Sammy’s Guide to The US Open of Surfing

On July 29, the world’s best surfers will flock to the sands of Huntington Beach, CA for the 63rd annual Wallex US Open of Surfing. Showcasing a veritable who's who of surfing’s biggest stars, Kelly Slater, Andy Irons and So Cal’s own Rob Machado are just a few of surfing’s most celebrated stars that have won the competition in “Surf City, USA.” 

The competition on the waves is sure to be fierce, however, not all the fun will be had in the water, as the nine-day event includes beach games, Freestyle Motocross demos by Nitro Circus, food trucks, live music, surfboard shaping, autograph signings and more. To help you sort through all the madness and radness, we’ve gathered up a list of the best things to do around the event site to help you make the most of your US Open experience. 

For the best results, we recommend stocking up a cooler full of Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktails for all the high-flying, tail-throwing fun, the perfect drink to pregame or bring on the go for this year’s action.

For tasty tacos, delicious drinks and some brews with amazing views, be sure to head down to Sammy’s Cabo Wabo Beach Club located just a stone’s throw away from the contest site at the Waterfront Beach Resort. The rockin’ bar features specialty cocktails and drinks made with Sammy’s spirits Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum and Santo, as well as Sammy’s Beach Bar Cocktails. Cabo Wabo Beach Club is open from 7 a.m - 11:30 p.m. daily with a Happy Hour from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. daily. 

The full US Open events schedule can be found here.

Nitro Circus Full Throttle FMX

Surfing isn’t the only extreme sport coming to HB next week, with legendary motocross and extreme sports act Nitro Circus crew bringing its high-flying acts of insanity to the sands of HB for the first time. The collective, led by motocross legend Travis Pastrana, will debut its brand new show, Nitro Circus Full Throttle FMX, an on the sand, death-defying freestyle motocross show.

The show will bring “jaw-dropping spectacles that push the boundaries of excitement and adrenaline” to the beach from July 29 through August 5. Some note-worthy freestyle motocross riders who will be showcasing their talents include Jeremy “Twitch” Stenberg, Jarryd McNeil, Beau Bamburg, Keith Sayers and Brian McCarty.

Surfing Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony

Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Surfing Walk of Fame is a stretch of sidewalk that pays tribute to Surfing’s greatest. Located near the iconic Jack’s Surfboards at 101 Main Street, each year the induction ceremony is held annually in conjunction with the US Open of Surfing, and for the first time ever the ceremony will be open to the public.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 3, the ceremony will induct six new members into the Walk of Fame, each marked by their own category: Dick Metz for Surf Pioneer; Cheyne Horan for Surfing Champion; Robert “Chuy” Madrigal for Local Hero; Yvon Chouinard for Surf Culture; Pauline Menczer for Woman of the Year; and Don Hansen and Jesse Billauer for Honor Roll. The ceremony is sure to draw some of the biggest names in surf culture and will even feature a beachside luncheon catered by the famous Duke’s restaurant. 

Surf City Nights

Surf City Nights is Huntington Beach’s weekly community street fair and farmer’s market, with Main Street closing for traffic every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m and transforming into the only certified farmer’s market in Huntington, chalk-full of unique crafters and specialty food booths. 

The week of the US Open is no exception, as main street Huntington is sure to be buzzing with both people and energy, all gathered for the promise of live music, great food and fun for the whole family. To make things even better, the restaurant’s of Main Street roll out incredible deals and specials making it the place to be on the Tuesday of the Open.  

Duct Tape Board Shaping

Returning from last year, the Duct Tape Shaping Bay is a live, real time look at what goes into the intricate art of surfboard shaping. The exhibit is a fully equipped surfboard shaping room in which some of surfing's premiere talent will come and try their hand at shaping their own handmade surfboards, which is no easy feat. 

Once shaping the board out of a foam blank, the board will then be glassed and finished using an eco-friendly epoxy resin and given a colorful flare through a process known as resin tinting. Additionally, the exhibit will also showcase boards shaped by some of the talent around the contest site.