Get in Touch with Your Inner Beach

WITH 10 MILES OF COASTLINE DIVIDED INTO FIVE WORLD-CLASS BEACHES, WHAT MORE

COULD A BEACHGOER WANT?

SURFING, SWIMMING, PADDLE BOARDING , beach volleyball—Surf City USA® offers activities for virtually every personality. Whether you crave adventure or prefer to keep things more low-key, let’s find the right beach for you.

The Social Butterfly

Huntington State Beach

If you regularly bask in the spotlight (or sunlight, as the case may be), then Huntington State Beach may just be your ideal beach. Sprawling over 121 acres, Huntington State Beach boasts beach volleyball and basketball courts, a paved beach path, barbecue grills, and picnic

BY DANIELLE BAUTER

ramadas. It restricts surfing in select areas during high season, making the beach a popular spot for swimmers, body surfers, and boogie boarders.

Huntington State Beach is also a great spot for birdwatching, and while you’re there you can wave hello to the Huntington Beach Wetlands across Pacific Coast Highway. Feeling hungry? Visit The Huntington Beach House for a waterfront champagne brunch with live DJ entertainment, grab a slice of custom pizza at Sahara Sandbar & Pizza, or devour a burger and fries at Zack's Too Open yearround, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and the parking lot closes at 9 p.m. Along Pacific Coast Hwy. between Beach Blvd. and the Santa Ana River jetty, 714.536.1454, parks.ca.gov

Rules Of The Sand

Glass is not allowed on the beach. Remember, people walk with bare feet.

Alcoholic beverages are also not permitted.

Barbecue grills must be 18 inches off the sand and within six feet of fire rings.

RV camping is allowed only in designated areas at Bolsa Chica and Huntington State Beach, as well as portions of Huntington City Beach.

Tent camping is prohibited due to local ordinances.

Bicycle riding and skateboarding are not allowed on the Pier. Stay on designated paved lanes.

Dogs are only allowed at Huntington Dog Beach. They are not permitted on the Pier or on other beaches.

Smoking is not allowed on the beaches or on the Pier.

The Family Vacationer

Bolsa Chica State Beach

At three miles long, Bolsa Chica State Beach provides the perfect backdrop for families who love to camp and be outdoors. From surfing, biking, fishing and volleyball, there is always something to keep the kids entertained. This sandy paradise is the ultimate playground during the day, and if you stay until dark, you’ll be treated to an evening lit up with beach bonfires.

Bolsa Chica State Beach is also a great backdrop for noshing on fresh California cuisine and sipping cocktails by the sea. With year-round RV camping, you can post up at SeaLegs at the Beach, which pours wine and beer and serves a champagne brunch. Other dining options: Beach City Provisions caters to RV campers and Pacific Kitchen offers sustainably-sourced fish and acai bowls. Open year-round, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and the parking lot closes at 9 p.m. Along Pacific Coast Hwy. from Warner Ave. to Seapoint St., 714.846.3460, parks.ca.gov

THE ACTION & ADVENTURIST

Huntington City Beach

This 3.5-mile stretch of sand sits in the shadow of the city’s majestic 1,850-foot long Huntington Beach Pier. Whether you surf or not, you’ll be mesmerized by the professional surfers who frequent the area, as they effortlessly glide across the waves. The beach is also the location of numerous special events, such as the U.S. Open of Surfing, the Pacific Airshow, and the annual 4th of July Celebration

This is an action-packed destination with some of the best surfing in California, and you’ll have access to volleyball courts, a paved beach path, and wheelchairaccessible Mobi Mats. There are bike, surfboard, and boogie board rentals available as well. After a full day of playing on the beach, gather around one of the fire rings for more adventure after dark. Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., metered parking is available along the highway and in lots north and south of the pier. Along Pacific Coast Hwy. between Goldenwest St. and Beach Blvd., 714.536.5281, huntingtonbeachca.gov

The Animal Lover

Huntington Dog Beach

If all dogs go to heaven, it probably looks like this place. As the name implies, Huntington Dog Beach is a dog-friendly beach where your furry friend can run free and frolic in the waves. The beach is a great spot for your dog to stretch his or her legs while you soak up the sun, and there are so many pawsome events here such as Corgi Beach Day and SoCal Wienerfest

Huntington Dog Beach has a worldwide reputation for being friendly and laid-back, and it’s affectionately called “Doggy Disneyland” for feeling like the happiest place on earth. Established in 1998 as a non-profit organization, it relies solely on donations from private citizens to fund the operating expenses, which includes providing doggie waste bags free of charge to all visitors. Restrooms and a picnic area with tables are available for use. Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Along Pacific Coast Hwy. between 21st St. and Seapoint St., dogbeach.org

The Peaceful Wanderer

Sunset Beach

One of Southern California’s most serene beaches, Sunset Beach is located in a charming seaside community that marches to the beat of its own drum. Considered a part of Huntington Beach since 2011, you’ll find a perfectlyprotected pocket of interesting shops, bars, restaurants, and layers of local lore.

After beach time, be sure to check out the selfguided Sunset Beach Walking Tour. From wild tales of Prohibition-era rum running to the complex network of coastal duck hunting lodges to the old red car that used to rumble through town, there are plenty of traces of the past to be discovered. Restrooms and outdoor showers are available. Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m, and parking is free. Along Pacific Ave. from Anderson St. to Warner Ave., 714.834.2400

Navigating The Water

Lifeguards of the city’s Marine Safety Division (103 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, 714-536-5281) are dedicated to ensuring that the beaches remain accident free. Here are some important safety tips to follow:

Check on conditions

Before entering the water, ask a lifeguard about water conditions. Daily updates for surfing conditions are available at 714-536-9303 and surfline.com

Swim sober

Alcohol is not allowed on the beach, and it increases the potential for drowning by lowering body temperature, encouraging risky behavior, and impairing physical ability.

Know your skill level

Don’t overestimate your swimming ability, especially on rough days. Stay ashore if you’re a non-swimmer.

Stay calm in rip currents Swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current, and then swim to the beach.

Swim near staffed lifeguard towers

Huntington Beach lifeguards are the best, and you’ll be much safer if they know where you are.

Stay in designated areas

Portions of the beach are set aside for swimming or surfing. Keep a safe distance from jetties and the Huntington Beach Pier.

For more information on all the best beaches in Huntington Beach, visit surfcityusa.com/things-to-do/beaches

Do the HB shuffle Shuffle your feet when you get into the ocean to scare away stingrays.

Extend a hand

When diving, body surfing, or wiping out on a surfboard, extend your hand in front of you to protect yourself in shallow, breaking water.

Swim with others

Use the buddy system so someone will always know where you are.

Surf in permitted areas

For swimmer safety, surfing is not allowed where a blackball flag is on display.