Drug & Alcohol Testing Centers, Huntington Beach, CA
Accredited Drug Testing Inc, is the nation's leading provider of drug, alcohol, occupational health, and DNA testing and has testing centers in Huntington Beach, CA and throughout the local area. Testing centers are within minutes of your home or office and same day service is available in most cases.
9122 ADAMS AVE 1.9 miles
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92646
18811 FLORIDA ST 1.9 miles
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648
18800 Main St Ste 111, 2.0 miles
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
18561 BEACH BLVD 2.3 miles
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648
17822 BEACH BL SUITE 242 3.0 miles
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92647
9900 Talbert Ave Ste 203, 3.7 miles
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
9920 TALBERT AVE 3.8 miles
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA 92708
17122 BEACH BLVD STE 104 3.8 miles
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
17024 MAGNOLIA ST 4.1 miles
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA 92708
8970 WARNER AVE 4.2 miles
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA 92708
1419 SUPERIOR AVE STE 1 4.4 miles
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663
320 SUPERIOR AVE. STE 150 4.5 miles
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92663
301 VICTORIA ST 5.0 miles
COSTA MESA, CA 92627
11180 E Warner Ave Ste 159, 5.4 miles
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
3401 S HARBOR BLVD 5.5 miles
SANTA ANA, CA 92704
15464 GOLDENWEST ST 5.7 miles
WESTMINSTER, CA 92683
3100 W WARNER AVE 6.4 miles
SANTA ANA, CA 92704
1000 BRISTOL ST N Ste 1B 6.5 miles
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
7955 WESTMINSTER BLVD 6.9 miles
WESTMINSTER, CA 92683
400 NEWPORT CENTER DR STE 202 8.0 miles
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660
12600 BEACH BLVD 8.4 miles
STANTON, CA 90680
2362 MORSE AVE 8.8 miles
IRVINE, CA 92614
1241 E DYER RD STE 145 8.9 miles
SANTA ANA, CA 92705
17232 RED HILL AVE 9.1 miles
IRVINE, CA 92614
7052 ORANGEWOOD AVE STE 6 9.4 miles
GARDEN GROVE, CA 92841
1534 E WARNER AVE 9.5 miles
SANTA ANA, CA 92705
1530 E Edinger Ave Ste 1 9.7 miles
Santa Ana, CA 92705
1619 E Edinger Ave 10.1 miles
Santa Ana, CA 92705
10861 CHERRY ST STE 202 10.7 miles
LOS ALAMITOS, CA 90720
946 W TOWN AND COUNTRY RD 11.1 miles
ORANGE, CA 92868
100 N TUSTIN AVE 11.2 miles
TUSTIN, CA 92780
1310 W Stewart Dr Ste 304, 11.3 miles
Orange, CA 92868
1010 W La Veta Ave Ste 140, 11.4 miles
Orange, CA 92868
800 N Tustin Ave Ste A 11.4 miles
Santa Ana, CA 92705
2121 S TOWNE CENTRE PL STE 100 11.4 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92806
801 N Tustin Ave Ste 102, 11.5 miles
Santa Ana, CA 92705
705 W LA VETA AVE STE 102 11.6 miles
ORANGE, CA 92868
2492 WALNUT AVE STE 110 11.6 miles
TUSTIN, CA 92780
333 S MAGNOLIA AVE 11.6 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92804
3002 DOW AVE STE 204 11.7 miles
TUSTIN, CA 92780
4950 Barranca Pkwy Ste 101, 11.8 miles
Irvine, CA 92604
2814 W LINCOLN AVE 11.9 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92801
