“Huntington Beach now official Surf City”1
The San Diego Union-Tribune / North County Times Wire Services · December 4, 2004
Historical Background
The Real Story Behind
The Quest for Surf City
The Quest for Surf City was inspired by real events leading up to the creation of the Surf City USA® brand and the ensuing dispute between Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz. The story generated extensive coverage by regional, national, and international news organizations for nearly three years and remains documented through a number of independent historical sources, including a detailed Wikipedia overview.
Fact and Fiction
While the novel draws heavily on real events, it is a work of fiction. Characters, dialogue, relationships, and many scenes have been imagined, combined, or substantially altered to explore the human dimensions behind the public story.
More Than Surf City
Huntington Beach’s effort to build a formal identity did not begin with Surf City USA. It was informally known as “Surf City” for decades, until the city adopted Surf City as its official nickname in 1991.
The following year, a California assemblyman introduced a resolution asking the California Legislature to officially recognize “Surf City Huntington Beach.” The measure initially appeared headed for easy passage, but surfers in Santa Cruz protested through newspapers and radio, arguing that their community had an equally strong claim to the Surf City identity. An assemblyman representing the Santa Cruz area intervened, and the measure stalled in committee.
It was an early version of the rivalry that would erupt on a much larger scale more than a decade later. The City of Huntington Beach obtained federal registration for the SURF CITY HUNTINGTON BEACH service mark in 1994.
The marketing dilemma was that Surf City is not a unique identity, but the actual name of communities in North Carolina and New Jersey. Huntington Beach could only associate itself with the words, just like Santa Cruz or any other city that wanted to be associated with the term.
Only One Surf City USA
The addition of “USA” changed both the scale and character of all the names that had preceded it. Huntington Beach created an exclusive brand name protected by a federal trademark. It was now connected to surfing and Southern California beach culture with a distinctively American flavor that could be projected on an international stage.
That distinction also created possibilities far beyond a tourism slogan. The Surf City USA brand could also support merchandise, licensing partnerships, events, and promotional alliances that went far beyond what Surf City Huntington Beach or Surf City alone could achieve.
More than two decades after its creation, the full potential of Surf City USA is still unfolding.
Selected Headlines
What began as a destination-branding strategy in Huntington Beach quickly became a story far beyond Southern California. The headlines below offer a glimpse of how the story unfolded in the media.
“Tale of two cities vying for title of surf capital”2
The Telegraph · February 7, 2005
“‘Surf City’ — Who Will Catch the Wave?”3
The Washington Post · February 20, 2005
“Where’s the real Surf City, USA?”4
The Christian Science Monitor · July 20, 2005
“Lawyers jump in as cities fight for surf title”5
The Guardian · July 24, 2005
“Huntington Beach takes name ‘Surf City USA’”6
NBC News / The Associated Press · May 14, 2006
“Surf City v. Surf City”7
NPR · September 26, 2006
“Goin’ to Surf City? Two Coastal Towns Claim the Title”8
The Wall Street Journal · April 12, 2007
“‘Surf City’ is stoked”9
Los Angeles Times · January 28, 2008
“A California Beach Town Reinvents Itself, Again”10
The New York Times · July 16, 2009
Sources for Selected Headlines
Links below lead to archived copies of the original sources whenever available.
- The San Diego Union-Tribune / North County Times Wire Services. “Huntington Beach now official Surf City.” December 4, 2004. Read Article
- The Telegraph. “Tale of two cities vying for title of surf capital.” February 7, 2005. Read Article
- The Washington Post. “‘Surf City’ — Who Will Catch the Wave? Two California Towns Vie for Designation.” February 20, 2005. Read Article
- The Christian Science Monitor. “Where’s the real Surf City, USA?” July 20, 2005. Read Article
- The Guardian. “Lawyers jump in as cities fight for surf title.” July 24, 2005. Read Article
- NBC News / The Associated Press. “Huntington Beach takes name ‘Surf City USA.’” May 14, 2006. Read Article
- NPR. “Surf City v. Surf City.” September 26, 2006. Listen/Read
- The Wall Street Journal. “Goin’ to Surf City? Two Coastal Towns Claim the Title.” April 12, 2007. Read Article
- Los Angeles Times. “‘Surf City’ is stoked.” January 28, 2008. Read Article
- The New York Times. “A California Beach Town Reinvents Itself, Again.” July 16, 2009. Read Article
The Road to the Surf City USA Brand
This timeline traces the journey of the Surf City USA brand from its beginnings through more than two decades of development.
