Top 6 Things to Do in Huntington Beach, CA: The Ultimate Guide (2024)

Huntington Beach At-A-Glance

Population 196,652
Best known for Surf City, USA
Character A place to surf or do a bar crawl

Huntington Beach is one of Orange County’s most high-profile cities. It holds claim to the title “Surf City, USA” (sorry, Santa Cruz) and thousands of visitors descend for the US Open of Surfing during the summer.

Huntington Beach is frequently in the news media because it is a common place to gather for political demonstrations. That doesn’t stop thousands of tourists and locals from enjoying the view of the iconic pier and a variety of dining and shopping opportunities.

Although the city of Huntington Beach is over 28 square miles, most of the activity is concentrated near the downtown area. Read on to learn about the most popular things to do in HB.


Top 6 Things to Do in Huntington Beach

1. Main Street

2. Visit the International Surfing Museum

3. Huntington Beach Pier

4. Pacific City

5. Old World Village

6. Check out a Huntington Beach restaurant


1. Main Street

Main Street is the central hub of downtown Huntington Beach. There are a variety of restaurants and bars from sushi to Mexican, with a few retail stores selling beachwear scattered throughout.

PCH and Main Street intersection

Main Street, Huntington Beach

2. Visit the International Surfing Museum

Learn more about the city’s history of surfing at the International Surfing Museum.

3. Huntington Beach Pier

This iconic pier is right across Main Street and used to be home to a Ruby’s diner. The HB pier is open daily from 5am to midnight.

Huntington Beach Pier: What to Expect (2024)

Huntington Beach Pier

4. Pacific City

Pacific City is one of several Orange County outdoor shopping malls with a number of trendy dining establishments and retail shops. Located just a short walk south of Main Street.

5. Old World Village

A few miles inland is Old World Village, a German shopping center that is popular with locals for Oktoberfest celebrations.

6. Check out a Huntington Beach restaurant

Rol Hand Roll Bar

Rol was named one of Orange County’s top 75 restaurants by the OC Register in 2022. It’s not located by the beach—you’ll have to drive a few miles inland—but the hand rolls and cocktails are worth the drive. An OC Insiders favorite!


Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Huntington Beach from Disneyland?

The downtown Huntington Beach area is about 20 miles or a 35-minute drive from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

What is the difference between Huntington State Beach and Huntington City Beach?

Huntington State Beach has paid parking available and is slightly less crowded because it is further from downtown. Huntington City Beach is closer to all the action downtown. A small strip of the city beach is home to Huntington dog beach.


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