Imperial Beach and Imperial Beach Pier

Imperial Beach's municipal pier reaches nearly 1,500 feet into the Pacific from Portwood Pier Plaza at 940 Seacoast Drive. The first pier went up in the 1960s and was destroyed by a storm, then rebuilt in the 1980s. The Port of San Diego gave it a major upgrade in 2006 and has kept improving it, with new pilings and deck planks, fishing-rod holders, a shade canopy and distance markers every 250 feet. The Tin Fish restaurant sits at the pier's west end.

Beach and pier

Lifeguards are on duty 7 a.m. to dusk every day, covering the beach from Carnation Avenue to the south end of Seacoast Drive. You can swim and surf anywhere on the beach except near the pier and jetties, and swimming, surfing and diving are banned within 20 feet of the pier. Fishing from the pier doesn't need a license, but size and bag limits apply, and the pier has its own casting and gear rules.

Water quality

Beaches in the south of the county, including Imperial Beach, are affected by cross-border sewage flows from the Tijuana River Valley, and the shoreline has often been closed to water contact. The County samples here every day, so check sdbeachinfo.com before you swim or surf.

Plaza improvements

A splash pad with accessible showers is under construction at the plaza and is expected to be finished by late 2026.