Experience a Surf City USA® Vacation

Huntington Beach epitomizes the Orange County lifestyle – laid back and stress-free. One of California's finest coastal communities, this 100-year-old city maintains a lively surf culture, acres of pristine nature preserves and more than eight miles of golden sand beaches framed by glistening ocean waves. Not only does Surf City USA® offer endless beach activities, it boasts shopping, dining and nightlife experiences that only an authentic beach town can provide.

Cowabunga! Surf's Up
Since the turn of the century, surfing has pervaded the very fabric of Huntington Beach, influencing what locals and visitors alike listen to, wear, eat and get around in. With 8.5 miles of coastline, Huntington Beach has the most consistent waves in Southern California. It has lured legendary surfing icons such as Duke Kahanamoku, Corky Carroll, Pete Townend, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado and Layne Beachley. The city hosts more than 30 national and international surfing championships each year, including the most widely attended North American surfing event, the US Open of Surfing® in July.

Life's a Beach
If the surf culture is the architecture of Huntington Beach, then the beaches are certainly the foundation upon which it's built: golden sand, fresh ocean breezes and waves that attract all types of water enthusiasts, from beginners to pros. Volleyball players, sun worshippers and families at play hit the beaches nearly every summer day, and when the sun goes down, beach bonfires light up the stretch of sand for miles.

Commonly considered one long, beautiful 8.5 mile stretch of shoreline, Huntington Beach is actually made up of three distinct segments: Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington City Beach and Huntington State Beach. The three beaches are connected by a continuous paved trail for walking, jogging, rollerblading and cycling with a view of the ocean.

Even dogs can spend the day at Huntington City Beach at a special section called "Dog Beach." Here two- and four-legged visitors can romp freely in the surf. It's not unusual to spot a tail wagging atop a surfboard as man and his best friend ride a wave in tandem.

Free Spirited and Forever Young!
What do you get when you combine more than 100 years of commerce with a free-spirited forever-young Surf City USA® attitude? The answer is one of the most hip downtowns on the planet – a blend of old architecture with a new Mediterranean style, where surfboards and bikinis are just as welcome as classic hot rods and gray hair. In the rush of people, sounds, and crisp salt air Huntington Beach brings out the kid in everyone.

Surf City USA® Dining for All Tastes
When it comes to cuisine, Huntington Beach offers just the right mix of eateries to satisfy everyone's taste buds, from a juicy hamburger on the beach and fish tacos at a sidewalk café, to steak and lobster atop a terrace with a sweeping ocean view. Huntington Beach is fast becoming a major force on the dining scene with new sophisticated upscale venues and trendy Surf City eateries. Duke's, one of Huntington Beach's most popular restaurants, pays homage to surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. Located at the foot of the pier, the restaurant offers Hawaiian-inspired cuisine and a museum-quality collection of surf memorabilia. No visit to downtown would be complete without a stop at Dwight's at the Beach, one block south of the pier on the boardwalk. Originally opened in 1932, this local institution has been going strong for more than 70 years. Dwight's continues to feed generation after generation of hungry beach-goers who come from near and far to sample the famous burgers, hot dogs and ice cream. The most popular menu item remains cheese strips, a mouth-watering blend of tortilla chips and cheddar cheese topped with a secret sauce. In fact, the sauce is so popular that Dwight's sells it by the quart and gallon to beachgoers who have enjoyed its unique taste for more than 40 years.

Surf City SCVNGR debuts in Huntington Beach
Ready ... set ... go! Let your Surf City SCVNGR Hunt begin! Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitors Bureau developed this fun new way to discover Surf City USA by using your smart phone.

Surf City SCVNGR is all about going places, doing challenges and earning points to unlock special badges and features, in addition to monthly prizes offered by Huntington Beach merchants. For instance, to earn points find the “Board Short Challenge” on your smart phone’s SVNGR application, go in to one of the local surf shops, try on a pair of their newest board shorts, strike your best surfer pose and snap a picture. Then upload your picture to that challenge’s page and score some points – it’s that simple! Check-in, take a photo, solve a riddle, scan a QR code, do an activity (like riding a Segway), etc... Challenges can also be played by those without smart phones, using SMS text and picture messages.

Walk on Water in Huntington Beach
The newest craze in water sports hits Huntington Beach – Stand-up Paddle Boarding. This sport, which involves paddling a large surfboard with an extended paddle to propel forward movement, actually first began in 1940s when famed Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku wanted to try something different other than traditional surfing or outrigger canoe racing.

An activity for all ages (the younger kids can actually sit on the board while an adult paddles), paddle boarding is much easier than it looks. Most beginners learn how to paddle board in the beautiful Huntington Beach Harbour, an enclosed harbor with little to no waves. More experienced paddle boarders will practice their sport out in the ocean with either shorter, more lightweight boards to catch waves as they would with a regular surfboard, or with the classic large paddle boards for paddling out past the waves to enjoy the amazing aquatic surroundings.

Rocky McKinnon, a local paddle boarder and board shaper taught by some of the most elite watermen in the world, champions the sport in Huntington Beach and teaches lessons at reasonable costs for small groups or families.

Surf City USA® -- the World’s Surf Capital
“Downtown Huntington Beach is the Times Square of the surfing world,” according to Hurley VP Paul Gomez, and he’s right. Surfing is integral to the very fabric of our community. With 8.5 miles of clean, sandy beaches and year-round dependable surf, “HB” is home to than 50 surf contests a year, including the Hurley US Open of Surfing (the largest surf contest in the world). Pro surfers including 2009 US Open Champions Brett Simpson and Courtney Conlogue make HB their home beach, and world fashion trends begin here with pivotal surf companies such as Quicksilver, Roxy and Surfline.

Catch a Wave at the U.S. Open of Surfing
Do you need one more reason to call Huntington Beach “Surf City USA”? How about the largest professional surfing competition in the world – The Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing!

Every year, Huntington Beach plays host to this week-long event that brings together top surfers from around the world, as well as pros in skateboarding, BMX biking and the newest additions to this beach festival – a fashion show filled with Southern California styles and a series of live concerts.

It’s Forever Summer with Events in Surf City USA!
Close your eyes and dream of Southern California and it looks just like Huntington Beach. Unlike other beach destinations, Surf City thrives throughout the year – not just in the summer months. Some would even say it’s an endless summer. All year-round, Huntington Beach plays host to hundreds of events and those don’t even include our surf contests! Professional volleyball and paintball to weekly street fairs and farmers markets, from food and wine festivals, to car shows, Surf City has it all, 365 days a year!