Most of what to do in Huntington Beach happens on or just behind the sand. The pier and the surf museum anchor downtown; the Bolsa Chica wetlands and the historic Newland House give a sense of what was here before the surfers arrived. Wander Main Street, walk the pier at sunset, and watch the surfers off the south side — the wave breaks closest to shore there and you can stand a few metres from people getting barrelled.