Imperial Beach City Beach and South Imperial Beach offer many activities including swimming, kitesurfing, bodysurfing, sailboarding, boogie boarding, biking paths, skimboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, wildlife watching, jet skiing, boating, beachcombing, and sunbathing. However, if you are planning to go in the water near Imperial Beach City Beach and Imperial Beach South Beach, we advise being careful as the water can have dangerous rip currents. The Imperial Beach Pier at Imperial Beach City Beach offers mesmerizing views of the Pacific Ocean and pier fishing spots and has a seafood restaurant. The Portwood Pier Plaza located near the pier also has public art work, picnic tables, and biking paths. The beach in Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge and Border Field State Park Beach do not offer any recreational aquatic activities as the water near the southern part of the Imperial Beach shoreline has high levels of microbial contamination due to the Tijuana River flowing into the Pacific Ocean here. These two beaches offer few activities including hiking, fishing (in Border Field State Park Beach), biking, and wildlife watching. There is a boardwalk on the beach in Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge which can be used to explore the Tijuana river estuary present here. There are walking and biking trails present near the beaches for exploring the vibrant biodiversity of the wetlands around the Tijuana River, which are present near the beaches. You can view more than 370 bird species present near these two beaches. A part of the beach near Border Field State Park is seasonally closed off to public access since it is the nesting spot for the rare western snowy plover, which is protected under the 1973 federal Endangered Species Act. The Monument Mesa present in Border Field State Park near the United States - Mexican Border features a grassy park, picnic areas, and barbecue spots making it ideal for family visits.