17542 17TH ST STE 330 12.1 miles
TUSTIN, CA 92780
1720 TERMINO AVE 12.2 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90804
1703 TERMINO AVE, STE 102 12.2 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90804
1000 S ANAHEIM BLVD STE 200 12.2 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92805
947 S ANAHEIM BLVD STE 120 12.3 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92805
867 S TUSTIN ST 12.3 miles
ORANGE, CA 92866
16200 SAND CANYON AVE 13.0 miles
IRVINE, CA 92618
710 N EUCLID ST STE 203 13.0 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92801
5451 LA PALMA AVE STE 24 13.1 miles
LA PALMA, CA 90623
100 Oceangate, P245 13.4 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90802
On-site only 13.4 miles
Long Beach, CA 90802
15775 LAGUNA CANYON RD Ste 100 13.4 miles
IRVINE, CA 92618
1006 W LA PALMA AVE 13.5 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92801
1801 W ROMNEYA DR STE 106 13.5 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92801
1050 LINDEN AVE Ste 887 13.6 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90813
1045 N TUSTIN ST 13.7 miles
ORANGE, CA 92867
1717 E LINCOLN AVE 13.8 miles
Anaheim, CA 92805
1250 PACIFIC AVE 14.0 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90813
1111 E LA PALMA AVE 14.0 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92805
40 CENTERPOINTE DR 14.0 miles
LA PALMA, CA 90623
211 S STATE COLLEGE BLVD STE 325 14.2 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92806
2750 ATLANTIC AVE 14.7 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90806
2101 MAGNOLIA AVE 14.8 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90806
2776 PACIFIC AVE 15.1 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90806
482 W WILLOW ST 15.1 miles
LONG BEACH, CA 90806
16702 VALLEY VIEW AVE 15.3 miles
LA MIRADA, CA 90638
16700 VALLEY VIEW AVE STE 180 15.3 miles
LA MIRADA, CA 90638
5220 CLARK AVE STE 445 15.4 miles
LAKEWOOD, CA 90712
5203 LAKEWOOD BLVD 15.6 miles
LAKEWOOD, CA 90712
5205 Lakewood Blvd 15.6 miles
Lakewood, CA 90712
640 S PLACENTIA AVE 15.6 miles
PLACENTIA, CA 92870
24962 CALLE ARAGON 15.8 miles
LAGUNA WOODS, CA 92637
1300 N KRAEMER BLVD 16.1 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92806
15330 VALLEY VIEW AVE STE 1 16.1 miles
LA MIRADA, CA 90638
15751 Rockfield Blvd 16.1 miles
Irvine, CA 92618
22741 LAMBERT ST 16.5 miles
LAKE FOREST, CA 92630
61 ARGONAUT 16.5 miles
ALISO VIEJO, CA 92656
1950 SUNNYCREST DR STE 1800 16.6 miles
FULLERTON, CA 92835
2151 N HARBOR BLVD 16.7 miles
FULLERTON, CA 92835
6670 ALTON PKWY 1ST FL 16.8 miles
IRVINE, CA 92618
23521 Paseo De Valencia #302C, 16.9 miles
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
23961 CALLE DE LA MAGDALENA STE 230 17.0 miles
LAGUNA HILLS, CA 92653
2720 N HARBOR BLVD STE 130 17.1 miles
FULLERTON, CA 92835
24451 HEALTH CENTER DR 17.1 miles
LAGUNA HILLS, CA 92653
1201 N. ROSE DR. SUITE 202 17.9 miles
PLACENTIA, CA 92870
16660 PARAMONT BLVD STE 102 17.9 miles
PARAMOUNT, CA 90723
13440 IMPERIAL HWY 18.0 miles
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA 90670
1301 N ROSE DR 18.0 miles
PLACENTIA, CA 92870
