Overview
Imperial Beach is a city in San Diego County in Southern California.
5 sights · 3 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach Pier
Centerpiece of four miles of beach
The Spirit of Imperial Beach
A plaza with an 18-foot bronze statue honoring the surfing and sandcastle culture of Imperial Beach
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
A large park that overlaps parts of Imperial Beach and San Ysidro. It is divided into the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge on the north, and Border Field State Park in the south.
Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center
Provides access to hiking trails north of the Tijuana River
Silver Strand State Beach
An excellent beach to swim or surf at. RV camping and fishing are allowed here.
International Friendship Park
Perhaps slightly misnamed, visiting this park is a good opportunity to get up and personal with the wall that separates Mexico and the US. The adjacent Monument Mesa picnic area is open 7 days a week; the International F…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jan–Dec. Summer highs reach about 77°F; winter lows dip to about 50°F. Wettest: Feb and Jan. (climate data from nearby San Diego)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SAN San Diego International Airport, San Diego — 11 mi away (major hub). Directions
- CLD McClellan-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad — 39 mi away. Directions
State Route 75 connects I-5 with Coronado, and passes through the city of Imperial Beach.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Imperial Beach Pier, The Spirit of Imperial Beach, Silver Strand State Beach
- Lunch The Tin Fish Restaurant
- Afternoon Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Sun and Sea Festival
Day 2
- Morning Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center, International Friendship Park
- Afternoon Tijuana Estuary
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
State Route 75 connects I-5 with Coronado, and passes through the city of Imperial Beach.
SDMTS runs a bus between San Diego and Iris every 20 minutes, stopping at several places in Imperial Beach.
See
See The Spirit of Imperial Beach
A plaza with an 18-foot bronze statue honoring the surfing and sandcastle culture of Imperial Beach
See International Friendship Park
Perhaps slightly misnamed, visiting this park is a good opportunity to get up and personal with the wall that separates Mexico and the US. The adjacent Monument Mesa picnic area is open 7 days a week; the International Friendship Park itself is between the primary and secondary border fences, and is only open for a few hours on weekends. The entrance gate to Border Field State Park is only open weekends when the road is not flooded, but the park is still open and Monument Mesa is accessible via a 1.6-mile hike.
Do
- Bayshore Bikeway. A 25-mile bikeway along the shore of the San Diego Bay that is a very popular and scenic route. The level of difficulty is low as there are no major hills on this route, and it is also one of the safest bike routes. The 2.5-hour ride takes cyclists along the bay past golf courses, lagoons, piers and numerous places to stop for a rest and a drink of water. The route also features a nine-mile stretch that follows the former Coronado Branch of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad.
Do Tijuana Estuary
A small coastal estuary, south of Imperial Beach, and one of the few salt marshes remaining in Southern California. Next to the estuary at the USA-Mexico border is Border Field State Park, which covers the extreme southwestern corner of the United States, where the USA-Mexico border meets the ocean. Border Patrol officials keep a close eye on this area.
Eat
Eat The Tin Fish Restaurant
No-frills fried food with small dine-in area. Offers beer and small selection of mixed drinks. They claim to be the southwesternmost restaurant in the continental U.S.
Sleep
Nearby
Chula Vista
City / town · 43 listings · 5 mi away
National City
City / town · 13 listings · 7 mi away
Coronado
City / town · 30 listings · 8 mi away
San Diego
City / town · 25 listings · 10 mi away
La Mesa
City / town · 10 listings · 14 mi away
El Cajon
City / town · 17 listings · 17 mi away
Poway
City / town · 4 listings · 27 mi away
Del Mar
City / town · 13 listings · 27 mi away
My experience
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