Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is a long stretch of sand with plenty of room to spread out from the more crowded areas. Summertime traffic on PCH can be a problem here. I have spent a lot of time stuck in this traffic myself when I lived in the area, and that was 16 years ago. I can't imagine that it has gotten any better. Just go early on a warm summer day.

There are a few distinct surf areas depending on your preference and crowd tolerance.

• Huntington Cliffs - North of Huntington Pier. Best on a low tide and west to southwest swells. Generally more gentle than the pier except on a long period west swell which can really focus here. Metered parking along PCH.
• Huntington Pier - The center of "Surf City". Very crowded and consistent on both sides of the pier. North side can handle larger swells. Can work on all tides, but shoot for medium. Metered parking on Huntington St, Beach Blvd, and First St. Handles the onshore flow a little more than surrounding areas but the masses will be there. Crowds drop off away from the pier.
• Huntington State Beach - Two miles of beachbreak. Best on smaller swells and generally not as good as the pier, but less crowded. Good on crossed up swells in the morning before the it blows out in the afternoon.

A little something for everybody here. You can also head to ultra-crowded Newport Beach to the south or less crowded Bolsa Chica to the north. Also be sure to check out the International Surfing Museum.

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Danny Misken  Not rated yet
Off of HB Pier, sometime last June.