909 E YORBA LINDA BLVD STE H 18.1 miles
PLACENTIA, CA 92870
16444 PARAMOUNT BLVD 18.1 miles
PARAMOUNT, CA 90723
411 N LAKEVIEW AVE 18.2 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92807
1294 W 6th St Ste 206, 18.4 miles
San Pedro, CA 90731
23601 AVALON BLVD Ste 104 18.4 miles
CARSON, CA 90745
1300 W 7TH ST 18.5 miles
SAN PEDRO, CA 90732
1360 W 6TH ST STE 190 18.5 miles
SAN PEDRO, CA 90732
1001 E IMPERIAL HWY 18.5 miles
BREA, CA 92821
19301 S SANTA FE AVE Ste 120 18.6 miles
COMPTON, CA 90221
7300 ALONDRA BLVD STE 108 18.6 miles
PARAMOUNT, CA 90723
23962 ALICIA PKWY 19.1 miles
MISSION VIEJO, CA 92691
25431 CABOT RD STE 118 19.1 miles
LAGUNA HILLS, CA 92653
25965 NORMANDIE AVE FL 1 19.2 miles
HARBOR CITY, CA 90710
25500 RANCHO NIGUEL RD STE 100 19.3 miles
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677
566 E LAMBERT RD 19.4 miles
BREA, CA 92821
9353 IMPERIAL HWY GARDEN MEDICAL OFFICE,3RD FLOOR 19.8 miles
DOWNEY, CA 90242
15141 Whittier Blvd Ste 125, 19.9 miles
Whittier, CA 90603
455 E CARSON PLAZA DR 20.0 miles
CARSON, CA 90746
20401 AVALON BLVD STE C 20.0 miles
CARSON, CA 90746
11817 TELEGRAPH RD 20.2 miles
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA 90670
5475 E LA PALMA AVE 20.4 miles
ANAHEIM, CA 92807
2499 S WILMINGTON AVE 20.4 miles
COMPTON, CA 90220
27800 MEDICAL CENTER RD STE118 20.5 miles
MISSION VIEJO, CA 92691
11411 BROOKSHIRE AVE STE 408 20.5 miles
DOWNEY, CA 90241
20770 ASH CIR STE 200 20.9 miles
YORBA LINDA, CA 92886
12385 WASHINGTON BLVD 21.4 miles
WHITTIER, CA 90606
12401 WASHINGTON BLVD 21.4 miles
WHITTIER, CA 90602
12462 PUTNAM ST ste 402 21.6 miles
WHITTIER, CA 90602
1149 W 190TH ST 21.6 miles
GARDENA, CA 90248
21081 S WESTERN AVE STE 150 21.7 miles
TORRANCE, CA 90501
8337 TELEGRAPH RD STE 104 22.0 miles
PICO RIVERA, CA 90660
16630 S BROADWAY ST 22.1 miles
GARDENA, CA 90248
3330 LOMITA BLVD 22.4 miles
TORRANCE, CA 90505
15401 S MAIN ST 22.6 miles
GARDENA, CA 90248
23441 Madison St Ste 300, 22.7 miles
Torrance, CA 90505
3611 MLK Blvd STE 108 22.7 miles
LYNWOOD, CA 90262
23441 MADISON ST.BLD8,STE 110 22.8 miles
TORRANCE, CA 90505
1300 W 155TH ST STE 109 23.4 miles
GARDENA, CA 90247
21320 HAWTHORNE BLVD STE 227 23.6 miles
TORRANCE, CA 90503
3430 GARFIELD AVE 23.8 miles
LOS ANGELES, CA 90040
18575 Gale Ave Ste 155 23.9 miles
City of Industry, CA 91748
18575 GALE AVE STE 295 23.9 miles
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91748
4101 TORRANCE BLVD 24.0 miles
TORRANCE, CA 90503
16025 GALE AVE STE B10 24.3 miles
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91745
18335 VALLEY BLVD 24.5 miles
LA PUENTE, CA 91744
2707 E VALLEY BLVD STE 116 24.5 miles
WEST COVINA, CA 91792
6538 TELEGRAPH RD 24.6 miles
LOS ANGELES, CA 90040
11152 S MAIN ST 24.6 miles
LOS ANGELES, CA 90061
3364 E SLAUSON AVE 24.6 miles
VERNON, CA 90058
17487 HURLEY ST 24.6 miles
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91744
Drug and alcohol testing services are provided for employers and individuals and are administered for various reasons including Employment related such as pre-employment, random, post accident and reasonable suspicion, also US DOT-Part 40, Court Ordered, School and personal reasons.
