1. At least one of your favorite daytime TV shows is shot in Huntington Beach. Maybe you’ve heard of “Cougar Town”, “Hell’s Kitchen”, or “The Real Housewives of OC”; or maybe you’ve actually watched one of them?
Source: Youtube user woundedpoodle
2. Huntington Beach clearly has very strict rules for the cities it associates itself with. Its sister city in Australia, Manly Beach, is the host of the Hurley Australian Open of Surfing.
3.Last year a 1,300-pound mako shark was caught off the coast of Huntington Beach. Still think “Jaws” could never happen?
4. The woman who founded the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum was founded by Natalie Kotsch, a Canadian who has never surfed in her life.
5. The Douglas Aircraft Space Systems Center in Huntington Beach helped make the Saturn V Rocket, that took astronauts to the moon on 13 missions in the 1960s and ‘70s.
6. Humans aren’t the only surfing-obsessed locals. In 2011 An Australian Kelpie broke the world record for the longest surf ride by a dog—65 yards.
7. Huntington Beach is the only beach in Orange County where you can let the dogs out—off the leash.
8. The Huntington Beach Surf Museum holds a very important record—the world’s largest bar of surf wax.
9. Huntington Beach is the host city for the National Professional Paintball League’s Super 7 Paintball Championships.
10. Jack Kelly, aka Maverick, was the mayor of Huntington Beach in the 80s and 90s.
11. Plenty of guys have been (or could be) on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater live in Huntington Beach: Christian Hosoi, Arto Saari and others.
12. Jason Lee, Whose Name Is Earl (and the Devil from Dogma) grew up in Huntington Beach.
13. One of the most beloved rock bands of high schoolers with eye makeup, Avenged Sevenfold, are Huntington Beach natives.
14. Reel Big Fish, a popular ska punk band, also formed in the city in 1992. The Suburban Legends, another ska band, are from the area as well.
15. Celebrated martial artist and UFC strong guy, Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz resides in the city.
16. There’s plenty of space to spread out and play at Huntington Beach Central Park—the biggest municipal park in all of Orange County.
17. Huntington Beach produced two co-stars of the Scott Baio vehicle “Charles in Charge” back in the 80s—Buddy Lembeck (Willie Aames) and Jamie Powell (Nicole Eggert, who’d later star on Baywatch)
18. And if you’re not into the whole “outdoors” thing, the city also has the biggest children’s library this side of the Mississippi.
19. Huntington Beach’s Marina High School made its viral rounds when they elected a transgender homecoming queen. Very progressive!
20. The Ruby’s Diner at the end of the Huntington Beach pier provides 360-degree view of the ocean and the city. It probably looks as good as the food tastes!
21. In 2005, the United States Olympic surf team named Huntington Beach its official hometown.
22. Huntington Beach was co-opted fully by the military back in World War II. They even built a machine gun at the end of the pier and everything!
23. The Huntington Beach Pier was built before the city even came to be, back in 1903. It is one of the longest public piers on the West Coast. It’s also in the US National Register of Historic Places.
24. Hawaiian-born George Freeth did the first American surfing demonstration on June 20th, 1914, sponsored by Henry Huntington.
25. 11 years later, Duke Kathanamoku started surfing the city’s beaches, catapulting the city’s surfing popularity into the stratosphere.
26. The city held a “100 Years Of Surfing” celebration in June to honor its surfing legacy. Only wooden surfing boards were allowed, and no wetsuits could be worn - only swimming trunks, like in the good old days.
27. The city’s very first surf shop, Gordie’s Surfboards, was opened underneath the pier in 1955.
28. The city is named for the early 20th century railroad magnate, Henry E. Huntington, who was instrumental in developing the Los Angeles area.
29. The Huntington Beach Public Library is affiliated with the neither the county nor the state library systems, and was founded as a Carnegie library in 1914.
30. Huntington Beach was also home to the Little League World Series champions back in 2011, when they beat their Japanese counterparts 2-1.
31. Bolsa Chica used to be known as Tin Can Beach when, back in the 40s and 50s, the spot was popular for hobos, heavy drinkers and free spirits who were free with their spirits.
What’s your favorite fun fact about Huntington Beach? Tell us in the comments below!
