As insiders, SeeCalifornia.com staffers have lived in Huntington Beach "HB" for a whopping 40 years! When we think of quintessential California, we picture Huntington with its miles of sand, near-perfect year-round weather, and tourist attitude described by a famous band signing that you check out any time you want, but (in your heart & soul) you can never leave. Our city prides itself on keeping the sand clean so that anyone who visits (local or tourist,) will have a pleasant experience. One of our neighbors down the street is in charge of beach operations—and he's quite serious about doing things right.
When we first came to HB as tourists, we walked on the Pier, put our feet in the cold ocean water, and shopped downtown for jeans. The Huntington Beach Pier, among our 3 favorite things to see, is the most photographed icon in the city. It features a red-domed restaurant at the end of the pier, a souvenir gift store, a kite store, snack shop and restrooms. See Huntington Beach Pier photo gallery!
In addition to the beach, there is an approx. 9 mile paved cement path wide enough in most places for bicycle, roller blade, and jog traffic going both directions (north & south). As e-bikes (electric bikes) have gained popularity, the city has begun tackling issues of safety on the cement path regarding e-bikes. Best advice is to keep an eye on cross traffic and adhere to speed limits for your own saftey.
If you're into local news, our very own HB native, Chris MacDonald, maintains weekly newsletters as well as writing freelance for The Local News, Seal Beach Sun and other regional publications.
Huntington Beach, one of several "Surf City" destinations in California, is located in Orange County, one of the wealthiest counties in California and the densest. Three million residents live within the county bounds, while 200,000 give or take a few people reside in Huntington Beach. Some call it HB and some say Surf City. Many have never heard of it so we tell them it is near Disneyland. For tourists, HB makes a great home base for sight-seeing. You get the beach minus the craziness of Los Angeles.
Year round near-perfect climate is one of the trademarks of this city which was named in 1904 for the wealthy investor, Henry Huntington. Not to be confused with Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif., or Huntington Park in Los Angeles County, Huntington Beach is the seaside destination known for its beaches (Huntington City Beach, Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington State Beach and Sunset Beach).
The time-honored tradition of evening beach bonfires provide absolutely free fun for families, teens and all who come to HB. The city's west-facing beach waves offer enjoyable rides for surfers and bodyboarders. Visitors are invited to stop by lifeguard stations and ask about water conditions for their safety.
Huntington
Beach Events
Polar Plunge
Marathon
US Open Surfing & Beach Games
4th of July & Fireworks
Woodie Car Show
Surf City Nights
Event-driven like so many beach cities in Southern California where the weather is near perfect all year long, one weekly event is Surf City Nights Street Fair. Held each Tuesday evening on Main Street in downtown Huntington Beach, the event is a farmers market and includes vendor booths. Be sure to see all the things to do in Huntington Beach.
Try The Cheesecake Factory 7871 Edinger Ave. at Bella Terra shopping mall. Mexican food is abundant, with the likes of Mario's, Don Jose's, El Pollo Loco, Super Mex, e and Avila's El Ranchito among the many options. Pacific Rim and Asian options range from Sushi served on Main Street to Thai Wave and fast food faves such as Gong's. American classics include Woody's, In 'N Out burgers, Harbor House Cafe and Chic-Filet-A. Fast food and drive-thru options abound so you're going to please your palate 24/7 in food crazy HB.
Event driven like so many California beach cities are, Huntington Beach maintains a full calendar of events that include the 9-10 day US Open of Surfing in late July & early August, the largest 4th of July Parade west of the Mississippi, beach volleyball playoffs, and Surf City Nights, a weekly farmer's market and street fair held Tuesdays on Main Street. Most events in Huntington Beach are free to attend. See an excellent calendar of events for updates.
There's more to see and do in Huntington Beach, and the best way to get to know the place is by visiting and enjoying an excellent vacation.
Things to do:
Public art, surfing, nightlife, beaches, bicycling, Surf City Nights (each Tuesday), US Open of Surfing, shopping, dining, dog beach, Shipley Nature Center.
Adventure Playground is a summer attraction just for kids.
Resorts in Huntington Beach:
Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort is a four diamond resort with an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant and banquet rooms and ballroom seating approx. 500 people. It is located across the street from the beach and Pacific Ocean.
Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort is a four diamond resort with a full spa facility, outdoor swimming pool, 17 waterfalls and fountains, and bridge walkway to the beach and ocean. It has two restaurants on site, one cocktail lounge, and several gift shops. It also features small convention and conference facilities.
Unique Easter Services in California
US Open of Surfing Events Huntington Beach
*Estimated visitors to Huntington Beach, California is the City of Huntington Beach's best guess of attendance at beaches and is not the number of overnight guests staying at hotels. It also is not the standard visitor measurement of 50+ mile person trips. It's simply an estimate of how many people come to the city in a year.