Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
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Here are the top picks for Best beach:
1. Huntington City Beach
Pacific Coast Highway between Beach Boulevard and Seapoint Street, Huntington Beach; 714-536-5281; www.surfcityusa.com/things-to-do/beaches/huntington-city-beach
Like the beautiful, predictable and pristine waves that roll to its sands, Huntington City Beach has earned its reputation as the queen of the OC coastline.
“It represents so much of what makes our coastal lifestyle unique,” said John Urdi, president & CEO of Visit Huntington Beach. “For generations, people have gathered at the beach to surf, fish, play beach volleyball, roast s’mores over a bonfire and enjoy the ocean. It’s more than a landmark — it’s a place where memories are made and traditions passed down.”
Located between Bolsa Chica State Beach and wetlands and Huntington State Beach, City Beach is part of one of the more famed stretches of coast anywhere.
Bisected by the 1,850-foot Huntington Beach Pier with its red cupola, the beach “brings people together. Whether you’re riding a bike along the beachfront path, taking a morning run, watching professional surfers compete during the U.S. Open of Surfing, or meeting friends for a bite,” said Urdi.
And don’t forget O.C.’s only off-leash dog beach on the north end.
City Beach also offers vendors, entertainment, open-play volleyball courts, RV and car parking and even an all-inclusive playground. It is also home to myriad events, including the U.S. Open of Surfing, pro beach volleyball, concerts, Fourth of July fireworks, car shows and an air show.
— Greg Mellen
2. Huntington State Beach
Pacific Coast Highway, from Beach Boulevard south to the Santa Ana River; 714-536-1454; www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=643
Just south and almost indistinguishable from its northern Huntington City Beach neighbor is Huntington State Beach. Despite being a “country cousin,” State Beach is equally broad-shouldered and majestic, with the benefit of being more accessible and just enough removed to avoid some of the crowding and craziness that spill from downtown Huntington Beach and onto the sand at City beach.
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Set on 121 acres and stretching along a two-mile run from Beach Boulevard to the Newport Beach line, State Beach is family friendly, has ample parking (free with California State Park passes) public facilities, picnic areas, walking and biking paths and more than 200 free fire pits for bonfires that are free and open year-round. It is also a popular surf fishing spot for perch, croaker and corbina.
State beach is also home to two restaurant/bars, The Huntington Beach House and Sahara Sandbar and Pizza, operated by restaurateur Alicia Cox and her Prjkt Restaurant Group. This past summer, Cox and her company opened California Cabana, an event space for weddings and other functions, near the beach’s south end.
3. Crystal Cove State Park
Pacific Coast Highway between Corona Del Mar and Laguna Beach, 949-494-3539, crystalcovestatepark.org
While beaches in the northern stretches of Orange County may be noted for their coiffed and manicured glamour, for a more authentic beach experience, Crystal Cove fills the bill for natural beauty.
“It’s one of the last open spaces with 3.2 miles of rocky coast and backcountry open space,” Lt. Paul Andrus, manager of Crystal Cove said of the state park spread over 2,400 acres. “It’s an untouched resource.”
Although Crystal Cove attracts 2 million visitors annually, seclusion can be found in its stretches of coves and craggy coastal formations, which include some exceptional tidepools. The backcountry expansiveness makes the Cove a favorite of naturalists.
Another unique feature is a 12-acre historic district of 46 cottages, built as a seaside colony in the 1930s and available to rent for this who act quickly when reservations become available.
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“It’s like stepping back in time,” Andrus said.
In addition, docents and rangers offer educational programs and guided hikes.