kind enough to show us the short cut walking path to the border and walked us all the way there so that we could all go through with our passports. That's service! While crossing the border I noticed all the traffic leading up to San Ysidro and I would not for anything want to be stuck in that. This trip was by far, the better option. FYI: The buses aren't the most comfortable to be spending hours at a time on, but if you bring some extra seat cushions or pillows, you'll be fine. Also, a blanket for after hours might be wise if it's chilly outside as some of the windows on the bus do not close. Don't forget to tip your drivers for getting you back to the US in one piece! read more

Turista Libre - Our bus - Tours Near Me

My first trip across the border and I am glad that it was on a Yelptastic Spring Break Adventure. Thank you so much for Derrick and his crew in Mexico for making sure that this was an awesome journey. The instructions on the meeting place was clear cut. We met up and got on the buses. Once we boarded the bus, we were greeted with cold Tecate beers and Mexican Coca Cola. The tour guides got us where we needed to go and we arrived safely. As much as they could they kept us on schedule which was no simple feat when you are dealing with up to 60 people. Derrick was able to give us great information about upcoming trips that are available which include a wine tour and a craft beer tour! This is cool, I did not know that they types of trips were available. I might try them both in the future. We stopped and got street tacos, drove through TJ and arrived at our destination. Coming back was a little longer since we had people who may have gotten delayed at the bars in Puerto Nuevo. LOL Once we made it back to TJ, we were guided to the where we needed to walk through to cross the actual border. I was SO thankful that we were crossing on foot. Since it was close to 9pmish, the lines of cars waiting to cross into the US boarder was still ridiculously long. We walked through in less than 15 minutes. It was pretty simple. Don't forge to tip the Tour Guides and the crew for getting you back safely! read more

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I had the experience of seeing what Turista Libre has to offer as part of Yelp Spring Break this last weekend. Our fearless leader Ace D. set up a tour for us through Turista Libre so ~60-80? of us could venture down to Puerto Nuevo, Mexico and enjoy some lobsters. SOME INFO From what I understand Turista Libre offers some frequent tour options, but should be able to customize a specific event for your needs. I think the option we went with (Puerto Nuevo) is one of their standard packages, but no doubt Ace D. was in communication with them well in advance in order to book 2 entire buses for us. OUR EXPERIENCE Once crossing the border (on foot) into Mexico we were greeted by two Turista Libre agents who led us to the buses, which was about a 10 minute walk. To be honest I had no idea what I had gotten myself into a this point, but once on the bus I found free sodas, waters and beers, so I knew I was in for a good time. Soon after our tour guide Derrick (an American, so don't be worried about not knowing Spanish) showed up and gave us some more details. Before I knew it we were on our way to our first stop! First stop was tacos at a hole in the wall in Tijuana. If you know me, hole in the wall spots are right up my alley, so I was in heaven. Derrick gave us some ordering suggestions and we had just less than an hour to enjoy there. PS the liquor store across the road was mixing up some Micheladas and some were daring enough to purchase tequila for the bus. Anything goes in Mexico (reminded me of home lol). Next stop - Puerto Nuevo! I think the original plan was for us to have about 3 hours to enjoy some Linner and do some shopping, but in the end we ended up with only 2 hours due to some unplanned traffic. Not their fault at all, shit happens, and really, 2 hours was perfect for me not to waste all my money on unnecessary souvenirs lol. After some lobsters and margaritas we headed back to the border, some of which got off to enjoy the Tijuana nightlife (Derrick made sure to give them taxi information) and others headed straight for immigration/customs. Derrick had an app on his phone showing wait times, and luckily for us at ~9pm on a Saturday night, we breezed right through (on foot....driving looking like a whole other mess lol). Overall this was a great tour and perfect for someone who a) doesn't feel comfortable enough to go it alone and b) doesn't want to drive over the border (again those traffic lines looked insane!). Very impressed with the entire package, costs and what it all entailed! read more

