California · United States
Huntington Beach travel guide
Huntington Beach is a city in California, United States, home to about 199,000 people.
- Best months
- March to July and September to December
- Nearest airport
- SNA12 km · John Wayne Orange County International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Los Angeles
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a city in Orange County, California, United States. The city was originally called Pacific City, but it was changed in 1903 to be named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington.
The year-round temperature averages 67°F, and good weather can be had every month, though the months of January to March can be rainy. Once known as Pacific City, it started as the southern terminus of the Golden West railroad line. Huntington Beach is also mentioned by name in the Beach Boys song "Surfin' Safari", where "at Huntington and Malibu they're shooting the pier".
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Huntington Beach
See
- Bolsa Chica Wetlands
- Huntington Beach Pier
- Main Street
Do
- Beaches of Huntington Beach
- Huntington State Beach
- Huntington City Beach
- Huntington Dog Beach
- Bolsa Chica State Beach
- Sunset Beach
- Running, walking, biking, and rollerblading
- Surfing
- Relaxing
- Partying
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Huntington Beach to stay in
There are accommodations from beach campgrounds to five-star resorts along the Pacific. The beach campgrounds are open year round and usually full.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Huntington Beach
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Huntington Beach are March to July and September to December. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; February is the wettest, with about 88 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Huntington Beach: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Long Beach International Airport (LGB, 20 km) and Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR, 40 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
As with most of Orange County, Huntington Beach is served by John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, which is 11 mi/17.5km to the northeast. SNA is served by many major carriers for flights from all regions of the U.S. and from the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento in northern California.
Getting around
OCTA Route 1* North and South runs along the Pacific Coast Highway, servicing all of Orange County's beaches. Routes 33 and 35 South directly run into Huntington State Beach. Routes 21** South, 70* West and 72 West end at Sunset Beach. Routes 25 South, 29 South, 172 West and 173** South all serve Huntington's downtown and its beach.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SNA · John Wayne Orange County International Airport
LGB · Long Beach International Airport
HHR · Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Huntington Beach
Stay safe
Crime is very low for such a large city, and violent crime is very rare. However, the city has long had a reputation for skinheads, and white supremacist activities. Like some other parts of Orange County, Huntington Beach sometimes sees confrontations between reactionaries and people of color. If you are drinking, you should be far more concerned with local police than civilians. If you are drinking, call a cab because DUIs are illegal.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Huntington Beach: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Huntington Beach?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Huntington Beach are March to July and September to December. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 29 °C; February is the wettest, with about 88 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Huntington Beach?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA), about 12 km from the city centre in a straight line; Long Beach International Airport (LGB, 20 km) and Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR, 40 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Huntington Beach?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Huntington Beach
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.