Imperial Beach

Surf Guide

IB, as it's known, breaks year-round and can hold some of the best sandbars in San Diego County. Southwest swells are received better here than most any spot in central San Diego, making it a good summertime alternative to Mexico's beaches. Medium tides work best. The shape and location of sandbars vary: sometimes it's hotter near the pier, and sometimes it's better farther south. The very end of Seacoast Drive is a popular spot. There's plenty of public parking, and, south of that, sand and ocean to one side, and wetlands to the other. Note: OB is home to some of the dirtiest water in the country, to the point that it's been closed for multiple years at a time due to bacteria.