Harbour Ln, Huntington Beach

Huntington Harbour, a waterway community of multi-million dollar homes located in the northern part of Huntington Beach, is one of those places that may be out of reach for most of, financially, but is always welcoming especially during the Christmas holiday season. That’s when they open up their community to the holiday gawkers who are as interested in viewing the magical display of lights as they are peering into the houses and backyards of the residents.

The Cruise of Lights is truly a magnificent event as the residents that line the waterways dress their opulent homes to the hilt in lights for the pleasure of thousands of people crowded onto boats and ferries. I was lucky enough to also view the Harbour Boat Parade, a scaled down version of the Newport Boat Parade, from the backyard of a friend of a friend.

It really is a wonderful marina community and reminds me of some coastal European communities where waterways link together to form the only means of transportation and inland access. There are five islands are connected by a network of channels and, for the most part, inter-community travel would be quicker by boat. I have kayaked through the channels on a few occasions and rowed onto a couple of the small beaches there.

Bordered by a national wild life refuge, the Bolsa Chica ecological reserve and the Pacific Ocean, life on Huntington Harbour could seem to be somewhat isolated, which, I’m sure, is the preference of the residents. The nearby Huntington Harbour Mall is the primary shopping venue, but the community is somewhat self-contained with several stores and restaurants that cater to the residents.

Huntington Harbor is definitely the laid back area of Huntington Beach. The residents here are a little older and calmer than their Main Street neighbors.

Set on the north end of Huntington, the Harbor is mostly residential with gorgeous homes lining the canals (beware if you are looking to buy - most homes sit on leased land!). There are plenty of grocery stores and mini strip malls in the area, but, for real shopping, nearby Westminster mall will do in a pinch; it has all the big department stores, but, it is a little ghetto. You would be better off taking the few extra minutes to drive to South Coast Plaza. For entertainment, House of Brews is always a fun night out. They have a great menu, pool tables and are one of the few places that show UFC fights for free.

During Christmas, for a very small and reasonable fee, a charity group operates a boat tour of the canals. It is worth the price - not only will you see the creative and amazing light displays, but, you get to gawk at the houses! Just remember to bring a jacket; even though winters in Southern California are pretty mild and there is an indoor area of the boat, it is cold on the water!