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If you’re a novice, it’s a good idea to take lessons. You could try M&M Surfing School in nearby Seal Beach. The local Zack’s at the beach offers one-hour instruction for $70 including board and wetsuit; if you just want to rent a board, it’s $15 an hour or $30 for a day. There’s also HB Wahine ( 714-969-9399; www.hbwahine.com; 301 Main St, Suite 201), a great women-only surf school. Private lessons are $50 an hour with a two-hour minimum.

For rentals only try Huntington Beach Surf & Sport. This mega-store at the corner of PCH and Main St rents boards for $8 per hour or $25 a day. Wetsuits are $5 per hour and $15 a day.

CYCLING & SKATING

One of the best ways to explore the coast is by riding a bicycle or skating on the 8.5-mile bike path that runs from Huntington State Beach in the south to Bolsa Chica State Beach. Rent skates and bikes north of the pier on the beach at Zack’s for $10 an hour or $30 a day. South of the pier, rent bikes at Dwight’s for $8 an hour or $25 a day. Ask for a copy of the owner’s hand-drawn map of the bike path with distances from Huntington Beach Pier.

FRISBEE

Throw a disc back and forth for hours on the beach or test your skills at the Huntington Beach Disc Golf Course ( 714-425-9931; Goldenwest St btwn Talbert Ave & Ellis Ave; Mon-Fri $1, Sat & Sun $2;) at Huntington Central Park. Aim for baskets at this scenic 18-hole course. Newbies and seasoned players are welcome and there’s a pro-shop on site.

KAYAKING

For an up-close look at ritzy homes and tricked-out yachts, kayak the calm waters of Huntington Harbor located in northern HB and east of Sunset Beach. Try Sunset Beach’s OEX Sunset Beach for kayak rentals and transport.

Festivals & Events

Expect big crowds on the 4th of July (www.hb4thofjuly.org) when the city closes sections of Main St and PCH for an Independence Day parade. The day-long celebration ends with evening fireworks over the pier.

If you can only make one event, consider the US Open of Surfing (www.usopenofsurfing.com) in late July. It’s a six-star competition lasting several days and drawing more than 600 world-class surfers. Festivities include beach concerts, motocross shows and skateboard jams.

Surf chicks get their own festival in early September with the increasingly popular Boardfest (www.boardfest.com). If you’re here for the Christmas holidays, don’t miss the Huntington Harbor Cruise of Lights (www.cruiseoflights.org), an evening boat tour past harborside homes that enthusiastically twinkle with holiday lights. Ticket sales support projects initiated by the Orange County Philharmonic.

For a current list of events, contact the HB Visitors Bureau.

Sleeping

There aren’t many budget options in HB, especially in summer when nothing-special motels hike their prices to ridiculous levels. If you want budget accomodation, head inland along Hwy 39 toward I-405 for average motels with midrange prices.

Beach Inn Motel ( 714-841-6606; 18112 Beach Blvd; r $99-110; ) This no-nonsense, no-frills motel is located on Route 39, a busy thoroughfare linking I-405 to the coast. The motel’s not as close to the beach as its name implies, but it is clean and fairly quiet.

Comfort Suites ( 714-841-1812; 800-714-4040; www.comfortsuites.com/hotel/ca102; 16301 Beach Blvd (Hwy 39); r $99-119; wi-fi) Hot breakfast items such as scrambled eggs and bacon or ham and cheese omelettes make this chain motel just a little bit more special than the competition. The rates are pretty reasonable too. Closer to Hwy 405 than to the beach.

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GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL: HUNTINGTON CENTRAL PARK

If you want a break from the beach scene but don’t want to drive too far, the 354-acre Huntington Central Park ( 714-536-5486; www.ci.huntington-beach.ca.us; 8000 Goldenwest St; ), just north of downtown, is a fantastic suburban retreat that boasts a Frisbee golf course, an equestrian center, a down-and-dirty adventure playground, lakes, shaded trails and two popular breakfast joints. Parking lots are on Goldenwest St, Gothard