Unlocking Huntington Beach

Lane Stone
  • 5.0 (1)
  • News Commentary

This is your quick rundown of what’s happening in Huntington Beach. Local news, events, grand openings, and updates hosted by HB local, Lane Stone. Easy, useful, and made to keep you in the know.

  1. 23h ago

    US Open of Surfing 2026: Your Surf City Guide (Ep. 29)

    The Lexus US Open of Surfing returns to Huntington Beach July 25–Aug 2; half a million people, the world's best surfers, live music, and free entry. Here's how a born-and-raised local actually does the biggest week of the year in Surf City. What you'll learn: - The full US Open dates, format, and why it's been on the south side of HB Pier since 1959 - This year's music lineup: G. Love & Special Sauce with Matt Costa, Real Estate, and Local Natives (and what's free vs. ticketed) - The free Surf City USA Bike Valet on 5th Street that skips the parking nightmare entirely - Exactly what to pack and the hard-rule list of what security won't let in - Lane's start-to-finish plan for one perfect US Open day downtown If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  2. 5d ago

    HB Chamber CEO Max Daffron on Sector Partnerships (Ep. 28)

    Huntington Beach has 10,000+ businesses, and most of them aren't on Main Street. Max Daffron, the HB Chamber's first CEO in eight years, is building five industry coalitions to fix that — and you don't need a membership to join. Max grew up here, worked in the City's Economic Development Office, then spent years in Colorado watching recruiters build trips around pulling Surf City businesses out of California. He came home to do something about it. What you'll learn: - Why an out-of-state recruitment trip to "Los Angeles aerospace" turned out to be entirely Huntington Beach companies - The five Sector Partnerships — Health & Wellness, Professional Services, METAL, RED, and Restaurants/Retail/Hospitality — and why none of them require Chamber dues - How Orlando Precision navigated parking and planning red tape into an 80,000 sq ft second facility near Boeing - The reason HB's industrial employers are what keep downtown restaurants open in January - What a longtime member said out loud at the Professional Services meeting that changed his mind about renewing - Max's five-year goal for where the Chamber sits in Orange County (Irvine gets a nod) 🏪 Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce | Currently officed at Golden West College, Huntington Beach, CA | 714-536-8888 | https://hbchamber.com/ 📧 Max Daffron: mdaffron@hbcoc.com 📱 Instagram: @hbchamber Upcoming Chamber events: - Annual Golf Tournament & Sunset Mixer, Huntington Club — July 27, 2026 - State of Orange County (with Newport Beach Chamber) — August 7, 2026 - State of the City — tentatively September 10, 2026 - State of Public Safety — late 2026 - SBDC Business Conference — January 2027 Robert Mayer Leadership Academy: https://hbchamber.com/events/rmla If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  3. Jul 13

    HB's Pacific Air Show: Parking, Tickets, Best Spots (Ep. 27)

    The Pacific Air Show returns to Huntington Beach's sand October 2–4, 2026, and whether you pay or go free changes your whole day. Lane breaks down exactly where to stand, when to arrive, and how to skip the parking nightmare. What you'll learn: - Show Center sits on PCH between Twin Dolphin Street and Beach Boulevard, free beach viewing is legit, but the ticketed zone gets you closer - The Surf City Bike Valet at the Strand runs all three days so locals can skip the parking chaos entirely - 2026 single-day tickets start around $30, VIP beachfront runs about $170/day, and RV camping on the beach is roughly $3,800 for the weekend - Friday is the quietest day to go; Saturday brings the biggest crowds and worst traffic - The Pacific Air Show newsletter at pacificairshowusa.com is the only way to get the daily flight schedule before showtime If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  4. Jul 2

    Surf City Summer: Camps, Bonfires & Kid Activities (Ep. 26)

    Summer in Huntington Beach means camp drop-offs, bonfire nights, and bike rides down the Strand — here's the full parent playbook for filling the calendar through August. What you'll learn: - Camp HB pricing and schedule breakdown: 3-day ($135) vs. 5-day ($221) options at Murdy Community Center, plus the Teen LIT program for ages 13-17 - Where to find Junior Lifeguards and how to reserve a beach bonfire pit before it fills up - Free outdoor picks: Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, the Strand Bike Path, and Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Central Park - Indoor backup plans for hot days: Boys & Girls Club of Huntington Valley, HB Sands recreation classes, and the International Surfing Museum - The full HB summer movie series schedule — dates, parks, and what's playing If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  5. Jun 25

