Walking down the “strand” in this Southern California beach town brought back lots of memories of my days spent as a “beach bum” in the early 60's.  Before I went back to college and became a worker bee, my beach town days were spent skateboarding, surfing, playing beach volleyball and just hanging out at the beach. I soaked up the sunshine all day, drifted among the coffee houses and jazz joints in the evening and worked an overnight job that didn’t interfere with the beach life.

Huntington Beach has a lot of the ingredients of my old life, but with a lot more polish.  There are plenty of surf shops and surfers.  Volleyball and surfing dominate the scene.  Kite flying is big here, too.  There aren’t a lot of “woodies” or longboards around.  Most of the surfers I saw stuffed their boards in the back of SUV’s, on top of 4 door sedans or tucked them into the rear seat of a convertible with the top down.  I saw a few surfers on bikes with special racks built onto the sides - a bit clumsy, but effective.

In case you’re not up on surfing lingo, woodies were (are) wood paneled stations wagons - remember?  And longboards are what we used to surf on - 9 and 10 foot, really heavy fiberglass coated surf boards.  Now most of the surfers use much smaller and much lighter boards - often 6 feet or smaller.

But, don’t for a minute think that Surf City USA is only about surfing.  Sure, they still skim the waves around the great concrete pier that is a Huntington Beach landmark.  The fact is that HB is a terrific place for a family getaway.  And a dog friendly one to boot. 

I walked and biked for miles along the oceanfront.  I’m not sure exactly how far you can go, but I do know that this part of the Southern California lifestyle is an important part of living or visiting here.  Pedaling up the coast on my new beach cruiser rental from Toes On The Nose I saw that a 3/4 mile stretch just north of the main public beach appeared to be dedicated to dogs.  At Dog Beach there were dozens of dogs running around, chasing each other, charging into the surf and generally having a grand time.  Their owners were playing with their dogs or often gathered in small groups talking with each other or just walking along enjoying the antics of their excited puppies.  I learned later that several of the hotels and motels are pet friendly, including the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

The Hyatt is an excellent example of resort vacationing at its best.  Even though there were a number of business groups meeting there it did not take away from the ambiance of the resort. A few men and women in their business outfits were relegated mostly to the north side of the property and much of the fun stuff was on the other side.  For example, the spa and the swimming pool were on “my” side.  An 80 minute hot stone massage at the Pacific Waters Spa set the tone for my visit. I had always been curious about these stones - it seems that many spas use a photo of them on someone’s back for their ad campaigns.  I can now attest to the fact that they are very hot and very soothing.  So give it a shot the next time you have a chance.  The spa also had a sauna and steam room in addition to a large, comfortable area for relaxing before and after spa treatments.  And, plenty of locker and shower space. 

It was a bit cool during my visit so the heated swimming pool was at just the right temperature and the protected sun bathing area made it comfortable enough to get a bit of sunshine for those not wishing to walk the short distance to the beach across the street.

I’m telling you all this about the resort, because it is the kind of place where you could easily visit and never feel the need to leave the property even if you bring the kids along.  Camp Hyatt is a great program that provides activities all day long for the little guys.

But, I do suggest that you get out and see more of Surf City than just your hotel.  The Hyatt has excellent dining, but when you walk or bike to the downtown beach area you’ll find a few really nice places to try.  I was kind of surprised at how inexpensive meals were, especially at the Longboard.  Great lunches for under $10.  And the Sugar Shack right next door is famous for its delicious breakfasts.  I had dinner at the foot of the pier at Chimayo and at Duke’s.  My catch of the day selection at Duke’s was excellent.  And dinner one evening at Shades in the Hilton, close by the Hyatt provided me with one of the best steaks I have had anywhere - cooked to perfection. It was so good that I even skipped dessert and I rarely do that.  And the special bread pudding treat sounded so good that, on my next visit to HB, it will be my first stop.  I just hope it’s still on the menu.

Even if you’re not a surfing enthusiast, you’ll enjoy visiting the International Surfing Museum. The nostalgic 60's memorabilia alone is worth the time.  Plus, there is no admission charge, but a donation is appreciated.  You’ll see some great .  Remember Johnny Weissmuller?  Maybe better known to you as Tarzan.  And, Duke Kahanamoku - the Father of Surfing. Also, of course, surf music - Dan and Jean, Beach Boys, etc.  Check it out - a fun stop after lunch.

If you’re a nature lover, you’ll want to visit the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, about 30 minutes up the coast by beach cruiser or maybe 10 minutes by car. It’s a great birding location and if you go in late afternoon you’ll be able to witness thousands of sea birds coming in for a landing. Lots of marine life, as well, including crabs, snails, sharks, and more.  I watched some ground squirrels playing and a great blue heron fishing. They were watching me, too.

Surf City USA is a perfect central spot for anyone wishing to include Disneyland or any of the myriad other Southern California attractions.  And, if high end resorts are not your thing, you’ll he happy to learn that the city’s Sunset Vista Camping Facility provides outstanding RV spots directly alongside the strand or boardwalk on the beach.