Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center

The Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center is located in Imperial Beach, California, and serves as a nature education center. The center provides information about the nature and wildlife of the Reserve, trail maps, and materials for bird watching. Visitors can explore the center and learn about the estuary's unique features, including how plants get rid of salt and which birds are threatened and endangered.

The Visitor Center features a diorama that showcases the estuary's ecosystem, with a three-tiered look at the estuary - under water, on the land, and in the air. The diorama contains many of the estuary's bird inhabitants, invertebrates, and fish. Children can engage with interactive activities, such as climbing into a Ridgway's Rail nest, assembling a food chain, or probing for food like a shorebird.

The center also has a gift shop, the Clapper Rail Nest Gift Shop, which offers a variety of items, including tee shirts, hats, books, cards, children's nature toys, and local artist creations. The gift shop is a great place to find unique gifts, and all proceeds go to the Friends of San Diego Wildlife Refuges. Visitors can also borrow binoculars for free to explore the trails and do some birding.

The Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center is part of the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, which preserves, protects, and manages the natural and cultural resources of the Tijuana River Estuary. The Reserve is a partnership between the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of California, and is operated by staff from California State Parks, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the non-profit Tijuana Estuary Foundation.

Visitors can access the center by taking the I-5 South/North, exiting at Coronado Avenue, and following the directions to the center. Parking is free, and the center is located at 301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach, CA 91932.