Imperial Beach Real Estate Info

Known affectionately to residents and familiar visitors as “Surfhenge,” the City of Imperial Beach was incorporated in 1956 and goes by the motto, “America’s Most South-Westernly City.” The small, 4.5-square mile community is located along the United States’ border with Mexico and hosts a population of 27,000 people. The entire metropolitan area, including the Mexican city of Tijuana, is almost five million people.

The recognizable Imperial Beach pier has been plastered across promotional materials, television, movies, reality shows, and magazines for years. The flagship of Imperial Beach extends into the Pacific Ocean and affords those who walk the length of the pier an impressive view of the San Diego shoreline, up north to the rest of California and down south to the coasts of Mexico. A pavilion at the end of the pier is a popular hang-out for Imperial Beach’s more adventurous residents. On breezy and sunny weekend evenings, dozens of people can be spotted pacing the pier and enjoying the sights of Imperial Beach life.

Imperial Beach was once known as a “biker town” for its rough atmosphere and seedy beachfront area in the 1970s but has since undergone a significant overhaul and makeover to become more visitor-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. The community has actually become one of the best places to live in Southern California. Today, surfing is one of the most popular activities in Imperial Beach, with most of it concentrated north and south of the Imperial Beach Pier. The once popular “Tijuana Sloughs” has been degraded by Mexican pollution and is being cleaned up as part of the “Clean Water Now” grassroots campaign aimed at reducing Mexico’s effects on Imperial Beach and the rest of San Diego County.

One of the community’s largest draws is the annual Sand Castles Event which attracts over 400,000 over the three day extravaganza. The event is the only one of its kind in California and brings together some of the world’s most experienced sculptors and sand molding professionals. Towering statues and exquisitely prepared models are some of the best sand creations to ever be made. The entire city of Imperial Beach essentially comes to a halt in order to attend the contest.

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