I had no idea people vacation in Tijuana!

Tijuana? You're insane.
Why?????!

So, you wouldn't want to vacation in the city of Tijuana. The rest of the region will be heavily controlled by cartels, but I don't see why that would likely impact you on your vacation. If you will be going with friends from CA who do this often enough, they'll know the deal and be your guides.

We’ve been invited to vacation in Rosarito, MX or maybe somewhere else in Tijuana. I’ve heard iffy things about Tijuana especially with the cartels. Is Rosarito considered safe/any better? We’d be driving from CA to that area.