One of the benefits of living in a city for a long time is that you get to know the secret spots. Especially in a city with heavy tourism, it’s fun to go off-the-beaten path. One of those places for me in San Diego is Imperial Beach.

Imperial Beach (IB) is literally right next to Mexico as it is the most southwestern city in the States. You can see the border from the beach; put your foot just over it and be in two places at once!

Slowly but surely, this beach town has been growing and expanding. However the city seems to be careful about any planning so nothing is happening too fast. There is a great restaurant there called Sea 180 and also the Coronado Brewing Company. At the southern end of the beach, just right across the street, is the Tijuana Estuary. One of the last saltwater marshes left in Southern California.

This morning, my good friend Terri drove me down south so we could have some fish tacos on the pier and take a nice stroll along the Pacific. At the end of the pier is a little place called the Tin Fish. The food is good (we had the fish taco plate) and it’s nice to eat right above the ocean; alongside fisherman and families just enjoying the day.

It was beautiful outside and it made me think that IB is what California used to be like before things got too commercial and expensive. There is a chill vibe that is just so California; no one is in a hurry, it’s quiet and relaxed.

If you happen to find yourself in San Diego, you might want to go off-the-beaten path and visit Imperial Beach. Just be prepared to relax, stroll, and chill… California style.

References
Sandiego.org,. “Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center”. N.p., 2015. Web. 28 Dec. 2015.