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Disclaimer: Many thanks to Surf City USA and The Waterfront Beach Resort for hosting my family and me for our stay, and as usual – all opinions are my own!
Last weekend we went on a quick weekend getaway to Huntington Beach! Fun fact- Huntington Beach was the first beach on the west coast I ever went to! I was 12 years old and wore my first two-piece bathing suit and you couldn’t tell me nothing! It’s a 6-hour drive or 1-hour flight (landing in Long Beach) to Huntington Beach from the Bay Area. We opted to fly so we could make the most of our time down there since it’s such a quick and affordable flight! Huntington Beach has warm mild temperatures year-round which make it perfect for outdoor activities and lots of fun. We rented a car while we were in town however, the city launched a FREE all-electric transit service that services the Downtown area called Circuit. This service covers 1.5-mile stretch and 0.4 acres of Downtown, including the oceanfront hotels. You can either hail down one of the vehicles or request a free ride through the Ride Circuit app!
Where to Stay in Huntington Beach
We stayed at The Waterfront Beach Resort, which is owned by Hilton. It is in such an ideal location for a family trip. It’s a short walk from the beach, downtown Main Street, and Pacific City (an outdoor mall). The hotel recently built a new tower, where we stayed, and rooms are super spacious and well designed. We got a gorgeous view of the ocean and the pool area. Honestly, you could easily just stay at the hotel and never leave to go to the beach since there are so many activities. The main highlight of this hotel is the pool! They have a heated pool, and hot tub, but there are two huge waterslides and a sand beach area as well! Elara LOVED the pool and didn’t want to leave. You can also have the hotel set up private firepits for you near the pool or on the beach itself for a fee.
What to Do in Huntington Beach (2 full days):
On our first full day in Huntington Beach, we walked over to the Sugar Shack on Main Street to grab breakfast. The meals are hearty and the portions are large! I got a veggie sandwich while Elara grabbed some pancakes!
Afterward, we headed to the Harbour to rent a Duffy boat from Huntington Beach Harbour Boat Rentals. Duffy boats are electric and don’t require any licensing to drive! We could easily fit 6 people into the boat we rented! We rented the boar for 2 hours where we cruised and snacked and looked at all the big homes along the harbour. This would be a super cute hangout/picnic idea! They offer coolers and ice if you need them for your drinks and snacks. The boat was super easy to drive and we really enjoyed just taking in the sun and relaxing on the boat. You can also rent paddleboards or kayaks from them as well!
After the boat rental, we headed back to the hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool (or hot tub in my case!). The hotel’s heated lagoon-style pool was a hit with Elara! The pool is not too deep and if you have kids you and the kids would love this spot! They have tons of lounge chairs and they provide towels to all the guests as well. If you get hungry, you can easily grab a snack from the hotel’s Surf Hero Marketplace!
In the evening we walked over to Pacific City to do a little chocolate tasting at Bella Sophia Chocolates. This adorable chocolate shop was started by a coupe, Steph and JD Shafer. They craft each chocolate from bean to bar themselves! Steph is a former artist who knows uses chocolate bonbons as her new edible canvas and it shows! The bonbons were visually beautiful, and they tasted amazing! The salted caramel bonbons were my favorite! She also has a few Indian-inspired bonbons like mango, rose, and turmeric milk! Every single thing that goes into their chocolate is handmade, including their vanilla! That is commitment! If you have a moment, I highly recommend stopping by and picking up a few sweets for yourself!
Afterward, we grabbed dinner at Bluegold, which is located within Pacific City on the upper level. A ton of people messaged me to go eat here since they have lots of vegetarian options. The Brussel sprouts and Yukon masked potatoes were my favorites! I know they’re sides but they were delicious- the mashed potatoes were heavenly! I could eat a vat of it, easily. We also got the milk rolls which were also highly talked about (and we get why) and a hearth-baked Margherita pizza. This place has a fancy vibe to it so it would be great for a special night out!
The next day we grabbed breakfast to go from the Boardwalk Restaurant located in the Waterfront Hotel. I got some oatmeal while Rhut got an Acai bowl. We walked down to the beach to Waterfront Adventures bike rental area. They have picnic benches nearby and we enjoyed our breakfast with the sun on our backs and the sound of the ocean. After breakfast, we rented a single Surrey bike for an hour and biked up and down the boardwalk. You can also rent beach chairs, beach toys, and cruiser bikes from them!
We returned our Surrey bike and then walked over to the pier and walked all the way down. From here you can see 10 miles of uninterrupted coastline! Also, Huntington Beach isn’t called Surf City USA for no reason, here you can view tons of surfers riding the waves!
We grabbed lunch from Duke’s Restaurant which is a short walk from the pier. On Sunday’s they have a brunch menu that has a fresh fruit bowl that I would happily eat for the rest of my life! It was half a papaya filled with a lilikoi yogurt and more fresh fruit. We also treated ourselves to nachos and a POG slushie! The restaurant has an amazing view of the ocean and great service. I’ve heard good things about their Hula pie, but we were too stuffed to get dessert. Next time!
After lunch, we walked around the beach and enjoyed the ocean a bit. I sat down and read while Elara and Rhut played in the sand. After a few hours, we walked over to the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. It’s a small museum filled with surfboards from famous surfers and exhibits that share the history of surfing.
If you have time after, grab dinner at Henry’s at the hotel before heading to the airport to fly home! They have live music in the evenings and firepits on the patio. Elara fell asleep listening to a guitarist at the firepit. If you have more time check out Central Park in Huntington Beach, they added a new playground which is pretty much a ropes course, equipped with a zipline and all!
Overall, Huntington Beach is a lovely place for a relaxing family vacation. The pool and beach are enough to tire out any 5 year old and give parents a moment to relax! If you’re looking for a quick getaway with the family- definitely check out Huntington Beach!
