While you may think Long Beach is all about the beach and nothing else, this exciting city has something to offer everyone. Planning the perfect trip to Long Beach is actually a lot easier than you think.
Finding the Perfect Hotel Room
If you’re looking for cheap Long Beach hotels, you need to stay away from the coastline. However, don’t be worried about difficulties getting to the beach if you’re farther inland. If you drove to the area in your own car, you’ll find it very easy to drive around the city. Or, if you flew into Long Beach Daugherty Field, you can either rent a car from one of the five major rental car companies at the airport or rely on the strong public transportation system throughout the Long Beach area.
Wstin Hotel
Image by Michael Gray via Flickr
Spending the Day at the Beach
With four miles of coastline, Long Beach has plenty of unique beaches to offer every visitor. If you’re looking for a nice beach with calm waters that every member of the family can enjoy, the Belmont Shore neighborhood has some great options. Here, you can relax at the Belmont Shore Beach and get in some great fishing off the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. Or bring the family dog along and head over to Rosie’s Dog Beach, the only dog beach in Long Beach.
Belmont Shores
Image by Parker Knight via Flickr
Rosie’s Dog Beach
Image by Laurie Avocado via Flickr
Belmont Veteran Memorial Pier
Exploring the Most Popular Attractions
The Aquarium of the Pacific showcases the vastly different environments of the world’s largest ocean. This includes the giant kelp forests in Southern California, the sea otters and puffins of the Northern Pacific, and the colorful fish of the tropical reefs. Other popular exhibits at the aquarium include a penguin habitat, 10,000 square-foot shark lagoon, and walk-through Lorikeet Forest.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Image by Pieter Edelman via Flickr
RMS Queen Mary, which is permanently docked right across from the aquarium, is another popular destination in Long Beach. This floating hotel and museum also has a tea room, lounge, five-star restaurant, a spa, and gift shops. You can book a tour to see more about how the ship works or learn about its history. The truly brave can even book a ghost tour on this supposedly haunted ship.
RMS Queen Mary
Image by Jason Mrachina via Flickr
Enjoying the Area’s Entertainment
Just because you’ve had a full day of playing on the beach and exploring the popular attractions doesn’t mean your fun is over. The Pike is a waterfront entertainment district with restaurants, shopping, nightlife, a bowling alley, movie theater, comedy club, and much more. At night, a ride on the Ferris wheel gives you an amazing view of the city.
The Pike
Image by Steve Burke via Flickr
Another great place to head for the evening is Shoreline Village. You can stroll past the colorful shops along the boardwalk, find an enticing place to eat, and try your luck and skill with the arcade games. Or you can go for a ride on the classic carousel. In the summer, you can also enjoy live music on the weekends.
Shoreline Village
Image by Dave Reichert via Flickr
Please share this post with others who are thinking about taking a trip to Long Beach. Also, leave your favorite tips for planning the perfect Long Beach vacation.
Author Bio
Kristen McCalla is a Hipmunk writer and avid blogger who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her husband, cat, and dog. When she’s not writing on her blog, 31 Million Seconds, she enjoys traveling and exploring all over this beautiful country.
