San Diego Neighborhoods

Change neighborhood to:

Imperial Beach, San Diego
1 of 2 next ››

Imperial Beach

Send to a friend
…beaches, sandcastles and more


Imperial Beach is the most southwest community in America with some of the best sand anywhere in the country (great for sandcastles). It contains the largest salt water marsh in Southern California; and, the city's bus line, linked to San Diego, is the busiest with the most passengers anywhere in the county. Sounds like one big brag-fest, but put it all together and it's an impressive place.

Here you'll find an ecological destination and Naval-base bedroom community that hosts the annual U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition (did you know about this when you were a kid? We didn’t, and we’re mad).

Within this very cool, resource-rich beachy area are two wildlife sanctuaries—a birdwatcher's paradise—and a state park, so there are a lot of recreational activities offered. Walking and biking paths and trails are in the planning stages.

Nestled between the Silver Strand, south of Coronado, and Mexican border is the small business district. It's laid back and friendly, catering to anyone who lives or visits here for the awesome surfing, art tours, nature walks and general de-stressing while watching the sunset.

View neighborhood hotspots

Known for:

Some of the best sand in the country

Main drag:

Imperial Beach Boulevard

Imperial Beach blogs and events

Guide to San Diego’s Beach Cruising

Read on for the best bike routes with views in San Diego.

Earlier posts >

Apartments in Imperial Beach