Seal Beach, Calif.–It happened again this past week as we entered March springtime in California. Seal Beach Pier was packed. Huntington, Newport, and Long Beach were busy. But Seal Beach was unbelievable! What’s going on in Seal Beach that makes it seem different? The answers are 1. Community, 2. Quaint, and 3.Cheap. You don’t have to pay to park in Seal Beach. In Huntington Beach and Newport Beach the pier and beach parking that accesses the piers and town centers is locked up at $0.25 per 10 minutes, or $1.50. In Belmont Shore, the robocops are fierce in catching expired meters, and we the unwitting public, are no match for their eagle eyes and lightning speed in writing tickets to the tune of around $40.
Seal Beach is experiencing incredible influxes of local visitors from San Pedro, Rancho PV, Huntington Beach, Laguna, etc., and to me, it is no wonder why. Even I go out of my way to visit Seal Beach. Like brushing your teeth or anything else, you kind of miss it if you don’t walk on that rough, wooden pier, or watch some kid or tourist pat the bronzed seal statue, Slick, on the nose. I go to play tennis at courts that overlook the beach and ocean, then head to the pier to watch the Captain T. Lee pull into dock to drop off and pick up oil platform workers.
I drive to Seal Beach to feel a part of this intimate beach that overlooks Long Beach port, downtown skyline with the unique Riviera building, and Queen Mary to the north. When I go with other people, which is often, I listen to their comments such as, “The sunsets are better here for some reason.” As a professional photographer who spends much time examining sunsets, I ponder if their statements can have any factual basis. Darned, it does seem the sunsets are quite special in Seal Beach, and I don’t know why. I think it has to do with the skyline but it also may be the wooden pier, the closeness to the water, and the size of the beach itself.
If you are visiting Orange County beaches on a trip to Disneyland, do stop by Seal Beach, and maybe grab a burger at Ruby’s on the pier. My favorite coffee in all the world is served at Javatini on Main Street just two blocks from the beach. They can make you an iced drink on the rocks with your favorite coffee blend and some sweet syrups if you like. When you save on metered parking, and notice the little things that say Seal Beach likes tourists, you tend to shop, dine, and spend more money as a thank you.
March 4th, 2009 at 4:44 am I noticed your blog and wanted to tell you that i admire your love of Seal Beach. I grew up there, then moved to North Carolina to help my daughter run a business. My kids all were raised in California but they left for jobs, lifestyle, and affordable homes, among other things. I am glad Seal Beach retains its small town charm that I remember. I hope they hang onto that. The last time I visited a few years ago, I didn’t even recognize Huntington Beach as I drove by on Coast Highway, taking the scenic route from John Wayne Airport. I felt like I was in a metropolitan city, and kind of missed the old town charm I remembered. While I will always hold a special place in my heart and memories for Seal Beach and Southern California, I am truly glad to be somewhere else now. The drivers I experienced on my last visit were rude, and the place felt too impersonal. I can honestly say that there is life outside of California, and believe it or not, the lifestyle is quite nice if you pick the right places to live. Thanks.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:17 pm Surf, sun and fun! That’s what the saying is about Seal Beach.