A Family Break at Huntington Beach, California

By Rhonda Carrier

We were lured to Huntington Beach by the breaks – ‘Surf City USA' has 16 uninterrupted kilometres of beach, a surf museum and lots of choice of tuition, making it a great place to learn to surf with kids. It's also just a great place to straight hang out, with iconic America food and an array of family-friendly accommodation.

'Huntington Beach Pier is one of the longest on the US west coast. Here you can fish, buy a kite to sail on the beach, and treat yourself to some properly dirty classic American nosh.'

Several firms here run surfing lessons, some using custom-built longboards for greater stability. SUP paddle-boarding lessons are also available. 

Some rather lively Pacific waves in June made this an invigorating experience for us, but the instructors were charm and encouragement personified. Somehow, though, I continue to be utterly inept at the sport – and I certainly won't ever be as good as Huntington's famed surfing dogs (the city hosts the annual Surf Dog event each September).

If you're bitten by the surfing bug or just want to find out more about this exhilarating sport, then head, like we did, to Huntington Beach's small but interesting International Surfing Museum. It's in the heart of historic Downtown, where we also found lots of quirky restaurants, bars and shops, plus a weekly farmers' market. At certain times of year, you can take boat-trips to see migrating blue whales. 

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Sunset over Huntington Beach, California

One of the focal points of the city is Huntington Beach Pier – one of the longest on the US west coast, where you can fish, buy a kite to sail on the beach and treat yourself to some properly dirty classic American nosh. Indeed, we had the best burgers and fries of our lives in Huntington Beach – the kind that ruin all others for you unto eternity – and another time relished super-fresh tacos on the beachfront.

Other activities you might do in Surf City include beach volleyball, biking, skateboarding, kayaking and Duffy boat rides, while there's a busy program of events across the year - several surfing competitions, of course, but also the biggest 4th of July parade west of the Mississippi, volleyball tournaments and a beach air show.

And there's a great place to stay with kids just steps away from the Pier – the Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort, a stylish boutique-style, surfer-cool hotel ideal for those who, like me, travel a lot with teens, by virtue of funky touches including a rock-climbing wall, outdoor fire pits, a games room and bike hire. 

Speaking as a parent, the cocktails in the bar are something else - don't miss the Trickster with Verde​ Momento mezcal, Nosotros Reposado tequila, ancho chili liqueur, ginger, lemon, honey and sparkling saké – and the cuisine is equally inventive. 

Rooms here include double doubles and suites with two queens or a sofabed. The Kimpton Shorebreak is also pet-friendly – ideal for those who bring their own pooch to surf at Huntington Beach. And why wouldn't you?!

Read more about family holidays in California.

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Kimpton Shorebreak, Huntington Beach