Huntington Beach has always been an icon of surfing culture, but now, it even has a legal verdict to back it up: it recently won a lawsuit to exclusive rights to the title Surf City USA.
Just look around the city, the surf culture is everywhere. The International Surfing Museum houses collections of surfing memorabilia and culture. The current exhibit Eddie Goes! featuring artifacts loaned by the family honors his role in the history of big wave surfing competition.
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame honors legends of surfing with imprints of their hands, feet and signatures in the sidewalk in front of Huntington Surf & Sport, similar to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Its centerpiece is a life-size bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing. International surf industry notables annually submit their choice for each of six categories – Surf Culture, Local Hero, Surf Pioneer, Surf Champion and Woman of the Year and Honor Roll winners are invited to an imprinting celebration.
Not knowing surfing is no excuse. Take lessons at Surf Lesson at Toes on the Nose Waterfront Adventures. The instructors guarantee that you will be able to stand up on your board by the end of the lesson. Rocky McKinnon offers lessons in Stand Up Paddle Boarding – a combination of paddling a canoe and surfing.
And certainly don’t let a lack of equipment or appropriate clothing and accessories hold you back: just stop by Huntington Surf & Sport, Jack’s Surfboards, Rip Curl, among a dozen surf shops that have led this area to be dubbed ‘the Times Square of Surfing’. Beach fashion brands Quicksilver and Roxy among others call it home.
The city calendar is chock full of surfing activities, which include the world’s largest pro surf contest – the US Open of Surfing every summer, among over 50 other surfing events theoughout the year. The weekly surf city nights on Tuesday turn the first three blocks of Main St into a pedestrian walkway with live music, a farmer’s market, children’s activity, craft and jewellery, and food samples.
Last summer Huntington Beach further cemented its surfing reputation by winning a place in the Guinness Book World Records for building the largest surfboard – 42 1/2 foot long, and for having the most – 66 people for ten seconds. The City’s record breaking surf board was recenly installed in front of the surfing museum in January. A Hawaiian priest blessed the installation in a Hawaiian ceremony replete with chants. The famous board just off the 405 and PCH, is expected to become a must stop selfie opportunity bringing visitors and revenues to the museum and the city. As the selfies go viral, they are expected to draw recognition for the town and cement the allure of its surf culture.
The city’s record-breaking biggest surfboard exploit was proudly documented in a film, The Biggest Board: Surf City USA’s Epic Ride, which was screened as part of board’s installation. The documentary got the attention of Visit California, which saw it as the embodiment of the California spirit; so Visit California will now be using clips from the film to sell the California allure to a global audience.
Of course there are plenty of other water sports here as well: OEX Sunset Beach offers a huge selection of kayaks and stand up paddle boards for fishing, fitness, or just having a good time. Duffy Boat Rental at Huntington Harbor Boat Rentals rents Duffy boats, stand-up paddle boards, and kayaks. Sunset Gondola offers a tour aboard imported Venetian Gondolas through Huntington Harbour and its beautiful canals with grand homes.
You can fish from the pier without a a license, and catch bass, halibut, mackerel, perch, sardines, shark or yellowfin croaker. The Let’s Go Fishing store will help you with proper gear.
20 Beach Volleyball courts cluster around the Pier, and the 10 miles of the Beach Ocean Strand is popular with joggers, skaters and bikers. You can watch the surters from the pier: in this city, even the dogs surf – at Dog Beach, where you might see a dog and his owner tandem surfing.
Walking buffs can head out to Central Park, which along with a host of city amenities also has the Shipley Nature Center with trails that meander through 18 acres devoted to native plants and animals representing local habitat from over a century ago. The 2.5 acre Urban Forest is another restored native habitat in the park that emphasizes trees along with ground vegetaion, birds and insects.
Bolsa Chica Wetlands and Ecological Reserve is a top national birding spot, attracting flocks migrating the Pacific Flyway between North and South America. Nearly 200 bird species are documented each year, including many rare and endangered species.
For retail therapy, there’s the Old World Village shopping, dining and entertainment center with hints of old Europe such as red tiled roofs, cobblestone walkways, polka music and about 70 murals depicting various European landscapes. For a more contemporary ambience, there’s the newly openend Pacific City with shops and eateries inspired by modern craftsman beach bungalows, patio dining, outdoor movie nights, and spaces to hang out and take in oceanfront view.
Restaurants abound on the pier and across PCH within convenient walking distance. Sandy’s on the Pier is great for seafood. BLK in the mall offers steak, seafood and salads. Slow Fish familiar from their Los Angeles has an extensive menu of salads, vegetables, seafood and a wide selection of sushi rolls, hamachi, tempuras, and is convenient to Bolsa Chica Wetlands.
When you’ve shopped till you drop, take in a spa treatment at Pacific Waters located in the Hyatt Regency Spa Courtyard with outdoor patios and lush landscape that will get you relaxing just walking over to the spa.
For Angelenos, the low key laid back beach town of Huntington Beach is a convenient weekend getaway. Hotels for overnighting include a Hyatt, a Hilton, and the boutique Kimpton. The Pasea Hotel & Spa with a spectacular oceanfront lobby and Balinese inspired decor is opening later this Spring.
