Ideal Itineraries

WHETHER YOU’RE IN TOWN OVERNIGHT or have more time to spare, seeking an adrenaline-filled adventure or wanting something more laidback, use these itineraries as inspiration for planning your trip.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY DAY 1

BY DANIELLE BAUTER

Start the day off right with breakfast at Sugar Shack Café (hbsugarshack.com), which serves traditional American favorites like pancakes and omelets. Known among locals as a surfer hangout, the café offers great food at affordable prices. In the afternoon, explore downtown by taking a self-guided tour of Historic Downtown Huntington Beach, or let Visit Huntington Beach (surfcityusa.com) be your expert guide, available twice per month. Don’t forget to check out the city’s newest shopping and dining destination, Pacific City (gopacificcity.com), which often hosts outdoor movie nights and live music. Enjoy the sunset with a bonfire and delicious s’mores by the Huntington Beach Pier. The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel (waterfrontresort.com) offers beachgoers butler service with its Waterfront Adventures amenities, or you can bring your own firewood and skewers.

Day 2

After a light breakfast at Banzai Bowls (banzaibowls.com), take a surf lesson at one of the many accredited surfing schools, like McKinnon Surf & SUP Lessons (mckinnonsurfandsuplessons.com), or spend the day at Huntington Beach State Park, which has a wide beach and plenty of activities for families, including swimming, surfing, volleyball, and hiking. In the afternoon, rent stand-up paddleboards and explore Huntington Harbour, a scenic and peaceful waterway, or visit the Huntington Beach Art Center (huntingtonbeachartcenter.org), which showcases the work of local and regional artists and offers classes and workshops for all ages. For dinner, enjoy contemporary American cuisine at Watertable (watertablehb.com), the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa’s signature restaurant. Afterwards, sneak in a dip in the hotel’s pool or jacuzzi before bedtime.

Outdoors Lover

Day 1

Visit the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a protected wetland area that is home to many species of birds, fish, and other wildlife. You can take a guided tour or explore on your own. In the afternoon, rent bikes and ride south along Huntington Beach Bike Trail, which runs along the beach for more than eight miles and offers a scenic, breezy ride. Have dinner at Sandy’s Beach Shack (sandysbeachshack.com), which is located directly on the Huntington Beach boardwalk and offers a variety of seafood dishes. Then enjoy live music at SeaLegs at the Beach (sealegsatthebeach.com), a beachfront restaurant and wine bar that offers great atmosphere and entertainment.

Day 2

Spend the morning at the beach, where you can swim, surf, sunbathe, or play volleyball. Take a whale watching cruise with Davey’s Locker (daveyslocker.com) in nearby Newport Beach, which offers daily excursions to see gray whales, blue whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals. Dine at Pacific Kitchen (prjktgroup.com) at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, which has an outdoor patio that is a great place to enjoy the sunset while savoring your meal. Pacific Kitchen features a variety of dishes made from locally-sourced ingredients, including fresh seafood and organic produce.

Keeping Count

In 2022, Davey’s Locker reported seeing more than 2,100 whales including humpbacks, gray whales, and orcas during its popular fishing trips and whale watching cruises.

Staycation Day 1

Grab a coffee and pastry from Philz Coffee (philzcoffee. com), and then head to one of HB’s resort pools, such as the Paséa Hotel & Spa (paseahotel.com)....In the afternoon, see what the town is all about by taking a bike out for a spin. Pedego Electric Bikes (pedegoelectricbikes. com) are the perfect way to get around by using the built-in electric motor or pedal assist. Cruise along the beach’s paved bike path stopping at Dog Beach to meet a friendly pup or two….End your day at BLK Earth Sea Spirits (blkearthseaspiritshb.com), which is situated above Pacific Coast Highway close to the Pier, and indulge in kobe style beef hand-cut steaks and seafood.

Day 2

Have a light and healthy breakfast at Pacific Hideaway (pacifichideawayhb.com) within the Kimpton Shorebreak Resort. Its flavorful small plates and family-style platters will fuel the body, and everything tastes better on the oceanview patio with killer views of the Pier. In the afternoon, stop by Golden Road Brewing for a beer tasting and lunch at the recently-renovated Peter’s Landing (peterslandinghb.com), a retail and dining development in Sunset Beach. End the day in an indulgent way by private cruise through the picturesque Huntington Harbour with Prince Charters (princechartersllc.com). With your own private, fully-restored vintage yacht or classic wood boat with a licensed captain, you’ll cruise the waters while enjoying wine, craft beer, and bites on board.

24 Hours To Go

Rent a bike or electric scooter in the morning, and explore the city’s landmarks and attractions, including the Pier and Huntington Central Park. In the afternoon, visit the International Surfing Museum (huntingtonbeachsurfingmuseum.org), which showcases the history of surfing and has exhibits on famous surfers around the world. Afterwards, have lunch at Duke’s Huntington Beach (dukeshuntington.com), which is named after famous surfer Duke Kahanamoku and offers a Hawaiian-inspired menu.