Scheduling a drug, alcohol or any testing service at any of our Huntington Beach, CA testing facilities is simple and easy. Call (800)221-4291 or you may schedule a test online 24/7 by clicking below and receive your donor pass/registration form with the testing center address and instructions via email.
Customer Service Is Our #1 Priority- Our Drug Testing centers recognize that needing a drug, alcohol or occupational health test can be stressful at times. Accredited Drug Testing takes the stress out of a stressful situation and is available to answer any questions you may have and provide our services in a friendly, courteous and confidential manner. Call our scheduling department today at (800)221-4291.
View all available drug testing services
Types of Drug Testing Methods Available
Our testing centers provide many types of drug testing methods, below is a brief description of each method choose the one that is right for your need.
Urine Test - Urine - Accredited Drug Testing provides drug testing utilizing the Urine screening method. Urine drug testing can be screened for 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 15 panel screenings. Urine drug tests can also include an expanded opiates analysis. Same day service is available and testing centers are located in all cities and in most cases within minutes from your home or office. The detection period for a urine drug test is up to 3-5 days and results are reported in most cases in 2- 3 days.
The procedure for a urine drug test is simple. A donor provides a urine specimen in a cup to a drug testing collection specialist who will then seal the specimen cup, complete various documentation including a chain of custody form, have the donor initial the specimen cup seal, provide identification and upon completion of the collection and paperwork the specimen will be sent in a secure manner by Currier to the laboratory for testing.
Hair Drug Testing - Accredited Drug Testing can provide a drug test utilizing the Hair follicle drug test method and a Hair drug test can be tested for 5, 10, and 12 panel screenings. The detection period for a hair drug test is up to 90 days and results are reported in most cases in 3 -5 days.
The hair drug test is becoming more frequently used by employers, courts and other government agencies due to the fact that the window of detection for illegal drug use for a hair is up to 90 days. Many courts have begun accepting hair testing in place of urine or blood testing and hair testing has been determined to be legally and scientifically admissible evidence in a court of law.
A hair drug test is a simple process whereby a drug testing collection specialist cuts approximately 120 strands of hair from the head or a specific amount from the body and submits the hair to a certified laboratory for analysis. A hair follicle drug test can be screened for a 5 panel, 10 panel or 12 panel test and can also include expanded opiates. If a donor does not have 1 ½ inches of hair on their head, body hair can be utilized, however, if the donor is bald and has none or very little body hair, a hair drug test is not an available option, a urine or oral/saliva test should be utilized.
In addition to our standard drug test panels, opioid screening can be added to any drug test to determine the use and/or abuse of any prescription drugs.
US DOT Testing and Part 40 Compliance - Accredited Drug Testing provides DOT drug testing for pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion and return to duty for companies or employees regulated and covered by 49 CFR Part 40 including FMCSA, USCG, FTA, FRA, FAA, PHMSA. The drug test required by the Department of Transportation is a 5-panel urine test, which must be analyzed by SAMHSA certified laboratory and verified by a Medical Review Officer (MRO).
Additional DOT services include:
- -DOT Consortium Membership (random testing)
- -DOT Supervisor Training
- -MVR Reports
- -DOT Drug Policy Development
- -DOT Physicals
- -DOT Breath Alcohol Testing
Our Huntington Beach, CA testing centers have certified DOT drug testing collection specialists who are trained in the proper collection of a DOT drug test.
The Opioid Overdose Crisis
Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.
- Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.
- Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder.
- An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin.
- About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.
- Opioid overdoses increased 30 percent from July 2016 through September 2017 in 52 areas in 45 states.
- The Midwestern region saw opioid overdoses increase 70 percent from July 2016 through September 2017.
- Opioid overdoses in large cities increase by 54 percent in 16 states.