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That was an awesome taco tour! First off we met in front of the McDonald's by the trolley station. I almost went to the wrong one. The border is like right around the corner from the trolley station. Then we get on the bus and they have tequila, water, and soda. First stop - Los Perrones which there's not really a direct translation of anything, but means awesome lol. We got a beef taco. Oh and I liked the beef broth they gave us. Second stop - El Mazateno which is a seafood place. I got a octopus taco and it was yummy. Its cool that they give you the ranch sauce on the side. Third stop - Tacos Los Paisas or Tacos El Paisa, whatever you call it. We got a carne asada taco and an Al Pastor taco. Of course I love the leeks that they give you on the side. We had the tacos samurai style which is like a tostado/taco hybrid. Fourth stop - Tepoznieves which is an ice cream place with so many freaking flavors. I had a really hard time deciding! I ended up getting chamoy, pistachio, and queso cheese (It's kinda like having ricotta in ice cream) Lol I almost left my camera on the bus, luckily Alex the tour guide was able to catch up to the bus. I was a little awkward at the border station. Its kinda weird they say put small items on the side when they don't need to check small items. read more

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Derrick and his team are fabulous tour guides! Ace D. organized our trip to Puerto Nuevo...the trip started and ended in TJ near the San Ysidro border crossing. we loaded up onto a local city bus that was chartered for our trip. the bus (#15) was painted inside like an amazing mural! love it! Don't expect fancy...it's like a school bus but with smaller seats. Make sure you bring a friend who you really like or at least don't mind being snuggled up to. We started at a local TJ taco shop. http://www.yelp.com/biz/kokopelli-22000-tijuana?hrid=5ffhKfEoPKbB_h8bUEaBBA&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) Turista Libre changes it up on where the taco stop is...so you can take this tour over and over again and still try a new place. when continued our journey to Puerto Nuevo...where we had 4 hours (plenty of time) to chill.. we took a walk to the water and took some pictures then went to grab some food... we decided on la casa del pescador http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-casa-del-pescador-no-title?hrid=ru3ABzNpL3RozNxwUfMTFQ&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) no regrets! after this meal we walked around town...pretended to shop....had more drinks in coconuts and pineapples... then headed back to the bus that was waiting for us...ice chest still with beers and soda (water was gone unfortunately)... headed back to TJ...some of us chose to get dropped off at Dandy del sur to finish off our night http://www.yelp.com/biz/dandy-del-sur-tijuana-3?hrid=-4eyJ2OqsgixdwmagWxSFw&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) the bus took the rest of the people to the border... our tour was done and our night was about to begin! read more

As experienced travelers, we avoid organized tours, preferring to skip watered-down excursions and seek more adventurous routes on our own. But Turista Libre isn't the average sightseeing company, and founder Derrik Chinn isn't looking to maintain usual boundaries. Instead, visitors are treated to offbeat paths that meander where locals tread -- taquerias, breweries/dive bars, lucha-libre venues, artist studios, mercados, and more. We recently took a Turista Libre tour featuring street-artist Panca (Paola Villaseñor) and were incredibly impressed by what an in-depth experience it was, with a day-long exploration of her city-wall murals and her studio. She dialogued with every participant and, together with Derrik, provided excellent perspective as to real life in Tijuana. While it's easy enough for any tourist to cross the border and wonder the streets, Turista Libre streamlines the experience, providing fun transportation, novel food-and-drink opportunities, a few impromptu stops, and visits to areas that would be difficult to find or access via mere online research. As a US ex-pat who has lived in Tijuana for several years, Derrik brings his networking to the forefront; he's done all the logistics legwork in advance, and his clients can simply relax and enjoy the journey. He's a fantastic guy -- organized, kind, knowledgeable, personable, and above all enthusiastic. We particularly appreciate that Turista Libre offers such a wide variety of rotating themes and keeps the tours economically priced (even for private travel)...perfect incentives to continue exploring with them. We loved our first Turista Libre trip and are already looking forward to our next! read more

