Some people find it difficult to get past the amusement park culture in Southern California, but in reality Orange County holds many other diverse communities. Nestled on Huntington Beach and just 20-30 minutes from Disneyland, The Shorebreak Hotel is truly a hidden gem. It’s not your typical large chain hotel, but rather a boutique hotel with a real southern California feel.
Orange County’s Hidden Gem: Shorebreak Hotel
I had the chance to meet with Enrique Paulo, Sales Manager of the Shorebreak and had an opportunity to experience the hotel and it’s restaurant, Zimzala, to learn about Huntington Beach and the hotel.
The restaurant boasts some amazing appetizers and truly unique cocktails (try the Sweet Potatoe Tator Tots, you can thank me later). We went during happy hour and the prices were more than reasonable.
We sat on the patio and enjoyed the view of the Huntington Beach Pier. The hotel is just steps away from the pier and the centre of Huntington Beach.
At the street level there is surfboard and bike parking inside the entrance. Outside the main doors are dozens of shops and restaurants.
One block down is Main Street. This is the main shopping and dining corridor for Huntington Beach. There are dozens of restaurants, bars and shops all within sight of the patio. Check out Jacks Surfboards for a quick education on the surf style that makes up this community. We also spent some time watching surfers battle the waves beside the pier.
Of course, being a mom to 5, my first question was ‘is the hotel family friendly?’ It was an easy answer for Enrique who has a 6-year-old son himself. Absolutely. They have met the needs of visitors by recently creating even more family sized rooms with a king bed as well as a double, and an expanded bathroom. When we were on our way out we saw a family of four coming back from a day at the beach. They returned their towels and boogie boards to the front desk.
The vibe within the hotel was laid back and exactly what I would expect from Southern California. It is a place I would definitely bring my family to.
I will have to remember this place for when Chris and I take our trip! Thank you!
looks like such a great place!!
They’re calling for a frost warning AGAIN tonight, so a trip to California sounds pretty nice right now…
Wow! This spot looks amazing! What a beautiful beach.
This place looks great. It has been fairly cool again where we live so a trip there would sure be nice.
That sounds like a very relaxing place. Love a good, laid back, beach accommodation.
Looks like a great place to stay. We’ll be headed to CA next year, so I’ll keep this in mind.
I have never been to CA before but this place definitely has a CA look to it!
Love the casual vibe it and beachy feel it has going for it!
We had a chance to visit Huntington Beach last November and absolutely loved it!
We will have to check out this hotel for our next vacation.
Thanks for the positive review!
It’s tricky finding family friendly hotels.
Looks like a lot of fun! Always wanted to visit Huntington Beach 😉
I will have to add this to my “must-stay” list for California. Does look like a great place to stay.
Sounds like a great hotel! We’re always looking for new places to stay in CA.
I love laid back especially when traveling with young kids. This sounds like a place I wouldstay at when in the area.
what a great view
Sounds like a fabulous place. May have to sneak down to Huntington Beach with my hubby for a little get away to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary 😉
Congrats! Happy anniversary