Imperial Beach

Spend a day building a sandcastle at Imperial Beach. The beautiful and sand beach is a great place to relax away from the crowds. Imperial Beach is located 20 miles south of downtown San Diego and just a few miles short of the Mexican border, making it the most south-western community in the U.S.

Imperial Beach features one of the best sand in the nation, thus the reason why it is home to the yearly U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition. The beach also has a park with picnic, basketball areas, playground for kids and volleyball plus restrooms and showers. The Fishing Pier is popular for surf fishing.

Nature lovers will find two sanctuaries and a state park just south of Imperial Beach. The Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Border Field State Park and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Sanctuary offer some great opportunities for hiking and birdwatching. They serve some of the few untouched beaches in southern California.

Parking

There is free public parking at Imperial Beach. A lot on Daisy Avenue will charge a few, though.

Directions

Take I-5 south from San Diego and exit west on Palm Avenue. Imperial Beach follows Seacoast Drive, starting a couple blocks north of Palm Avenue and continuing south.

Tips

There are a few shopping opportunities south of the border in Tijuana. Stop by Grandma’s Pantry Restaurant and Bakery on 875 Seacoast Drive for eggs and waffles. There are also taco and pizza joints on Palm Avenue and Seacoast Drive.

Imperial’s Seacoast Inn is one of the least expensive beachfront hotels in San Diego. All rooms have a kitchen, and travelers are allowed to book extended stays. It’s very popular for family reunions and gatherings.