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City
of Long Beach
Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB |
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South from the metropolis
that is Los Angeles
sits a city rich in diversity and long in hospitality. Long
Beach is a part of the L.A. area that brings to mind resorts, white
sand and sunshine. The area has become known as a favored California
destination and a haven for watersports enthusiasts, vacationers and retirees.
The city remains in the fore among Californian Coastal stops and is now the
fifth largest city in California and among the fifty largest cities in the United
States. Be it the quiet of the Queen
Mary's haunted lower decks or the roar of Grand Prix Racing in the Spring,
Long Beach has much to offer in terms of sights to see and adventures to experience.
ORIENTATION
Visitors to Southern California
may very well find themselves in Long Beach while exploring the Pacific Coast
that borders the city of Los Angeles. Located in a popular spot on the Pacific
Ocean, Long Beach lives up to its name with a long, wide beach that is open
to the public and includes a bike and walking path that runs parallel to the
sandy shore. Long Beach is ideally situated for those visiting the L.A. area
and offers all the amenities and services that travelers expect to find in any
major U.S. center.
HISTORY
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Long
Beach Harbor and City Center
Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB
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The history of Long Beach
dates back several hundred years and is punctuated by events that have helped
to shape the city that residents and visitors know and enjoy today.
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
weighed anchor in Long Beach harbor just 50 years after Columbus landed in the
present-day United States.
Grass and brush was burning on the shore, sending billows of smoke high into
the air and flushing rabbits into the waiting hands of the Tongva, the local
American Indians. The sight led Cabrillo to christen the area Bahia de los Fumos,
or Bay of the Smokes. This first contact was less than auspicious for both the
Spanish and the Tongva, as Cabrillo was on a mission of conquest and an attempted
takeover of the coast was soon initiated by the Spanish explorers. The subsequent
domination resulted in a decimated American Indian population, and Cabrillo
was felled by complications from a broken leg sustained in battle. Thus the
recorded history of Long Beach began.
The land that Long Beach occupies changed hands several times over the years, eventually welcoming a significant European population that settled the area. The town was first incorporated in 1888 and named for the wide, long beaches that dominate this part of the coast. It was over these expansive beaches that billionaire eccentric Howard Hughes flew the first and last flight of his famous Spruce Goose, the world's largest airplane and a feat of engineering that changed the mechanics of modern aviation. The plane would remain on display until 1983 when it was moved from the largest geodesic dome in the world to its own venue. The dome, now home to Carnival Cruise Lines, is located adjacent to another prominent Long Beach landmark, the Queen Mary steamer.
|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
46°F(7.8°C) |
67°F(19.5°C) |
65mm |
| Feb |
47°F(8.3°C) |
67°F(19.5°C) |
73mm
|
| Mar
|
50°F(10°C) |
68°F(20°C) |
50mm
|
| Apr |
52°F(11.1°C) |
72°F(22.2°C) |
18mm
|
| May
|
57°F(13.9°C) |
74°F(23.3°C) |
0.05mm
|
| Jun
|
60°F(15.6°C) |
77°F(25.0°C) |
0.02mm
|
| Jul |
64°F(17.8°C) |
82°F(27.8°C) |
0.005mm
|
|
Aug |
65°F(18.3°C) |
84°F(28.9°C) |
0.02mm
|
|
Sep |
63°F(17.2°C) |
82°F(27.8°C) |
0.05mm
|
|
Oct |
58°F(14.5°C) |
78°F(25.6°C) |
0.01mm
|
|
Nov |
50°F(10.0°C) |
72°F(22.2°C) |
0.33mm
|
|
Dec |
45°F(7.2°C) |
67°F(19.5°C) |
0.42mm
|
|
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Climate
data from the
Western Regional Climate Center |
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CLIMATE
The sun is a ubiquitous
feature of Long Beach, shining an average of 340 days a year and eliciting an
average annual temperature of 74°F(23°C). Like much of California, the climate
in Long Beach is conducive to outdoor activities, and visitors are reminded
to use adequate protection from the sun's radiation.