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January 2002
New leadership arrives at the Visitors Bureau
Douglas C. Traub becomes president of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. Charged with strengthening the city’s destination-marketing efforts, Traub begins developing a broader strategy for attracting overnight visitors and positioning Huntington Beach as a travel destination.1
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August 19, 2002
Business Improvement District established
Huntington Beach establishes a tourism business improvement district with an assessment levied on hotels and motels to promote the city as an overnight destination.2
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July 20, 2004
The search for a destination brand begins
The Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau begins a formal effort to determine how the community should position itself as a visitor destination. Six potential branding positions are eventually tested, with Surf City USA offering the greatest commercial potential.3
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November 19, 2004
Surf City USA launches
Huntington Beach begins using Surf City USA in advertising, brochures, and promotional materials. Federal trademark applications are filed as the brand launches. Only two weeks later, a wire service distributes the story nationally, giving the new brand extraordinary exposure right away.4 5
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January 2005
The Surf City USA battle goes public
Huntington Beach’s Surf City USA branding effort draws a challenge from Santa Cruz, which directs its city attorney to pursue “Original Surf City USA.” The rivalry starts to gain major media attention as the two cities publicly compete over their surfing identities.6 7
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February 2005 – January 2008
The rivalry ignites worldwide headlines
The growing rivalry between Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz attracts extensive national and international media attention, with news organizations comparing the two cities, their surfing histories, and their competing claims to the Surf City identity. See Selected Headlines
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August 16, 2005
Senate committee backs Santa Cruz as Surf City USA
A California Senate committee approves a nonbinding resolution supporting Santa Cruz’s claim to “Surf City USA” and opposing Huntington Beach’s effort to secure exclusive trademark rights to the designation.8
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September 2005
Santa Cruz backs down
A California legislator withdraws a proposal to designate Santa Cruz “Surf City USA” after Huntington Beach objects that it could undermine its pending federal trademark applications.9
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December 2005
Surf City USA moves into merchandise
The Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau introduces a Surf City USA-branded beach cruiser with Felt Bicycles under one of its licensing agreements for the trademark, extending the new destination brand beyond traditional tourism promotion and into consumer merchandise.10
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May 2006
Federal trademark registrations arrive
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issues the first federal registrations for Surf City USA on the Supplemental Register. Huntington Beach announces additional applications and begins developing a broader family of Surf City USA-branded products and licensing opportunities.4 11
The Supplemental Register is the USPTO’s secondary trademark register for marks that do not yet qualify for the Principal Register but may become distinctive as indicators of source over time. Supplemental registrations receive federal protection but not all of the legal advantages and presumptions afforded registrations on the Principal Register.12
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September 2006
The dispute reaches the BBC
The dispute over Surf City USA attracts international attention as the BBC reports on Huntington Beach’s efforts to enforce its trademark against Santa Cruz merchants selling Surf City USA merchandise, carrying the controversy to a worldwide audience.13
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October 12, 2006
Santa Cruz merchants challenge the trademarks in court
Owners of two Santa Cruz shops file suit against the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, seeking to invalidate its Surf City USA trademarks. The filing transforms the increasingly contentious trademark dispute into a court battle.14
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February 1, 2007
The trademark case stays in federal court