I'll be honest, before GPS and Google Maps were invented I would get horribly lost just driving around San Diego. Sure I know which way is north, south, east and west, but somehow I would always manage to end up in strange places. With that said, I am too chicken to drive around in Mexico because I know I'll somehow lose my way. Thanks to Turista Libre, I've been able to experience all sorts of amazing flavors without having to worry. I've been reading all about Turista Libre for a few years but was a bit hesitant to go until I finally met someone IRL who has gone and highly recommended it. So far I've been on 2 tours: the 2012 Mariscos tour and another trip this summer to the Valle de Guadalupe [Baja's wine country in northern Ensenada]. Words can't describe how amazingly delicious the seafood was. Stops included Tacos Kokopelli [Tacos de Marlin Pibil + Pulpo], Erizo Fish House & Market [Tostadas de Pescado con Mango], El Mazateño [Tacos de Camaron] and even a refreshing dessert at Tepoznieves [Nieves Picantes]. With the last winery trip, I was surprised to travel with people from all over the world and of sorts of ages. Make friends, eat delicious food and go home with all sorts of happy memories! p.s. Despite giving Andrew Zimmern a tour around Tijuana, Derrik is still a humble and down to earth guy. Friendly and knowledgeable are a great combination and I hope to go on many more Turista Libre tours. Maybe I'll see some of my fellow yelpers on a future trip? ;) read more

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Turista Libre is my cure for wanderlust. It's amazing to step over the border for the day and have the experience of travel and adventure minus the hassle. No airport, no planning, no hang ups. I'm generally opposed to tours because they usually lump you in a big group of lame Americans in cargo shorts and then schlep you around to all the busiest, most common tourist attractions (ones you easily could have found on your own). Turista Libre's tours are pretty much the antithesis of this. It's a party bus full of all the coolest people you've ever met in a hostel, on it's way to something you didn't even know existed. Derrik is a generous and genuine guide often accompanied by his 'life of the party' photographer Koko and husband and wife duo bus drivers. With them, even the bus ride is fun. Expect to dance, drink, win contests, even best your friends in a water fight all before you even reach your destination. I go every chance I get. These tours aren't just for people who are afraid to go to Tijuana by themselves. They are for anyone who wants to get outside of themselves, experience something new or just straight up have a good time. read more

Turista Libre - El Vergel Water Park! - Tours Near Me

What an amazing time we had with Derrik, Ace, our bus driver and their assistants. We had Miguel and his brother! Talk about being soo professional throughout the entire time we utilized their service while we did a half a day tour in Tijuana/Rosarita. Miguel was sooo very accommodating to everyone of us that was on bus 2 and handling things so well, picking up after everyone and also serving our beverages we don't even get that kind of treatment on regular tour busses back home. Miguel's brother did such a excellent job and driving in Tijuana, crazy traffic/drivers and so forth but, he was amazing! My favorite part is when the freeway came at a closure and the two busses did a 4 wheel drive and made their own road heading to Rosarita! Thank you soooo very much for providing such amazing customer service to all the bus drivers/assistants very professional! Thank you for an interesting journey into Tijuana and being able to see outside of just the town area, being flexible to our group and always making adjustments when needed, and thank you Miguel for being sooo kind to us all. Mahalo Derrik for greeting our group, keeping us inform throughout the entire journey, and walking us back to the US customs! I really do appreciate all that you did for us as well!! read more

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Wow. Before I went on this tour, I couldn't believe that a tour could have such a great rating. Now I realize why everyone gives Turista Libre five stars. Derrik works extremely hard to make sure everyone has a great time. He goes above and beyond in every way possible. He is extremely personable and welcoming, and he was full of useful information and tips. I went on the market tour on Sunday. Although some of the stops weren't really my thing, it was an interesting experience. It was nice to be transported around without having to worry about anything. At the end of the tour, Derrik was nice enough to walk us over to see the border wall when I asked to see it. He took us to a portion that was near an art gallery. This didn't have anything to do with our market tour, but he was willing to spend the extra time showing it to us. We got back to the border crossing around 5ish and the line was crazy! Derrik took us to a door next to the line and set us up with the van service that takes you to the front of the line for $6 each. I had no idea that we could do that. It still took ~2.5 hours to get across, but I couldn't have imagined how long it would've taken otherwise. He's a lifesaver. If you still aren't convinced that this is worthwhile, Derrik even offered to mail my dad's lucha libre masks to him after he left them on the bus. I usually hate tours, but this functioned more like a mode of transportation with interesting conversations in between. We had a lot of time at each stop and we never felt rushed. My only complaint is that I was confused about the pick-up location. For some reason, I thought the bus picked us up on the US side. Actually, you meet outside the McDonald's on the sidewalk. Then, you walk across the border and meet Derrik on the other side. It was my misunderstanding though. This tour is a great way to experience Tijuana. If you go on your own, you can only walk in a small area downtown or take taxis. I'm glad I did it this way. I don't know if I'll be back to Tijuana for a while because I was defeated by the line at the border crossing. However, when I decide to visit Tijuana again, I'll probably check out another one of the tours by Turista Libre. read more

