Huntington Beach, California

The People:

Primarily an economically upscale group of European descent, the city is the third largest in Orange County, with a population slightly over 200,000.  About two thirds of the households are families.  There is a focus on youth here, with 44% of the population being under the age of 35.  A quarter of the population living here is 55 or older.  These folks have already found a serene and safe haven for retirement.

A walk down Main Street, the artery that connects directly to the ocean front, gives a slice of the youthful lifestyle--people dressed in their beach clothes, guys in baggy shorts, and toasty tanned cuties in bare beach cover-ups enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, whether on their way to the sands or just people watching on the street. 

Social Scene --Bars, Clubs, Restaurants

Restaurants

The downtown is a major hub for locals to hang in many open air bars and restaurants for drinking and lively socializing. A local water hole favorite is Avila’s El Ranchito. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual. Locals of all ages gather at Coach’s Mediterranean Grill, for fine food and good conversation. At bit more trendy and on the beach, Duke’s of Huntington Beach is a longtime favorite for locals and out of town visitors. A relative newcomer, the Tuna Town Sushi Bar and Teppan Grill, is gaining popularity with its hip-hop ambiance and futuristic atmosphere. A place to gather late into the night on weekends, it offers excellent food and entertainment, rolled out as a teppan-yaki treat.

At the Hyatt located on the waterfront, the award winning Californian cuisine offers high end dining for the well-heeled. The Red Chair Lounge at the Hyatt is a place to sample some fine boutique wines and listen to Jazz on a Saturday night. More resort type of offerings are slated to open along the waterfront in the next two years.

The other place of greatest concentration for eating enjoyment is along Beach Boulevard, a street rich in restaurants and retail, catering to citizens on the go. One such establishment, The Lazy Dog Cafe, serves fresh food, with friendly service in a laid back atmosphere. For a little more money, a special treat is to have dinner at La Fontana Ristorante, a small and very quaint Italian eatery.

The Value - Rental prices vs. quality of living

The rentals in Huntington Beach have gotten pricier in the last few years, since it is a highly desirable area to live in.  Apartment complexes predominate, with much that is fairly new as part of the real estate boom that Huntington Beach has experienced in the last twenty years. 

A one bedroom one bath can be had for between $1,000 and $1,300 with some good amenities, depending on how close it is to the beach.  Two bedrooms have a wide range depending on how high end, and go from $1,100 to $1,750.  Overall, apartments offer a  quality of life for a good expenditure of funds for those claiming rental digs in this coastal city. 

Transportation

Unfortunately, this part of the world is still very oriented to driving.  While public transport exists, it is not the predominate focus for transport.  This contributes to clogged freeways, 405 that runs along the city is jammed daily, with cars trickling forward at 5-10 miles per hour during peak hours, ranging from 7-9 am and 3 to 7 pm. 

The Orange County Transit Authority does offer metro bus service on five lines.  Route 21 serves the corridor along Bolsa Chica, while the 25 runs along Goldenwest.  The Beach Boulevard line is 29, and two of the other major city thoroughfares, Magnolia is served by route 33 and Brookhurst by route 35.  The price for a one way ticket is $1.25.

Unlike Los Angeles where parking is a combat sport, in Huntington Beach, there is ample parking and the spaces that are actually made to fit a full car.  The one exception is close to the beach on weekends and especially in the summer when so many visitors are around.  That said, the city is fairly well planned and will accommodate most traffic needs without putting too much of a crimp in one’s patience.

Many people in this area use bikes, scooters, skateboards and mini cars to ease the burden on the roads. 

Rental Advice

The one down side to the apartment locations is the number of them located along busy streets, like Yorktown and Warner, to name a few, but there are many options that are in quieter zones away from high volume traffic.  Even apartments facing into the courtyards will be considerably quieter.

Many apartment complexes have pet friendly designations.  It is more typical than not to have a pool and laundry facilities on site. 

