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US Open of Surfing 2026: Your Surf City Guide (Ep. 29) · Unlocking Huntington Beach

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: And we're back with another episode of Unlocking Huntington Beach.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: What's going on?
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Lane Stone, and we have another good one for you today.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're gonna be talking all about the US Open of Surfing.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get into it.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're in Huntington Beach this summer and you only make it to one event, make it this one.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Over a half million people, the best surfers in the world, live music right on the sand, beach bars, athlete signings, and it's completely free to get in.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: The Lexus US Open of Surfing is back in Surf City.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Here's everything you actually need to know before you go.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: What's going on?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Lane Stone, a born and raised local and realtor right here in HB, and this is Unlocking Huntington Beach.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Today it's the big one.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Huntington Beach's biggest event of the year, the Lexus U.S.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Open of Surfing, running July 25th through August 2nd.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you've lived here your whole life or you're flying in for the first time, here's how to do it right.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, what actually is the event?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just a surf contest, it's the biggest surf event on the planet, and it's been happening right here on the south side of Huntington Beach Pier since 1959.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Over six decades of the best surfers in the world showing up on our sand.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: This year you've got the second stop of the World Longboard Tour and the fourth stop of the WSL Challenger series, which means the athletes competing here are fighting for a spot on next year's championship tour.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: For nine straight days, Huntington Beach basically becomes the center of the surfing universe.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: And for the surf itself, it's been flat most of July, but it's been an active tropical season, and there's actually a shot at some added swell energy right around when the event kicks off.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't bet the house on it.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Long-range surf forecasts are famously unreliable.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: But if it does come through, this could be a good one.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Check the live cam the morning of if you want the real answer.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, even if you don't care about surfing, even if you've never watched a heat in your life, this is still worth showing up for because the surfing, it's really just one piece of it.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: You've got the WSL Beach Bar stage, iHeart DJs spinning all day, athlete meet and greets, product demos, giveaways, food vendors lined up and down the sand, movie screenings, and brand activations.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: The whole beach turns into one giant festival.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: You could show up at 10 in the morning and not leave until the sun goes down.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Speaking of not leaving, this year they finally locked in the music lineup, and it's a good one.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Opening night, Saturday, July 25th, you've got G11 Special Sauce with Huntington Beach's own Matt Costa.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Friday, July 31st, the band Real Estate is playing, which, if you're in my line of work, is a little on the nose, but it's still a great show.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: And they close it out on August 1st with local natives and RC Drive.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Those are ticketed shows on the music stage.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: General admission starts around$69, and there's a festival pass if you want all three nights.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: The surfing and the festival grounds themselves are still totally free.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's just for the concerts.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, logistics, because this is the part that actually ruins people's day if you don't plan for it.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: If you're driving, get here early.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Not kind of early, way earlier than you think you need to.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: The closer it gets to the weekend, the worse parking gets, period.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you're a local, honestly, just bike.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: The city runs a free Surf City USA bike valet on Fifth Street downtown.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Open both weekends of the event.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's secure, it's free, and you skip the entire parking headache altogether.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know what the traffic is like on the 4th of July?
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Think similar for the event this weekend.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what you need to pack.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Early forecast has it sunny and around 80 all week, so bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and reusable water bottles.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: This is a beach event, so you're dealing with full sun, wind, and heat for hours.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Bring an umbrella if you've got one because shade is basically nonexistent down here.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: And grab a light jacket for later.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Huntington Beach can go from 80 degrees to hoodie weather the second the sun drops every single time.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what not to bring?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: No dogs, no drones, and no smoking devices, that's a hard rule at the event.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're bringing a bag, keep it small.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing bigger than about 12 by 6 by 12 inches.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: No backpacks or suitcases, and clear bags will get you through security faster.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: But the good news, if we get a shot at that forecasted soil energy plus the perfect 80 degree clear and sunny weather, we're in for an amazing event.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's not too often you have all things going for you at the same time at the open.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: I've been at the event when it's been beautiful but flat, not much going on for the competitors at all.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: But I've also been to the US Open when it's been stormy with towering waves.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: And moving on, for the people who actually live here, the US Open isn't just an event, it's basically one of our holidays.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: This is the one week a year where Surf City feels like Surf City.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: International athletes are walking around downtown, restaurants are slammed, the whole town just comes alive.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Not that it's ever really dead, but you know what I mean.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: This is the week that explains why we're called Surf City USA in the first place.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: If you ask me for one perfect US Open Day, here's exactly what I do.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Coffee downtown first, walk Main Street toward the pier, catch a few heats, wander the vendor village, grab lunch somewhere close by, watch a little more surfing, catch the sunset from the sand, then stay downtown for dinner after.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: That's a perfect Huntington Beach day for the U.S.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Open.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: The 2026 Lexus U.S.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Open of Surfing runs July 25th through August 2nd, south side of the pier, and it's free to get in.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of the best weeks Huntington Beach has all year, and honestly, days like this are a big part of why people end up wanting to live here, not just visit.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: If that's you, if you've ever thought about actually making Huntington Beach home, I do this for a living, so reach out, I'm happy to talk you through it.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for watching Unlocking Huntington Beach.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Follow along for more local updates and things to do around town.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll leave you with this like I do each and every week.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: Do good, Huntington Beach deserves it, and I'll see you on the next one.