Border Zones

Nogales Mexico Tourism Districts

Map of the Border Tourism Zones in Nogales, Mexico

The border district in Nogales, Mexico has a lot of curio shops, pharmacies, dental and medical offices, restaurants, hotels, bars and other interesting places to visit, and all are within walking distance. The border area is generally safe, and usually has a visible police presence. Perhaps the greatest deterrent to crime against tourists is the presence of all of the people who work in the Nogales tourism zone. Their livelihoods depend on maintaining a safe area for tourists, and they are glad to assist visitors.

There are two pedestrian border crossings to enter Mexico from Nogales, Arizona: the Morley Gate and the DeConcini Port of Entry. The Morley Gate crosses into a bar and business district, and is also the most direct way to get to one of Nogales’s best restaurants, La Roca El Balcon Restaurant Bar.

After passing through the Deconcini Port of entry, walk straight along the pedestrian walkway until you pass the first walkway to your left. Continue walking, past the first walkway and taxi drivers (who will ask if you need a ride somewhere – if planning to stay in the border area you will not need a taxi). Just past the taxistas, walk to the left and you will enter Plaza Pesqueira.

Plaza Pesqueira is where most of the border pharmacies are located, along with some dentist offices. It also has park benches where shoppers and other border visitors can sit and relax. In addition, Pesqueira is also a passageway to get to close-by curio shops, and medical and dental offices.

At the south end of Plaza Pesqueira is Calle Campillo. Walk directly across the street to get to the entrance to the El Triangulo curio shopping area. Also across the street, just to the left of the El Triangulo entrance, is a row of “casas de cambio,” or money exchangers.

Take a right on Campillo from Plaza Pesqueira and you will begin to pass by some of Nogales’s famous Mexican curio shops, whose salesmen will try their hardest to convince you to enter their store, to show you that they have the absolute best prices on curios, blankets and other items. There are also more pharmacies along Calle Campillo.

Continue walking two short blocks along the north side of Campillo, on the corner with Avenida Obregon, and you will pass one of the most popular destinations for Nogales, Mexico dental tourists – 86 Campillo. Across the street from 86 Campillo (on the south side of the street), in what looks like an alleyway, is the Pasaje Morelos curios shopping district, which has some very unique shops, including one that has an extensive selection of Talavera pottery.

And as you reach Avenida Obregon, you are at the outside edge of the border shopping district but also the busiest, with a multitude of professional offices (Nogales doctors and dentists), pharmacies, restaurants and of course, curios.

Obregon continues on for miles, eventually becoming the Carretera Internacional that goes further into Mexico. In the next three or four blocks though are some dentists’ and doctors’ offices, lots of stores where you can shop for everything from purses to curios, blankets, shoes and clothing, plazas where you can rest and relax, and restaurants where you can enjoy an authentic Mexican meal.

Nogales Dental Advanced
Plaza Pesqueira in the Nogales, Sonora, Mexico border zone