Unlocking Huntington Beach

HB Cost of Living: What You Actually Need to Earn (Ep. 24)

Huntington Beach's cost of living runs 80% above the national average — but that headline number alone won't help you budget. Lane Stone has spent 14 years in this market, and in this episode he breaks down every real expense: rent by neighborhood, what buying actually pencils out to right now, groceries, utilities, the California income tax hit, and the lifestyle costs no calculator includes. What you'll learn: - Rent ranges by HB neighborhood — from Bolsa Chica ($2,000/mo 1BR) to downtown near the pier ($2,500–$3,000+) - What a $1.3M median-priced home actually costs monthly with today's rates (~$7,500–$8,500 before taxes/insurance) - The "hidden" costs that gut transplants' budgets: HOA fees, move-in deposits, California state income tax, and the "I deserve it" effect - The income target a single person needs to live comfortably — and what a family with kids is really looking at - Why HB's 2.6% rental vacancy rate means the right timing strategy matters as much as the right price If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

HB Is the Perfect World Cup Base Camp (Ep. 23)

A million people are expected to flood Southern California for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — and Lane Stone thinks Huntington Beach is the smartest place to set up camp. The games are at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, but 35 miles of Pacific Coast beats the LA hotel surge any day. What you'll learn: - Why OC is a better base than LA for World Cup visitors — and how to make the 405N/105W run to SoFi without losing your mind - Where to watch the matches locally: Bruno's Bar & Grill has 14 TVs, a giant drop-down screen, and daily parties June 11–July 19 - The beer garden at Old World German Village — jumbo screens, German beer, and fans from all over the world - Best hotels in HB for the tournament: from Pasea Hotel & Spa and the Hyatt Regency to budget options like Ocean Surf Inn and Best Western Surf City - Short-term rental rules in Huntington Beach and how to navigate the 30-day minimum - What to do between matches: surf, bike the beach path, beach bonfires, and Lane's full local guide in the show notes 📖 Lane's Huntington Beach Guide (restaurants, coffee, brunch & more): https://sackinstoneteam.kit.com/hbocguide If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

HB Sharks, Sewer Easements & Mendocino Farms (Ep. 22)

HB's summer forecast just got complicated: shark detections are earlier than usual, Mendocino Farms is finally landing at Pacific City, and dozens of local homeowners are losing backyards — and in some cases, parts of their homes — to a sewer easement they didn't see coming. Lane covers five Surf City stories in this one, from a 100-year milestone at Huntington Beach High School to pump tracks returning to Edison Park. What you'll learn: - Why researchers are calling 2025 a "sharky summer" along the HB coast — and what the science actually says about risk level - The decades-old OC Sanitation District easement now claiming 30 feet into homeowners' backyards, destroying pools and portions of homes - Why every HB homeowner should pull their title report and read every easement — today - Mendocino Farms is taking over the Lemonade space at Pacific City (opened May 7th) — what to expect - Pump tracks are back at Edison Park for spring/summer — and they're rotating through multiple parks 🏪 Mendocino Farms Pacific City | 21010 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 | mendocinofarms.com If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

HB Gets a Surf-Themed Escape Room From a Local Pro (Ep. 21)

A Huntington Beach local who played pro beach volleyball — and completed 233 escape rooms — just opened Surf City Escapes inside Pacific City. Ben Vaught built rooms around the HB vibe on purpose: the surf theme fits here in a way it wouldn't in an Irvine industrial park. Lane's team tried them out, and spoiler: they escaped with 27 seconds to spare. What you'll learn: - Why Ben chose Pacific City over Irvine, and the zoning hurdle he had to navigate to make it happen - The four rooms at Surf City Escapes — including a surf escape, a California winery heist, a ghost-hunting room with a family and a spooky version, and a Sherlock mystery coming soon - Why Ben designed everything for first-timers: no red herrings, clear puzzles, and zero shame in asking for hints (he asks 70% of the time) - What it actually takes to build and test an escape room — six weeks of installation, 40 test runs before opening - How the escape room industry works more like a community than a competition (and why bad experiences are the only real enemy) 🏪 Surf City Escapes Escape Rooms | 21058 Pacific Coast Highway #M210, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 | (714) 334-6373 | surfcityescapes.com 📱 Instagram / TikTok / Facebook: @surfcityescapes If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc

HB's Best New Restaurants, Coffee Shops & Lost Classics (Ep. 20)

Episode 20 is a full Huntington Beach food and drink audit — where we've been, where we're headed, and what we should never have lost. Lane Stone covers four top-five lists: the HB spots he misses most (Ruby's on the Pier, Ruby Palace, Bravo Burger on Beach Blvd, the downtown movie theater), five places coming soon to Surf City — including Champagne's Kitchen taking over the old IHOP on Main and Olive, The Lighthouse jazz venue headed to Pacific City, and Huntington's On The Pier arriving fall 2026 — plus five newly opened spots and the five coffee shops locals actually rely on. What you'll learn: - Which Newport breakfast staple is expanding to HB and what to expect from their menu - How a legendary Hermosa Beach jazz venue is bringing live music back to Pacific City - Why Rise Poke Shack and Atelier Sushi are already generating lines and social buzz in HB - What Focaccia House on Main Street has to do with Zero Zero Pizza - The five OC coffee roasters Lane would send any visitor to first — including the one supplying Champagne's Kitchen If you live in Huntington Beach, just moved here, or are thinking about making it home, this podcast keeps you in the loop on what’s happening locally every week. New episodes drop weekly. Do Good. HB deserves it. FOLLOW US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlockinghb YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlockinghb Sackin-Stone Team: https://sackinstoneteam.com LANE STONE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laneinoc