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| - Can you believe that in my entire life as a Cleveland resident, this is the first time I've ever been to Huntington Beach? I know, quite sad.
In my defense, I hung out on the east side at Fairport Harbor and Headlands most of my life. I have to admit, I don't notice a huge difference between these three beaches.
First of all, almost any beach in Northeast Ohio is going to more rocky than sandy, with lots of debris. That being said, we do have some pretty nice places to enjoy the lake! Huntington Beach is what most Clevelanders would call the "classiest" of all of them, and in some ways that is true, some not.
I noticed right off the bat that we'd be dealing with the parking vortex of hell--my favorite. Crabby teenagers and stressed soccer mom's waiting 20 minutes for someone to leave to take their spot, while holding the rest of us up for what feels like a lifetime. Mildly annoying, but not worth ruining my day. (Note: I do give Edgewater and Headlands props for figuring out their parking situation, though.)
I also noticed that it was *beyond* packed with the same kind of crowd you'd see at Headlands or Fairport. So, what's the difference? I'm not sure. They do have the science center and Mitchell's Ice Cream, so maybe that's what makes it... We tromped down about 150 steps to the beach and managed to cram ourselves into a small spot between sunbathers.
Once situated, the beach was quite enjoyable! I think this is a place I'd like to hang out more on off-days and evenings, when the crowds are dissipated. Also, I can't wait to walk around a little more! The beach looks long and gorgeous, with lots to see and explore. The sand quality is probably the best you'll find around, besides maybe East Harbor a little more westbound.
I'll definitely be back! Even though this beach has a couple of annoying things about it, no one's perfect. Overall, it's one of the best in Cleveland, for sure.
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