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I recently went on a Craft Beer tour with Turista Libre. Our tour guide, Alejandro "Alex" was a hoot. I immediately noticed his "cat" murse which apparently is a chick magnet and coin purse all in one. We all met in front of the McDonalds in a timely manner and proceeded to walk across the border. Immigration was a breeze. Alejandro met us up right after the point where we cleared customs and escorted us to the bus. This walk was quite a journey to the bus, but he pointed out some things such as where the old McDonald's used to be, the metallic Arc, and Avenida Revolucion. When we finally got to our bus, we were whisked away to our first destination. Norte, a former strip club, was apparently transformed to this amazing micro brewery. The four tastings that we had were phenomenal. Since we were on the 5th floor, we had nice views of TJ. Then, we were taken to a taco place called "El Guero." Too bad I was kinda full from the beer, but their tacos were amazing. Then, we went to our next beer stop called Public House. Public House seems more reminiscent of the San Diego brewery scene. It had a nice outdoor patio for meaningful conversation, or more like drunken banter. Unfortunately, I had chosen a beer on tap that was okay in comparison to "Norte." I think if I had to do it again, I would have chosen one of the bottled beers in the refrigerator. After Public House, we meandered through traffic to arrive at Insurgente Tap Room. Insurgente was located in this area called Plaza Fiesta. It was really busy with people from San Diego as apparently lots of people cross the border to frequently the various bars in the Plaza Fiesta area. I totally forgot what I ordered here, but I've had their bottled Nocturna beer from Insurgente before and it was quite good. After Public House, we finally made our last stop to Tacos Los Paisas. Apparently, lots of people after a hard night of partying tend to come here to eat. Even Anthony Bourdain has made it here as evidenced by his blurry picture on the wall. I would recommend sitting at the perimeter of the restaurant as the interior can get quite stuffy due to poor ventilation. The food was okay, but Tacos El Guero was so much better. After our gluttonous tour, Alex escorted us back to the pedestrian crossing back to the USA. He gave us a group hug and parted ways. I would love to see Alex again as he did such a great job in pointing out things that appealed to us. Thanks! Until next time TJ.... read more

First off, I NEVER fill out reviews like this, but Derrik did SUCH a remarkable job, I felt obligated to do so. My wife and I regularly go to San Diego to visit with family and I wanted to find something different. Derrik's tour of Tijuana fit the bill! We saw where the Ceasar salad was invented (seriously it was in TJ!), we went through an exotic market (my wife is from China so when I say exotic, you will DEFINITELY see something new there), and we ate some of the MOST delicious Mexican food (and we are from Arizona). My personal favorite was shopping at the Tequila store and finding Don Julio 1942 @ $85 per bottle (the savings alone paid for the trip!). When interacting with the locals, Derrick took the time to explain the subtleties (e.g. Don't refer to yourselves as "Americans" since that can imply that those residing in the Central/South portions of the continent AREN'T). I have traveled the world (Malaysia, India, East/West Europe, etc.) and our four hour tour with Derrik is the most fascinating adventure I have come across yet. Bravo Derrik! Estoy agradecido Turista Libre! In closing, it is not a question of whether we will take another Turista Libre tour, but when! read more

