Imperial Beach, CA Area Guide

Beginning in the late-1880s, farmers from nearby Imperial Valley began to relocate to this beach area to take advantage of its cooler climate during the summer. However, the city would not be incorporated until more than half a century later, in 1956. Imperial Beach is one of the youngest cities in Southern California, with a median age of just 31.

The city does not house any museums, with the closest being The Museum of Art and History a few miles up State Route 75 in Coronado. Although Imperial Beach lacks an arts scene, it does host the Imperial Beach International Film Festival and Art Walk, which showcases San Diego’s best high school and college filmmakers and artists, and is capped off by a silent auction and an awards ceremony. You can also catch the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition each summer.

Imperial Beach hosts a mix of restaurants, including hard-to-find cuisine alongside local favorites. If you need a little nightlife excitement, bars and clubs line Seacoast Drive and Palm Avenue, which also feature a majority of the neighborhood's dining locations.

SEA180° Coastal Tavern, located on the beach off of Seacoast Drive, features an elegant indoor setting, or you can eat your Wagyu cheeseburger outside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and surrounded by fire pits. Probably one of the only restaurants that will provide you with a blanket if you're cold, nightly specials include Military Mondays and Date Night Tuesdays.

For a little pick-me-up amidst your day, head to Katy's Cafe on Seacoast Drive. This seaside diner not only has some of the best coffee around, but it serves healthy menu options such as acai bowls, albacore tuna sandwiches, and several vegetarian dishes. The reasonable prices and tasty selections keep the locals smitten.

Located on the opposite side of Seacoast, you can place a to-go order and head across the street for a relaxing lunch on the beach. For an upscale dinner with the kids in tow, head to Barrels Restaurant and Lounge where you can dine outside on the beach, and let the little ones get some exercise at the adjacent park while waiting for the food.

Barrels Restaurant and Lounge also has an adult evening option, with a large selection of wine to enjoy while appreciating views of the Pacific and the pier. Another adult option is Ye Olde Plank, a dive bar where you can challenge your buddies to a game of pool or hang out on the patio and listen to the waves. For evening entertainment on a budget, look to the Salty Frog, where you can get a super cheap drink on Toss It Tuesdays. Order a drink, flip a coin, and if it lands on heads then your drink costs only 25 cents. Even if it lands on tails, you can still get a cheap drink, but it may cost more than a quarter.

Imperial Beach is not an easily walkable area unless you are close to the beach and pier, where most of the shopping and dining options are located. A bike trail runs along the beach up to Coronado, but beyond that the city does not have a lot of bike infrastructure. Away from the beach and pier, common transportation involves driving or taking public transportation.

The Metropolitan Transit System runs bus routes 901, 933 and 934 through the city, and residents also have the option of calling a cab or booking a ride though Uber. State Route 75 loops through the northern part of the city and heads west to I-5 for easy accessibility of both. Not much public parking exists outside of the main thoroughfare along Seacoast Drive, but the little bit you can find is usually free. Some parks also have free off-street parking.

Imperial Beach has five parks, two of which sit right on the beach. All have playground areas for the kids, grass areas and picnic tables. Many of them also have barbeque grills for an afternoon gathering or a family dinner amid nature.

Besides these usual amenities, the beachfront Dunes Park also has a basketball court and showers to cool off after a long game. Veterans Park also has a few unique amenities, such as a horseshoe pit, gazebo stage and a soccer field featuring an artificial turf. All parks are free to visit, but none of them offer off-leash areas or host annual events or festivals.

The cost of living in Imperial Beach is around 25 percent lower than the city average. One-way fare costs $2.25 via the Metropolitan Transit System’s route 901, which will take you into San Diego near Balboa Park. Once there, you can transfer onto most downtown routes. Median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in this town costs $1,100, while an after-work beer at a pub like Ye Olde Plank will run you about $4 to $5. The cost of gas in Imperial Beach is over 11 percent higher than the national average.

Like most dining options, the center of commerce in Imperial Beach sits along Seacoast Drive and Palm Avenue. The shopping options in this town include both high-end and high-value specialty shops and boutiques. Those dealing in swimwear and surfing merchandise sit along Seacoast Drive, while other boutiques and specialty stores sit along Palm Avenue.

Find religious items, such as rosaries, scapulars and prayer boxes, at Divine Renewal; get a deal on skateboards, gear and skater-style clothing at the family-run Ollie Angel Skate Shop; or snag a high-end designer outfit at Crazy Ladies, made possible by the owner’s knack for finding designer-house samples at auctions in Los Angeles.

The town does not house many big-chain grocery stores, so residents rely on small markets for their quick grocery needs. Two such markets include La Posta Market, a small ethnic grocery store near the eastern edge of town on Imperial Beach Boulevard, and Farm Fresh Market, located a little more to the east on Palm Avenue. Additionally, you can head to Imperial Beach Certified Farmers' Market on Fridays from noon to mid-evening.