Huntington Beach in a day
A one-day plan for Huntington Beach: the Huntington Beach Pier, the International Surfing Museum, Huntington State Beach, Bolsa Chica State Beach, the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Sunset Beach. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Huntington Beach in 1 day
Day 1
Sunset Beach
A quiet beachfront community at the north end of the city, with a wide beach, a bike path and small restaurants.
Bolsa Chica State Beach
A long state beach north of the city with a bike path, fire rings and surf, popular for camping and bonfires in the evening.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
A restored coastal wetland with walking trails and a rich bird life, including herons and terns, across the road from the beach.
International Surfing Museum
A small museum about surfing history, moved in 2026 to 525 Main Street, with boards, photographs and a surfing hall of fame near the pier.
Huntington Beach Pier
A municipal pier about 560 metres long at the end of Main Street, with fishing, a cafe at the end and views along the coast.
Huntington State Beach
Long state beach south of the pier with wide sand, fire rings, a bike path and steady surf, run by California State Parks.
Watch: Huntington Beach
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Huntington Beach
The beaches are most pleasant from May to October, with warm sun and the best surf, though June can be overcast with morning fog. Summer weekends are crowded, and the US Open of Surfing takes place in July or August. Winters are mild, with occasional rain and the largest swells.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Huntington Beach on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Huntington Beach on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Huntington Beach on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Huntington Beach with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Huntington Beach
- Huntington Beach is nicknamed Surf City; the pier, the surf shops and the beach are all within a short walk of Main Street.
- The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is a wetland with birds, best at low or mid tide and early in the morning, with trails open from dawn to dusk.
- The US Open of Surfing takes place by the pier in summer, usually in July or August, and brings crowds and road closures; other times of year have no event.
- Beach parking fills early on warm weekends; arrive in the morning or use the city's parking structures and walk to the pier.
- Huntington State Beach lies south of the pier, with wide sand and a paved path for walking or cycling; a parking fee applies.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bolsa Chica State Beach: Jeff Turner, CC BY 2.0
- Huntington Beach Pier: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Huntington State Beach: F ASTILY, CC BY-SA 4.0
- International Surfing Museum: Alanraywiki, Public domain
- Sunset Beach: Regular Daddy, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
