Swimming in Imperial Beach (San Diego, Chula Vista: hotel, Home Depot, restaurants)

[LamarOdomsDealer]

Is the water as disgusting as people have told me it is?

[RosieSD]

It is fine when the weather is dry. After a heavy rain, portions can be closed to swimming. You can check the water quality for all San Diego beaches (updated daily) here: County of San Diego Beach Water Quality

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by LamarOdomsDealer

Is the water as disgusting as people have told me it is?

Depends on the day, as Rosie points out. It's constantly cleaning and refreshing, so it can change to one way or the other in as little as a day or two.

[RosieSD]

Funny how no one ever asks how the water is at the Silver Strand or Coronado Beach, but they are just a few miles from IB, and sometimes have water issues too.

I'm not much of an ocean swimmer, but IB is one of my favorite walking beaches in San Diego. It's seldom crowded, the people there are friendly and down to earth, and I see far less trash there than I do on more popular beaches (like PB for instance). I like that when I walk around on the beach or pier there people stop to say hello and chat with me. I've said this before, but to me, as you get closer to the pier area, IB sort of reminds me of what MB/OB/PB were 30 years ago, before they got all touristy.

By the way, you can bring your dog (on leash) on the beach at the south end of Seacoast Drive, and walk for a couple of miles. I like bringing my dog there because there aren't too many dogs, so I don't have to worry about my old girl getting knocked over by rowdy pups. If you don't bring your dog, stop in for a sunset drink at Sea180 in the new Marriott. On the patio, you are literally "in the sand" and have a great view of the pier.

[LamarOdomsDealer]

I actually considered the move to Imperial Beach! You get a lot of bang for your buck, near the beach, and it's a 30 minute commute to and from work. The reason I didn't do it was because the shopping and restaurants to me seems very limited for what I like. The only normal supermarket seems to be some place called Wally's lol? It also seemed a bit removed from San Diego to me. I've only been to IB once and it seemed to have character although run down.

I've seen pictures and reviews on Yelp of the beach and people said awful things about swimming there and said sewage is in there frequently.

[Ilovepahrump]

In my opinion, the water issues are overblown. I go there about once a week. Only once have I seen it closed. I'm not much of a swimmer, but I do enjoy walking in the water and going into the water to look at the crabs/tidepools by the rocks. The water doesn't look or smell like anything different. Exactly the same as Coronado. Lots of surfers and kids swimming, including my own. It's a great place!

[RosieSD]

Whatever you do, you don't want to shop at Wally's. There have been loads of articles about how they were found to sell their meat well after the expiration date.

But, they're building a new mall in Imperial Beach that is going to bring more new businesses into IB, including a supermarket (Grocery Outlet) and a Starbucks.

The area close to the Pier/Seacoast Drive has become very nice in recent years. If you've only been down there once a few years ago, the next time you are looking for a date spot, ask them to take you to Sea180 for a drink around sunset. But, it is true that IB still has a ways to go until the entire city can be called "upscale." Actually, I hope it never gets to that point; I like it the way it is now.

As for Yelp, sometimes reading too many online opinions from strangers is counter productive. I prefer to make my own judgments about businesses and places the old fashioned way. I give them a try and see what I think --- it's more fun that way.

[Tulemutt]

Wally's sucks. Confirmed.

IB is - very unfortunately IMO - undergoing an upscaling transformation. Developers have bought up a lot of the properties and some new hotel and residence projects are getting underway now. Your reasonably priced opportunities are fast disappearing, if they remain at all now. Damn shame. When I first came to Coronado as a Navy airman in the mid-late 60's IB was a complete sleepy border beach town - without a crossing. Breaks my heart to see it go the way of the gentrified money. I'm still there a lot because I have a slip for one of my boats at the Navy marina up the Strand a ways. Nice still, while it lasts.

[LamarOdomsDealer]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Wally's sucks. Confirmed.

IB is - very unfortunately IMO - undergoing an upscaling transformation. Developers have bought up a lot of the properties and some new hotel and residence projects are getting underway now. Your reasonably priced opportunities are fast disappearing, if they remain at all now. Damn shame. When I first came to Coronado as a Navy airman in the mid-late 60's IB was a complete sleepy border beach town - without a crossing. Breaks my heart to see it go the way of the gentrified money. I'm still there a lot because I have a slip for one of my boats at the Navy marina up the Strand a ways. Nice still, while it lasts.

I could see that. If I were to own, I actually think IB is the way to go. I just couldn't see myself not not being within a a few miles from a major grocery store or a Walmart/Target.

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by LamarOdomsDealer

I could see that. If I were to own, I actually think IB is the way to go. I just couldn't see myself not not being within a a few miles from a major grocery store or a Walmart/Target.

There's a Wal-Mart in the Southland Plaza (Saturn Ave.) right where Palm Avenue sits up against the I-5. That's just a few miles from the IB beach downtown. There's also a Home Depot there, a Big-5, a CVS, and a Von's Grocery.

There's a Target not far over in Chula Vista.