What a great day was had by all? We had kids, we had grandparents, we had foodies and a couple of exhausted parents from two weeks road tripping. We had heard so much about Tijuana and were a little nervous about how the day would go. We had nothing to worry about. Derrik is a real superstar. His previous experience as a teacher engaged the kids and kept them entertained. I will not go into the details of what happened on the trip as its half the surprise. You can not go wrong here. read more

Whether you are a seasoned Tijuana visitor or just crossing the border for the first time, Turista Libre offers something for everyone. I have done two tours with them and am impressed with their genuine love and knowledge of Tijuana. They are great ambassadors for this amazing city. I have visited TJ my whole life and am comfortable crossing the border on my own but I love the unique experiences I have when I travel with Turista Libre. Book a tour now I promise you won't regret it! read more

Turista Libre - Tours Near Me

We did this for my wife's birthday and it was great. We had never been to Tijuana before and we were a little nervous of what to expect. There was no need for nerves though. Our tour guide Derek was great! Everything you'd hope for. He was personable and fun to hang out with. He gave us the Tijuana experience we wanted, where we felt like we got to know the city and the culture without feeling like tourists. Highly recommend. I look forward to future outings. Also, he took us to have the best street tacos I've ever had in my life. I'm going to dream about those tacos for a long time to come. read more

Derrik is fearless. He took our group 9 guys on a bachelor party around Tijuana and seemed to have a great time doing it. He adjusted the tour a bit somewhat and took the group to the TJ Toros game by way of the an awesome local brewery and the best taqueria ever. I'd book another trip with Derrik and Turista Libre in a heart beat. Derrik, thanks for keeping it light, fun, safe and memorable. You're killing it. read more

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What you see is what you get! What I loved most about the tour is that it wasn't sold as some grandiose tour, only to be disappointed by reality. I went on a market tour and we visited 3 distinct markets that gave me a better understanding of Tijuana. I also really loved the fact that I didn't get funneled into tourist traps and have people try to sell me jewelry or other useless crap that I don't need. Derrik the owner is an honest man running an honest business! read more

Massive fun. Did a personal tour, hit some bars, had some fish tacos, did the border fence thing and a brewery. Made us so comfortable with Tijuana we stayed past midnight. Then returned the next day. Derrik is well spoken and tries to make each experience memorable. If you're in town and want the low down, and a trip to remember call them ASAP. read more

Turista Libre - If this fence doesn't scream freedom, I don't know what does. - Tours Near Me

Derrik is awesome!! This was a fantastic tour from Tijuana to Ensenada. We stopped at a small local port town on the way and had oysters right on the beach, it was beautiful and full of locals (oh and a gigantic pig). Then we headed to Ensenada where we hung around the marina for a bit, this area had beautiful scenic views and Derrik shared some information on the local area and Mexico. We had tostadas and ceviche at La Guerrerense and margaritas at the original Hussong's which was absolutely delicious! And just when you think the tour is over and you're headed back we stopped at an amazing fish taco stand where I had probably the best fish taco of my life! Our stops were unassuming and perfect with a definite local vibe, no tourist stops for this group which made it so much fun! read more

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Tijuana tour- GO!!! Can't say enough good things about Derrick and his tour company. Our first trip to Mexico and this private Tijuana tour was worth every penny and more. He helped us across the border, drove us around in his cool Jeep through the main Blvd with monuments. Toured the market, ate delicious tacos, beach and border wall, and breweries. He customized our tour perfectly. We learned so much and would now go back on our own. A must for any newbies to Mexico or Tijuana. Can't say enough good things. read more

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Great experience that would have been impossible without Derrik and his crew. I found everything I was looking for on the market hop and more. read more

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Derrick is basically the rock star of tour guides. If you're looking for bus service in Baja, he's your man! He is so passionate and knowledgeable about Mexico. He and his staff were extremely welcoming to everyone on our trip. Derrick graciously met our group at the McDonald's on the U.S. side of the border and escorted everyone through the crossing. When one person was held up, he went back after getting everyone across and helped out with the situation and brought them to meet the group. That's the kind of excellent service you need when traveling with a group of people. Our party was 60 passengers. We spilt up into two buses. The bus I rode on had Ben as our driver and he was great. He was assisted by Pilar, who was incredibly sweet and Derrik rode on our bus as well. He gave us so much helpful information about where to go on our stops and what were the local favorite items to order. I contacted a few other companies for quotes, the ones that did bother to reply never even called. They just sent me a form email with a quote and no answers to my questions. That should really tell you something about the way they run their business as opposed to how Derrik does. He and his staff give you great customer service from the start. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Turista Libre to anyone in need of tour bus services. Give them a call, they're fantastic! read more

