There are no warm hugs or embraces, but for families separated by a border, this place is a lifeline and a chance for a much-anticipated conversation.
At Friendship Park, which straddles the U.S./Mexico border between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, families can spend time with one another, albeit separated by a well-fortified fence, NBC News reported.
To visit the park in San Diego, Aramara Oyervides walks along Imperial beach, through Border Field State Park, where a sign reading "Do not forget your documents" welcomes visitors at the front gate. It's another 1.5 miles to the park, where they are greeted by a Border Patrol agent.
Oyervides is bringing her 7-year-old son to visit her mother, whom she had not seen in three years. Her mother lives in Acapulco, about a 34-hour drive from the border.
"This is the only way that we can see each other," said Oyervides.