Huntington Beach Events features a full calendar of events with hundreds of events and things to do. Some are available every day of the year. At the beach you can surf, watch birds at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands nature trails, jog, bicycle or skate on the 8.5 mile path that parallels the beach, yet staying off the busy Pacific Coast Highway. A short distance from the Pacific Ocean visitors can ride horse rentals on trails in Central Park, play Frisbee Disc Golf for an affordable fee, enjoy the popular Meadowlark (public) Golf Club, Dog Beach, Dog Park, Huntington Beach Sports Complex with baseball and soccer fields, Huntington Beach Playhouse, go fishing, build a bonfire, fly a kite, kite surf and shop.
FACTS:
- WOODY: The official car of Huntington Beach is the woody!
- TREE FRIENDLY CITY: Huntington Beach is a Tree Friendly City
- WETLANDS: Huntington Beach has a significant wetlands area for bird migrations.
- BEACH RESORT CONFERENCES: Huntington Beach features the largest beach resort conference facilities in Orange County at Hyatt Regency HB Resort & Spa.
- 11 - 15 MILLION VISITORS: Tourism attracts millions of beach-goers annually.
- 9.3 MILES OF BEACHES: According to Google Maps, Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach combined contain 9.3 miles of beach frontage on Pacific Coast Highway between Brookhurst St. and Anaheim Bay Bridge next to Simple Green.
- 5th LONGEST PIER IN CALIFORNIA: The iconic HB Pier is the most photographed landmark.
Weekly events at the beach and beyond include swap meets, art fairs, Farmer's Market every Friday at the Huntington Beach Pier, car shows every Saturday and visits to Shipley Nature Center at Central Park open regularly. With so much to see and do, it's hard to stay inside. Grab your suitcase, your friends and family and see what's happening in Huntington Beach, California. For other cities and destinationsin California.
LOCATION: Huntington Beach is located on the West Coast of the United States in Southern California, 40 miles (60km) south of downtown Los Angeles and approx. 90 miles (145km) north of San Diego. The beach destination in the County of Orange ranks as the fourth largest city in that county with a population of just under (close to 194,000.) Its beach assets include 9.3 miles of public beaches that attract over 15 million visitors per year. Huntington Beach is surrounded to the west by the Pacific Ocean and is bounded by cities Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Fountain Valley, Westminster, and Costa Mesa. Airports serving the city include Orange County Airport (SNA) 10 miles distance or 16km; Long Beach Airport (LGB) 17 miles distance or 27km; and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 35 miles distance or 56km. There is a public bus system (octa.net) but no train service to the city. The nearest Amtrak train is located in Anaheim near Disneyland, approx. 16 miles (26km) away.
BEACHES & PARKS: Huntington Beach, California is a year round tropical paradise that offers 9.3 miles of soft, sandy beaches and approximately 78 parks where sports activities and play await. Events can be hosted at parks. Four beaches within the boundaries of Huntington Beach are from north to south: Sunset Beach, Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington City Beach and Huntington State Beach. These beaches include lifeguards on duty during regular operating hours, though guard service is less extensive from October through March. The waters off this portion of the California Coast provide some of the best waves, due to the west facing beach layout. The beach located at the Huntington Beach Pier, Huntington City Beach, operates separately from the two beaches north and south of it, Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington State Beach. City Beach parking fees are determined by the City of Huntington Beach. Fees at the other beaches are determined by California State Parks and may be a different price than City Beach fees and the newly-annexed Sunset Beach.
Bolsa Chica State Beach begins at Sunset Beach on the north end of the coast. Parking is for cars and RV camping is available. There are fire rings, restrooms and surfing is popular here.
Dog Beach stretches from Seapoint to Golden West Streets along the coast. Dogs are only allowed on this beach. Parking is available in two unattended lots south of the beach, with meters charging a minimum of 25 cents.
Huntington City Beach stretches from Dog Beach on the north end near Seapoint Street to Huntington State Beach near Beach Boulevard on the south end. Concessions, restaurants on the Huntington Beach Pier, and the famous paved bike path extend through here. Parking ranges from metered to day fee.
Huntington State Beach extends south from Beach Boulevard parking lot to the Newport Beach border. Parking fee is approx $15.
Sunset Beach approx. one mile long beach between Warner Ave.
and Anderson Street.
Beach Hours: State Beaches are open from 6 AM to 10 PM (seasonal). Gates are open from 6 AM to 9 PM. Huntington City Beach is open from 5 AM to 10 PM. Huntington Beach Pier is open from 5 AM to Midnight.
Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on beaches within the bounds of Huntington Beach, except by special permit. To obtain a permit, you must contact the official City of Huntington Beach and State of California agents that operate the beach facilities.
