Spend the Day at Surf City USA!

This week I am highlighting my favorite places in Orange County (you can find the full list here).

Shopping?  Yes.  Good food?  Absolutely.  Nightlife?  Oh yeah.  Huntington Beach, also known as Surf City, has so much to offer it’s almost impossible to do everything in one day.  Whenever I visit, I usually end up spending most of my time on Main Street (map) , the Pier (map), and the beach in between.

Main Street

Main Street is comprised of shops and restaurants.  And by shops, I mean mostly surf shops.  Considering that Huntington Beach’s nickname is Surf City USA, this hardly comes as a surprise.  For traditional beachwear, 5th Street Surf Shop, Huntington Surf and Sport, and Jack’s Surfboards are some of the most popular stores, but there is also the Electric Chair, which features retro and indie clothing styles.

The restaurants on Main Street are very diverse, giving hungry diners a wide variety to choose from.  The list below features just a few of the choices:

Habana Cabana – Cuban
Fred’s Mexican Cafe – Mexican
No Ka Oi – Hawaiian
Tuna Town – sushi
Longboard Restaurant & Pub – wide variety of traditional American restaurant food

Nightlife on Main Street is some of the best around!  Try Perq’s Nightclub for the oldest Rocks and Blues house in Orange County featuring live bands on Friday and Saturday night.  Many of the restaurants that are good during the day get even better at night.  Go to the HB Brewing Company to throw back some local brews, or to Fred’s for the amazing ocean view.   For the more traditional bar scene Baja Sharkeez is a good bet.

The Pier

The pier itself is 1800 feet long, making it the longest municipal pier in California.  Here you will find souvenir stands, fisherman, and Ruby’s Diner.  It is a landmark, and the beaches next to the pier are home to the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball competition in May, as well as the US Open of Surfing in July.  The bike path at the end of the pier, that follows the Pacific Coast Highway, is a great place to run, walk, bike, rollerblade, or just people watch.

Another thing that I love about the Pier area of Huntington Beach is it’s proximity to Pier Plaza and the Dog Beach.  Pier Plaza is an outdoor amphitheater  (located on the beach near the pier) that is also home to the weekly Farmer’s Market and Art Fair every Friday, and the start/end point for a roller blading “Fun Roll” every Saturday morning.  The Dog Beach (map)  is a one mile stretch of beach where dogs are allowed to romp in the sand and frolic in the water off-leash.  Definitely recommended for dog owners!

I’ve mentioned some of my favorite spots in Huntington Beach, but what are yours?

Photo Credits:
Main Street – Flickr
Pier – Flickr