Huntington Beach - Things to Do in Orange County 33

Shopping, Dining, Sports, and the Beach – The Surf City, Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach is the Surf City of Orange County. During the summer, tourists and surfers from all over the globe come here to compete in the annual surfing competition. It is always a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and there are events going on all the time. Huntington Beach offers a wide variety of other beaches including a Dog Beach and a RV Park for camping by the beach.

On Main Street, you’ll find all sorts of surf brand shops, restaurants, bars, and cafés. Huntington Surf and Sport (HSS) by the pier is the icon of Huntington Beach. The HSS logo T-shirts are one of the locals’ favorites. Jack’s across the street is also another popular surf shop.

The Huntington Beach Pier is one of the most modern piers in OC. It is a great place to hang out to watch the surfers catch some waves. There is a Ruby’s at the end of the pier where you can enjoy fine burgers and great shakes with an awesome view. There are dolphins swimming around the pier at times and the endless miles of the ocean view is stunning. The kite store along the way is also a sight to see on the Huntington Beach Pier.

When you are visiting the pier, a great time to visit for a dramatic experience is to go around sunset. To see the sun setting into the ocean from the pier is very romantic and beautiful. It is amazing to see how the color of the clouds change as the sun sets.

To the South of the pier, there is a section of the beach where you can enjoy a bonfire. So during the summer, you’ll see a lot of people enjoying a barbeque and roasting marshmallows at this section. With the bonfire, you can enjoy hanging out at the beach until the curfew at 10PM.
Lately, Huntington Beach is become a hot tourist destination, and Hyatt has recently built a beautiful resort off its coast. The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa is a personal favorite of mine with great restaurants and an awesome view.

Surf City Huntington Beach is the next big spot in Orange County!

Huntington Beach
http://www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us/

Parking: $0.25 every 10 minutes. Public parking available on Main Street and by the coast

Seal Beach - Things to Do in Orange County 32

Hang Out by the Longest Pier in Orange County – Seal Beach

Seal Beach is the last city in Orange County before it turns into LA. It is located on the most Northwestern corner of Orange County. The neighboring city, Belmont Shore is already in Los Angeles County.

A notable thing in Seal Beach is that the U.S. Navy’s Naval Weapons Station is located here. However, for the most part, Seal Beach is in well known around OC locals for having Leisure World, the gated senior community. The city has a relaxed atmosphere with a small town feel compared to other cities in Orange County.

A place to go in Seal Beach is the Main Street. On Main Street of Seal Beach, you can find all sorts of restaurants, gift shops, accessory shops, and ice cream parlors there. The movie American Pie 2 was actually filmed here. The place has got this “All American” kind of feel to it.
As you walk or drive through the Main Street, you’ll end by hitting the Seal Beach Pier. The Seal Beach Pier is the longest pier in Orange County. It is made out of wood, and it does take some time to walk all the way across it. There’s a Ruby’s on the end of the pier, but it looks tiny from the start of the pier. That’s how long the pier is!

Unlike Huntington Beach or Newport Beach where it’s always crowded with locals and tourists, Seal Beach has a more relaxed atmosphere. It’s great for people that want to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon by the beach. A lot of people come here for walks and enjoy the restaurants on Main Street.

The beach usually has more body boarders than surfers. And that usually means it’s family friendly too. On a nice sunny day, you can see the beautiful view of the port in Long Beach.
Seal Beach is a nice relaxing beach in Orange County. I hope you can check it out soon for a nice Sunday afternoon walk!

Seal Beach
http://www.ci.seal-beach.ca.us/

Parking: Free Street Parking and Meter Parking

San Clemente Pier and Del Mar Avenue - Things to Do in Orange County 19

Relax and Enjoy the Day at the San Clemente Pier and Del Mar Avenue!

Located on the Southern edge of Orange County is the city of San Clemente. Once you go down to South OC you tend to see scenery a lot different from Northern Orange County or Los Angeles.

San Clemente Pier is a smaller pier compared to the other piers in Orange County, but its atmosphere here is truly one of the best. When you’re relaxing on the pier, it feels like time is slowing passing by as it is so pleasant. The ocean, the sun, and all the people around make it so that you can appreciate life at that moment. On the pier, you’ll also find The Fisherman’s Restaurant, which is a romantic little place where you can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner with the beautiful ocean view.

Aside from the pier, you’ll find surfers on the beach enjoying the surf all day long. And on the coast there is a railroad track for the Amtrak to ride right on through. You can also take a walk near the sand as there is a walkway for you to enjoy the beach even more.

The Del Mar Avenue, close to the pier is also a gem. In the past, Del Mar Avenue used to be the main street of this area. To this day, you’ll see Spanish Colonial style buildings to help you recognize its rich history and culture in the area.

The Del Mar Avenue is now filled with cute little retail shops and restaurants. I particularly loved the accessory store where you can find charming little accessories here. I purchased a adorable heart shaped key holder here that I still use to this day.

San Clemente Pier and Del Mar Avenue is truly one of Orange County’s most laid back places. Be sure to visit one of Orange County’s chill spot soon!

Fishermans Restaurant & Bar
611 Avenida Victoria
San Clemente, CA 92672
Phone: 949-498-6390
http://www.fishermansrestaurant.com/