    HB 4th of July: A Local's Complete Guide (Ep. 25)

    The Huntington Beach 4th of July draws half a million people for the largest Independence Day parade west of the Mississippi — and Lane Stone has the 35-year local playbook for doing it right. From the Surf City 5K to fireworks launched straight off the pier, this is the hour-by-hour guide to Surf City's biggest day. What you'll learn: - Where to claim a parade spot along PCH (and why locals set up the night before) - The three ways to watch the 9 PM pier fireworks — free beach, paid pier tickets, or oceanfront hotels - Bonfire-pit strategy across Huntington City Beach, Huntington State Beach, and Bolsa Chica - Parking moves that beat the post-fireworks gridlock, including the free downtown bike valet - A full hour-by-hour plan, from the 5 AM bonfire alarm to the last firework If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  6. Jun 9

    HB Cost of Living: What You Actually Need to Earn (Ep. 24)

    Huntington Beach's cost of living runs 80% above the national average — but that headline number alone won't help you budget. Lane Stone has spent 14 years in this market, and in this episode he breaks down every real expense: rent by neighborhood, what buying actually pencils out to right now, groceries, utilities, the California income tax hit, and the lifestyle costs no calculator includes. What you'll learn: - Rent ranges by HB neighborhood — from Bolsa Chica ($2,000/mo 1BR) to downtown near the pier ($2,500–$3,000+) - What a $1.3M median-priced home actually costs monthly with today's rates (~$7,500–$8,500 before taxes/insurance) - The "hidden" costs that gut transplants' budgets: HOA fees, move-in deposits, California state income tax, and the "I deserve it" effect - The income target a single person needs to live comfortably — and what a family with kids is really looking at - Why HB's 2.6% rental vacancy rate means the right timing strategy matters as much as the right price If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  7. Jun 1

    HB Is the Perfect World Cup Base Camp (Ep. 23)

    A million people are expected to flood Southern California for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — and Lane Stone thinks Huntington Beach is the smartest place to set up camp. The games are at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, but 35 miles of Pacific Coast beats the LA hotel surge any day. What you'll learn: - Why OC is a better base than LA for World Cup visitors — and how to make the 405N/105W run to SoFi without losing your mind - Where to watch the matches locally: Bruno's Bar & Grill has 14 TVs, a giant drop-down screen, and daily parties June 11–July 19 - The beer garden at Old World German Village — jumbo screens, German beer, and fans from all over the world - Best hotels in HB for the tournament: from Pasea Hotel & Spa and the Hyatt Regency to budget options like Ocean Surf Inn and Best Western Surf City - Short-term rental rules in Huntington Beach and how to navigate the 30-day minimum - What to do between matches: surf, bike the beach path, beach bonfires, and Lane's full local guide in the show notes 📖 Lane's Huntington Beach Guide (restaurants, coffee, brunch & more): https://sackinstoneteam.kit.com/hbocguide If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

  8. May 15

    HB Sharks, Sewer Easements & Mendocino Farms (Ep. 22)

    HB's summer forecast just got complicated: shark detections are earlier than usual, Mendocino Farms is finally landing at Pacific City, and dozens of local homeowners are losing backyards — and in some cases, parts of their homes — to a sewer easement they didn't see coming. Lane covers five Surf City stories in this one, from a 100-year milestone at Huntington Beach High School to pump tracks returning to Edison Park. What you'll learn: - Why researchers are calling 2025 a "sharky summer" along the HB coast — and what the science actually says about risk level - The decades-old OC Sanitation District easement now claiming 30 feet into homeowners' backyards, destroying pools and portions of homes - Why every HB homeowner should pull their title report and read every easement — today - Mendocino Farms is taking over the Lemonade space at Pacific City (opened May 7th) — what to expect - Pump tracks are back at Edison Park for spring/summer — and they're rotating through multiple parks 🏪 Mendocino Farms Pacific City | 21010 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 | mendocinofarms.com If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

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About

This is your quick rundown of what’s happening in Huntington Beach. Local news, events, grand openings, and updates hosted by HB local, Lane Stone. Easy, useful, and made to keep you in the know.

Information

  • Creator
    Lane Stone
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unlocking Huntington Beach
  • Show Website
    Unlocking Huntington Beach