Huntington Beach [1] is in California. Once known as Pacific City, it started as the southern terminus of the Golden West railroad line.

Understand

Huntington Beach is world-famous as "Surf City", from the 1960's Jan and Dean surf rock song of the same name, and much of surfing culture started and continues to evolve there, from surfing styles to surfing apparel companies that started there.

The year round temperature averages 67 degrees F, and good weather can be found year-round. However, the months of January to March can be rainy.

Get in

Get around

OCTA Route 1* North and South runs along Pacific Coast Highway, servicing all of the Huntington's beaches, including the following. Routes 33 and 35 South directly run into Huntington State Beach. Routes 21** South, 70* West and 72 West end at Sunset Beach. Routes 25 South, 29 South, 172 West and 173** South all serve Huntington's downtown and its beach.

• *For route 1 North make sure that the banner reads Cal State Long Beach and not Newport Transportation Center. For route 70 make sure it reads Sunset Beach and not Goldenwest Transportation Center.
• **No service on weekends.

See

Huntington Beach boasts the largest unspoiled coastal wetlands in California, Bolsa Chica Wetlands, where many migratory birds stop and nest.

Do

Huntington Beach has some of the largest stretches of open-sand beaches in all of California, as well the Huntington Beach Pier (one of the longest concrete piers in the world), site of world-class surfing and volleyball events yearly.

Peak season is from late May to early September. The beaches on any given summer day may have as many as 500,000 visitors when it is particularly hot inland.

Shop

Huntington Surf and Sport 300 Pacific Coast Highway (Located off of Pacific Coast Highway and Main St).Surf accessories and apparel.

Buy

Downtown, or Main Street is a shopping and gathering place for residents and tourists alike, with sidewalk cafes, surf shops and live music all vying for attention.

Eat

Food and entertainment prices are moderate

• Sugar Shack Cafe, 213 1/2 Main St., Ph: (714) 536-0355. A favorite cafe for locals, famous in Huntington Beach for great breakfasts and amazingly low prices.
• Red Pearl Kitchen, 412 Walnut Ave., Ph: (714) 969-0224. This downtown restaurant is centered around Asian cuisine; Thai, Japanese and Chinese.
• Ruby's, Huntington Beach Pier, Ph: (714) 969-7829. A great place for family with 50s diner feeling and great hamburgers, hotdogs and milkshakes.
• Islands, 7861 Edinger Ave, Ph: (714) 897-4619. A Californian chain, this is a great place for family, serving hamburgers, salads, and hotdogs.
• Chronic Tacos, 328 11th Street, Ph: (714) 960-0339, Fax: (714) 960-0094. Located a few blocks from downtown, this place offers a full menu of extremely tasty tacos, burritos, and other Mexican cuisine served from behind a counter. Prices for a giant burrito are around $5.50 (includes guacamole, cheese, meat, and a choice of other fillings). Two pool tables are also available for $0.75 per game.

Drink

Sleep

There are accommodations from beach campgrounds to five-star resorts along the Pacific. The beach campgrounds are open year round and usually full.

• Best Western Huntington Beach Inn, 800 Pacific Coast Highway, +1 714 536-7500, Fax: +1 714 536-6846, [2].
• Best Western Regency Inn, 19360 Beach Boulevard, +1 714 962-4244, Fax: +1 714 963-4724, [3].

Stay safe

Crime is very low for such a large city, and violent crime is very rare.

Get out