A federal judge rules that the Surf City USA trademark lawsuit, removed from state court in Santa Cruz to federal court in San Francisco, will remain there. The decision keeps the case before a federal court as the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau prepares to respond to the lawsuit and assert claims of its own.15
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October 2007
Settlement negotiations intensify
After nearly a year of litigation, the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau and the Santa Cruz merchants enter serious settlement negotiations. Protecting the Surf City USA trademarks remains the Bureau’s central priority as it seeks to resolve the lawsuit and return its attention to expanding the brand through new marketing partnerships and licensing agreements.16
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January 2008
The lawsuit ends in settlement
After more than a year of litigation, the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau and the Santa Cruz merchants reach a confidential settlement. The merchants’ challenge to the Bureau’s Surf City USA trademarks is dismissed, the disputed shirts are changed, and the Bureau retains its trademark rights.17
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August 2008
Leadership changes at the Visitors Bureau
Douglas C. Traub, president and CEO of the Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau during the development, launch, and trademark defense of Surf City USA, resigns from the organization following the conclusion of the Surf City USA litigation.18
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February 3, 2009
Surf City USA reaches the Principal Register
The extraordinary national and international publicity surrounding the launch of Surf City USA and the battle with Santa Cruz builds widespread public awareness and recognition of the brand. On December 20, 2007, as the dispute nears its end, a new application is filed seeking registration of Surf City USA on the Principal Register. The USPTO approves the application, and Surf City USA is registered on the Principal Register on February 3, 2009.3 19
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April 30, 2024
“Surf City USA” heads for the freeway
California lawmakers approve designation of Interstate 405 and State Route 39 at Beach Boulevard as the “Surf City USA” interchange following unanimous votes in the Assembly and Senate. The measure is chaptered by the Secretary of State as Resolution 57, Statutes of 2024.20
Sources for the timeline
Links below lead to archived copies of the original sources whenever available.
- Daily Pilot / Los Angeles Times. “Taking tourism to a new level.” February 14, 2002. Read Article
- City of Huntington Beach. “Huntington Beach Hotel/Motel Business Improvement District Annual Report, FY 2007/08.” September 4, 2007. View Source
- SurferToday. “Surf City USA Legal Battle is Over.” January 23, 2008. Read Article
- United States Patent & Trademark Office. “Surf City USA, Serial Number 78518982.” Accessed August 29, 2026. View Source
- The San Diego Union-Tribune / North County Times Wire Services. “Huntington Beach now official Surf City.” December 4, 2004. Read Article
- SURFER. “A Tale of Two Surf Cities.” January 13, 2005. Read Article
- Los Angeles Times. “Two Surf Cities Claim the Same Wave of PR.” January 31, 2005. Read Article
- The Daily Journal / The Associated Press. “Santa Cruz in a ‘Surf City’ battle.” September 12, 2005. Read Article
- Los Angeles Times. “Rival for ‘Surf City’ Designation Backs Down.” September 8, 2005. Read Article
- Orange County Register. “Surf City bikes beyond the beach.” December 1, 2005. Read Article
- NBC News / The Associated Press. “Huntington Beach takes name ‘Surf City USA.’” May 14, 2006. Read Article
- United States Patent & Trademark Office. “How to Amend from the Principal to the Supplemental Register.” Accessed August 29, 2026. View Source
- BBC News. “US towns fight for Surf City name.” September 26, 2006. Read Article
- San Francisco Chronicle. “SANTA CRUZ / Surf City lawsuit, here we come.” October 13, 2006. Read Article
- Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. “Surf City USA Dispute to Remain in Northern California Federal Court.” PrimeNewswire. February 1, 2007. Read Release
- Daily Pilot / Los Angeles Times. “Surf City lawsuit ebbs.” October 10, 2007. Read Article
- Los Angeles Times. “‘Surf City’ is stoked.” January 28, 2008. Read Article
- Orange County Register. “Surf City Conference and Visitors Bureau CEO resigns.” August 4, 2008. Read Article
- United States Patent & Trademark Office. “Surf City USA, Serial Number 77356494.” Accessed August 29, 2026. View Source
- FastDemocracy. “ACR 87, California, 2023–2024 Regular Session.” Accessed August 24, 2026. View Source