Alexandria & Bashar
Things To Do
Huntington Beach Pier - Rent Beach Cruisers
Spend a couple leisurely hours cycling towards Newport Beach or up towards Sunset beach with some tasty diners/bars along the boardwalk to stop for a drink (Bolsa Chica/Sunset: Sealegs @ the beach has music & BBQ, Calico Fish House; Newport Beach: Mutt Lynch, Flying Oyster)
Oct 3rd - 5th is the Annual Pacific Airshow
*$FREE.99* No tickets required! Free to view from beach. The Pacific Airshow hosts US Air force's Thunderbirds, with regular special guest appearances from the Red Arrows, Candian Snowbirds and features aerial stunts which can be seen from across Huntington beach. Airplanes and fighter jets will rip through the air from 10 am to 4pm each day.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve South Parking Lot
Wetlands perfect for a sunrise walk with bird watching and easy walking trail. ~10 mins drive from HB pier.
Old World Village - Oktoberfest, German Village & Bella Terra Shopping Plaza
The Old World German village has a great French creperie, turkish coffee, and a biergarten with Oktoberfestivities from Sept thru Oct. Across the street is Bella Terra, a Tuscan inspired outdoor shopping village with 70+ stores and restaurants and a Costco.
Day Trip or Overnight in Temecula Wine Country
Take a scenic drive to the wineries in Temecula and stop by the Pechanga casino. Europa Village, Altissima, Miramonte's picturesque hill top wineries are highly rated! Temecula is approx ~ 1.5 hours from Huntington Beach and also has an Old Town with great restaurants, and a cowboy vibe. Stampede bar is a great time with something for everyone - pool tables, line dancing and a mechanical bull!
Pirate Tower & Laguna Beach Day Trip
Art galleries, coves, scenic hikes and beautiful cliff restaurants and bars overlooking the sea in Laguna Beach. Drive along the Pacific Coast Highway and recommend a stop on the way at the Crystal Cove state beach with tide pools, a shake shack and a restaurant on the beach. Visit the Top of the World scenic viewpoint/trailhead with panoramic 360 views of the coastline and canyons (2.4 miles roundtrip or you can drive to the top)
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Beautiful mission in San Juan Capistrano less than an hour from HB with Franciscan gardens and tasty restaurants and wineries.
Disneyland - Theme Parks / Anaheim Area
We're 20 minutes away from the happiest place on Earth. Side quest: you can visit Down town Disney for free for souvenirs/merch and they have fireworks every night at 9:30 PM. The Packing District is a nearby food hall with a speakeasy (the Blind Rabbit) and there are lots of breweries like Golden Road brewery to enjoy in Anaheim.
L.A. Daytrip or Overnight
Lots of people visit the Griffith Observatory for an awesome view of the city, explore the planetarium and hike the Hollywood sign, grab LA tacos, visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame, spend the day at Universal Studios (a cheaper alternative to Disneyland, and less busy with Harry Potter and Nintendo World), visit local museums like the LACMA West Hollywood (WeHo) is a LOT of fun at night and Korea town also gets very busy. Highly recommend a rental car for a day trip to LA, and note that Ubers back to HB can get very expensive upwards $100-150 each way.
Visit a National Park & Drive Big Sur
California is home to nine national parks! Roadtrip thru wine country and experience the pacific coast highway and hikes of California. From granite cliffs and waterfalls in Yosemite to desert Joshua Tree and Death Valley, the state spans towering redwoods, volcanic peaks, island ecosystems, and ancient sequoia groves. The list includes Channel Islands, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles, Redwood, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite depending on your flavour between 2 to 6 hours drives away