Transportation
There are more cars in Southern
California than there are cows in India, adding credence to the common saying
that nobody walks in Los Angeles. That said, many of the attractions, accommodations
and services in Long Beach are accessible by foot. For those with limited mobility,
the red Passport
Shuttle is free in the downtown core and stops at many of Long Beach's
favored destinations.
The Long
Beach Airport (LGB) is one of the most heavily trafficked general aviation
airports in the world, providing flights from both national and international
destinations.
ATTRACTIONS
On the Water
Essentially a part of the
sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, Long Beach nonetheless features attractions
that entice more than five million visitors a year to seek out this stretch
of sandy beach. Resorts abound along the shoreline, with different activities
offered depending on the accommodation. Sitting prominently in the Long Beach
Harbor is the Queen Mary, a large former cruise ship that has been docked in
Long Beach since 1967. The Queen Mary made its maiden voyage—the first of 1,001
Trans-Atlantic voyages—in 1936, sailing from Southampton, England to New York
City. The luxurious behemoth was originally slated to be used as a maritime
museum, however it was transformed into a floating hotel that opened in the
early 1970s, adhering to high standards of accommodation and creating a reputation
for comfort that continues to this day. Guests aboard this historical liner
have the opportunity to occupy staterooms that once accommodated such celebrities
and dignitaries as Walt Disney, Marlene Dietrich and Sir Winston Churchill.
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Waterfront
Shopping
Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB
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History is further presented
in neighboring San
Pedro at the SS
Lane Victory, a World War II-era battleship that is now open to visitors.
This ship is also a testament to the presence of the United States Naval Station
in Long Beach Harbor.
Aside from the military
station in Long Beach, part of the shoreline also features the Carnival
Cruise Terminal, a berth that services cruise ships and passengers that
was originally designed for the Spruce Goose, Howard Hughes' mammoth flying
boat.
Another type of boating
experience can be found in the Rainbow
Rocket, a speedboat tour that zips riders out to the Pacific Ocean and
back to Long Beach at adrenalin-inducing speeds. A more leisurely and relaxed
view of Long Beach from the water is available through one of the local Gondola
companies, ideal for a romantic excursion or just a calm afternoon.
Two other prominent Long
Beach attractions include the Aquarium
of the Pacific and the Waterfront. Both are located within a short distance
from the ocean and are just two of the myriad of family attractions in the area.
On the Beach
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Grand
Prix of Long Beach
Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB |
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Feature films and celebrities
own a significant part of the modern history of Long Beach. Today, the Long
Beach International Film Festival helps celebrate Balboa Studios, one
of the first silent film productions studios in the country. A true gem of the
silent movie era, Balboa closed for good in 1923, leaving a legacy for future
film makers and lovers to follow.
Shopping is well represented
in Long Beach as well. There is the Queen's
Market Place, a collection of shops and services near the waterfront
where visitors can enjoy the atmosphere and layout of a traditional English
Village. Later on, nearby Pine
Avenue is the center of Long Beach nightlife, offering a plethora of
bars and nightclubs to get out and get down.
Museums are popular venues
for education and appreciation of culture in Long Beach. The Museum
of Latin American Art is dedicated to the exploration of both Hispanic
and Chicano culture through paintings, sculpture and more. Artistic expression
is also paramount at the Long
Beach Museum of Art, which features a collection of fine art from various
sources. A more focused art museum is the American
Museum of Straw Art, a venue that houses both artistic and practical
examples of the age-old art of weaving straw. For a different view of history,
visitors are encouraged to investigate the Long
Beach Fire Museum, featuring a assemblage of traditional fire fighting
equipment.
Long Beach is also home
to the Electric
Railway Historical Association of Southern California, a club committed
to the history of trolleys and electric trains as a means of transportation.
Another popular moving attraction in Long Beach is the annual Toyota
Grand Prix, an auto-racing event that draws enthusiasts from across
the country and around the world each April. For visitors seeking a motor-free
activity, Long Beach also hosts the International
City Marathon every year in support of local charities.
