Mexicali Mexico

Tourism is a significant revenue source of Mexicali. Its location as a border city makes it accessible to tourists, such that visitors from the United States regularly cross by foot or by car from the neighboring US territory of Calexico. The city itself provides modern amenities for business people and urbanites while its surrounding areas offer scenic spots, historic sites, sports events, and recreational centers.

Almost half of the tourists who visit Mexicali are from California; 32 percent are from other Mexican states; 10 percent are from other parts of the US; and the remaining 9 percent come from Baja California.

Mexico’s legal drinking age of 18, compared with 21 in the US, makes Mexicali an attractive weekend hangout for high school and college students from Southern California. Its legal red light district is also another revenue-generating industry of the local government. A lot of cheap goods and services are also offered in the border city such as non-prescription drugs, medical services, and dental and plastic surgery.

Hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, bars, and dance clubs are the primary tourist amenities available in the city. There are several theaters, museums, and a children’s museum park as well.

Mexicali hosts several festivals, fairs, and trade shows throughout the year. The annual Fiestas Del Sol, the biggest fair in the region, runs from the end of September up to mid-October. The celebration features popular dances, carnival rides, regional food, performances of local and international artists, and agricultural, commercial, and industrial expositions. A yearly festival of progressive rock music known as Baja Prog is also held every March. This four-day event draws famous performers in the genre and an average of 1,500 attendees per day. An agribusiness fair is also held in the same month, the Agrobaja, which is considered as the largest agricultural expo in northern Mexico. It attracts around 50,000 visitors and earns more than US$5 million in revenue for the city.

In the neighboring town of San Felipe, visitors can enjoy the beaches, hot springs in the mountains, and pristine sceneries. About 40 minutes east of Mexicali is the small town of Los Algodones which is known for its folk art, beautiful sand dunes, migratory birds, and several historic sites. The Sierra De Juarez is home to the highest monolith in Mexico and is popular among mountaineers and extreme sports enthusiasts. The Plaza de Toros Calafia is famous for its bullfights though it is also a popular venue for concerts and local festivals. The Mexicali Valley also has ideal areas for hunting, fishing, and a variety of sports.

An accommodation problem of the city and the Mexicali Valley is the lack of space for RVs and trailers. Most of the RV and trailer parking areas are booked during the peak tourist seasons and some areas such as Los Algodones have no RV parks. Security is also another major concern although this was addressed by the city government through assigning law enforcement officers to assist local tourists.