One of the ways I get to see the world – as one who doesn't travel all that much or doesn't have the money to do so – is to watch really well-done films, check out TV shows, or even listen to superbly depicting songs. When I was younger and sequestered in a solemn community in Puritan New England, I used songs and old Elvis movies to do the same thing. For example, I "discovered" the Hawaii shores and the Huntington Beach, California, and other, neighboring beaches by way of "Blue Hawaii," "G. I. Blues," the Beach Boys, and better, Patti Smith and other rockers.
Do you ever see a potential vacation spot, a viable plot of real estate, or a school or hotel or home by way of movies or TV shows? Hey, in effect, they are 3-D, 2-hour brochures. Check out Huntington Beach, California, this way, for example. First, you likely know that like most of the popular and/or secluded beaches, Huntington Beach, California offers premier surfing off eight miles of accessible beach/shore. This means, of course, numerous world-renowned competitions and events are hosted in Huntington Beach in California – including the AVP for Pro Beach Volleyball and the U.S. Surfing Opens, as well as Van's World Championship of Skateboarding.
So you can watch the sports events, and catch sight of the oceans, the sands, the weather..., or you can watch the psychological thriller, "Dementia: An Experiment in Terror," an independent film shot totally in Huntington Beach, California, so you can get the dimensions and dynamics, as well as a general idea of some of the people (though be sure not to confuse characters with residents – ahem).
Or, you might intentionally look for Huntington Beach, California landscape, politics, and society in focused films such as "The Ten Best Beaches in California" or the KQED special, "Coastal Clash," wherein the coverage includes discussion of who owns what part of which beach, but also features images that are alluring and enlightening. Or, you can watch HBTV3 or catch clips of the sights and sites on the official Huntington Beach, California web pages.
I haven't had the chance to visit Huntington Beach, California, yet, though I did – years after listening to Patti Smith's "Redondo Beach" – hitchhike down the coast to see what all the lyrics portrayals were about. You may want to try the movies, the shows, and the clips... whether they are fictional and set in Hunting Beach or factual and about such areas that are sunny, surfable, and most welcoming and visit-worthy.
Author of this article is Glenn Low. For more articles visit the website: Travellers' Guidebook.