As someone that has no reservations of crossing the Border, you may wonder why I would need to join a guided tour in a City I love so dearly. Primero - BEER. The trip I went on was a TJ Brewery Hop. There's no way I could have driven after all the delectable beers I sampled. Segundo - TJ is enormous. Even having visited as often as I do, there are tons of areas I haven't seen, and in addition, many more places only locals would know about. We joined when my Aunt was visiting in town from NorCal. I wanted to bring her to TJ because she hadn't been since she was in college herself, but I also wanted a carefree adventure where I didn't have to be the tour guide so it worked out perfectly! We met at the designated spot, walked over into TJ and loaded our bus with the 20 or so others on our trip and away we went. We visited three breweries, two restaurants and got to see a live Mariachi band! All and all a fantastic adventure through TJ. I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see the Breweries in TJ as a local would see them. I've been following Turista Libre's trips for a while, so I know there are lots of other trips and I'm sure they are just as excellent. I hope to join on the Valle de Guadalupe & the Luche Libre trips next! Vamos! read more

I can't say enough good things about our day with Turista Libre. We ate delicious tacos, drank some tequila on a city bus, bonded with friends old and new, and experienced a new city in an awesome way. Derrick was a gracious and enthusiastic host and guide, taking time with all of his charges to chat and get to know everyone. He knows the city well and clearly loves introducing new people to it. All the superlatives. We did a Tijuana Taco Tour, which brought us to three different places to sample the offerings - a street vendor with fish tacos, a small stand for amazing pork ribs tacos (with the bone on the side!) and a sit-down restaurant for tacos of your choice, slightly swankier. Ice cream for dessert introduced me to Mil de flores ice cream and my life will never be the same. We had an amazing time, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone and everyone. read more

I don't think I could have seen Tijuana in a better way. A simple 6(ish) hour tour gave me a peak at the real city, beyond the drug reputation or overly touristy feel. Derek offers a view of the city that is so far from the stereotypical perception that I was shocked. Yes, you see some gritty poverty. But you also see a vitality and depth in the city that would be easy for the lay-visitor to miss. I went on the street art tour, but I have no doubt that the other Turista Libre tours are equally as amazing as this one. It made me want to make Tijuana an actual destination for a vacation, instead of San Diego. You start by meeting Derek in San Ysidro, and walk across the border as a group. then we took shots of tequila, grabbed a cold Tacate (or soda or juice) and headed off in our private bus. The busses are the same ones used for public transport in the city, so it's the real deal! Pretty bumpy! The group I was with aged from mid 20s to late 60s, I'd say. It was fun talking to everyone, some people were from Germany, and others lived in San Diego and had been on many tours with Turista Libre before. Overall, the street art was great, and the stories from the artists were informative and sometimes moving. The real joy of the tour was getting to see inside life in Tijuana, which is a surreal mix of modern convenience and dilapidation all mixed into one colorful, mesmerizing package. I felt completely safe the entire time, even when we decided to stay for dinner in Tijuana after the trip and walk back across the border after dark. I never felt in any danger. I will be back! read more

Ahh-mazing. Derrik made our vegan eats tour top-notch. I've been on many tours and can say that Turista Libre is anything but generic. Derrik takes you under his wing as if you're friends from out of town. He is talented at cultivating a casual culture of friendliness amongst his group of travelers. Everyone was easygoing and open-minded. Derrik's past being teacher in Mexico supported his rich historical knowledge. He understands the subtleties of the culture, from food to politics to tradition. He knows the BEST places to eat. After 12 years being vegan, I am finally turned on to Mexican food (I know, sort of a sin living in SoCal not to like Mexican food) after tasting the vegan tacos we had on the tour. Still daydreaming about them. Derrik is an impeccable planner and was always a step ahead while we were making our final market purchases or licking our "creamy" sorbet bowls, texting the driver in advance so we didn't have to wait for the next stop. He truly gave of himself and his time to make sure we had the best experience possible during a day that will flew by like the chile-infused rim of our margarita glasses. read more