Bicycling is a favorite activity in Huntington Beach. The 8.3 mile paved bike path that is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean features ocean views, soft breezes and some sand that drifts onto the path. Caution is advised. Also be sure to watch for pedestrians, surfers and roller bladers that share the path. Bicycle rentals are available at beach concessions throughout the three beaches located in Huntington Beach.
Boats can be launched from a boat ramp near Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway. Another ramp at Sunset Aquatic Park is located at the end of Edinger Avenue.
Commercial filming is licensed through the City of
Huntington Beach and through State Beach contacts.
Dogs are only allowed on Dog Beach, between Seapoint and Golden West Streets. Dog Park is located in Central Park near Central Park Drive off Edwards. Dogs are not permitted on the Huntington Beach Pier.
Fire rings are available on most beaches, first
come basis, but you must bring your own wood and keep fires in the ring. There
are no fire rings on Sunset Beach. You also will not find fire rings on
Huntington City Beach from Main Street to Seapoint Street.
Fishing from beaches requires a California Fishing
License (except for two free fishing days per year.) Fishing from public piers is Free.
Kayak rentals are not available at the beach area but are available at the bordering unincorporated community of Sunset Beach to the north. You will find rentals adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway near Warner Avenue.
Kites can be flown from Huntington Beach. The air currents usually provide ideal flying conditions. Functional and decorative kites and flags are sold at a shop,
Kite Connection, on the Huntington Beach Pier.
Naturists and nudity policies require clothing be worn on beaches.
Roller Blading is popular along the 8.3 cement path that runs along the entire beachfront in Huntington Beach.
The path stops in Sunset Beach, an annexed community now part of HB's city
assets and jurisdiction. Bring your own skates or rent some from beach concessions such as Zack's (see link below).
RV camping is available at Bolsa Chica State Beach, and a private RV facility across the street from Huntington State Beach called Huntington By The Sea RV Resort. Huntington City Beach opens Sunset Vista RV Camp Facility south of the Huntington Beach Pier from November to March (subject to change.) That RV camp facility overlooking Huntington City Beach and the Huntington Beach Pier is opens annually for off-season camping. During the summer months it becomes a parking lot for high season beach traffic.
Tent camping is not allowed on any beaches in
Surf City.
Huntington Beach Pier is the 5th longest municipal pier in California. It is constructed of reinforced concrete and offers free fishing, a Ruby's diner with ocean views, Surf City Store with souvenir gifts and logo items, Kite Connection, Let's Go Fishin' fish and bait store and free public restrooms. Water basins for fish cleaning are available and the state-of-the-art Tower Zero lifeguard tower facility on the pier features a surf and water conditions chalkboard where current temperatures and wave height are posted daily. The pier has cement benches to sit and watch the waves, is wheelchair accessible and has pay scopes for viewing the surrounding region. The pier is most popular for watching surfing and taking souvenir photos of friends, family and the ocean. The pier celebrated 100 years in 2004. Not allowed on the pier are pets, skating, bicycling or skateboarding. You are not allowed to jump from the pier.
Farmer's Market and Art Fair takes place every Friday afternoon.
Pier Plaza is a public gathering spot with stone steps, cement seats and a beautiful tiled mural wall depicting scenes from Huntington Beach history. Concerts are held at this open air amphitheater on a regular basis during summer months. Overlooking the stone seating is a grass lawn where people can sit and children play. Next to the lawn area is a wheelchair access ramp from the north beach parking lot to the beach. At the foot of the ramp is Zack's Beach Concessions, offering sand wheelchairs, skate and bike rentals, food concessions with outdoor, umbrella-shaded tables surf rentals and lessons. Zack's also caters parties, weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs, corporate team building, barbecues and more.
Huntington Beach, California Events Calendar for Surf City Huntington Beach includes information about activities and events, date, time, location, telephone number, cost, fee or price of admission and sponsor contact information. Huntington Beach features over 100 unique special events, concerts, bird tours and car shows. Events include the Polar Plunge on January 1, Mardi Gras Festival at Old World in March, Easter Bunny Hunt, Concours d'Elegance, US Open of Surfing, Huntington Harbour Cruise of Lights and more! Live bands, karaoke and DJ's spinning tunes appear in Huntington Beach most every day of the year.
Annual events include: April or May Taste of Huntington Beach
May Duck-A-Thon Rubber Duck Race
(canceled in 2020)
May/June Concours d'Elegance
June Pier Swim sponsored by City of Huntington Beach
July 4 Parade & Fireworks sponsored by City of Huntington Beach
July- August US Open of Surfing & Beach Games
August Huck Finn Fishing Derby for Kids at the HB Pier sponsored by City of Huntington Beach (late August)
August/September Civil War Reenactment (Labor Day weekend)
September - October Oktoberfest
October 31 Main Street Halloween Celebration
December Cruise of Lights Huntington Harbour Holiday Lights Boat Tour
