This weekend Huntington Beach pays tribute to a man who did more than most to popularize surfing—even if he wasn’t a surfer himself. Brian Wilson might not have ever waxed his own board, but his songs with the Beach Boys helped define how the world saw surfing and California as a whole, and the beachfront town known as Surf City USA will recognize that contribution with a surfboard paddle out in his honor on International Surfing Day—June 21.
Wilson wasn’t from Huntington Beach, but the two share an unbreakable connection to surfing. The beach town’s climate and weather patterns make it an ideal spot for surfing year round, and it was one of the first places in America to really embrace the sport. Over the last century surfing’s become a vital part of Huntington Beach’s culture and identity, an ever-present connection that’s represented throughout town in a myriad of ways and is as impossible to miss as the Huntington Beach Pier.
That pier, which extends almost 2000 feet into the Pacific Ocean, provides not just a great fishing spot, but a prime vantage point for watching the surfers that flock to the beach every morning. On the pier you’ll also find commemorative plaques honoring fallen residents who played a crucial role in the town’s history, with more traditional symbols of civic pride like politicians sharing space with HB legends like the beloved surf shop owner Rick “Rockin’ Fig” Fignetti. And right in front of the pier, on the edge of the Pacific Coast Highway, you can eat at Duke’s—a bright, colorful Hawaiian restaurant named after Duke Kahanamoku, whose legacy courses throughout Huntington Beach still today, almost 60 years after his death.
Duke Kahanamoku was born in the final years of the Kingdom of Hawaii, before the United States annexed the islands. He went on to represent his new country in three Olympics, winning gold medals for swimming in 1912 and 1920 and a silver in 1924. Despite his peerless reputation as a swimmer, though, Kahanamoku’s perhaps best remembered today for a different sport: surfing. He helped introduce the world to the traditional Hawaiian sport, bringing it to Huntington beach in 1925. Today you can find the restaurant named in his honor at the pier, and across the street stands a statue of Kahanamoku and his board. Kahanamoku was also the inaugural inductee into the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame, which officially recognizes him as “Surf Pioneer,” and which starts on the street corner opposite the statue’s.
Kahanamoku is also the focus of the current exhibit at the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. Duke’s Dream tracks Kahanamoku’s career from Hawaii, to winning medals in Stockholm, Antwerp and Paris, to spreading surfing far and wide. As the exhibit explains, Kahanamoku dreamed of surfing one day being recognized as an Olympic sport; it took the modern games 124 years to add it, but the dream finally came true with the 2020 games in Japan.
Located a block over from downtown Huntington Beach’s main street, the International Surfing Museum is a small but fascinating space devoted to the history of the town’s adopted sport. In addition to the Kahanamoku exhibit, which includes copious photos, replicas of artifacts, and original paintings of the surf pioneer himself, the museum has a collection of items from Huntington Beach’s surf history. The museum, which attracts thousands of visitors a year, endeavors to be a good steward not just of that history but of the ocean itself, running environmental programs and other forms of outreach about preserving the beach and the ocean. It’s one of the many visible symbols of Huntington Beach’s surfing culture.
If you want to learn more about that culture, as well as Huntington Beach’s century-plus history as a vacation town, Visit Huntington Beach has devised an informative self-guided walking tour. It starts at the Visitor Information Kiosk at the pier, and they estimate it should take about 90 minutes to see the whole thing. Visit Huntington Beach also offers guided walking tours on select Saturdays; during a recent tour the knowledgeable guide dug discussed the history of the town and its signature pier, pointed out the oldest standing building in town, and talked guests through a photo exhibit of the town’s history at the public library. Either option is a fantastic way to get to know more about the city.
You don’t have to stay beachside to enjoy Huntington Beach. Huntington Harbour isn’t a traditional harbor; it’s more like a suburb built on a series of canals ideal for boating. You can explore its waterways by renting a kayak, paddle boat, or 12-person Duffy boat at Huntington Harbor Boat Rentals. If you’re tired of being in the water and would rather ride on it—and preferably while listening to the music of your choice and enjoying some cold drinks—a trip to the harbor is a scenic change of pace.
As for lodging, the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach isn’t just a beautiful resort with spacious rooms, gorgeous ocean views, and multiple dining and shopping options. It’s close enough to downtown and the pier to make it a short walk—about 20 to 25 minutes—and shorter drive, but far enough away that its stretch of beach (which is easily accessible from the hotel by a walking bridge over the PCH) isn’t always as crowded. It’s a good mix of convenience and privacy, and if you stay there, make sure to get a meal and cocktail at Watertable. Also worth a reservation: Jolie, which serves up prime seafood and farm-to-table entrees with a wonderful view from its top-floor perch near downtown.
Whether you’re close enough to check out this weekend’s tribute to Brian Wilson, or planning a getaway for later this year, Huntington Beach should be on your map.