In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to prescription opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This subsequently led to widespread diversion and misuse of these medications before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.3,4 Opioid overdose rates began to increase. In 2017, more than 47,000 Americans died as a result of an opioid overdose, including prescription opioids, heroin, and illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.1That same year, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers, and 652,000 suffered from a heroin use disorder (not mutually exclusive)
Court Ordered Testing - Accredited Drug Testing and our Huntington Beach, CA drug testing centers also provide drug and alcohol testing for probation and other court ordered testing requirements. Testing services include ETG alcohol testing and drug testing utilizing urine and hair methods. Test results can be sent directly to Probation Officers, Judges, Attorneys or other parties as required. Strict confidentiality is assured.
Alcohol Testing - Accredited Drug Testing and our Huntington Beach, CA testing centers provide alcohol testing including ETG testing in both urine and hair and Breath Alcohol Testing (BAT). Alcohol testing can be added to any drug test screening.
Testing Facilities Nationwide - In addition to our drug and alcohol testing centers in Huntington Beach, CA and the local area, Accredited Drug Testing has company owned and affiliated collection sites in all States and most cities to serve our clients' needs when traveling or employment related testing is required in multiple cities or States.
On-Site/Mobile Testing - Time Is Money!- Accredited Drug Testing provides On-Site drug testing services in all cities nationwide and can be used for construction sites, sporting events, job fairs and trucking/transportation companies, on site testing is available for DOT and NON-DOT regulated employers. In most cases, on-site mobile testing is cost effective when you have 10 or more employees needing to be drug or alcohol tested without leaving the job site.
Employer testing/account setup - If you are an employer with at least 5 employees and would like to set up an account for future testing, it's simple and easy. Call us and speak with a client relations representative, (800)221-4291 it takes 5 minutes or less to complete. Account benefits include no setup fees, test discounts, invoicing, test status tracking and personalized customer service.
Does Your Company Have a Written Drug Policy? - Employee Drug & alcohol testing is utilized best when conducted in conjunction with a clear, written drug policy that is shared with all employees, along with employee education about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, supervisor training on the signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug abuse, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to provide help for employees who may have an alcohol or drug problem. If your company does not have a written drug and alcohol policy or your current policy needs to be revised, Accredited Drug Testing specializes in the development and implementation of an employer's drug and alcohol policy which complies with state and federal law.
DNA Testing Services -Accredited Drug Testing provides DNA testing at testing centers Nationwide for paternity, immigration, and family relationship purposes. DNA testing centers are located in most cities and within minutes of your home or office.
DNA testing can provide an accurate determination of the probability of paternity at 99% more of who the child's biological father or mother is. The initial DNA test takes only a few minutes at the testing center and involves the swabbing of the child and alleged fathers mouth, which will provide saliva to be analyzed by a certified laboratory. Our DNA results are analyzed by a certified AABB laboratory and can be used in a legal proceeding to determine paternity or child custody related issues.
"When you need a test, choose the best!"
Alcohol Testing Huntington Beach, CA Services
(800)221-4291
For more information regarding the effects of drug abuse - Click Here
For more information on a drug free work place - Click Here
Handy Resources
Comprehensive Online Resources for Drug Testing
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Provides comprehensive information on drug testing and its role in substance use disorder treatment.
- FDA: Drug Testing
Explains the FDA's role and regulations concerning drug testing for consumers.
- PDR.net
Provides detailed drug information and safety updates through a mobile-friendly platform.
- BeSafeRx - FDA
Resource by the FDA to help consumers identify and choose safe online pharmacies.
- SAMHSA: Drug Testing Resources for the Workplace
Resources and guidelines for drug testing in the workplace.
- Drugs.com
Provides drug information, side effects, and interactions for consumers and professionals.
- Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST)
Online version of the DAST to help individuals assess whether they have a drug problem.
- Merck Manuals
Consumer-friendly medical resource providing comprehensive information on a wide array of health topics, including drug testing.
- SAMHSA Store
Provides access to resources and publications on substance use prevention and treatment.
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Information on state boards of pharmacy and regulations, including those related to drug testing.
