Imperial Beach

Imperial Beach has changed a lot throughout the years. The out of the way beach offers great waves for beginning and experienced surfers, mellow waters for swimming, a long flat beach for sunbathing and a unique pier for fishing. There are volleyball nets and a large picnic area and a fun playground for kids.

Beyond water sports, Imperial Beach has a fantastic skate park. The Sports Park Recreational Complex is a short distance from the beach and offers ramps with vertical ramps, fun boxes, rails, pool turn, quarter pipes and slider bars.

This beautiful, sandy beach is a great place to visit and escape from the intense summertime crowds. The Imperial Beach community is still small and somewhat “old school”. The beach sits about 20 miles south of downtown San Diego and offers a tranquil get away from the busy city.

The Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Sanctuary, and Border Field State Park are all within a short drive from Imperial Beach and for the nature enthusiast, provides a great opportunity to explore the southern coasts natural environment. There are several trails available for hiking and bird watching.

One of the most eventful times to visit Imperial Beach is when the community holds their annual sandcastle competition. Contestants from all over the country come to participate in the event. The sand castles are spectacular to watch being built and for those who wait around for the final product there are great photo opportunities. This event attracts around 200,000 spectators who come to partake in the festivities of the competition and the Imperial Beach Street Fair. There's a parade, fireworks show and several activities stretched out throughout the festival, held at the end of July.
Parking is free. There are a couple of lots with 2 hour parking, but most of the
spaces on the street have unlimited parking and are very accessible.

NO vehicles on the beach
NO dogs
NO alcohol/glass containers
NO fires
Restrooms and showers available