TJ Breweries and Tasting Rooms
[QUOTE=LatinLover00;5434724]Great information, thank you. I may stay at Ceasers one night and book with agency, I'll be able to get my cigars and be able to say I ate there. I love to eat. Street food, food stalls, farmers market type places. I heard there are some cool breweries around that I wouldn't mind checking out. I'm not too big on the touristy stuff or shopping but I would like to explore the area as much as I can while there. If you or anyone has recommendations on parks or places outside of the usual mongering hotspots, please lmk.[/QUOTE]The place to go for craft beer is Plaza Fiesta (also known by it's old name Plaza del Zapato). It's a short taxi ride form the border and it has a ton of tasting rooms and small restaurants that feature the local craft beers. Pre-COVID we often went there for food and drinks before going out or to the Xolos match. It used to not open before about 4 PM though, and after dark is becomes much more of a fun nightlife spot, but not for P4 P. It's somewhere that you might bring your date.
Another good spot is Telefónica Gastro Park, also a short cab ride. They brew on site and have a lot of guest craft beers on tap too. It's a cool and unique place with many food stalls, many in permanently parked food trucks. Again, there is no P4 P action here. It's a place to go chill before or after la Zona or to bring a date.
Note that I have not been to TJ since COVID so not sure what the status of these places are. But I went frequently before and those two were my favorites. The US West Coast craft beer scene has definitely moved south of the border where many excellent beers are being brewed.
I'm a little confused by previous posts
I have only passed over once, a month ago. I walk right into Mexico without seeing any checkpoints. There was a x-ray machine for bags but I didn't dnt have one so I walk around the line. I printed out the temporary visa but didn't use it. Maybe I got lucky on a day with no Mexican border patrol? Is my visa still in the system if I filled visa out online?
Use the Mexican Nationals Line
[QUOTE=KCQuestor;5446522]I've only ever used the 7-day "free" FMM and I always go through the foreigners line. My understanding is that if you already have the 180-day FMM (stamped and paid for) you can use the Mexican national line. I've never done that. I meant to do it on my last trip down, but I didn't get the chance.
Also, the post of mine that you quoted was more than 6 months ago and things have changed even since then. It's not consistent and you never know who you will have manning the border. You might be required to buy the 6-month FMM, or you might be waved through with barely a glance.[/QUOTE]Yeah for sure use the Mexican Nationals Line if you have the visa already. I used to always get it pre-COVID as sometimes the visitors line is way long, I've seen it extend out past the turnstiles, and it can take forever to get thru as sometimes there's only a few agents working and they're making everyone fill out the forms. So I'd pay the $25 or so to get the visa then go left after the turnstiles and then just flash my passport and the visa and just walk in. Usually the agent doesn't even look at the visa to check if it's expired. I've never had an issue in dozens of entries.
This was all pre-COVID but I doubt that part has changed, but I don't know for sure.