Any high quality, good looking apartment will be sought after as long as the economy is strong.  Again, the closer to the beach the greater the demand, although it can also be noisier close to where more late night drinking occurs in bars downtown.

Most apartment complexes have parking on the grounds that is adequate if not ample as long as you don’t have three cars to park.

Recommended Streets & Areas

A major place to gather in Huntington Beach for people of all ages, is the Northern Italian style open air lifestyle center known as Bellaterra at the corner of Edinger and Beach right off the 405 freeway. Here, families are part of the entertainment. The scene; parents diving to catch the kids from their acrobatic twirls and loops while the entertainers provide free music concerts in the amphitheater on Friday and Saturday nights. This is the site of the largest theater complex in the city, the Century 20.The section of Main Street that ends at the beach on the Pacific Coast Highway is a high traffic area to eat, drink, party or people watch from either a cafe or a perch on the street. The pier promenade at the center of downtown is quite a scene, it ranges from strolling extended families from all cultures to drum circles with people vibing to the beat. On Fridays, a farmer’s market in the public area off the pier offers the opportunity to purchase fresh produce and handmade crafts while enjoying the ocean breeze.

It is a city with a wide array of cultural and entertainment offerings:  During the summer, the park offers smooth jazz, as well as a concert series in the downtown Pier Plaza. Throughout the year the Art Center on Main offers gallery shows, and film/video exhibitions. For the surfing enthusiast, the US Surfing Open is held in Huntington Beach every summer.

For the sports enthusiast, the city has built a large outdoor sports complex that borders Goldenwest if interested in slo-pitch softball and basketball, and along the beach there are volleyball leagues. The Hunting Beach Central Park is a 356 acre swathe of green space for walking, picniking, enjoying your dog in a designated park area, two outdoor cafes to enjoy breakfast or lunch, playgrounds and a disc golf course. There is also an Equestrian Center in the park for a little horse play, or a gallop if you’re already equine savvy. The city also has numerous smaller parks in the neighborhoods.

The Essentials

For keeping the larder stocked in Huntington Beach, there are a variety of chain supermarkets with a large selection of offerings, including some organic fare. Most now offer other banking services and some house the likes of Starbucks or Coffee Bean for a shot of energy to go.

The city has Albertsons in several areas, Bolsa Chica, Edinger and Main Street’s Seacliff. Another major chain, Ralphs offers similar offering to Albertsons on Adams and two on the long stretch of Warner Ave. A high-trafficked Trader Joes is in the Five Points Shopping Center close to Beach close to the city’s center. For those that need their wheat grass, Mother’s is a health conscious mainstay, a 30 year local institution that “reserves the right to treat their customers with respect.” It is located in the strip of retail bordering Beach Boulevard and Adams.

There are three post office locations in Huntington Beach. Two large facilities are situated on Warner Avenue and another on Atlanta. The third is a small quaint postage stamp size location a couple blocks from the beach on Main Street.

There are nearly fifty health clubs and gym sites within the city’s borders to suit the body conscious Californians that dwell here. While there is too much volume in many of the sites, the good news is that there are many options for personal trainers to suit someone who is busy and in need of one-to-one attention. Bally, 24 Hour Fitness, and LA Fitness Sports Clubs have the greatest number of locations.

Between the local bank branches that are conveniently available throughout the city, the accessibility of ATM’s through the major grocery stores make it easy to tap into a flow of cash and keep spending wherever you shop in this fair city. Some of the larger banks with numerous branches include Bank of America, California National, Washington Mutual, Union Bank of California and Downey Savings.

Pets

A place for dog lovers, the Huntington Beach Central Park has a park cafe with a special area designated for dogs and their humans to enjoy a bite to eat and have a romp.  With plenty of parks through out the city, an oceanside place to promenade, and many open air cafes and coffeehouses, this is a dog heaven. 

Two fine examples, both Patti’s Preschool and the Cardiff Academy have been around for more than two decades providing excellent models for learning and achieving.  With this upwardly mobile environment there are many school options in both the public and private realm to provide academic instruction.