There’s always a rush of excitement when you cross the bridge into Ciudad Juárez, even though this metropolis is just blocks from downtown of El Paso. The sights, sounds, colors and energy of Juárez are why Americans go back again and again to this exciting city of nearly 1.5 million.
Americans should know that a passport or valid driver’s license and U.S. birth certificate are now required to reenter the United States.
The best way to enter into Mexico is to simply walk across the Santa Fe Bridge. You can also drive into Mexico via the Stanton Street and Cordova bridges, though driving in Juárez is not recommended for the inexperienced if for no other reason than parking is very difficult. The toll to cross the Santa Fe Bridge spanning the Río Grande costs 35 cents, and to come back the toll is three pesos, or 30 cents. Have exact change.
An easy way to cross into Mexico and tour well-known sites is to take the El Paso-Juárez Trolley and Tour Company’s Border Jumper (915-544-0062). These red and green trolleys leave and return to the El Paso Convention Center hourly (Santa Fe and Main), seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 for adults, and reservations are recommended. Trolleys stop at several shopping and market areas, and tourists may get off whereever and simply hop on the next trolley to come by.
A great place to start and learn about the history of Ciudad Juárez is at the History Museum (Avenida 16 de Septiembre #209). Built in 1889, this Victorian-style building was originally the customs house, where goods transported via train to and from across the border were taxed. The treaty ending the Mexican Revolution was signed here in 1920. It was turned into a museum in 1990, and recently underwent a major renovation.
Staying on Avenida 16 de Septiembre, walk for two blocks to the city’s plaza, where the 17th-century adobe Mission de Guadalupe stands next to the Juárez Cathedral with its twin 100-foot bell towers.
On Avenida Lincoln you’ll find a statue honoring U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, and farther down you’ll come to the Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes) and the Plaza de las Americas Mall. In the evening, this area’s nightclubs open for business, as do some of the city’s best restaurants for dinner.
At the Archaeology Museum, come face-to-huge-face with Olmec head statues, and other replicas from Mexico fascinating past cultures, including the Mayan and Aztec empires. The museum is in Chamizal Park, which is just across from Chamizal National Memorial on the U.S. side. This land was disputed, until a treaty was signed in 1963 setting the land on both sides of the border as a park. On the last Saturday of each month, April through October, Arte in the Parque is a wonderful place buy local art. Children’s programs here encourage young artists-to-be. There’s also a helpful visitor’s center at the park.
The Juárez City Market is a kaleidoscope of color and sound, where fruit, chile, souvenirs, art, and other wares are bargained for and sold. A short distance away is the Benito Juárez Monument, off Calle Madero a few blocks south of Avenida 16 de Septembre.
For more information on visiting Ciudad Juárez, go to www.juarez-mexico.com.
The U.S. Consulate in Juárez site is at http://ciudadjuarez.usconsulate.gov, or call (656) 613-1655 (if calling from the U.S., dial 011 52 first).
