Huntington Beach during US Open of Surfing?

[720L]

We are taking 1 day to go see the Pacific Ocean/sightseeing before going to DL. We will be there during the surfing competition......wondering if it will be insanely busy & we should choose another beach?

 

[SteveMP]

Depends. Do you like surfing and insane crowds? What exactly do you want to see/do at the beach?

 

[720L]

We want to spend the day there....walk along the beach, maybe see surfing (an hour would be fine not all day) and a good place to eat. Or will all the restaurants be swamped?

 

[SteveMP]

We want to spend the day there....walk along the beach, maybe see surfing (an hour would be fine not all day) and a good place to eat. Or will all the restaurants be swamped?

If you really like surfing and don't mind the crowds I'm sure you can have fun as long as you take Uber or a cab there. Just put your name in an hour or so before you get hungry or make a reservation.

 

[DLgal]

Parking will be a nightmare. All the local beaches get like that in the summer. If you REALLY want to watch surfing, you will have to get there early. You won't be able to just walk up and down the beach...I believe they set up bleachers and close off portions of the beach for this event. It's a HUGE draw.

I would recommend hitting up Newport Beach instead. Head towards Balboa pier. There are a ton of little shops and restaurants there and a really nice scenic walk. I would recommend a weekday, early (around 9 or 10am arrival), as parking can be a challenge and a half on weekends. The area nearer the Newport Harbor has some nice, higher end restaurants if you are looking for that.

 

[720L]

Will we be able to walk down the pier on Huntington Beach or is that blocked too? Will we even be able to get to the water? We are renting a car, is traffic horrible? We will be there July 31. We are also considering Seal Beach.

 

[DLgal]

Will we be able to walk down the pier on Huntington Beach or is that blocked too? Will we even be able to get to the water?

No. Probably not on both counts. This is a 9 day festival, essentially. I'm not even 100% sure that people will be allowed in the water in the designated festival area (which is HUGE). It's not even just about surfing. There is skateboading and BMX events as well. There is literally a skate park and BMX arena being constructed ON the beach, right now.

Honestly, if a nice day at the beach is what you are after, go to Newport. It is literally the neighboring beach city just south of Huntington Beach. You can have a wonderful day at a beach which is, IMO, a lot prettier and cleaner than HB. And it has two piers you can walk down.

Oh, and you can see plenty of surfers there too. There are some Pacific storms churning up waves here lately. Go to The Wedge in Newport Beach. It's just south of the Balboa Pier and is a well-known spot for HUGE waves and some great surfing.

 

[DLgal]

Will we be able to walk down the pier on Huntington Beach or is that blocked too? Will we even be able to get to the water? We are renting a car, is traffic horrible? We will be there July 31. We are also considering Seal Beach.

Eh, Seal Beach isn't very scenic. It's sort of industrial up that way.

Traffic WILL be horrible in Huntington Beach for sure. It will be extremely frustrating trying to find parking as a non local, I promise. Honestly, go SOUTH, not north. OC's best beaches are between Newport Beach and San Clemente. I would not steer you wrong here. We live here and go to Newport almost every week. It's amazing! Ask me how often we go to Huntington Beach? Hint: Never.

 

[720L]

Thank you so much! If you have any other suggestions on things to do/ places to eat to get a California experience in 1 day I would love it! Our main goal: touch the Pacific Ocean LOL. Oh and DH wants to walk on a pier. Without straying far from Disneyland.

 

[SteveMP]

I'd also recommend Newport Beach. The drive around is sometimes pretty bad in and out of there, but you can also drive into Balboa Island(balboa island is fun to walk around too but parking can be hard)and take the ferry across. They have a beach carnival type area with arcade, games, restaurants, shops etc, a beach and pier to walk around. And a marina you can watch ships coming in and out of. That is where I leave for Catalina island.

 

[720L]

I want to see a tide pool.

 

[SteveMP]

I want to see a tide pool.

Hmmm, only ones i have been to there are Dana Point and Crystal Cove. Crystal cove is not too far from Newport.

 

[DLgal]

I want to see a tide pool.

This might be tricky. You need to do that at low tide, which is EARLY. There are great tide pools just south of Corona del Mar main beach, although the beach itself isn't as nice as it used to be. There is a LOT (a LOOOOT) of seaweed and sea grass in the water nowadays. Also, Corona del Mar has no pier. You won't get piers and tide pools at the same beach. Although, parking at Coronado del Mar is very straightforward (if not expensive) and it's easy to get there.

My recommendation is either try and go to Newport Beach Main Pier and jockey for a parking spot off 26th Avenue OR head further south towards Balboa Pier along Balboa Blvd and park in the large municipal lot off Palm Street. There you will have a glorious wide stretch of beach with clear blue water, facilities, and a large selection of shops and restaurants to choose from.

What kind of "California" food are you looking for? The staple CA beach food is fish tacos. But I don't know what type of food you had in mind. I can recommend a fantastic Mexican restaurant, but it's kinda high end. You wouldn't walk in there in beach attire, for example, but there is no shortage of super casual places to eat where that would be totally fine, so let me know what you are after.

 

[720L]

DLgal: DH says fish & chips, I'm up for anything. I have 2 teenagers who don't care either but would probably prefer a more casual restaurant.

 

[SteveMP]

DLgal: DH says fish & chips, I'm up for anything. I have 2 teenagers who don't care either but would probably prefer a more casual restaurant.

Fish and chips? So London pub food? Lol. I seem to remember fish and chips at a place near the pizza place we usually get pizza at. Let me see if I can find it. I don't remember names as I usually just walk around looming at menus until something looks/sounds good.

 

[720L]

Fish and chips? So London pub food? Lol. I seem to remember fish and chips at a place near the pizza place we usually get pizza at. Let me see if I can find it. I don't remember names as I usually just walk around looming at menus until something looks/sounds good.

Yes lol....well we are by the ocean so it should be fresh right . Pizza is good to. I'm just not sure about fish tacos. I guess the only thing I have heard about CA food is you guys have "real" Mexican food.

 

[PHXscuba]

Normally I'm the first to say "Huntington," but unless you want to specifically watch the surfing competition, I'd avoid it. I'd go for Balboa, which is charming and fun to walk around, plus has a pier and restaurants available. You can rent bikes to tool around the beach path.

PHXscuba

 

[oakleycat]

With what you're wanting, definitely avoid Huntington during the surf competition. It's a fun event but there will be no parking, tons of traffic, packed/closed off beaches and long waits for food. Go to Newport like everyone suggested, or Corona del Mar for the tide pools.

 

[720L]

Well we went to Huntington first to try it, we figured we would just leave & go to Newport if it was too busy. It was fine! We arrived around 10am, walked around, had lunch, watched some surfing & shopped. Thanks for everyones advice!