Two decades ago, the Southern California seaside town of Huntington Beach applied for — and was granted — the trademark, “Surf City USA.”
Of course, any Northern Californian who has shrieked down the Big Dipper, nibbled funnel cake on the Boardwalk or splashed at Seabright was perplexed. Santa Cruz has long considered itself the official Surf City. It’s where surfing was introduced to the mainland, for heaven’s sake, when a trio of vacationing Hawaiian princes hit the waves on redwood boards in 1885. So Santa Cruz city officials challenged the trademark by applying for its own: “Original Surf City, USA.” (Lawsuits ensued, of course.)
This tale of two (surf) cities has been hotly debated, but regardless of your opinion on the matter, one thing is clear: Surfing is celebrated and deeply infused into each place, and they are both wonderful spots to visit, even if you’re not a surfer. And Huntington Beach is a great place for a beachy winter getaway.
A quick, 90-minute flight from Oakland or San Jose to the Orange County/Santa Ana airport is a breeze. And soon, you’ll find yourself luxuriating at the perfect beachside hotel, Paséa Hotel & Spa.
Part of the Meritage Collection, the hotel is just across the street from the beach, and it thoroughly celebrates its ocean theme. Look for a plethora of local art — don’t miss the recycled flip flop wall installation — as well as sea-toned decor and plenty of those negative ion vibes to keep you buoyed during your stay.
The hotel’s full-service spa, “Ocean Devotion” massages and halotherapy salt room can help you chill out even more. The hotel’s popular rooftop lounge, Treehouse on PCH, offers craft cocktails, light bites — think tempura fish tacos and burrata with toast — and ocean views.
You’ll be a stone’s throw from the Pacific City shopping district, a mall inspired by Craftsman-style beach bungalows. When you tire of shopping, duck into LSXO, if you can find it. It’s a secret (and Michelin rated) Vietnamese speakeasy tucked behind an unmarked door at Bluegold, a restaurant in Pacific City.
Not to play the comparison game too much, but the Santa Cruz (SC) to Huntington Beach (HB) parallels are hard to miss. Both cities have a long, paved thoroughfare along the coast for all your walking, jogging, roller skating and biking activities — West Cliff Drive in SC and Ocean Strand in HB. They both have a “Dog Beach” and surfing museums — Santa Cruz’s Surfing Museum and the Huntington International Surfing Museum.
And we’d like to think that Santa Cruz’s iconic Dream Inn, perched above Jack O’Neill’s famous former surf shop, would easily be an auntie to the younger, more glamorous Pasea. Surf-themed artwork at both? Check. Ocean views, check. Talented chefs who showcase California’s bounty and local ingredients? Yes. Pasea’s new restaurant, Lorea, is helmed by chef Scott Rackliff, whose dinner menu celebrates the land and sea via dishes such as a vegetarian fritto misto, seared albacore and piri piri Jidori chicken
Similarities aside, Huntington Beach is a singular destination with its own sense of place. There’s so much to do here. Take a stroll along the paved Ocean Strand or the 1,850-foot Huntington Beach pier, and you’ll see surfers, swimmers and kids, parties, surf shacks and Volkswagen road shows — and folks having lots of fun.
If you plan to take a dip, be aware that stingray sightings are common enough that the city has become proactive on stingray safety. In 2021, it launched a Safe Beach Day website, where lifeguards can report stingray injuries in real time. A purple indicator for stingray activity appears in front of a lifeguard tower, if more than two people have been stung there.
Non-beach options? Head for the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a 1,300-acre wetland area with five miles of trails and nearly 200 resident and transient bird species. Birds use these wetlands as a migratory stopover along the Pacific Flyway.
And if for some reason you aren’t jazzed about beaching it or birding, that’s fine too. Head inland to Old World Village, a Bavarian-inspired “village” with red-tiled roofs, European-style murals and cobblestone walkways.
It’s home to a boisterous, annual Oktoberfest each September and October. Don’t be bummed that you missed it, though. There’s always next year — and the famous Old World German Restaurant is open all year long and offers plenty of brats, hot pretzels and wrist-bending liters of beer to keep your spirits up. Check out the adjoining German Deli, too, for authentic spirits, beer, baked goods, prepared foods and grocery items to satisfy the most dedicated Germanophile.
And tomorrow, you can go back to being a beach-loving Californian.
Paséa Hotel & Spa: Rooms start at $345. Find the hotel at 21080 Highway 1 in Huntington Beach. Treehouse on PCH, a 21-and-up lounge, opens at 4 p.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends. Lorea is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. or later daily. www.paseahotel.com/
Pacific City: Opens at 10 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday at 21010 Highway 1; www.gopacificcity.com/.
LSXO: Open from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. or later Thursday-Sunday at 21016 Highway 1; www.dinebluegold.com/lsxo/.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve: Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at 18000 Highway 1. There are two public parking lots, a north lot at 3842 Warner Ave. near the Pacific Coast Highway, and a south lot at 18000 Highway 1 across from Bolsa Chica State Beach. https://wildlife.ca.gov
Old World Village: The Old World German Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday-Tuesday, until 9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and until 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 7561 Center Ave. #49; www.oldworldhb.com.
