Right Beaches › California › Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach
4.5★ · 280 Google ratings · Imperial Beach, California
✓ Parking✓ Short walk✓ Restrooms✓ Showers✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
On-site lot · 100 ft away
Accessibility
Step-free entrance
Access
Open around the clock
Walk
100 ft · under a minute
Restrooms
Yes · 450 yd away
Water
77°F
Tide
5 ft range today
Children
Reported good for young kids
Sand
300 ft from the water to the back
Water quality
Poor · 100% of 595 over the limit · 2025
Crowds
Quietest Fri 8am
Map of Imperial Beach
1
2
1Parking100 ft from the listing2Covered shelter250 ft from the listing
Guide
Good to know
Plan visits around low tide
Low tide reveals extensive sand flats and is specifically mentioned by reviewers as the best time to visit.
Visit for walking, not swimming
The miles of sandy shoreline are excellent for long walks, shell hunting, and pier visits regardless of water quality.
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 3 visitors · 2018–2026
Check water closure status first
Sewage contamination from the Tijuana River frequently closes the beach to swimming, sometimes for weeks or months.
Go during off-season for solitude
Weekday visits and non-summer months offer nearly empty beaches, while summer weekends and holidays draw significant crowds.
Expect seaweed and occasional odor
The beach often has heavy seaweed accumulation and some visitors report sewage-related smells on certain days.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
67°F · clear
Water
77°F
Waves
3.5 ft · 10 s apart
Wind
3 mph from the NW
Shelter
Onshore · wind blowing straight in off the water
UV index
8 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 15:21 | High tide | ↑ |
| 23:40 | Low tide | ↓ |
Last updated Sep 4, 5:34 AM.
Crowds
When it gets busy
| 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | ||||||||||||
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QuietBusy
Practical
Plan your visit
📍 Imperial Beach Blvd, Imperial Beach, CA 91932
🅿 Parking 100 ft from the listing
🌊 Water 100 ft away, under a minute walk
🚽 Restrooms 450 yd away
Nearby
Other beaches close by
725 yd away
0.5 miles away
2.3 miles away
4.5 miles away
5.4 miles away
7.3 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Imperial Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 100 ft from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Imperial Beach?
100 ft in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, under a minute. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Imperial Beach have restrooms?
Restrooms are mapped 450 yd from the listing.
When is Imperial Beach least busy?
Google visit patterns put the quietest hour at Fri 8am and the busiest at Sat 3pm.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
