Surf’s Up DAWG

by Susan Sims, Publisher

BEACH as soon as I was legal to drive a car. Just the smell of the ocean brings me back to days of body surfing, eating greasy strips at Jack’s and burning my body with baby oil.

Fast forward to today, and I am back at the beach, this time with hubby and Honey along for the ride. Talk about a dogs’ life? Honey never had it so good. With plenty of sunscreen (oh the innocence of youth) and floppy hat, we were off to adventure.

Let’s begin:

To say that the Paséa Hotel & Spa is pet-friendly is like saying most copy paper is white. Duh. Voted as the #1 “Best Pet-Friendly Hotel” by USA Today Readers’ Choice Award (2021), Paséa offers a stay as engaging for your pet as it is for you. Paséa Hotel & Spa elevates pet-friendly to pet-passionate with exclusive dog park access, gourmet treats, and more.

Paséa is less than two miles from the famed Huntington Dog Beach. A little closer to home, enjoy Paw-sea – an 1,100 square foot outdoor play area with a lifeguard station doghouse and a local artist-commissioned wall mural, accessible only to dogs registered with their pet-friendly hotel in Huntington Beach, CA.

Located just steps from the Huntington Beach Pier, at the heart of a vibrant and emerging community, Paséa Hotel & Spa is a modern oasis with an unrivaled sense of clean, coastal style and comfort. With 250 spacious guestrooms and suites, almost all with ocean views, Paséa Hotel & Spa is designed to connect guests with nature and bring the warmth and artistry of the destination to life in a vibrant and energizing way.

While it was difficult to tear ourselves away from our balcony with ocean views, we traded our flip flops (included in our room) for walking shoes and started exploring.

Adjacent to the hotel is Pacific City outdoor mall. Had to stop for photo op with Honey on a surfboard. Strolling through the mall, we did a bit of window shopping on our way to dinner at the pet-friendly restaurant, Pacific Hideaway. Part sophisticated SoCal restaurant, part international beach shack, Pacific Hideaway makes its presence known with a striking design, highlighted by a colorful, floral mural on brick known as Frida.

Tucked unassumingly above bustling 5th Street inside the Kimpton Shorebreak Resort, Pacific Hideaway is the little secret you hope not too many people find out about, yet you can’t stop talking about. We enjoyed dinner on their dog-friendly patio and took in the views of 5th Street.

Trust me when I say that I had the best salmon in my life. Period. However, dinner started first with Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower. To die for. And my husband, who is not a fan of cauliflower, devoured it. Back to the salmon: Miso Glazed Salmon served atop egg fried forbidden black rice, sautéed broccoli, roasted red pepper butter. So, you say you have not enjoyed egg fried forbidden black rice before? Neither had I!! My husband, Greg had the perfectly cooked to his liking (medium well) Bacon Wrapped Filet with duck fat fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, mushrooms, asparagus, port wine garlic herb butter. Stuffed but not too stuffed, we enjoyed the Baked Alaska. First time for everything, it was delicious. Honey was kept occupied in her carrier on the chair next to me, people watching the entire time.

We waddled over to Top Dog Bakery and purchased a toy and a treat for Honey since she had been such a good girl. Thank goodness we were walking back to the hotel so our food comma could not set in. Just a ½ mile away, we took our time.

PHOTO CREDITS: VISIT HUNTINGTON BEACH - SURF CITY USA.

Next morning it was off to Dog Beach! But hold on, we need sustenance. Located at the hotel, Tanner’s features the best in fresh, California coastal cuisine inspired by the diversity of Southern California and blending with it the flavors of renowned surf cultures from around the world, paired with stunning floor-to-ceiling views of the Pacific Ocean.

From Puppy Parfaits to Protein Bowls, Pupcakes, and a Banana Split that’ll make even the most well-traveled tail start wagging, the dedicated doggie menus at Tanner’s are just one more way to spend time with your four-legged bestie.

The city of Huntington Beach launched a FREE all-electric transit service that services the Downtown area called Circuit. This service covers 1.5mile stretch and 0.4 acres of Downtown, including the oceanfront hotels, and operates Mon-Sat from 10am-10pm and Sun 10am-9pm. You can either hail down one of the vehicles or request a free ride through the Ride Circuit mobile app with an average wait time of 8-10 minutes. This is a pet-friendly mode of transportation, PAWfect for getting over to dog beach.

If all dogs go to heaven, they’re probably going to Huntington Dog Beach. This stretch of sand sits along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) between Seapoint Avenue and 21st Street, and it’s a great chance for Spot to stretch her legs and snag some play time with other beach-lovin’ dogs while you catch some sun. Dogs can go unleased here at Dog Beach and socialize with other pup friends.

Not a lot of energy left, however we did want to explore the Dog Park at HB Central Park. The Best Friend Dog Park sits on a 1.7-acre fenced area with shade trees and plenty of room for dogs to play. The dog park is separated into two sections: Big Dog Park consists of a larger portion of the property, while Small Dog Park was created for smaller dogs or larger dogs with handicaps. Each dog park has waste bag dispensers and trash cans, dog drinking stations with freshwater, canopied seating areas, and a variety of donated tennis balls and dog toys.

Ready for lunch, we headed to the VERY popular Sancho’s Tacos on Pacific Coast Highway. The tacos and burritos are made fresh to order and you can dine al fresco on the petfriendly patio just steps away from the beach. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu with choices such as the Federale, a slow roasted carnitas, fresh onions & cilantro, sour cream, chubbie sauce taco to their Grande Quesadilla with freshly grated cheddar jack and your choice of meat: Tri-Tip, chicken or carnitas, the food is authentic and so good, you don’t mind standing in line. Well, almost.

Tuckered out and ready to head back to our digs at Paséa Hotel & Spa, we looked forward to enjoying our sunset views from the privacy of our balcony where we could dream of our return to the best bow wow beach in California.

21080 Pacific Coast Highway; (714) 698-6100; https://meritagecollection.com/pasea-hotel With dog-friendly accommodations that include an in-room bed, food and water bowls, a dog treat welcome amenity and pet gift shop items, The Paw-séa package, offered at $150 in addition to the room charge, has all you need for a seaside getaway. On-site is the fenced in Paw-séa Pup Play Park featuring 1,100 square feet of outdoor space complete with a lifeguard station doghouse. Perfect for some off-leash lounging. The hotel concierge can also arrange for a dog walker or pet-sitter. Adjacent to the hotel is Pacific City, an alfresco lifestyle center brimming with shops and pet-friendly dining.

180 5th Street, #110, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; 714-960-3647 (DOGS); topdogbarkery.net

500 Pacific Coast Hwy (located upstairs inside the Kimpton Shorebreak Resort); (714) 965-4448; https://pacifichideawayhb.com/

(Located inside the Pasea Hotel & Spa); (714) 698-6130; http://tannershb.com/

602 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; (714) 536-8226 sanchostacos.com

7111 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; https://www.surfcityusa.com/about-huntington- beach/neighborhoods/central-park

20211 Huntington Beach Bike Trail, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 (located between Goldenwest Street and Seapoint Street); https:// www.surfcityusa.com/things-to-do/beaches/dog-beach/

Be sure to plan your trip around the annual dog surfing event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6qIMa4qkNE

@SurfCityUSA @HBSurfCityUSA Visit Huntington Beach SurfCityUSA #BeHere

PHOTO CREDIT SUSAN SIMS.

PHOTO CREDIT SUSAN SIMS.