Turista Libre is amazing! They have a calendar of rotating tours that you can look up on their website. They offer a range of street food tours, brewery tours, lucha libre, Market tours, and so on. I have had the pleasure of joining them on 3 tours this year & everyone has exceeded my expectations. Granted I live in San Diego & go south of the border frequently, it is SOOOO easy & so much nicer to just pay the money & go on the tour with a group of fun people. No need for me to drive, organize the day or "head count". Plus Derrik is full of knowledge about TJ history, new places to go to & he really makes the tours so much fun. The meeting place on the US side is easy to find & you are walked through the border crossing & hop on he fun, colorful turista libre bus. For the brewery tour I was on, we visited 3 (maybe 4.....the night got a little fuzzy) local breweries. Each place offered us a great amount of tasters included in the tour price. Also included was our delicious & authentic taco stop. We rode the bus from location to location & had a great time meeting other people on the tour & talking with Derrik. I also joined them for a dive bar tour which was FANTASTIC! The next morning. my face hurt from laughing so much. I think we visited 5 places that night (Again, fuzzy memory) We started at a Mezcal bar (Mezcal happens to be my favorite) and had a drink to start there before grabbing beers at the next 2 local stops near by. One dive bar offered us rum & cokes, but we mainly had beers at all of the bars. We also had front row seats at a super fun drag show! I LOVED IT! We did 2 taco stops during the bar hop so we had a good base in our bellies & did not go home hungry. And, these were probably the BEST street tacos I've ever had in TJ....and I've been eating TJ tacos since I could chew. The most recent tour I did was the Dia De Los Muertos tour. This included a lot of history of TJ "Icons" I guess you could say. We visited the busy Hidalgo Market where Derrik & Alejandro set up a fun scavenger hunt. The market is full of spices, beautiful piñatas, cheese, and restaurants. EAT A SNACK HERE!! Even if it's just a tamale, and buy a "Café de olla". Then we went to the oldest cemetery in town where you here a few "TJ urban legends". Just walking around here is nice as well. We stopped for lunch at a Oaxacan sit down restaurant & had a great Family Style Meal & cold drinks! Lastly, we played Loteria (Mexican Bingo) at a great Mezcal Bar. Three GREAT tours, I enjoy bringing my friends down & "introducing them" to Turista Libre. Great people, great vibes, and Great memories. Yes, at the end of your tour you won't be able to help it, but you will just have to give Derrik & Alejandro great big hugs! read more

TJ Brew Tour Based on my first experience I would rate this a 2.5 star. Pros: Awesome concept! What a great way to introduce or reacquaint people with this rad city. The second and third stop of the tour were worth while.The food garden (2nd stop) has some really good food for your own purchase. We had a couple of tacos and mole chilequiles. You were able to sit outside or inside, whichever you prefer. The brewery Cerveceria Frontera (2nd brew stop) was interesting and you could tell the brewmaster was very passionate about what he does. This stop for us was the only really good beer on the tour. They even paired the beer with some homemade snacks which I liked. The music on the bus was fun and lively. The tour was well coordinated when arriving at each stop. People on the tour seemed nice. Welcome Tecate when you board the bus! Cons: Maybe it was the type of tour, but there was absolutely no commentary on the bus from the guide. He didn't really mingle with us, he just kind of hung back, and spent the time on the bus talking to his friends. I was really looking forward to this tour for such a long time. We both are familiar with TJ, but not familiar enough to know some cool spots to hang out, or what it's like to live there. It seemed that this tour would really be able to show off how cool TJ is, and add a little personal experience. That's what we kind of were expecting, but maybe that's not what he wants to convey. It was hard to understand if he wanted return customers to the area, or the stops, or the tours. It was kind of like hanging out at a bar. You can take a brewery tour anywhere, he didn't make anything stand out. It was up to you to mingle with other tour goers. The guide didn't really make much of an effort to bring anything together and didn't circulate at each stop. Some stops there was not enough seating for everyone and at others there was one big table, and one small table separated from each other. The time we had wasn't vocalized on each stop. I think it would be cool to know ahead of time, so he could encourage more purchases from each of the stops. We did want to purchase beer from Cerveceria Frontera, but they were out. (Not anyone's fault-it was really awesome stout!) We were told the tour started at 1pm and that they left at 1:15pm. We actually got on the bus at 2pm because we were waiting around for people. We were supposed to be at the border at 8pm, and we weren't, we were kind of just getting together to leave a little after 8 from our last stop....we waited for 2.5 hours to get over the border. We were bummed. We have not gone down to TJ on a Saturday and experienced this, so we kind of felt it was up to the tour company to kind of let us know of a better forecast. When we were home at a quarter to midnight, we thought the experience wasn't worth the wait. Perhaps other tours are better, or maybe the tour guide was having an off day. For us, we were looking forward to this for a while and felt disappointed after our first experience and felt like we could go to TJ on our own and have a better experience. read more

