Huntington Beach

[disneymom-3]

It seems alot of you like Huntington Beach. Can someone tell me what it offers -- stores, washroom facilities, surf lessons, that sort of thing. I have two teenagers that want to take surf lessons. Thanks

 

[MsYumiBr]

I really don't know about the teens, but I do know there is a Mom's Surf Club in Huntington Beach.

 

[disneymom-3]

Can anyone provide more info?

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Main Street has stores and food places. Some surf shops, some touristy shops, a bunch of restaurants (Sugar Shack is amazing) and some snack places.

There are public washrooms on the beach, I believe you can sign up for surf lessons at the snack bar. There is a Dukes on the beach, and a Rubys at the end of the peir.

 

[disneymom-3]

Thanks. This area you are talking about, is it right at Huntington Beach Pier? Sorry but I'm not familiar with the area at all.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Yes, right at the Peir.

 

[almostGoofy]

It seems alot of you like Huntington Beach. Can someone tell me what it offers -- stores, washroom facilities, surf lessons, that sort of thing. I have two teenagers that want to take surf lessons. Thanks

Huntington Beach is made up of three beaches which, together, offers 8.5 miles of continuious beach. From south to north is Huntington State Beach, Huntington City Beach and Bolsa Chica. Restrooms, as well as outdoor shower sprays to rinse the sand off, are conveniently located near the pay parking lots, with the exception of the small meter parking lots along Pacific Coast Highway near Goldenwest. During the late spring thru early fall, you can find fire pits; just bring wood, matches, and food and you'll be set for a winnie roast or smores. During the winter months, most of the fire pits, as well many of the lifeguard stations, are gathered up but you will still be able to find a few fire pits on the beach. They tend to be near the RV camping areas.

Shopping: you'll find restaurants and shops along Main Street and a few of the connecting side streets. Shops tend to be more oriented to the youth; a lot of trendy surf/beach wear and other youth fashions, a t-shirt shop or two, skate boarding and surfing equipment and quite a few restaurants. Oh, there are movie theaters on the second floor across from the beach too. Wahoo's is a popular, inexpensive place to eat best know for their fish tacos. There use to be a Color Me Mine ceramic painting store but I'm not sure if it's still there anymore. There will be a few other stores to pop into for gifts but the main shopping is only about two to three blocks on Main Street. On the north end of the shopping is an excellent vegeterian Asian restaurant, Bhodi Tree. And this is coming from a woman who's favorite food is prime rib.

As for surf lessons, here's a link: http://surfcityusa.com/surf-vacations/. If you stay at the Hyatt resort in Huntington Beach, they have a kids club geared to teenagers where you can take surf lessons or go for one of their teenage spa packages.

 

[Pinboys]

almostGoofy, great info on Huntington Beach. Can you give any info on Newport Beach? In your opinion, which one would best suit a group of teens that have some that love the beach and others that love to shop and not so much into the beach thing. Yep, trying the impossible maybe to make all happy.

Is there a parking charge at both Huntington and Newport Beach. Do both have a pier? Are there any websites that give some info on both of these beach areas?

Thanks!!

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

From personal lifelong experience, Huntington has more things to do then Newport. Main St. at Huntington will satisfy the shoppers and the beach will make the beach-goers happy.

Huntington Beach has a peir with a Rubys at the end.

http://surfcityusa.com/ has info.

 

[sarawr]

My boyfriend and I just got back from our DL trip last night and spent yesterday (Sunday) at Huntington Beach.

We actually took the OCTA bus down from our hotel in Anaheim - took four buses and an hour and a half each way, but it was worth it. For prairie-based Canadians like us no trip to California would be complete without an afternoon at the beach.

It's a very quaint place. Lots of little shops on the street in the center of town across from the pier. I wish we would have had more time to shop! Very nice atmosphere when we were there - fun crowd, and we felt safe. There were plenty of restaurants across the road from the beach. I think I saw a movie theatre as well.

The beach was expansive - you could spend a long time walking it. It was fairly clean. Very photogenic. Lots of lifeguard posts but being the off season, they were unmanned. In the winter there is a lifeguard truck that makes rounds up and down the beach. There were still lots of firepits on the upper area of the beach.

There were quite a few washrooms set behind the beach - long buildings divided into many single person units with with weird stainless steel basin toilets. I wouldn't call them clean but they were certainly usable. There were also washrooms on the pier itself.

The beach volleyball courts (of which there were many, along one side of the pier) were almost completely full with swimsuit-ed players, even in January! I guess you can bring your own ball, or rent one. Looked like fun.

The water was really cold this time of year and nobody was swimming (besides my crazy boyfriend ), but the water was thick with surfers. We spent a lot of time watching them. We noticed a few shops that advertise lessons along the beach. The Huntington Beach website has a list of companies who do lessons.

We went to Ruby's on the end of the pier for lunch. We asked for a window table and enjoyed some pretty good diner burgers and fries with a nice view of the ocean.

I think it was a great day trip. I'd definitely do it again.

Good luck with your planning!

 

[almostGoofy]

almostGoofy, great info on Huntington Beach. Can you give any info on Newport Beach? In your opinion, which one would best suit a group of teens that have some that love the beach and others that love to shop and not so much into the beach thing. Yep, trying the impossible maybe to make all happy.

Is there a parking charge at both Huntington and Newport Beach. Do both have a pier? Are there any websites that give some info on both of these beach areas?

Thanks!!

I'm afraid I don't know as much about Newport Beach but here's a website that might help: http://www.beachcalifornia.com/cities.html. Just scroll down to Orange County beaches and you can click on Newport Beach as well as Huntington Beach. Both have piers but Huntington's is longer and more prominent.

Parking at Huntington Beach is either metered next to the pier plaza and Main St. and along Pacific Coast Highway. It's a $1.50/hr. There is plentiful parking right next to the beach in the pay parking lots. County beaches it's $10/day, the city beach, is $12/day. I've been to the Fun Zone in Newport Beach with my kids and remember parking to be a bit of a pain at that location. Street metered parking with not a lot of pay parking lots.

For a group of teens, I think Huntington Beach might be the way to go because of it's youth oriented shops in the downtown area. If you choose to go to Huntington Beach, you might want to choose a Friday. In the afternoons, there is a Farmers market and craft fair every Friday except during special events like surfing competitions.

You could drop off the shopers at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and take the others to the beach. Not sure what the distance is between the mall and the beach. For that matter, you could drop off the shoppers on your way to Huntington Beach at the Westminster Mall which is right off the 405 fwy. at the Goldenwest exit. Go south on Goldenwest for another 10 mins. and you'll hit the beach but will want to turn left to get to the downtown area where the pier is.

Also check out the sticky at the top "Other things to do in the area..." There's a thread on beaches.

 

[Maria395712]

any nice hotels at or across from the beach in huntingdon beach nice ones like disney on site ones. how far to san diego attractions from there
maria

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

any nice hotels at or across from the beach in huntingdon beach nice ones like disney on site ones. how far to san diego attractions from there
maria

The DIS has a really nice write-up on the Hyatt Regency at Huntington Beach with pictures. You might want to check it out.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/disneyland-resorts/Hyatt-Regency-Huntington-Beach.htm