Imperial Beach, California
Imperial Beach is a city of 25,764 people in San Diego County, California, founded in June 1, 1887.
Why visit Imperial Beach
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 24 parks and trails, 68 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include South Bay Drive-In Theatre & Swap Meet, Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico, Imperial Beach Sports Park and International Friendship Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 75°F; December lows average 46°F.
Weather in Imperial Beach
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach is a beach city in San Diego County, California, United States, with a population of 26,137 as of the 2020 census. It is in the South Bay area of San Diego County, 14.1 miles (22.7 km) south of downtown San Diego and 5 miles (8 km) northwest of downtown Tijuana, Mexico. Imperial Beach is the southernmost city in California and the West Coast of the United States.
From the Wikipedia article Imperial Beach, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
South Bay Drive-In Theatre & Swap Meet
Cinema and theater · 1.8 mi
The South Bay Drive-in first set sail in 1958 and soon became a backyard vacation destination for San Diego area families with kids and...
2170 Coronado Avenue, San Diego
Museums and landmarks4
Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
International border marker
Parks, trails and playgrounds24
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Friendship Park
Park · 2.2 mi
Park along the United States-Mexico border in San Diego–Tijuana
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Hiking and trails · 0.8 mi
Tijuana River Valley Community Garden
Park · 1.8 mi
The Tijuana River Valley Community Garden is located at the corner of Hollister Street and Sunset Avenue, in the southernmost portion of...
2250 Hollister Street, San Diego
Plaza Piedras
Park · 2.0 mi
Commissioned for the citizens of San Diego through the City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater Department and the Commission for Arts...
12 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes68
Filippi's Pizza Grotto Imperial Beach
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza · 1.5 mi
285 Palm Avenue, Imperial Beach
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Big Kahuna's
Restaurant · Burger, Seafood, Barbecue, Salad, Rice, Hawaiian · 1.4 mi
Hawaiian food and catering, Big Kahuna Burger
600 Palm Avenue, Imperial Beach
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 1.9 mi
695 Saturn Boulevard
Su-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 06:00-24:00
56 more on the map.
History
Imperial Beach sits on the traditional territory of the Kumeyaay people, who had established the village of Alyshuwii. Founded in June 1887, the city takes its name from Imperial County, California, a desert climate 100 miles (161 km) east. Farmers and land owners from the Imperial Valley came to the area in the late 1880s seeking cooler weather during summer months. In March 1887, over 2,000 laborers descended upon nearby Coronado, California to construct the Hotel del Coronado, the largest resort in the world at the time. A large number of the workers stayed in Imperial Beach and some would later make it their permanent homestead. The city would incorporate in 1956, operating its own mayor–council government providing city fire department service and policing by the formation of its own police department but eventually, years later, through the contracting of services through the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
From the History section of Imperial Beach, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Hampton Inn & Suites Imperial Beach San Diego
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
771 Palm Avenue, Imperial Beach
Pier South Resort, Autograph Collection by Marriott
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
800 Seacoast Drive, Imperial Beach
Churches and places of worship13
Saint Charles Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.5 mi
990 Saturn Boulevard, San Diego
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 1.2 mi
1008 15th Street, San Diego
Nestor United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 1.8 mi
1130 Nestor Way, San Diego
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries62
Healthcare2
Imperial Beach Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.3 mi
720 Silver Strand Boulevard, Imperial Beach
Map of Imperial Beach
203 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 47°F | 1.7 in |
| Feb | 65°F | 48°F | 2.1 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 51°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 52°F | 0.6 in |
| May | 68°F | 57°F | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 60°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 73°F | 64°F | 0.3 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 65°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 62°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 56°F | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 50°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 66°F | 46°F | 0.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Imperial Beach Ream Fld Nas (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
San Diego County has had 35 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-02-19: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-10-16: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach (NRS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 0 miles away.
- Chula Vista 7 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- National City 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Coronado 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Bonita 10 mi northeast, about 16 min by car
- La Presa 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Lemon Grove 12 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Spring Valley 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- La Mesa 15 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Casa de Oro-Mount Helix 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- San Diego 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Imperial beach ca 1, Kotoviski photographed by Henryk Kotowski, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monument marking the Initial Point of Boundary Between U.S. and Mexico (1974 photo), national park service, Public domain
- Panoramic photo of International Friendship Park within the US-Mexico Barrier, RightCowLeftCoast, CC BY-SA 4.0
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