Yesterday we took 30 Spanish students to Tijuana on a Taco Tour organized by Turista Libre. From the very beginning, Derrik was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was organized, prompt, on top of everything, always a step ahead and just a really nice and fun guy. On the day of the event he showed up on time, had everything ready for us and welcomed us to his bus with drinks and fun music in Spanish. He took us to 3 eateries, an ice cream parlor with 80 flavors and a local market. The eateries were quite varied and had great food. The students and I had an absolutely amazing time (on and off the bus), had a chance to practice our Spanish for hours and are looking forward to taking many more tours with Turista Libre! I highly recommend Turista Libre! read more

This is an amazing way to get a inside look at that city you've always been interested in exploring. Derrik is a great guide who makes sure that everyone in the group feels involved and gets an opportunity to ask questions. We signed up for the Feliz Cumpleanos TJ tour of food and cultural monuments in Tijuana. Derrik knew his stuff and was able to provide an experience that was equal parts informative, and fun. The food we ate was incredible. read more

I was planning a bachelor party in San Diego and we were going to spend one day in Tijuana but sort of last minute the bachelor decided he didn't want to go after hearing some horror stories from friends. I did some searching around and came across Turista Libre and knew right away it would be perfect. So I surprised the bachelor and booked the Lucha Libre (mexican wrestling) tour. Suffice it to say it was the highlight of the 3 day bachelor party. Everyone that went had a blast, and Derrik was an amazing guide. He met us on the US side of the border and walked us across where he had a bus waiting (a city bus by day). First stop was a gift shop to pick up some wrestling masks, then to an amazing taqueria, and finally to the wrestling match. The entire time the group felt incredibly safe and knew that Derrik was responsible and looking out for us, but also with it feeling authentic and not to tour-y. Next time I'm in San Diego I'm definitely going to try to book another tour - the street food one sounds awesome. read more

Turista Libre organizes day trips in and around Tijuana, showcasing what's cool to Americans (or whoever!) who don't want to go on their own for whatever reason. I've been on several trips with them over the past couple years including an art gallery tour, lucha libre, craft beer, the fair, a flea market... even the Chinese circus! My Spanish isn't very good, and I would never find some of these places on my own. Typically the group meets up just on the US side of the border, you walk across, then get on board a classic TJ bus that stays with the group for the whole time. So you can leave stuff on the bus. Then when you're coming back, you're on foot so the line is no big deal, as opposed to driving back. In addition to whatever the event is, there's usually an opportunity for some delicious food and drink. And often the option to go partying into the night afterwards with other folks on the trip. If you've been discouraged by previous visits to Tijuana or been too nervous to go recently, definitely check out Turista Libre. Tijuana is a huge city right next door, and while it definitely has its problems, it's also got a large population of creative and talented people - many young and totally fearless - that is determined to build a good life there. You do need to have a passport to come back into the US, so get one already. read more

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