Page 28 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

SUMMER SPORTS
BY BILL FINK
Adrenaline Rush
California’s seashores and mountain summits provide inspiration to get outdoors and play
SURFING AT
HUNTINGTON
BEACH
A.K.A. Surf City USA, Huntington
Beach draws surfers of all ages,
above, into the water. The town in
Orange County is known for its
prominent pier that dates to 1904, its
9.5-mile long beach and beach
culture.
The California ideal of sun, surf and sand
has been popularized in decades of film
and TV shows, from Beach Blanket Bingo to
Baywatch. But visitors to California in the
summer can discover even more of the
state’s natural beauty heading inland to
majestic national parks.
Sports
Take a walk to the pier in Manhattan Beach
in Southern California on any given day and
you’ll see surfers whipping around the
waves, volleyball players diving in the sand,
and bikers and skateboarders rolling along
the Strand. Drive the hills near San Francisco
on a sunny weekend afternoon, and in a
matter of minutes you’ll pass pelotons of
road bikers, and hikers, horseback riders and
mountain bikers launching onto trailheads.
In the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge,
fleets of sailboats ride ocean breezes, while
the wind powers kiteboarders and wind-
surfers into acrobatics as mellow joggers
and their dogs enjoy the spectacle from
shoreline pathways. North and south, young
and old, Californians love their sports, and
the state provides limitless opportunities to
ply your favorite or try a new one.
26 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB. OPPOSITE: MARCI PARAVIA/SHUTTERSTOCK; BEN FISH; MENDOCINO COUNTY CVB