- CDC: Workplace Health Promotion
CDC's resources on substance use and drug testing in the workplace.
- Mayo Clinic: Drug Testing
General information about the procedures and types of drug tests.
- MedlinePlus: Drug Testing
Offers information about various drug tests and their uses in medical diagnosis and treatment.
- University of Rochester Medical Center Health Encyclopedia
Provides a detailed entry on drug testing, including how tests are conducted and what they detect.
- World Health Organization (WHO)
International guidelines and information on public health, including substance abuse and drug testing.
- Healthline: Drug Testing
Consumer health site offering information on how drug tests work and what they look for.
- WebMD: Drug Testing
Provides a patient-oriented overview of drug testing and its purposes.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
Provides a vast database of scientific studies, including research on drug testing and its effectiveness.
AI Overview
Overview of Drug Testing Collection Centers
Drug testing collection centers are specialized facilities where individuals submit biological samples for drug testing. These centers play a crucial role in the drug testing process, serving industries such as transportation, healthcare, sports, and many sectors requiring workplace safety and compliance with drug-free policies. This overview details the functions, types of tests conducted, and what individuals can expect during a visit to a drug testing collection center.
Functions of Drug Testing Collection Centers
Collection centers are primarily responsible for the secure and proper collection of samples, ensuring that they are uncontaminated and accurately reflect the subject's drug use status. They adhere to strict procedures to maintain confidentiality and integrity of the testing process.
Types of Tests Conducted
- Urine Testing: The most common form of drug testing, used to detect recent use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and others.
- Hair Follicle Testing: Provides a longer detection window compared to urine testing and is used to analyze drug use over a period of months.
- Saliva Testing: Used for its non-invasive nature and ability to detect immediate drug use.
- Blood Testing: Although less common due to its invasive nature, it is the most accurate form of drug testing.
What to Expect at a Collection Center
- Identification Verification: Upon arrival, individuals must present valid identification to ensure that the samples correspond to the correct person.
- Sample Collection: Trained professionals collect samples in a manner that minimizes the chance of tampering or contamination. This might involve measures such as securing personal belongings and direct observation during sample provision.
- Chain of Custody: Each sample is handled with a documented chain of custody procedure to maintain its integrity from collection to testing laboratory.
Importance of Collection Centers
Drug testing collection centers are vital for ensuring the effectiveness and reliability of the drug testing process. They provide essential services that help employers maintain a safe and productive workplace, enforce legal and regulatory requirements, and assist in rehabilitation processes. The professionalism and accuracy practiced by these centers are crucial for upholding the trust and safety standards expected in many professional environments.
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Local Area Info: Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 189,992 during the 2010 census, making it the most populous beach city in Orange County and the seventh most populous city in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area.[citation needed] Its estimated 2014 population was 200,809. It is bordered by Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation Area on the west, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest, by Seal Beach on the northwest, by Westminster on the north, by Fountain Valley on the northeast, by Costa Mesa on the east, and by Newport Beach on the southeast.
Huntington Beach (locally initialized "HB") is known for its long 9.5-mile (15.3 km) stretch of sandy beach, mild climate, excellent surfing, and beach culture. The ocean waves are enhanced by a natural effect caused by the edge-diffraction of open ocean swells around Santa Catalina Island.[citation needed] Swells generated predominantly from the North Pacific in winter and from a combination of Southern Hemisphere storms and hurricanes in the summer focus on Huntington Beach, creating consistent surf all year long, hence the nickname "Surf City".
The area was originally occupied by the Tongva people. European settlement can be traced to a Spanish soldier, Manuel Nieto, who in 1784 received a Spanish land grant of 300,000 acres (1,200 km2), Rancho Los Nietos, as a reward for his military service and to encourage settlement in Alta California. Nieto's western area was reduced in 1790 because of a dispute with the Mission San Gabriel, but he retained thousands of acres stretching from the hills north of Whittier, Fullerton and Brea, south to the Pacific Ocean, and from today's Los Angeles River on the west, to the Santa Ana River on the east.